This article will analyze how the Abrahamic Covenant is understood within the Dispensational and Particular Baptist theological frameworks. In keeping with the observable pattern of this portion of the Dismantling Dispensationalism series, each of the three main classifications of Dispensationalism will be categorized with the primary source that corresponds to that respective classification. Furthermore, relevant citations from a Particular Baptist (“1689 Federalism”) primary source will be used to showcase how the Abrahamic Covenant is widely understood within that theological tradition. After reviewing each pertinent citation at the outset of this article, we will conclude this section of the series with a summary of key areas of agreement and disagreement between Dispensationalism and 1689 Federalism with reference to the Abrahamic Covenant.

*Sources For Each Variation of Dispensationalism:[1]

Classic/Traditional Dispensationalism–

Chafer, Lewis Sperry. Systematic Theology. Wheaton, IL: Scripture Press, 1988. 

Revised Dispensationalism–

MacArthur, John, and Richard Mayhue, eds. Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017. 

Progressive Dispensationalism[2]–

Blaising, Craig A., and Darrell L. Bock, eds. Dispensationalism, Israel and the Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992.

*Source For a Particular Baptist Theological Perspective:

Renihan, Samuel D. The Mystery of Christ: His Covenant and His Kingdom. Cape Coral, FL: Founders Press, 2019.

Classic/Traditional Dispensationalism on the Abrahamic Covenant

The following excerpts represent the most pertinent references to the Abrahamic Covenant from the “standard” systematic theology textbook within Classic/Traditional Dispensationalism. Due to the voluminous treatment of the Abrahamic Covenant by Christian theologians, and in light of the tendency to make repeated references to the Abrahamic Covenant within a systematic theology, I have done my very best to provide the fullest picture of how Classic/Traditional Dispensationalists perceive this aspect of Scripture’s theology of the covenants. These excerpts were carefully selected after reviewing every explicit reference to the Abrahamic Covenant in the “standard” systematic theology textbook for Classic/Traditional Dispensationalism:

Beginning with the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:1-7, 18-21; 17:1-8) and continuing throughout the Old Testament many predictions were made concerning       Israel. These promises include a national entity (Jer. 31:36), a land (Gen. 12:7; 13:15), a   throne (2 Sam. 7:16; Ps. 89:36), a king (Jer. 33:21), and a kingdom (Dan. 7:14). Though other dispensations followed the dispensation of Abraham, the divine blessings promised in the Abrahamic Covenant continue throughout human history. The Scriptures predicted, however, that the blessings of the covenant may be suspended from time to time if people do not respond and walk with God. But such interruptions are only temporary and constitute a chastisement of the nation Israel. Their sins, however, do not abrogate the      eternal promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. The many references to her possession of the land that characterize the Old Testament revelation concerning the future of Israel whether in times of revival or apostasy make clear that the ultimate fulfillment of the promise of the land is yet to take place at the second coming of Christ.[3]

The Abrahamic Covenant introduced in Genesis 12:1-3 is confirmed and amplified in later revelation (13:14-17; 15:4-21; 17:1-8; 22:17-18). In every case it is presented as an unconditional gracious covenant depending on God’s faithfulness for its fulfillment. The covenant originally given to Abraham is narrowed to some and not all of his descendants, and is restated to Isaac (26:3-5) and to Jacob (28:13-15; 35:9-12). Unlike the Mosaic Covenant, which was given only for a specific time, the Abrahamic Covenant reaches from the time of its initiation into eternity to come. Major features of the covenant include the following:

