“1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen” (Romans 9:1-5).

     There are four truths essential to understanding what God is saying in Romans chapters 9, 10, and 11.

1. The Old Testament teaching (doctrine) of election

2. The seven folds (unfolding details) of the Abrahamic Covenant and the fact that the promises of God to national (or physical Seed) Israel are primarily earthly and temporal

3. The Mosaic Covenant was “added” to the Abrahamic Covenant and is within the Abrahamic Covenant. The Old (Mosaic) Covenant Priesthood being cast away and a new Priesthood being called and prepared for the Kingdom Age in all born again believers of the Church Age.

4. Within National Israel there was also a Spiritual Israel or a Spiritual Seed “in Christ.” It is important to note that there was a Spiritual or Faith Seed of Israel from the first instance of the initiation of the Abrahamic Covenant. The Faith Seed of Israel has heavenly and eternal promises. True Israel is the Faith Seed (Gal. 3:16).

     Without a shadow of a doubt, election refers primarily to the nation of Israel through which Messiah would come, and with His coming, the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant and the promise of the New Genesis “in Christ” (see Chapter Seven; Election as Defined by the Principle of First Mention). I use the word primarily because there is the high probability of believers (the Faith Seed) within other nations of the world at the time of the giving of the Abrahamic Covenant. Yet, the problem that overwhelms the Apostle Paul is that the vast majority of his “kinsman according to the flesh” (National Israel) had misplaced their faith by placing their faith in Law keeping (therefore, in themselves; Moralism and Ritualism). The fact of the matter was that, even though Israel, as a nation, was elect of God, most of the Israelites individually were not “born again.” This resulted in a great burden to the Apostle Paul (as it should to all believers).

     What we see in Romans chapter nine (and what is by-in-large missed in the exegesis of Romans chapters nine through ten) is God separating the Physical Seed of Abraham from the Faith Seed of Abraham and, in doing so, separates the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant into two categories.

1. The Physical Seed of Abraham (National Israel) will receive only the earthly and temporal aspects of the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant (although there appears to be clear evidence that only “born again” Jews will enter the Kingdom Age with “born again” believers from all nations).

2. The Spiritual Seed of Abraham (the Faith Seed) will receive both; the earthly and temporal aspects of the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant as well as the heavenly and eternal aspects of that Covenant. This includes Church Age believers and is a critical truth in seeing the Church as part of the New Covenant fulfillment within the Abrahamic Covenant.

     Romans chapters nine, ten and eleven are a parenthesis in the epistle dealing nationally and dispensationally with the nation of Israel. The focus of these three chapters deals with the paradox of Israel’s national election while the vast majority of the individuals making up the nation of Israel were not saved (“born again”). The thrust of these three chapters is the explanation of the gospel as detailed in Old Testament books, how the Old Testament types were fulfilled in Messiah (the gospel in the Law), and what individual Israelites needed to do to be “born again” to become the Spiritual or Faith Seed “in Christ” as the fulfillment of the “Seed” promise from Abraham.

     Although God’s promises to the nation of Israel are primarily earthly and temporal to the physical “seed” of Abraham, there were also heavenly and eternal aspects within the Abrahamic Covenant to the Spiritual or Faith Seed of Abraham “in Christ.” The vast majority of individual Israelites had become so preoccupied with the earthly and temporal aspects of God’s promises, they had completely excluded the eternal (and most important) aspects of those promises. However, before we look at the seven folds of the Abrahamic Covenant and see that the earthly, temporal promises of God are intermingled with the heavenly and eternal promises of God, we need to look at the Old Testament idea (theology) of election.

     Without a shadow of a doubt, election refers primarily to the nation of Israel through which Messiah would come, and with His coming, the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant and the promise of the New Genesis “in Christ.” It is to the second essential truth regarding the seven folds of the Abrahamic Covenant that we want to preoccupy ourselves before we study through Romans chapters nine through eleven. The fact of the matter (in the seven folds of the Abrahamic Covenant) is that the promises of God to national Israel {the physical Seed} are primarily earthly and temporal.

     To understand the doctrine of election as spoken of in Romans chapters eight through eleven, we must understand the place of the New Covenant Church of Jesus Christ within the Abrahamic Covenant. This is expanded upon in Romans chapter eleven and in Ephesians chapter two. This refers to the third essential in understanding the doctrine of election; i.e., the Old (Mosaic) Covenant Priesthood being cast away and a new Priesthood for Israel made up of both Jews and Gentiles being called and prepared for the Kingdom Age in all born again believers of the Church Age. This concept was a “mystery” to the Jews, but is revealed thoroughly in the New Covenant epistles.

“25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:25-32).

