Messianic Prophecy #3 Messianic Revelation to the Patriarchs.

INTRODUCTION Genesis 12:3

Turn in your Bible to Genesis 12, where we come to the next MP.

I titled this lesson the way I did because during the life of the patriarchs we have some tremendous revelations of Messiah.

MESSIANIC REVELATION THROUGH THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT

We need to lay out some back ground information here.

Genesis 1 through 11 is unique in a number of ways.

It has been said that everything you need for a Biblical World View can be found in those chapters.

The most defining truth from Genesis 1-11 is that man is utterly sinful, and when left to his own will never seek YHWH on his own.

Adam sinned.

Cain sinned and went out from the presence of the Lord.

By the time chapter 6 rolls around, man is utterly sinful and every intention of his heart is wicked.

In chapter 10 man invents his own religion.

If those first 11 chapters teach us anything, it is that man is utterly sinful will not seek YHWH.

As you work through those 11 chapters, you begin to notice that there are very few witnesses for God.

In fact, there is very little witness for God period.

It is as if YHWH let man have his own way just to make a point, you don’t want Me, but you need Me.

God’s people were few in that time.

The seed of the woman, those that belong to God, are few and far between.

And there just isn’t much of a witness for God in the world of men.

In Genesis 12 that is about to change.

Genesis 12 begins to describe how YHWH is going to form a witness nation for His glory in the world.

This nation will be tasked with the responsibility of bearing witness to God for all the peoples of the world.

YHWH is going to speak to the world through this nation.

Hebrews 1:1–2 LSB

God, having spoken long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days spoke to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds,

From God’s chosen people, came those prophets whom YHWH spoke not just to Israel but to the rest of the world as well, and even the world today.

And in time, in these last days, YHWH spoke to the world still through His witness nation, only now it was His Son, the Messiah.

Abram is the first link in the chain that will produce YHWH’s witness nation, and Messiah.

When we look at Abram you need to keep two primary thoughts in mind.

First, Abram is the channel through which the promised seed of the woman will come.

Second, Abram is the origin of God’s witness nation, which is in reality the people through which Messiah shall come.

So, to be sure, the Abrahamic Covenant is more about YHWH’s plan for Messiah than anything else.

This is the focus of the Abrahamic covenant found in Genesis 12:1-3

Genesis 12:1–3 LSB

And Yahweh said to Abram, “Go forth from your land, And from your kin And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

If YHWH plans on having a witness nation in the world, then you would expect Him to provide certain necessities.

That is exactly what the Abrahamic Covenant does.

It promises unto Abram everything he will need in order for YHWH to bring forth a witness nations from his loins.

If YHWH is to create a witness nation, then they must have a land.

That is the first article of the Abrahamic covenant.

YHWH moved Abram to a promised land, the land of Canaan.

This emphasizes the work of God because Abram is just one man, and hundreds of thousands of people inhabit that land.

The very land in which Messiah would be born, live, minister, and die.

Second, if YHWH is to create a witness nation, then there has to be a people.

That is the second article of the Abrahamic covenant.

I will make of you Abram, a great nation.

This article really emphasized the work of God in this covenant because Abram and Sarai are 75 years old, and have never been able to have children.

But they will have a child, and many many descendents and become a nation.

This nation Israel, is the nation from which Messiah will come.

Third YHWH promised to bless Abram.

Fourth, YHWH promised to make Abram’s name great.

Then fifth, and the most important thrust of the covenant is somewhat vague, in you all the families or nations of the earth will be blessed.

And it all is focused on Messiah, the nation Israel was to be God’s witness nation unto Messiah, their Messiah.

Through this people YHWH is about to create, Messiah will be revealed in amazing detail.

But remember, last time I told you and then showed you why, YHWH was gradually revealing Messiah to Abram.

Jesus said of Abram, He longed to see My day, He saw it and was glad.

Genesis 12:3 is the first lesson for Abram in Messianic revelation.

This last article is the primary Messianic Revelation.

