Are You A Son Of Abraham Or His Descendant?

[Amos Ministries]

The Bible makes a distinction between sons and descendants. Throughout the Old Testament, various people were labeled as being either a son of Abraham or his descendant. According to the Bible, Christians are classified as ‘sons’ of Abraham and the Jewish people are considered to be the descendants of Abraham.

 

[amadeus]

The Bible makes a distinction between sons and descendants. Throughout the Old Testament, various people were labeled as being either a son of Abraham or his descendant. According to the Bible, Christians are classified as ‘sons’ of Abraham and the Jewish people are considered to be the descendants of Abraham.

If what you say is true, why is it important to us?

 

[DNB]

The Bible makes a distinction between sons and descendants. Throughout the Old Testament, various people were labeled as being either a son of Abraham or his descendant. According to the Bible, Christians are classified as ‘sons’ of Abraham and the Jewish people are considered to be the descendants of Abraham.

I imagine, you are alluding to the fact that the 'sons' of Abraham are the children of faith, those belonging to the Messiah's reign, irrespective of their genealogy. Whereas, the descendants of Abraham are those born through the lineage of Jacob, but who may not necessarily enter into the son of David's Kingdom.

 

[Amos Ministries]

If what you say is true, why is it important to us?

It makes a difference when you talk to jewish people and share the gospel with them .

 

[Amos Ministries]

I imagine, you are alluding to the fact that the 'sons' of Abraham are the children of faith, those belonging to the Messiah's reign, irrespective of their genealogy. Whereas, the descendants of Abraham are those born through the lineage of Jacob, but who may not necessarily enter into the son of David's Kingdom.

Well done!

 

[Pearl]

 

[amadeus]

It makes a difference when you talk to jewish people and share the gospel with them .

Perhaps, but I will move forward with the Lord one step at the time. I eat His flesh and drink His blood daily. When I meet a new person who is open to God and I have been and I am walking in the Spirit being filled to overflowing with He he provided, what will I lack, be he natural Jew or gentile?

We should be prepared whoever is sent out way. We ask, seek and knock and He provides the rest!

 

[quietthinker]

The Bible makes a distinction between sons and descendants. Throughout the Old Testament, various people were labeled as being either a son of Abraham or his descendant. According to the Bible, Christians are classified as ‘sons’ of Abraham and the Jewish people are considered to be the descendants of Abraham.

These words can be used interchangeably. You could make some sort of a case as a lawyer might but frankly I think it's a smokescreen....a distraction that gets bogged down in words and definitions. Not to perpetuate this but as a brief example, Ishmael was both.

 

[Amos Ministries]

Ishmael was never considered a son by God.

Many Christian scholars refer to Ishmael as an ‘illegitimate child’, but this is not a fair or biblically accurate statement. The scriptures state that Hagar was given to Abraham to be his wife. Out of this union, Ishmael was born, whom Abraham naturally referred to as a son (as we all would). However, God refers to Ishmael as ‘the boy’, ‘descendant’ and ‘son of the slave’. He does not call Ishmael a son of Abraham. He specifically refers to Ishmael as a descendant of Abraham and never refers to Ishmael as Abraham’s son.

Genesis 21:11-13 – The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son Ishmael. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the boy and your slave woman; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named. 13 And of the son of the slave woman I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant.

God refers to Ishmael only as the slave woman’s son and as Abraham’s descendant, even though biologically, Ishmael is in all pretenses and purposes, Abraham’s son.

It is Isaac whom God refers to as Abraham’s son – his only son.

Genesis 22:2 – Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”

Genesis 22:12 – He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the boy, and do not do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”

Genesis 22:16 – and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son…

And so we can see that in God’s eyes, a son is different from a descendant. Ishmael and Isaac were both biological sons of Abraham, but God considered Ishmael merely a descendant, meaning only biological. It was Isaac, who represented the promises given to Abraham. Isaac believed in the promises of God like his father, Abraham, without seeing any of it come to pass during his lifetime, and was considered a son. Isaac believed without seeing, like Abraham did, making him Abraham’s spiritual (and biological) son. He had the faith of Abraham.

The Apostle Paul also explains this in:

Romans 9:6-9 – 6 It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. 7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children. On the contrary, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 8 In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. 9 For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”