January 8, 2022

Notes on the Bible - Edwards - VII - Genesis continued

Required reading

Continue Genesis in Notes on the Bible in Vol 2 of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) by reading up to [361] Gen. xxi. 10,11. "Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bond-woman and her son..."

My summary
Today we hear Edwards' reflections from Genesis, including about:
(i) the sons of Noah;
(ii) the building of Babel and the confusion of languages;
(iii) Lot's settlement;
(iv) Abraham's battles;
(v) Ishmael;
(vi) circumcision;
(vii) Isaac;
(viii) Sodom and Gomorrah;
(ix) Lot's wife.

What grabbed me
I liked the parallel between Abraham and Christ: 'Abraham in thus conquering the great kings and princes of the earth, and their united hosts, is a type of Christ and of the church. God seems to have granted this great victory to Abraham, as some earnest of those great blessings he had promised to him; the belief of which promises was attended with so much difficulty. Here was given some specimen of what Abraham’s promised seed should do, which includes Christ and his church. Abraham might well represent Christ, for Christ is Abraham’s seed, and he might well represent the church, for he was the father of the church, the father of all that believe, as the apostle testifies. And besides, Abraham and his household was then as it were God’s visible church; God had separated Abraham from the rest of the world to that end that his church might be continued in his family. And though there were as yet some other true worshippers of God, who were not of his family, yet soon after the church was confined to his posterity. This victory of Abraham was doubtless intended as a sign and earnest of the victory that Christ and his church should obtain over their enemies, and over the nations of the world; because God himself makes use of it to this purpose in the 41st. chap. of Isaiah.: “Keep silence before me, O islands, and let the people renew their strength; let them come near, then let them speak; let us come near together in judgment: who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? He gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow. He pursued them and passed safely; even by the way that he had not gone with his feet.” It is not probable that this victory of Abraham would be spoken of in such lofty language, and in expressions so much like those that are elsewhere made use of to represent Christ’s glorious victories over the powers of earth and hell, if the one were not a type of the other. This victory of Abraham is in this place mentioned to that end, that the church, the seed of Abraham, might take it as a sign and evidence that they should not be subdued, but should subdue and conquer the world, as appears from what follows, ver. 8. “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.” Ver. 10, 11. “Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing, and they that strive with thee shall perish.” Ver. 15. “Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument, having teeth, thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff.”'

Christ and his seed will be victorious!

Next week's reading
Continue Genesis in Notes on the Bible in Vol 2 of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) by reading up to '[390] Exod. v. to xiv. inclusive. Concerning Pharaoh’s hardness of heart and obstinacy in refusing to let the children of Israel go, and the manner of God’s dealing with him.'

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.

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