Now I admit it is fuzzy if you are not a Christian, or if you are a Christian who is just learning the scripture.

But I don’t believe it was fuzzy for Abram because of NT commentary on Genesis 12:3.

Galatians 3:8 LSB

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”

The gospel was proclaimed to Abram, right there in Genesis 12:3 is what Paul is explaining in this Galatian text.

So it might be fuzzy to us, but according to Paul as the Spirit guided him to write, the gospel was proclaimed to Abram.

Let me lay out a time line.

First Abram is called to follow YHWH.

Second, the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached to Abram in Genesis 12:3.

Third, Abram believed God and it was credited to Him as righteousness. Gen. 15:6.

Abram was saved by faith, in the promised Messiah revealed to him in chapter 12.

Fourth Abram recieved a new name and was circumcised after having professed faith.

Abram was not saved by circumcision, that came after his faith.

Abram was not saved by keeping the law, the law did not come for another 400 plus years.

Abram was saved by faith, as he looked forward to the promised Messiah.

The promise then to Abram was this, YHWH was going to use Abram as a channel through which YHWH would bless every nation on the planet with the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

This is Messianic.

In addition, it certainly fits with what the NT teaches about believers from every tongue, tribe and nation worshipping Jesus Christ.

Messiah would save a multitude of Gentile and Jewish people, from every corner of the earth.

Within the Abrahamic covenant we see both responsibility and response.

Abram has received the responsibility to be a blessing to the nations.

The nations have been given a command to respond to Abram and the witness nation rightly, with admiration and respect.

To curse Abram or the nation is to be cursed by God.

To be a blessing to Abram or the nation, is to be blessed by God.

What this really points to is this, the greatest respect the peoples of the world can show Abram or the witness nation is to receive Messiah, loving honoring and respecting Him.

When Paul ties the Abrahamic covenant to the gospel in Galatians, then the covenant is shown to be Messianic.

Galatians 3:8 LSB

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”

Messiah is going to bless every nation, because ever nation will be represented in glory, through His death burial and resurrection.

His substitutionary atoning death is in view, and Abram knew it, because that is the gospel, the good news.

Now what does this add to our portrait of Messiah.

Previously we learned Messiah would be a human, so really anybody could qualify.

Then we learned that Messiah was a male, so now only half the population are possible candidates, men.

But here in Genesis 12, YHWH narrows the field even more, really significantly , Messiah will be descended from Abram.

So only males who are descended from Abraham are viable candidates from this point on.

That is important to remember, because YHWH is going to get very very specific.

With regard to the Messianic work, on paper all we see is that He will be a blessing to every nation.

We know what that means because we have read the end of the story.

But the person reading the Bible for the first time knows only blessing.

The Messianic revelation is expanded in Genesis 15 and again in Genesis 17 in the life of Abram.

In Genesis 15 Abram is concerned that the future is dependent upon a servant as his heir.

YHWH reassures Abram, Gen 15:4

Genesis 15:4 LSB

Then behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, “This one will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.”

Here we come to a familiar term, the son of promise, which is Isaac.

If Abram is going to be a blessing to every nation, if he is going to be a great nation, then he must first have a son.

But he and Sarai are childless, and without any real hope of conceiving a child.

Folks, the Messianic promise now hinges on Abram, and therefore an heir must come from Abram.

So in a sense, the promised Son has very important Messianic implications.

No son for Abram, no Son of God incarnate.

So when YHWH promises Isaac, He is also moving His Messianic plans forward.

When the time comes, we will devote a significant amount of time to Isaac.

Let me share now only this, He is a type or picture of Christ.

For just as Isaac was a promised son, so too is Messiah.

Isaiah 9:6 LSB

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaac as a promised son, pictures the promised Son of God in Isaiah 9:6.

Genesis 17 also has Messianic implications worth our time.

Read Genesis 17:1-

Abram is 100 years old, 25 years have passed since the call of God came to him and the covenant was promised.