      This New Covenant Priesthood (the Church) is the Melchisedecan Priesthood referred to in Hebrews chapter 5:1-10, of which Christ is High Priest and of which all believers in Jesus Christ from the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) through the end of the Church Age are “members” (Eph. 5:30). All New Covenant believers are “members” of the “church of the firstborn” (Heb. 12:23; Col. 1:18) and a “royal priesthood” (I Peter 2:9), not Levitical (the Levitical priesthood is abrogated along with the Mosaic Covenant), but Melchisedecan. This relates to the New Genesis (genealogy) of the “last Adam”; i.e. Christ Jesus and actual regeneration “in Christ Jesus.”

“1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. 3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec” (Hebrews 5:1-10).

     The unfolding nature of “the regeneration” is revealed more extensively in the unfolding of the Abrahamic Covenant throughout Scripture. “The regeneration” unfolds as Scripture reveals the election of a nation in Abraham through which the “firstborn” of “the regeneration” would be born. The unfolding nature of the Abrahamic Covenant reveals the election of God in “the firstborn” that leads to the birth of the ultimate “firstborn,” i.e. Christ. This unfolds from the election of the nation of Israel as the “firstborn” to the election of the tribe of Levi as the “firstborn.” Then it unfolds in the casting away of that Old Covenant Priesthood (Malachi chapters two and three) and the establishment of a New Covenant Priesthood with Christ as the High Priest, Prophet, and King of the nation of Israel. This new priesthood of the elect nation of Israel will be comprised of all “born again” believers from the Day of Pentecost through the Tribulation (including also those martyred Tribulation believers resurrected at the second coming of Christ).

      A Priesthood “after the order of Melchisedec” would have been a strange concept to the Jewish mind, even the early Jewish believers of the first century. We must ask ourselves why God would introduce this new Priesthood here in Hebrews chapter five within the context of showing the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant. There must be some major significance of this Melchisedecan Priesthood relating to the New Covenant believer’s superior position “in Christ” to the Old Covenant believer’s position “under the Law” in that this is the continuing context from Hebrews chapter four. In order to understand this we must understand two things:

Ø The unfolding nature of the Abrahamic Covenant

Ø That the reality of the Old Covenant type in the Aaronic Priesthood is fulfilled in the “body of Christ” is the new, Holy/Royal Priesthood of all Church Age believers under our Prophet/King/High Priest Christ Jesus in the Millennial Kingdom on Earth

     There was not supposed to be a division between the Priesthood and the laity under the New Covenant. That division (Sacerdotalism) was part of the governance of the dispensation of Law and it too has “passed away.” Therefore, there is no division between clergy and laity within the New Covenant. Sacerdotalism as a distortion of New Covenant Christianity, is part of Catholicism and Reformed/Covenant Theology, and is heresy.

“16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (II Corinthians 5:16-20).

     From Hebrews chapter five through chapter eight verse six, God details the Priesthood of Jesus Christ as both superior too and abrogating the Aaronic Priesthood. In the New Covenant there is no division between Priesthood and people; between clergy and laity. All Church Age believers are Priests before God; of which Christ is High Priest.

      In Hebrews 5:1-4 we find a detailed requirement of a “High Priest.” More significant to all of this is the order of the Priesthood of Christ of which all “born again” New Covenant believers participate as servant/priests before God (Hebrews 5:10). The order is no longer Aaronic, but Melchisedecan. Be it enough to suffice us here to note that the change in order from Aaronic to Melchisedecan signifies a major change from Old Covenant to the New Covenant.

     The New Covenant is actually part of the unfolding Abrahamic Covenant. There are seven folds of the Abrahamic Covenant as it unfolds in history (past and future) culminating in the Millennial Kingdom with a restored nation of Israel and the Church Age Saints serving in glorified bodies as the Zadokien Kings/Priests/Judges of the world under Christ. If we fail to see the Church Age as part of the unfolding Abrahamic Covenant, we will fail to see the New Covenant as part of the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant.

     Let’s begin by looking at the unfolding nature of the Abrahamic Covenant. When I refer to the unfolding nature of the Abrahamic Covenant, I am talking about added details and changes within the Abrahamic Covenant as it unfolds actually in history. At times there are aspects “added” (Gal. 3:19) such as the Mosaic Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, and the Palestinian Covenant. At times there are aspects deleted or fulfilled, such as the sacrifices and sacerdotalism of the Mosaic Covenant.

      None of the folds of the Abrahamic Covenant are salvific in scope or application. In other words, there are no salvational conditions in the Abrahamic Covenant. Again, in each fold we will see that the promises of God to Israel are primarily earthly and temporal. That does not mean that there are no heavenly and eternal aspects to God’s covenant promises to Israel, but that those promises are primarily earthly and temporal.

First Fold (1921 B.C.1 )

“1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:1-3).