1. “I will make you into a great nation” (12:2). This prediction was fulfilled not only through Isaac and Jacob but also through Ishmael, Esau, and the children of Abraham through Keturah, his wife after Sarah’s death (v. 2; 17:20-21; 25:1-4; 26:4; 27:38-40; 36:10-19).
2. “I will bless you” (12:2). This prophecy has been fulfilled and is being fulfilled in both the earthly and heavenly blessings afforded Abraham and his descendants.
3. “I will make your name great” (v. 2). This promise is fulfilled not only in the fact that Abraham is considered great in Judaism and in the Christian faith but also in the fact that Muslims regard Abraham as a prophet.
4. “You will be a blessing” (v. 2). This prophecy was fulfilled especially through Isaac and Jacob and extends to Gentile believers (Gal. 3:13-14).
5. “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse” (Gen. 12:3). This promise is fulfilled in history in that the nations that were kind to Israel were blessed of God, and the nations that cursed Israel experienced God’s judgment as illustrated in Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, Spain, modern Germany, modern Russia, and the United States (Deut. 30:7; Isa. 14:1-2; Zech. 14:1-3; Matt. 25:31-46).
6. “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12:3). Fulfillment of this promise is recorded in both the Old and New Testaments. From Israel came the prophets of the Old Testament, the writers of the Old Testament, the writers of the New Testament, the 12 Apostles, and preeminently Jesus Christ, who was born of the tribe of Judah and was in the line of David.
7. “To your offspring [Abraham’s physical descendants] I will give this land” (v. 7). This promise of the land is reiterated in countless passages in the Old Testament, and its fulfillment is an essential part of the history of Israel as well as a prophecy of its future. The exact boundaries of the land are described in [Genesis] 15:18-21 as extending from the River Egypt to the River Euphrates. The Abrahamic Covenant is the foundational promise on which the other covenants depend.[4]

Revised Dispensationalism on the Abrahamic Covenant

The following excerpts represent the most pertinent references to the Abrahamic Covenant from the “standard” systematic theology textbook within Revised Dispensationalism. Due to the voluminous treatment of the Abrahamic Covenant by Christian theologians, and in light of the tendency to make repeated references to the Abrahamic Covenant within a systematic theology, I have done my very best to provide the fullest picture of how Revised Dispensationalists perceive this aspect of Scripture’s theology of the covenants. These excerpts were carefully selected after reviewing every explicit reference to the Abrahamic Covenant in the “standard” systematic theology textbook for Revised Dispensationalism:

The means for restoring God’s mediatorial kingdom on earth would come through four eternal and unconditional biblical covenants—the Noahic, Abrahamic, Davidic and new covenants. Together, these covenants have revealed both the kings and King (Jesus) of     God’s kingdom plans and the details of this kingdom… The Abrahamic covenant guaranteed a seed line involving Abraham and the developing people of Israel, which would be the vehicle and means for blessing the people groups of the world (Gen. 12:2-   3). This covenant also promised a land for Israel (Gen. 12:6-7) that would serve as the      basis for God’s earthly kingdom rule and as a microcosm of what God would do for all nations (Isa. 2:2-4; 27:6).[5]

The Noahic Covenant is the initial platform for God’s purposes, yet the Abrahamic covenant details how God plans to save people and restore all things. This restoration will occur through three great promises: (1) land for Abraham, (2) a great number of descendants of Abraham, and (3) universal blessings for the nations. This Abrahamic covenant is also the basis for the other covenants that God will institute. The initial and foundational promise of the Abrahamic covenant are found in Genesis 12:1-3. Several promises are contained [in this passage]:

1. God promises to make Abraham a “great nation.” This nation will become Israel, composed of descendants from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
2. God promises Abraham that he will be blessed and his name made great.
3. Abraham will be a blessing for others.
4. God will treat others based on how they treat Abraham, whether for blessing or curse.
5. Abraham and the nation to come from him will be a blessing to “all the families of the earth.” Thus, Abraham and Israel will be used by God as a means for bringing blessings to Gentiles. With the Abrahamic covenant, God’s plans include both Israel and Gentiles.[6]

Progressive Dispensationalism on the Abrahamic Covenant

Although there is not currently a “standard” systematic theology textbook that has been produced for the purpose of representing adherents to Progressive Dispensationalism, we have determined that the following textbook is as useful as any other publication on this topic:

Darrell L. Bock and Craig A. Blaising, eds., Dispensationalism, Israel and the Church: The Search for Definition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Pub. House, 1992).