Abram is still childless with regard to Sarai.

Sarai is 99, well beyond child bearing age.

Now along the way, Sarai and Abram decided to help YHWH out, and Abram sired a child with Hagar an Egyptian servant.

Abram is content, that the child Ishmael will be his heir and live out the covenant.

YHWH intervenes and rejects Ishmael.

Genesis 17:19 LSB

But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.

You might be wondering why did YHWH wait so long to give them a son?

I think it comes down to this, at their age, Sarai could no longer have children.

Isaac was a miraculous birth.

This not only foreshadows the birth of Messiah, but demonstrates YHWH’s hand in the whole affair.

YHWH intervened again in Abraham’s life and gave Abraham a son out of impossible circumstances.

This demonstrates how YHWH is moving and shaping history for His purposes, Messiah.

This is an important milestone in Messianic revelation.

Abraham will remarry and have 4 additional sons.

So with Ishmael, Isaac, and those future 4, theoretically Messiah could come from any one of their lines?

But YHWH is emphatic, It is Isaac that is the Messianic line.

Folks, this is a very relevant truth today.

Muslims claim they are God’s chosen people.

Muslims have their own version of Messiah.

In fact Muslim teach that our Jesus, will return, but when He does, He will inform Christians that He is just a prophet, and the true Messiah is the Muslim Mah-ha-di.

Well those are Satanic lies.

The scripture is clear, Isaac is the son of promise, and Messiah will be from his line.

I want to pause and exposit what I mean by witness nation.

Abraham was well aware what his task was, and that of his descendents.

By word and deed, they were to make YHWH known, intercede for their fellow man, proclaim the truth of a Sovereign Lord throughout the land, and for all people.

Abraham was to be a light to the world.

Israel was to be a light to the world.

They were to proclaim the excellencies of YHWH and His Messiah.

Thus, in and through Abraham, YHWH was forming a witness nation for Himself.

MESSIANIC REVELATION IN THE LIFE OF ISAAC

Aside from being the son of promise that would carry the covenant forward, there is really only one Messianic revelation related to Isaac.

Abraham is still alive, and the following event was a test of Abraham’s faith, sacrifice Isaac.

This was a huge issue because the future fulfillment of the covenant depended upon Isaac.

In this event, we get a glimpse of the future Messiah.

There are a few key insights here.

First, both Messiah and Isaac are promised sons, the only begotten sons.

Second, both Messiah and Isaac are from miraculous births.

In this manner the birth of Isaac foreshadowed Messiah.

Third, Abraham, the father, must sacrifice Isaac, his son.

If you asked the average Christian who killed Jesus, you would get a variety of answers.

Some say the Jews.

Some say the Romans.

Some say sinners killed Him.

Some say He laid down His own life.

And there is a strong element of truth in each of these.

But the overarching fact is this, the Father sacrificed His Son.

All that happened was according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of the Father.

In that way, Abraham sacrificing Isaac was a foreshadowing of the death of Messiah at the hands of His Father.

Fourth, Isaac carried the wood that would be used for his own death.

This pictures the Christ being burdened with the task of carrying the very instrument that would be used to bring about His death.

Just as Isaac carried the wood, so too would Messiah.

Fifth, Moriah, or rather Mt Moriah was to be the place of sacrifice of Isaac.

Mt Moriah is believed to be the Temple Mt.

This would be Jerusalem, the very place Solomon would build the Temple of God.

More significantly, this would be the general location where Jesus was condemned and then put to death.

Sixth, Isaac was a willing participant.

At Abraham’s age, it was inconceivable that he could have overpowered Isaac and forced him onto the altar.

Isaac willingly got on the altar.

Isaac obeyed the Father, even to the point of his own death.

Just as Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Jesus said, John 10:18

John 10:18 LSB

“No one takes it away from Me, but from Myself, I lay it down. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

Seventh, Abraham believed in a resurrection.

this might seem unbelievable, how could Abraham do such a thing?

