Abraham died and Isaac turned to God to replace him. That may not be chronological because on Abraham’s deathbed it is written that Jacob was in Abraham’s bosom (The Testament of Abraham). Not his spiritual bosom, but truly so.
On the other hand, perhaps Jacob was in Abraham’s bosom as the seed of Abraham. Perhaps each Christian is in Abraham’s bosom! That idea is a profound thought, but it has merit for two reasons: (1) The promise was for Abraham’s seed to be as numerous as the stars (rhetorically), and (2) God had a plan for His people before the foundation of the world! [i]
The seed that would become Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom when Abraham laid on his deathbed! [ii] In death, Lazarus returned to the “dust” from which he came, just as Adam long before. [iii] Lazarus came from the seed planted by Abraham and in the time of Jesus, he returned.
All true Christians were in Abraham’s bosom before they were ever born and will return to it just as Lazarus. The Promise was to Abraham and his seed. Paradise was Willed to Abraham by God, and Christians are the heirs of Abraham. Where better to be when Paradise is rewarded than in Abraham’s bosom because Abraham is the epitome of great faith: “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham” (Gal 3:7).
Abraham had enduring faith! “The Book of Uprightness” (Jasher) says, “And there arose not a man who feared God like unto Abraham, for he had feared his God from his youth, and had served the Lord, and had gone in all His ways during all his life, from his childhood to the day of his death” (Jasher 26:34). That source says that Abraham and his children were blessed after his death (Jasher 26:49). Perhaps, therefore, Jacob was born after the death of Abraham.
The faith of Abraham was from his youth to his death. Scripture refers to that as well:
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Mat 24:8-14)
“The Great Tribulation” is the time of sorrows. Speaking of Christians who are alive at that time, they shall be hated because of Jesus’s Name. Hatred will change the nature of some Christians. Their Christian nature will offend themselves! Then they that fall away will betray and hate one another. Perhaps now is “The Time of Sorrows” because even Christians are turning on one another.
At that time, many false prophets shall come and deceive many. They have now arrived. You can smell the stench of falsehood if you are in the Word. The problem today is that the Word offends, even Christians. For them, the Word is not inspirational but only their own thoughts.
The love once inside those Christians will wax cold. Before their nature was as fire, but in the time of sorrows, the fire will burn out. That is “apostasy” and the turning away from Jesus.
Then comes the promise: “He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved.” Salvation, therefore, is at the end, in contrast to those who misunderstand this passage: “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14). Belief must then be enduring. “Shall have” is futuristic. But eternal life is immediate for those who remain faithful to the end.
Just when does the “end” come? Whenever the gospel is preached to all the world. That time is now! Who has never heard of Jesus? Now is “The Time of Sorrow” because Christians are falling away as if already dead.
Christ now seems to offend about everyone. Donald Trump said, “In reality they are not after me, they’re after you; I’m just in the way.” In reality they are not after you, they are after Jesus; and you are just in the way! [iv]
With that said, if you keep the faith, you shall remain in Abraham’s bosom. Until when? The end when Jesus comes, and then you shall be in Jesus’s Bosom. Abraham is the promissory document. God’s Will has been written on his flesh — the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Promise is the fulfillment of the promissory note. The note was “cashed”, so to speak, when Jesus came to redeem mankind.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:23). Everyone deserves death because all have sinned. Jesus Christ paid the wages that are due. His gift is eternal life. Eternal life is for “whosoever” believes. [v] It is for whosoever believes at the end. It mattered not that Demus, the thief on the cross beside Jesus, only believed at his end. All that became before was inconsequential; what was at that present time was of great importance!
Because Abraham made it from his youth to his death at 175 years of age is remarkable, but Jesus said to[vi] “marvel not!”
Would one sin doom Abraham? No! He still sinned! He misled Pharoah and Abimelech by not telling them that Sarai was his wife. He feared them more so than God, and rather than trusting God to preserve him, be deceived. Abraham did not have perfect faith. He did not “know that he knows that he knows” and all that superficial braggadocio. He had faith, but at times he still sinned.
Those Christians who succumb to the wiles of the Devil at the time of sorrows, will receive their old natures back; “because iniquity shall abound.” Is “iniquity” (anomia) one sin? No, it is wickedness as if there is no Law. Mob mentality is iniquity; with everyone doing what is right in their own eyes as if there is no one in authority. [vii]
The mob killed Jesus. They murdered their own God! Why would they do that? So that they would have no King and each of them could be the Law unto themselves.
Why the mobs in this time of sorrows? For the same reason! Rather than oppression, mobs are arrogant as each person become their own God. “White privilege” was when the slaveholders were the arrogant ones. “Black privilege” turns the tables. Both are wrong and both are iniquitous.
The arrogance of privilege by anyone is damning. Indeed, those who are humble shall be the ones that inherit the earth,” [viii] so why the discord? Because their faith is in themselves and not in God. The iniquitous are not looking at Jesus and what He can do! [ix] Abraham always followed Jesus right up until his last “will and testament.”
He could have failed! Never forget that. He endured much tribulation that attacked his faith. Life was not “a bed of roses” for him. Even the government of King Nimrod was always in pursuit of Abraham because of his great faith. Abraham outlasted evil Nimrod and is still outlasting the Antichrist, and all the while, is still comforting Christians. If Abraham can do it; so can any Christian, but it may not be easy!
(picture credit: Pinterest: :Judas's Thirty Pieces of Silver"; Antiquanova)
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