With that being said, for the benefit of the reader, I have also included an excerpt from Robert L. Saucy’s The Case for Progressive Dispensationalism: The Interface Between Dispensational & Non-Dispensational Theology below. Supplementing the excerpt from Blaising and Bock’s volume with Saucy’s insights will be useful in thoroughly portraying how Progressive Dispensationalists view the Abrahamic Covenant:

The Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 15:9-21) was cast in the form of ancient Near Eastern royal land-grant treaties and contained a perpetual and unconditional divine promise to fulfill the grant of land to Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 17:1-19; 1 Chron. 16:15-    18; Ps. 105:8-11). Near the end of the book of Genesis, Jacob prophesied that the scepter (i.e., the rule) would not depart from Judah “until he comes to whom it belongs {the Messiah ultimately} and the obedience of the nations is his” (49:10; cf. Ezek. 21:27).[7]

God’s purpose through Abraham began with the gracious promises attached to a call for separation (Gen. 12:1-3). It was subsequently ratified in formal covenant agreement (Gen. 15:4-21) and later reiterated with more detail on three occasions during Abraham’s lifetime (Gen. 13:14-17; 17:1-21; 22:15-18). It was finally confirmed to Isaac (Gen. 26:3-  5, 24) and Jacob (Gen. 28:13-15; 35:9-12; cf. 46:1-4), making it possible for Israel subsequently to speak of God’s “covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (2 Kings         13:23)… God began with promises and blessings for Abraham personally. The patriarch would become the primogenitor of a great nation; he would be blessed and his name   made great; he would be a blessing to others; and all the families of the earth would be blessed in him (Gen. 12:2–3)… The construction of the Hebrew text of Genesis 12:1–3 reveals that the ultimate purpose [of the Abrahamic Covenant] was to bless all the peoples of the earth. This ultimate purpose and the means to attain it are expressed in the later covenant statements with Abraham and its reiteration with Isaac and Jacob. These covenant promises reveal three essential elements: a seed, a land, and a blessing for all peoples… [However], as for the promises concerning the land and the seed that constitute the “great nation,” Israel, the New Testament views their fulfillment as belonging primarily to the future… These blessings promised to Israel are nowhere reinterpreted as presently belonging to the church. The fact that the promises remain in force anticipates their future fulfillment. Thus, while there is in the present salvation in Christ a partial fulfillment of the spiritual blessing promised to all people through Abraham and his seed, many aspects of the promise remain to be fulfilled, especially those dealing with the “great nation” seed and the “land,” but also the final inheritance of spiritual salvation.[8]

1689 Federalism on the Abrahamic Covenant

The following excerpt represents a robust portrayal of the Abrahamic Covenant from a Particular Baptist theological perspective. Although there is not currently a “standard” systematic theology textbook that holistically represents the Particular Baptist tradition, most contemporary Particular Baptists recognize the following resource as being faithful to what they believe (as further delineated in the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith):

The beginnings of the covenant God made with Abraham are found in Genesis 12:1-7. Subsequent portions of Scripture elaborate on and expand on this foundation. There are three things to note in the initiation of Abraham’s covenant:

1. The Federal Head: God always transacts His covenants through federal heads. One person stands for the whole… In [the case of the Abrahamic Covenant], God made a covenant with Abraham as a federal head over his natural posterity (Gen. 12:2-3, 7). God tells Abraham that he will become the father of a great nation and that his descendants will inherit Canaan… Participation in [the Abrahamic] promises depends on whether you are encompassed by the federal headship of Abraham [i.e., a physical descendant of Abraham].
2. The Inheritance of Canaan: God promised to Abraham in [Genesis 12:7] that he and his descendants would inherit the land of Canaan. It would belong to them by right. This is not just the beginning of a covenant; this is the beginning of a kingdom granted through covenant. This is the beginning of the kingdom of Israel. A realm has now been set aside for a people belonging to a federal head. Before this, there was no Israel. There was no land that peculiarly belonged to a people in covenant with God. This covenant constituted Abraham and his descendants a kingdom-people by promising them the land of Canaan.
3. Blessing for the Nations: The Israelite kingdom and its covenants are preparatory and subservient to God’s final purpose (Eph. 1:10; 3:8-12). They carry and expand the revelation of God’s plan of salvation precisely because of the foundational promise that a universal blessing will flow through Abraham’s descendants to the world who now have a specific location on the global map. In Abraham’s family, whose inheritance is Canaan, will all the nations of the earth be blessed. The mystery of Christ will unfold in this place among the people. Israel is the matrix of the mystery of Christ.[9]