     This is actually the introduction to the Abrahamic Covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant is not actually instituted until Genesis 15:1-21. In this introduction we find all the future aspects embryonically included that will be revealed in greater detail through progressive revelation over many years of time. It is important to note that the last phrase (“and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed”) extends the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant beyond the nation of Israel (Jews) into all nations and ethic groups through faith in the Messiah (Promised One). Therefore, the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant have two Seed genealogies within it: physical seed descendants of Abraham and faith seed descendants of Christ. Within this introduction we find:

1. Land – “unto a land that I will shew thee”

2. Nation – “I will make of thee a great nation”

3. Israel will be materially blessed and become a blessing to all nations that bless Israel

4. Messiah is promised opening the “door” of redemption to “whosoever will”– “and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed”

Second Fold (about 1917 B.C. 2)

“14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15 or all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee” (Genesis 13:14-17).

     The extended details in this portion of Scripture give further elaboration of God’s promises in the Abrahamic Covenant as they relate primarily to the Millennial Kingdom and the land promises. However, as I have pointed out already, there are two Seed genealogies included within the Abrahamic Covenant. There are the physical Seed descendants of Abraham that make up National Israel. There are also the faith Seed descendants of Abraham that make up Spiritual Israel. Spiritual Israel is True Israel (Rom. 9:6) within National Israel. The faith Seed descendants of Abraham will also include “born again” Gentiles from the Church Age “grafted” into National Israel (Rom. 11:17-32). This is important in understanding that the New Covenant is merely another extension of the Abrahamic Covenant and is the Church Age.

Third Fold (about 1913 B.C. 3)

“1 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. 2 And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. 7 And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. 8 And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? 9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. 11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. 12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. 13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. 15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. 17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites” (Genesis 15:1-21).

     In the making of a covenant between two or more parties, the animal(s) were killed and cut into two pieces. The two pieces were separated with a pathway between them. Those making the covenant understood that as they passed between the pieces they were doing so before God. In doing so they were signifying by their passing between the pieces of the dead animal that an agreement between the parties was made before God. Their passing between the two pieces of dead animal signified their understanding in the covenant agreement that they accepted their own death should the covenant be broken. However, we note that in the Abrahamic Covenant it is not Abraham and God that pass together between the divided dead animals. Instead we read of a “smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.”

     This “smoking furnace” was the cylindrical firepot common to the land of Israel. A hole was in the lower belly of the furnace and a clay chimney extended at the top. A fire was built on the inside and the hole in the belly was turned to catch the wind. Cooking took place at the top of the chimney where fire came out almost like a blow torch or a blast furnace with intense heat.

     This “smoking furnace” actually fulfilled two purposes. The “smoking furnace” was also the fiery torch (“burning lamp”). Although we are not told of the results, it can be assumed that this “smoking furnace,” with its blasting torch of fire coming out of it, consumed the pieces of the animal sacrifices. This portrays the wrath of God in the satisfaction of His own judgment upon sin.

“18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:18-29).

     The significance of the fact that God alone passed between the two parts of the dead animal is that the Abrahamic Covenant is conditioned upon God’s performance alone. In other words, the Abrahamic Covenant is something God is going to do for both the physical Seed of Israel and the spiritual Seed totally apart from anything they do. The Abrahamic Covenant is a covenant performed totally by the Godhead with benefits extended to God’s chosen nation of Israel and to those who choose to believe in the Promised One “by grace through faith.” Therefore, we have two elect groups connected to Abraham in two different ways.

1. We have National Israel connected to the physical genealogy of Abraham.

2. We have Spiritual Israel connected to the spiritual genealogy of Abraham by “rebirth” through faith.

     Being part of either of these elect groups is conditioned on connection to Abraham by one of these two genealogical Seed streams. However, the heavenly and eternal promises of the Abrahamic Covenant are extended only to the Faith Seed of Abraham.

Fourth Fold (about 1491 B.C. 4)

MOSAIC COVENANT: The Law (Exodus 19:25 through 31:18)

     “1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. 2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount. 3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. 5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:1-6).

     The Mosaic Covenant was a part of the unfolding Abrahamic Covenant and also the beginning of a new dispensation (dispensations have to do with governance and stewardship). The Mosaic Covenant was a Covenant within (“added” to, Gal. 3:19) the Abrahamic Covenant. The Mosaic Covenant as it involves the Dispensation of the Law was set aside (abrogated) at the beginning of the Church Age. The Church Age would begin another fold within the Abrahamic Covenant. The Priesthood of the Dispensation of Law was merely typical of the Priesthood of all believers during the Church Age. There are some critical details in the O.T. types that separate the Church Age Priesthood from the Land and national promises to Israel.

“But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses” (Numbers 2:33).

“11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; 13 Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD” (Numbers 3:11-13).

“13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. 14 Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. 15 And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering. 16 For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. 17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. 18 And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel. 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary” (Numbers 8:13-19).

“24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.