He trusted God, even believing in a resurrection.

Hebrews 11:17–19 LSB

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only son, to whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he also received him back.

Abraham knew that YHWH would keep His promised covenant, even if He had to raise Isaac back from the dead.

This is a tremendous foreshadowing of the resurrection of Jesus.

Had the disciples remembered this account, they might have been more inclined to look for the resurrection.

So as the author of the Hebrew letter stated, Isaac is a type, a picture of Christ, and we can see why.

MESSIANIC REVELATION IN THE LIFE OF JACOB Genesis 49:8-12.

The next significant Messianic revelation comes near the end of Jacob/Israel’s life.

Jacob was the grandson of Abraham, the son of Isaac, Esau’s younger brother.

Remember, YHWH changed Jacob’s name to Israel, which we know became the name of the Nation.

The name Israel is significant not just for then but for us today, it mean YHWH preserves.

Certainly that is a powerful reminder why the Jewish race and nation are still with us today.

They have been persecuted more than any other people, yet they still stand.

But primarily it reminds us that YHWH preserves the covenant.

The Abrahamic covenant was a unilateral covenant which means that YHWH alone guarantees the future fulfillment.

There is the promise of God in the name Israel.

YHWH will preserve them and His covenant throughout history, and He has.

As the book of Genesis comes to a close, Israel/Jacob is an old man.

It was customary for the elder statesman, the patriarch to bless his sons before he died.

We are more familiar with this in the life of Isaac when Jacob stole his brother Esau’s birthright.

In that culture, there was a binding significance in the blessing.

Israel calls his sons into him one a time and blesses them.

The twelve sons of Israel became the 12 tribes of the nation Israel.

Although the list vary because Levi isn’t always listed because they were the priestly tribe, and Joseph’s two sons were mentioned, and Joseph not.

But the blessing we need to look at is found in Genesis 49:8-12.

Judah is the son and future tribe in focus.

Verse 8 lays the foundation for verse 9.

Judah will be the pre-eminent brother and tribe, and the brothers will praise him.

Judah will conquer his enemies.

The sons of Israel will bow down to Him.

Folks, that can be taken two ways.

First bowing down is worship.

Second, it is a sign of submission to one in authority.

We can see how both concepts would be applied to one who is your Messiah King.

At the same time, verse 8 is just vague enough that is would not automatically be recognized as Messianic by itself.

Then when you look at verse 9, you see character qualities.

Judah will have the character qualities of a lion.

And in verse 10 specific qualities are identified.

First, this person is a lion’s whelp.

A whelp is an offspring.

This isn’t speaking of Israel, for that man was nothing like a lion.

This has to be a reference to the parental relationship of Messiah.

Messiah we will learn later is the Son of God.

So this is a statement of the character of both the Father and the Son.

Second, certain qualities of Messiah will be lion like.

The primary idea here is that He is fierce..

Folks, this text presents a great opportunity to dispel myths about Jesus.

During the Renaissance, the art depicted Jesus as more European than Jewish.

He was beautiful and almost feminine in appearance.

On top of that, today we have turned Jesus into this soft, always compassionate, always loving, again almost motherly person.

That is not the picture here, and is not an accurate representation of Jesus.

Jesus was a docile lamb, for a very brief period of time, basically from His arrest to His death.

The rest of the time, He was more lion than lamb.

Nobody told Jesus what to do.

Nobody stood in Jesus’ way.

They feared Him.

They recognized the authority in His voice.

Nobody ever spoke like this guy.

And when He rose up in anger, everybody fled from His presence.

He was a man’s man and could be a fierce and lion like .

Those rugged fishermen and the tax collector would have never followed a man like we have made Him out to be.

Hence Messiah is the lion of the Tribe of Judah.

This is the point here, Messiah is the King, the king of the jungle so to speak.

And all will and did recognize that immense ferocity that flowed through His veins.

Yes, He went out as a Lamb, but certainly when He returns is will be as a lion.