The covenant initiated in Genesis 12 through promises is confirmed in Genesis 15. This is a confirmation of the covenant because it includes an official covenant-making ceremony… In verses 5 and 7 [of Genesis 15], God promised to make Abraham’s descendants as numerous as the sand on the sea and to place them in the land of Canaan. This repeats the promises in Genesis 12, but now places them in an official covenant making ceremony. What was initiated in Genesis 12 is confirmed in Genesis 15… [And although] Genesis 12 and 15 constitute a complete covenant by definition… the Abrahamic covenant was not yet complete. Genesis 17 expands the commitments of the covenant… Genesis 17 is an expansion of the covenant because God expanded and enlarged it through a promise of royalty, and a demand for loyalty… In other words, [Genesis 17:1-14 necessitates] a demand for strict obedience from Abraham and his descendants.[10]

The way in which [Israelites were to] keep the [Abrahamic] covenant is [through] the circumcision of all males on the eighth day after their birth… [Thus], Abraham’s offspring, circumcised according to God’s command, had a legal right to Canaan. But their inheritance could be annulled by breaking the law of circumcision. Disobedience forfeited the rights to the blessings of the covenant. Circumcision thus signified not only the special promises that God made to Abraham and to his descendants, but it also served as a sign of curse sanctions for Abraham and his descendants… The apparent tension between God’s guaranteed promises and the threats of expulsion from the kingdom for disobedience is resolved in that although the promises were nationally guaranteed, they were not individually guaranteed. God kept His promises. Abraham’s descendants did multiply. They did inherit Canaan. The promised seed was born. But not every Israelite enjoyed the full benefits of God’s blessings… The wilderness generation and Moses are good examples of this… God fulfilled His promises corporately and nationally to Israel though individuals cut themselves off from the [promised blessings of the] covenant through [their own] unfaithfulness. The Bible itself declares that God discharged His duties and fulfilled His obligations completely… God was faithful to all His promises to Abraham. [Indeed], the Abrahamic Covenant was fully realized according to God’s Word (Land: Josh. 21:43-45; Neh. 9:7-8; Physical Seed/Physical Blessing: 1 Kings 4:20; Heb. 11:12; Spiritual Seed/Spiritual Blessing: Luke 1:54-55; 68, 72-75).[11]

A Critical Analysis of the Primary Sources

Now that the reader has been exposed to a thorough overview of how the Abrahamic Covenant is understood by Dispensationalists and Particular Baptists respectively, it is necessary to survey where these theological traditions agree and disagree. Due to the considerable continuity of opinion that is enjoyed by Classic/Traditional, Revised and Progressive Dispensationalists on the Abrahamic Covenant, it will be most expedient to interact with each of these systems concurrently. In summation, when considered broadly, all variations of Dispensationalism would affirm each of the following premises about the Abrahamic Covenant:

1. The Abrahamic Covenant contains unconditional promises made by God, that are exclusive to Abraham (and his physical descendants).
2. The Abrahamic Covenant can never be annulled or abrogated under any circumstances. Even if the promises contained in the Abrahamic Covenant are not immediately fulfilled, God will eventually bring all the covenant promises to pass (i.e., during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ).
3. The Abrahamic Covenant can be broadly summarized under these primary promises: (1) God will make Abraham (and his descendants) into a great nation; (2) God will richly bless Abraham during his life on earth; (3) God will make Abraham’s name great throughout the earth; (4) God will bless those who bless Abraham (and his descendants) and curse those who curse Abraham (and his descendants); (5) God will cause all the nations of the earth to be blessed through Abraham (and his descendants); (6) God will provide Abraham (and his descendants) with a specific portion of land.

For the remainder of this article, I will engage with each of the aforementioned premises in accordance with the information that was provided in this article from a Particular Baptist perspective.

Premise 1- “The Abrahamic Covenant contains unconditional promises made by God, that are exclusive to Abraham (and his physical descendants).”

If the Abrahamic Covenant is considered in isolation from Genesis 17, then premise 1 would likely stand unchallenged by Particular Baptists. It is not until Genesis 17 that (1) a divine commandment is instituted for Abraham—and his descendants—to obey (Gen. 17:9) and (2) that divine sanctions are instituted in the event that God’s commandments are not honored by His people (Gen. 17:14). But Genesis 17 is just as important for shaping one’s understanding of the Abrahamic Covenant as Genesis 12 and 15. With this in mind, Samuel Renihan offers helpful clarification in explaining the importance of taking Genesis 12, 15 and 17 as a collective delineation of the Abrahamic Covenant.

