Today, reply is on the divine use of a “chosen” people as a sacred nation to continue personal relationship by the Creator with mankind on the earth. Abraham is called “the Friend of God,” and this strongly suggests that the relationship the two shared was the kind of close, personal bond characterized by such elements as mutual acceptance, affection, dependability, helpfulness, loyalty, respect, steadfastness, unselfishness, and trust. However, viewed in the light of Jesus Christ, it is more correct to understand that the bond shared by GOD and Abraham was spirit substance found only within the makeup of GOD that also existed within Abram. While we are not told that the “spirit of the Lord” came upon Abram as it did, for example, upon Samson, one of the judges of Israel, we know Abram was privileged to receive a vision that included the 400-year sufferings of his descendants among the people of Egypt. We rarely say that Abraham was anointed or endowed with the Holy Spirit (we also say, the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Prophecy, the Spirit of Truth), yet, Abraham displayed the peculiar oneness without sameness seen in the apostles and spokespersons of Jesus Christ. The fighter in the “Yahoo! Answers” forum using the ID “?” (Level 3 with 1,1728 points, a member since November 24, 2016) posted the following:
Did God have a chosen people before Abraham?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham; And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous: And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea; And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day. (Nehemiah 9: 7-10, King James Version, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: With A Divine Eye (05/02/2018); We Establish Covenant Relationship (05/01/2018); Possibilities Through “Active Presence” (04/30/2018); The Origin And Source (04/26/2018); A Descendent of David? (03/18/2018); A Circumcision of Hearts (01/22/2018); The Heir To Abraham (10/23/2016); Few Are Chosen (07/06/2015)
“?”, most Christian believers regard the beginnings of “a chosen people” to have been with the promises of GOD to Abraham. The priesthood granted directly to Adam and continued through his line did not establish a “chosen people” per se, yet, provided record of the Patriarchs, many of whom lived and continued witness for nearly 1,000 years. The seven tribes that occupied Canaan before the covenant of Moses was established are sometimes spoken of as having been the “original” chosen ones; however, they would be replaced by Israel. Relying on the accounts recorded as the five Books of Moses, Christians may comprehend the development of covenant relationship as first appearing in the form of priestly service, inherited accountability and sacred duty (such as we see with Noah), and transforming to appear as personal commitment and sanctification expressed in ones own lifestyle and regular routines. Included would be atonement, communion, faith, praise, prayer, sacrifice, unselfish service, trust, and worship. Consider the following that uses language from the Bible:
(1.) James 2: 19-23, King James Version (KJV): 19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
(2.) Genesis 18: 17-22, KJV: 17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
(3.) Romans 4: 16-25, KJV: 16 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, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
There is far more that should be said, correctly examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, it is written: (4.) Deuteronomy 7: 1-10, KJV: 1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; 2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: 3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. 4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. 5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. 6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. 7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; 10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
Washington, DC
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