Scriptures are cited from the King James (Authorized) Version, unless stated otherwise.
By myself I have sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son,
thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the
heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And
in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
BECAUSE ABRAHAM was obedient to God’s command to offer up his son Isaac on the altar,
and would have done so had the angel not stayed his hand, God gave him the Oath-bound
Covenant. This Covenant is an elaboration of the first, second and seventh promise of the
original Abrahamic Covenant: “I will make of thee a great nation,” “I will bless thee” and “in
thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12: 2, 3), and is called such because God
added His oath to it (Genesis 22: 16; Hebrews 6: 13-20).
The first Oath-bound Covenant promise is: “I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven,
and as the sand which is upon the sea shore” (Genesis 22: 17). These two expressions imply that
Abraham’s seed would have two aspects: heavenly and earthly – the heavenly consisting of the
Christ class and the Great Company, and the earthly consisting of the Ancient and Youthful
Worthies. Ultimately the full seed will include the faithful restitutionists, especially the Jews in
their capacity of blessing all mankind (Matthew 25: 34-40).
Jesus and His Church are the primary seed, all other classes being subordinate to the Christ class.
That part of the Oath-bound Covenant which applies to the Christ class is typed by Abraham’s
wife, Sarah. She pictures only those promises which develop the Christ class (Galatians 3: 15-29;
4: 23-31; Romans 9: 7-9). The Church is made partakers of the Divine nature (2 Peter 1: 4). They
will be heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom, and will sit with Him
in His throne and reign with Him as Kings and Priests (Romans 8: 17; Revelation 5: 10).
The Great Company, or Great Multitude, is the secondary class of the spiritual seed of Abraham.
They failed to gain “the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3: 14), but
will be privileged to stand before God’s throne and to serve Him day and night in His temple
(Revelation 7: 9, 15). They are represented by the “handmaids” of Joel 2: 29, who, together with
the Little Flock, represented in the “servants,” God poured out His spirit “in those days” – the
days of the Gospel Age.
The Ancient Worthies, from Abel to John the Baptist (Hebrews 11; Matthew 11: 11-13), were the
faithful consecrated servants of God before the heavenly calling was opened; and the Youthful
Worthies are faithful in their consecration after the selection of the Bride of Christ is ended.
These two classes of Worthies, as the chief earthly seed of Abraham in the Millennial Kingdom,
will be the Kingdom’s special representatives on earth (Psalm 45: 16; Isaiah 32: 1; Luke 13: 28).
The Ancient Worthies are represented by the “old men” and the Youthful Worthies by the “young
men” of Joel 2: 28. The former shall “dream dreams” – receive the deeper revelations of Divine
Truth, and the latter shall “see visions” – receive the simpler revelations of Divine Truth. Along
with the Old and New Testaments, these revelations will be used to teach mankind the way to
eternal life.
The second Oath-bound Covenant promise is: “Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.”
The four elect classes, who have been developed during faith ages, have had to overcome their
enemies – sin, error, selfishness and worldliness, which have been led by Satan, the world and
the flesh. The Lord helped them to overcome as they faithfully used the Word, spirit and
providences of God; and their victory becomes complete in the resurrection.
The restitution class during the Millennial Age Kingdom will also have enemies to overcome.
Satan will be bound and unable to tempt man, and world conditions will be favorable toward
righteousness, but they will have to overcome the sin and selfishness of their fallen flesh.
However, if they obediently use all the helps that will then be available, they will finally
overcome the power and effects of the Adamic curse.
The third Oath-bound Covenant promise is: “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed.” The first general class of the non-elect to be blessed under the Abrahamic Covenant is
fleshly Israel. They began a period of chastisement at the time of our Lord’s crucifixion that was
to last until the elect classes have been prepared for the Kingdom, after which they shall be fully
recovered from their blindness. The prophet declares, “They shall look upon [unto] me whom
they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him,” because the eyes of their understanding will be
opened, for the Lord promises to pour upon them the “spirit of grace and of
supplications” (Zechariah 12: 10).
The Apostle Paul in Romans 9 and 10 points out how Israel failed to obtain the special blessing
of the Abrahamic Covenant by rejecting Christ, that only a remnant received the great blessing
and that the majority were blinded. In Romans 11 he explains that their blindness was not to be
permanent, but only until the Church was gathered out, and that then the Lord’s blessing would
come to fleshly Israel, saving them from their blindness and granting them mercy through the
glorified spiritual Israel (Romans 11: 25-33). The Lord will do this for the natural seed, not
because of their worthiness, but because of His promise made to the fathers – Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob. Note also Ezekiel 36: 22-33.
Fleshly Israel, as the leading nation on the earth in the Millennial Age Kingdom, shall be zealous
missionaries under the Worthies and will help convert the nations to Christ. They are represented
as being a part of the “sons” of Joel 2: 28, who will prophesy – teach, or declare the Truth.
But the Gentiles, the remainder of the non-elect, are also to be blessed. They are represented by
the “daughters” of Joel 2: 28, who, as they come into harmony with God’s Kingdom, shall also
teach the Truth to their fellow man.
God has made arrangements for His coming Kingdom on such a grand scale as to permit a
thorough recovery from all present mental, moral and physical weaknesses. The third Oath
bound Covenant promise implies seven distinct blessings for the human race. These blessings
are:
First, they will be released from the Adamic penalty and have their sins forgiven, which implies
that all the dead in Adam will be awakened from the grave (Romans 5: 12, 18, 19;
1 Corinthians 15: 21, 22).
Second, they will be furnished with a complete knowledge of the Truth (Isaiah 11: 9; John 1: 9;
1 Timothy 2: 4, 6).
Third, they will be put under conditions conducive to righteousness, in contrast with the
conditions of the present, which are conducive to sin (Luke 2: 10; Isaiah 35: 1-10).
Fourth, their minds and hearts will be so worked upon as to be favorably disposed toward Christ
(John 12: 32, 33).
Fifth, they will be so benefited and impressed by the good work then being done that they will
willingly acknowledge Jesus as Ruler and bow down to His authority (Isaiah 45: 22, 23;
Philippians 2: 9-11).
Sixth, the Christ will offer to everyone the privileges of the Highway of Holiness
(Isaiah 35: 8-10); but they will be required, as a condition of their enjoying its privileges, to
consecrate themselves to the Lord. All will however be blessed with the opportunity of entering
the Highway of Holiness.
The seventh is the offer of the holy spirit (Joel 2: 28, 29). Christ will offer everyone the privilege
of receiving the holy spirit, but it is and will be impossible to receive the holy spirit except by
rendering obedience (Acts 5: 32).
The future blessings will be of such a kind that every individual who has not had his full
opportunity in the present life will have it then, during the world’s thousand-year judgment day
(Acts 17: 31; 2 Peter 3: 7, 8). That opportunity includes the obtaining of that which was lost –
human perfection, everlasting life under human, earthly, paradisiacal conditions – an opportunity
of coming again into the Divine likeness, almost obliterated in the human family through the
6,000 years of the fall. Our hearts are stimulated as we contemplate the meaning of this great
Oath-bound Covenant!
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