It is important to notice how Genesis 12, 15, and 17 build on each other. Some have strongly contrasted Genesis 15 and 17 because Genesis 15 seems to be unilateral and guaranteed where Genesis 17 seems to be bilateral and conditional. But all of these elements of the Abrahamic Covenant go together. God promised Abraham that He would multiply his descendants into nations with kings that would dwell in Canaan after a time of slavery, and that from these numerous descendants an offspring would be born who would mediate blessing to the world. As for Abraham and his descendants, they must keep God’s commands, particularly circumcision, or else they forfeit participation in the promised blessings.[12]

When reflecting on the “standard” systematic theology textbooks for Classic/Traditional and Revised Dispensationalists, in supplementation to pertinent excerpts from literary works produced by Progressive Dispensational scholars, it becomes apparent that they do not consistently interpret the Abrahamic Covenant in light of the plain testimony of Genesis 12, 15 and 17. Biblical interpreters must take each of these portions of the Genesis narrative in conjunction with one another in order to formulate the most balanced understanding of the Abrahamic Covenant. In the final analysis, although the Abrahamic Covenant contains many gracious dimensions, it cannot properly be understood as a/the covenant of grace; it is not a purely unilateral covenant. Rather, the Abrahamic Covenant is better understood as a covenant based on works, or obedience.[13]

Premise 2- “The Abrahamic Covenant can never be annulled or abrogated under any circumstances. Even if the promises contained in the Abrahamic Covenant are not immediately fulfilled, God will eventually bring all the covenant promises to pass (i.e., during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ).”

Aside from the assertion made in the first sentence of premise 2, which was critiqued in the preceding commentary, the biggest issue that Particular Baptists would have with this premise is the notion that there are elements of the Abrahamic Covenant that have yet to be fulfilled. According to Dispensationalists reflecting on the historical record provided throughout the Old Testament and the prophetic underpinnings of the New Testament, we should not expect for the fullness of the Abrahamic Covenant to be fulfilled until the second coming of Christ (specifically during His millennial reign; Rev. 20:1-6). But is this really the most faithful approach to examining the biblical evidence?

As was previously cited in this article, there are at least six explicit passages from Scripture that indicate the Abrahamic Covenant to have been fully realized (including the land dimension of the Abrahamic Covenant). To be fair, the notion that the totality of the Abrahamic Covenant has already been fulfilled will surely be a foreign concept to many people (whether Dispensational or non-Dispensational). Nevertheless, I want to encourage the reader to do their best to remove any a priori assumptions about the Abrahamic Covenant and go to Scripture with “fresh eyes.” For the sake of clarity, I am providing an overview of how the Abrahamic Covenant was progressively fulfilled by God throughout the scope of redemptive history. This flyover survey of the Abrahamic Covenant’s redemptive-historical fulfillment represents a sizable majority of how contemporary Particular Baptists understand this interpretive issue:[14]

• The first Abrahamic promise began to be fulfilled in Israel’s Exodus out of Egypt (Ex. 2:24; 6:2-8; 12:25; 13:5; 19:3-4; Deut. 6:23; 7:8; Ps. 105:42-43; Acts 7:17).

• The fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise (entrance into and possession of the land of Canaan) was conditioned upon Israel’s obedience to the law (Ex. 19:5-8; 23:20-22; Deut. 6:3, 17-18, 24-25; 26:16-19; 29:13; Jer. 11:5). 

• The land dimension of the Abrahamic Covenant was fulfilled when Israel divided the land of Canaan among the tribes as their inheritance, though they had not yet driven out all the inhabitants (Ex. 23:29-32; 33:1; Deut. 7:22-23; 19:1-9; 26:3; Josh. 20:7-8; 21:43-45; Acts 13:19).

