Abram was blessed with the third cycle of generation. The story of Abram is written in the Book of Generations that is called, “Genesis.” The first generation was in the beginning with Adam’s kind, the second was 1000 years later with Noah’s kind, and the third, two thousand years later with Abram’s kind.
Abram’s grace began with the dawning of the age of Aries, represented
by the ram. Of course, the ram represents Satan, and rather than Isaac die, God
would provide a ram: “And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for
a burnt offering in the stead of his son” (Gen 22:13).
Abram’s “lamb” sacrifice would not be done. God would
provide the sacrifice. That parallels Adam, rather than him being sacrificed
for sin, God provided a lamb from which coats were made to keep them safe. It
also parallels Jesus as the “Lamb of God, who would be sacrificed. But
on the sidelines, God provided another “ram” — Judas with Satan in him. Jesus
would be the living sacrifice, but all the while Satan would be dying vicariously
nearby, caught in his “thicket by the horns” so to speak, just as the ram had
been.
For Adam, the lamb was killed as his shield against the rudiments
of the world and its ruler, Satan, who is “Prince of the Power of the Air.” [i]
Adam found grace. God did not have to preserve him; it was merciful of God.
Likewise, Noah found grace. [ii]
God provided a “shield” for him. It was the Ark that God provided him. “Shields”
protect as one travels (transported) about in perilous times. The perils of
Adam would be the conflicts with Satan that are enumerated in the Books of
Adam and Eve and the Conflicts with Satan.
The perils of Noah would be troubled waters as mankind were
judged. Noah and his family were kept safe from the collateral damage that
might occur in the deluge.
Out of the Garden, three kinds of men were born: (1) Satan’s
kind with Cain, (2) God’s kind with Abel who would be killed by Satan’s kind,
and (3) and a compromise of God and Adam, named Seth.
Out of the waters would be born three kinds: (1) God’s kind,
Shem, (2) Satan’s kind, Canaan from Ham, and (3) another compromise, Japheth’s
kind, the Gentiles.
Out of sinful Ur, God would follow suit as He had before,
but Sarai was barren and old, and Abram was even older. Yet, they must have
sons! Oh, what would they do? Let God take care of them!
After these things the Word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, "Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” (Gen 15:1)
First off, what is meant by “after these things?” After all
the kings and their great king, Chadorloaomer brought peril, God in the Flesh
took care of Abram. The Most High God blessed Abram. Like Adam and Noah before,
Abram found grace! [iii]
Abram had seen God face-to-face, and not only lived but was rewarded. God, in
the Flesh of Melchizedek, served Abram His “Body” and “Blood” with the elements
of wine and bread. [iv]
Melchizedek supped with Abram for remembrance of Him. Paul
thereafter remembered Melchizedek in his letter to the Hebrews. Unbeknownst to
them, Shem and his seed had worshiped “Jesus” all along through the Word of
God. The apostle, John, revealed the Word. The “Word” was Jesus and had been
all along. Melchizedek was the Word of God in the Flesh. [v]
After those things, “the Word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision.” Before, Abram had seen God in the Flesh, but now he saw God in a vision — “in an ecstatic state.” (Strong’s Dictionary). Abram transcended reality. The surreal was made real. He saw “The Word” in Spirit and in Truth for what He Is.[vi]
Abram added all the evidence, and realized that the Word Is God, the Word is Spirit, and the Word is the Will of the Father for him. What did God Will for Abram? “He that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir” (Gen 15:4).
The Word (Jesus) would provide a biological heir for him
from his own side! Abram was the “third Adam!” Noah had been the second because
he had three sons come from his loins at a great age!
God would write a new Will, so to speak. His first Will was
for Adam’s seed, the second of God’s Wills was for the seed of Noah, and now
the Will of God was for the seed of Abram who had no seed! God would take care
of him, “saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield,” meaning “Protector.” The
Word of the LORD GOD would keep Abram from harm, and not only protect but be his
“exceedingly great reward.”
What would Abram’s reward be? His heirs would be as numerous
as the stars in heaven. (Gen 15:5). That seems as if the Word of God spoke about
the progeny of Abram. Look deeper than that!
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, "Fear not; I am the first and the last” (Rev 1:15-17).
Obviously, “the First and Last” is God. His “Voice” is Jesus
as The Word. The burning as if in a furnace is the Holy Ghost. [vii] The
“seven stars” are believed to be the angels of the seven churches of Asia. In
the end, the “angels” (glorified Christians) of those seven churches would be
heirs of Abram!
The One Church is headed by Jesus with seven kinds of
“angels.” The Book of Revelation reveals the seven kinds of the seed of
Abraham! The Christian Church is the from the seed of Abraham and the “angels”
(righteous) from those seven churches would be destined to rest in Abraham’s
Bosom, [viii]
or alternatively, Satan’s bosom.
The Covenant with Abram was not only to populate Paradise on
Earth in Canaan’s land, but Paradise in Heaven in the realm of Jesus. Abram transcended
the world. He saw unto the heavens through the “Sea of Glass.” [ix]
He saw Jesus as God on His throne, and cherubim guarding the Way to the Tree of
Life. He trusted the Word because he saw the Author and Giver of Life, “And he
believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness” (Gen 15:6).
Abram trusted the Word to shield him and to multiply his
seed. To do that, the Word would diminish Satan to not kill Abram and always to
preserve the seed of Abram. Abram had faith in his God, and that He would be the
God of Isaac and Jacob. He had faith that Jacob would become Israel, and indeed
he did. He saw Israel, his son, resting in his bosom when he testified to his
own will (See the “Will of Abraham” in the sacred writings).
How could there be a Covenant with Abraham unless Abram had
heirs. If you are a Christian, you too are an heir of Abraham, and your Jesus
is the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Better yet, Abram’s seed was supplied
by God in a dormant bowel and planted into Sarai’s barren womb! Isaac was a another
“Seth,” and another “Shem.” The previous two Covenants would continue until the
Covenant of Grace was realized.
Why would Lazarus rest in Abraham’s bosom? Because Lazarus
was from Abraham’s loins. Lazarus came to his “father” to share the “shield” of
faith from the Wicked One that Jesus had put on Abram two-thousand years
before. The “Shield” that Abram wore was the most essential of the whole armor
of God, to wit: “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be
able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephes 6:16).
God put that shield on Abram by grace and it made him a new
person. Abram’s Christian name became “Abraham” — “their protector, their shield”
(Abarim Publications). Lazarus was comforted in Abraham’s Bosom because he was
under God’s Shield. The Holy Spirit Is that “Shield” and protected Abram and
his seed in the heavenly Paradise!
Christians are admonished of the faith of Abraham: “Therefore
it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure
to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which
is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all” (Rom 4:16).
Paul was speaking to the Romans. They too were the seed of
Abraham and Abram was their “father.” Not because they were Semites but because
they were adopted Sons of God. True to the Noahic Covenant, Shem’s tent was enlarged
to include Gentiles! [x] Paul
spoke to that.
Perhaps now the reader understands the shield provided by
Abraham’s Bosom and why Lazarus was so secure therein. Lazarus had the faith of
Abraham and was resting comfortably in death in the same faith in the Word that
Abraham had. The Word still shielded the heirs of Abram as they were rewarded
in Paradise.
The Word remains the same Shield to this day. Trusting the
Word (Jesus) for deliverance is the faith of Abraham! That Shield kept the generations
going even when they deserved death.
(picture credit: crosswalk.com; "Shield of Faith")
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