DID ABRAHAM LOOK FORWARD TO THE CROSS?

[Doug]

[John 8:51-58 KJV] 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

The verse in view is 56:Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.

I included all the other verses for context.

I contested the common saying that those before the cross looked forward to it. Some say that Abraham saw the cross and rejoiced in it (John 8:56). I don't hold to this view.

Upon examination of the surrounding verses of John 8:56 it is clear that the main thrust of these verses revolved around v51 where Jesus said "If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death."

The Jews were saying Abraham and the prophets were dead, but Jesus was saying if a man keep his saying, he will never taste death in v52.

Jesus responded by saying "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it] in v56, and was glad.". What Jesus was saying was that Abraham was not dead, but alive to see the coming of Christ.

[Hebrews 11:8-10 KJV] 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.

Abraham was not looking ahead for the cross, but rather, he was looking forward to a God built city according to v10 above.

[Luke 13:28 KJV] 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out.

Jesus confirmed that Abraham would inherit the kingdom he looked for.

 

[3 Resurrections]

[Hebrews 11:8-10 KJV] 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.

Abraham was not looking ahead for the cross, but rather, he was looking forward to a God built city according to v10 above.

Abraham was looking forward to the day of Christ's resurrection, when Christ became the chief cornerstone of that spiritual city not made with hands, "whose builder and maker is God". That particular "day" which Abraham looked forward to is the same "day" that is mentioned in Psalms 118:22-24.

"The stone which the builder rejected has become the chief cornerstone. THIS was the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. THIS is THE DAY the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it."

These verses speak of a very specific single "day" which the saints of God are to rejoice in: namely, the single "day" when the Lord Jesus Christ would become the chief cornerstone of that spiritual city, New Jerusalem. This specific "day" was the morning when God consecrated the newly-risen Christ as our Great High Priest in heaven. "THIS" was the single "day" which Abraham also anticipated with rejoicing, long before that event ever took place in real time in AD 33.

 

[shepherdsword]

[John 8:51-58 KJV] 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

The verse in view is 56:Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.

I included all the other verses for context.

I contested the common saying that those before the cross looked forward to it. Some say that Abraham saw the cross and rejoiced in it (John 8:56). I don't hold to this view.

Upon examination of the surrounding verses of John 8:56 it is clear that the main thrust of these verses revolved around v51 where Jesus said "If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death."

The Jews were saying Abraham and the prophets were dead, but Jesus was saying if a man keep his saying, he will never taste death in v52.

Jesus responded by saying "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it] in v56, and was glad.". What Jesus was saying was that Abraham was not dead, but alive to see the coming of Christ.

[Hebrews 11:8-10 KJV] 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.

Abraham was not looking ahead for the cross, but rather, he was looking forward to a God built city according to v10 above.

[Luke 13:28 KJV] 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out.

Jesus confirmed that Abraham would inherit the kingdom he looked for.

I don't think Abraham knew all of the details about God's future plan of redemption. I just think he trusted that God would one day redeem him....thus it is described "He looked for a city..."

 

[Jay Ross]

"If a man keeps my saying, he shall never see death."

What Jesus was speaking of in this short passage was that if men keep my sayings and follow them by doing them, then they will not be a candidate for the second death and die the second death at the time of the GWTR judgement.

 

[rwb]

[John 8:51-58 KJV] 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

The verse in view is 56:Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.

I included all the other verses for context.

I contested the common saying that those before the cross looked forward to it. Some say that Abraham saw the cross and rejoiced in it (John 8:56). I don't hold to this view.

Upon examination of the surrounding verses of John 8:56 it is clear that the main thrust of these verses revolved around v51 where Jesus said "If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death."

The Jews were saying Abraham and the prophets were dead, but Jesus was saying if a man keep his saying, he will never taste death in v52.

Jesus responded by saying "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it] in v56, and was glad.". What Jesus was saying was that Abraham was not dead, but alive to see the coming of Christ.

[Hebrews 11:8-10 KJV] 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God.

Abraham was not looking ahead for the cross, but rather, he was looking forward to a God built city according to v10 above
[Luke 13:28 KJV] 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out.

Jesus confirmed that Abraham would inherit the kingdom he looked for.

In life Abraham believed God! Abraham's faith was believing what God spoke to Him concerning Christ.

Galatians 3:8 (KJV) And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel (Christ crucified) unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Galatians 3:9 (KJV) So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

This heathen, Gentile, called Abraham, according to grace through imputation of faith believed the gospel, becoming the father of The Faith. Because faith or believing comes by grace through faith upon hearing the word of God (gospel).

Romans 10:17 (KJV) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The Hebrews passage shows us that Abraham was NOT looking to inherit physical land on this earth; "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker [is] God." The eyes of Father Abraham were fixed on heaven, the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem Mt Zion, whereas spirit made perfect, living souls being justified by God, in the company of innumerable angels, and church of the firstborn written in heaven. Abraham looked to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant through the sprinkling of His blood.

Hebrews 11:15-16 (KJV) And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Hebrews 12:22-24 (KJV) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

 

[Doug]

I don't think Abraham knew all of the details about God's future plan of redemption.

Yes certainly not on earth, He only believed what was revealed to him.

 

[Jay Ross]

Yes certainly not on earth, He only believed what was revealed to him.

What was revealed to Abraham in Genesis 22:1-19? Was it more than the thumbnail record that we have in the Genesis 22 account?

Is it important for us to know how much Abraham understood of God's salvation plan that has and still is being revealed over the subsequent five ages from the time of God leading Him out of Ur before Isaac was born.