From Promise to Fulfilment: Abraham and the Messiah

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"Your father Abraham leapt for joy to see My day; and He saw it and rejoiced” Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 

“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I AM!” 

At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple going through the midst of them, and so he passed by" John 8:56-59  

When did Abraham see the day of the Messiah?  

"And Abraham said, ‘My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.’. . ." Genesis 22:8  

". . . for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place JEHOVAH–JIREH: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen." Genesis 22:11-14  

JEHOVAH–JIREH: It means "the Lord will see to it" literally but also means "the Lord will provide."  

It was at this moment that Abraham saw the vision of the promise. He saw at the far end of time the Son of Jehovah. He saw and understood that he himself cannot be "more royal than the King". 

If he was able to submit faithfully to the Lord's command by offering his son Isaac as a sacrifice - Isaac being the son of the promise - then Jehovah shall in the fullness if time provide His own son as the ultimate sacrifice of love for the salvation of mankind.  

The Jews were blinded in their faithlessness and rejection of the Messiah; though they said that they were Abraham's children", but Jesus said to them "if that was true then you would do the works of Abraham". A child of Abraham is a child of faith, a child of steadfastness and a child of vision and insight. Abraham believed the truth concerning the promised Messiah - his ultimate offering - and was desiring to see his vision manifested while he was still living. But the Jews did the opposite. Jesus said "this did not Abraham" meaning Abraham did not do what you are doing to me.  

When the people of Israel rejected the word of Elohim in the Old Testament days and went after their own evil ways [Ezekeil 10] He departed from their midst. His presence and glory departed the temple; and the people became outside His protective caring fatherly influence. They surrendered to sin, death and the evil influences of Satan; thus, calamities came upon them.  

Now again when they rejected the incarnated Word of God, the Messiah, they rejected His incarnated visitation. being Himself the glory of God; He left them and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by and never returned back to the Temple. (John 8:56-59) 

Jesus desired that his people become His dwelling place; if they only believed; but they did not. 

We are to honour, value and appreciate our Lord Jesus Christ by honouring and appreciating what He has accomplished for us: 

When He died, we died with Him. 

When He rose, we were risen with Him. 

When He ascended, we were lifted up with Him. 

When He sat on His majestic glorious throne above all the heavens, He made us sit with the Father in glory in Him. (Eph.1:20) 

Romans 8:29–30 tells us we are to be conformed to the image of Jesus.  We are predestined, called, justified, and glorified.  

Thus, we are now His eternal dwelling place, the temple of His Holy Spirit. 

Let us remember the example of Abraham, Elohim will honor our faith, obedience and love to Him. 

“We love Him because He first loved us.”  (1John 4:19) 

He wants to enlighten us with knowledge, wisdom and insight into the things of His Kingdom. 

He desires to manifest His presence so His Shekinah fills us: His temple. 

Intimacy with Him is what it is all about. Hallelujah!