From Promise to People: God’s Work from Abraham to Moses | Jonathan Edwards

Deep Dive into A History of the Work of Redemption by Jonathan Edwards - From the Calling of Abraham to MosesThe work of redemption advanced significantly during the period from the calling of Abraham to Moses, fundamentally establishing a separate lineage for the future Redeemer in a world rapidly falling into widespread idolatry. God called Abraham out of Chaldea, the land where idolatry originated, to maintain true religion and the church through his family and posterity. This deliberate separation was a new strategy designed to prevent the true church from being completely overwhelmed by worldly corruption, as had nearly occurred before the Flood. Abraham’s calling laid a distinct foundation for the visible church, positioning him as the father of believers.Accompanying this separation was a fuller revelation and confirmation of the covenant of grace, which had previously been confirmed to Adam and Noah. The promise was specified that Christ would descend from Abraham's seed, and that through him, all families and nations of the earth would be blessed, plainly foreshadowing the calling of the Gentiles. The core condition of this covenant, faith, was highlighted, and it was sealed with the ordinance of circumcision. God provided substantial pledges of fulfillment, including Abraham’s victory over the great emperor Chedorlaomer (a type of Christ’s ultimate victory), the blessing by Melchisedec, and the dramatic episode involving Isaac's birth in old age and his deliverance from the altar, symbolizing Christ's resurrection.Throughout this time, God remarkably preserved the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—as they sojourned in wicked Canaan. The awful destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah served both to restrain the inhabitants of the land from harming these holy strangers and to vividly exhibit the terrors of God’s law, thereby impressing upon humanity the absolute necessity of redeeming mercy. Furthermore, the covenant was renewed multiple times with Isaac and Jacob, and the prophetic light concerning Christ’s lineage narrowed, specifying that he would be born of the tribe of Judah. God also used the providence of Joseph to save the holy family from famine in Egypt. Despite the later deep corruption and idolatry of the Israelites during their bondage, God preserved the nation and upheld the invisible church until the time of Moses, preventing the holy seed from being destroyed.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730