If you have ever heard Jesus referred to as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, this is where it comes from.

No one dares rouse Him, or challenge Him.

Jesus did not die as a Lamb because He was weak, He wasn’t a victim, they did not overpower Him or defeat Him.

He willingly took the posture of the Lamb in obedience to the Father who had determined that Jesus would die a humble submissive death.

So He bowed to the Father, and was not overcome by anyone or anything.

Then is verse 10 we come to the main event, Messiah will be a king.

This passage defines for us which of the 12 tribes Messiah will come from in this next statement.

Remember I told you, the primary intent behind Messiah is kingship.

Here we see the scepter, the kings staff, will not depart from Judah.

A scepter was a long staff with an ornamental head, that only the king could yield.

The office of King, will always rest in the tribe of Judah, this is the kingly tribe of YHWH’s choice.

Saul was chosen because he was the kind of king the people wanted, he was of the tribe of Benjamin.

But when YHWH chose the man He wanted as King, he chose David of the tribe of Judah.

We will see in future lessons, that this concept is reiterated and promised to David, the kings of Israel, especially the King, will be in the line of David, of the tribe of Judah.

So the pool of candidates just keeps getting smaller and smaller.

A human.

A male.

A descendent of Abraham.

A descendent of Isaac.

And now of the Tribe of Judah.

Messiah will fit all of this criteria, and all others are disqualified.

The One YHWH chose, was chosen to be a king.

This is perhaps the greatest thrust of Messianic prophecy that Messiah is King.

When we get to the life of David, that precept is going to be elaborated upon.

But for now, don’t miss the fact that Messiah will reign as a King.

Now think about the gospels and how the religious leaders refused to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

For starters, they should have consulted the records.

The Jewish people kept meticulous genealogical records.

It would have been very easy to confirm or deny and one who claimed to be Messiah.

If He was not of the Jewish people, a descendent of Abraham, a descendent of Judah, and a male, then they were automatically disqualified.

We shall see in later lessons how the Lord narrows the possible candidates.

My point is, there is no evidence they ever checked.

Now, there were hundreds and thousands of male descendents of Judah, so that wasn’t fool proof.

But it was a good place to start.

Then if a man was qualified by his bloodline, there was the evidence of his work as predicted in the scriptures.

Next in this prophetic statement we see the work of Messiah, He will rule.

All the peoples shall obey Him.

Now just think about the scope of that statement.

Peoples here is from a Hebrew word who’s Greek counterpart is ethnos.

Ethnos is best translated, nations.

The Hebrew word carries the same idea.

All the nations will on day obey Messiah.

This is a new Messianic concept.

We have seen how Messiah will crush the Serpent.

We have seen how Messiah will be a blessing to the nations.

Now we see Messiah shall rule and have the obedience, not just of the Jewish people, but of all people everywhere.

You might be thinking but everybody does not obey Christ, not now or in the past.

Yes that is true.

But what we must remember is that some prophecies speak to Messiah’s first coming, and some speak to His second coming.

Then there are those that speak beyond His second coming into the Millenial kingdom and beyond.

Such is the case here..

During the Millennial Kingdom, Christ will rule with a rod of iron.

Meaning, He will deal with sin swiftly and with great force.

So that peace and tranquility are maintained throughout the kingdom.

Again, we shall see this principle expanded in future studies.

CONCLUSION

Last, until Shiloh comes.

That phrase has been difficult for scholars throughout church history and even before.

The translators have decided that Shiloh is a personal name for Messiah, hence they capitalized the word.

But I had a professor who was a Hebrew scholar, and he preferred this interpretation.

The Hebrew word shiloh means to whom it is due.

This seems to fit the context which speaks of a coming Messiah King.

“Until the one to whom is due obedience comes” is the idea.

Seems like a fitting interpretation.

Because, when Jesus came the first time, obedience was not required, faith was.

Faith leads to obedience, but it was faith none the less that He desired the first time.

Next time, it will be obedience that is due Him.