1. The Advance of the Kingdom Seeing the Sequence and Significance of the Biblical Story “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.” ~ Daniel 4:3b ~

2. The Covenant of Creation [pre-Fall] The Covenant of Salvation [post-Fall] –Adam [installation]………………….....the seed –Noah [preservation]………..…the greenhouse –Abraham [inauguration]…………..…the sprout –Moses [intensification]……………...…the stalk –David [coronation]…………………...the leaves –Christ [consummation]…………...the blossom The Progression of God’s Covenant

3. The Covenant of Salvation: Abraham God’s covenant-promise to Abraham introduces the next stage in the Advance of the Kingdom. Here the Covenant of Salvation emerges gloriously in its “inauguration.” The seed has sprouted and now the reality of the flower is better observed than ever before.

4. What did God promise Abraham? “Land”— The Eternal Place of Restored Fellowship with God  The Shadow: O.T. Palestine [Genesis 12:1; 1 Kings 4:20-21]  The Substance: Heaven [Genesis 17:8; Hebrews 11:10,16] “Seed”— The Eternal People in Restored Fellowship with God  The Shadow: Nation of Israel [Genesis 12:2; 17:10-11]  The Substance: The Church [Genesis 17:5-7; Romans 2:28-29] “Blessing”— The Eternal Pleasure of Restored Fellowship with God  The Source: Christ Alone [Genesis 12:3, 22:18; Galatians 3:16]  The Scope: All Peoples [Genesis 12:3; Revelation 5:9]

5. Did Abraham Believe the Promise? He was promised eternal fellowship with God through Christ…did he believe the promise?  “Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.” [Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3] Was Abraham’s faith genuine…did it issue forth in a life of Spirit-energized obedience?  “You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected.” [Ja. 2:22]

6. Where do we fit in to all of this? Faith links us to the Promise made to Abraham!  cf. Galatians 3:29; Romans 4:11; Galatians 3:26… This Faith involves being “called out” of the world of sinful, fleeting pleasures and being “called unto” the World of holy, everlasting joy!  cf. Genesis 15:1; John 17:3; Hebrews 11:16, 25-26… Therefore, just like Abraham, we can have genuine Faith that looks to Jesus as Savior, Lord, and Treasure!  cf. Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 11:6…

7. Seeing Christ in Abraham’s Day Abraham knew about & rejoiced in the Person & Work of Jesus Christ [John 8:56] Think about it…just a few things:  The promise of Genesis 3:15 carried on  The continual testimony of sacrificial worship  Seeing the Ark-Message every time it rained  Melchizedek as type of Christ [cf. Hebrews 7]  Isaac’s miraculous birth foreshadows Jesus’  Abraham offering his only son = The Cross!