• The Old Testament repeatedly portrays how the physical descendants of Abraham were like the dust of the earth, as numerous as the stars of heaven, and as vast as the sand by the sea (Gen. 12:2; 13:16; 15:5; 22:17; 26:4; 28:14; 32:12; Ex. 32:13; Num. 23:10; Deut 1:10; 10:22; 1 Kings 3:8; 4:20; 8:56; Isa.10:22; 48:19; Jer. 15:8; Heb. 11:12).

• God was the God of the nation of Israel by dwelling in their midst, sitting as an earthly king upon his throne in the tabernacle and temple (Ex. 29:45). He established laws, judged cases, and led them in battle; Yahweh was not the God of Gentiles in this manner. The nation of Israel alone—Abraham’s physical descendants—was a theocracy (Gen. 17:7-8; Ex. 2:24-25; 6:6-7; 19:4-6; Deut. 4:32-40; 26:16-19; 29:10-13; Ps. 147:19-20; Ezek. 16:8; Hosea 1:9; Amos 3:1-2).

• God progressively drove out the remaining inhabitants according to Israel’s obedience to the law, first through the leadership of various judges, then king Saul, then king David, a man after God’s own heart. This led to the fullest realization of the Abrahamic Covenant promises: When Israel’s enemies were defeated by David, and God dwelt in Solomon’s Temple as they had rest on every side (Gen. 15; 1 Kings 4:20-25; 1 Kings 8:56; Neh. 9:7-8; Ps. 105:44; Jer. 11:5).

Premise 3- “The Abrahamic Covenant can be broadly summarized under these primary promises: (1) God will make Abraham (and his descendants) into a great nation; (2) God will richly bless Abraham during his life on earth; (3) God will make Abraham’s name great throughout the earth; (4) God will bless those who bless Abraham (and his descendants) and curse those who curse Abraham (and his descendants); (5) God will cause all the nations of the earth to be blessed through Abraham (and his descendants); (6) God will provide Abraham (and his descendants) with a specific portion of land.”

Upon canvassing the contents of premise 3, there are not any aspects where Particular Baptists would disagree. By God’s grace, Dispensationalists and Particular Baptists should rejoice in their common viewpoints on each of these aspects of the Abrahamic Covenant, insofar they accurately represent the teaching of Scripture (Gen. 12; 15; 17). Although Dispensationalists and Particular Baptists wind up going in separate directions after reflecting on each of these six distinctives of the Abrahamic Covenant, that is largely derivative of theological differences not exegetical differences. Particular Baptists can, and should, delight in our Dispensational brethren who can accurately analyze a passage within its textual context. In a world where sound exegesis is growing evermore scarce, and subjective eisegesis is infiltrating biblical interpretation at an alarming rate, it is appropriate to applaud those who strive to precisely discern the meaning of biblical passages in their immediate context. Overarching theological differences aside, I praise God for all Dispensationalists who can exegete a chunk of the Bible and arrive at a cogent interpretation. May my Particular Baptist brethren join me in this expression of praise to our Lord, even as we embark upon critical analyses of Dispensationalism.

In the next article of this series, we will continue our examination of “Dispensationalism’s Defunct Covenant Theology” by exploring how this system engages with the Mosaic Covenant (Ex. 19:1-24:18). Stay tuned!

Soli Deo Gloria!

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[1] In keeping with each of the previous articles in this series, these four literary works will serve as the primary sources for the Classic/Traditional, Revised, and Progressive varieties of Dispensationalism, in supplementation to what is representative of a Particular Baptist theological framework.

[2] For the benefit of the reader, a lengthy elaboration on the Abrahamic Covenant has been provided from Robert L. Saucy, The Case for Progressive Dispensationalism: The Interface Between Dispensational & Non-Dispensational Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1993). Given the lack of a “standard” systematic theology textbook within the Progressive Dispensationalism tradition, I felt it was necessary to make use of Saucy’s contributions in supplementation to the primary text that has been utilized to expound Progressive Dispensationalism throughout this series. Exact citations from the SCRIBD edition of Saucy’s book will be provided in conjunction with the excerpts cited from his publication.

[3] Lewis Sperry Chafer, Systematic Theology (Wheaton, IL: Scripture Press, 1988), Pages 386-387. The emphasis on unfulfilled land promises is replete throughout Chafer’s systematic theology textbook. For further inquiry into this element of Classic/Traditional Dispensationalism, in addition to other distinctives of the Abrahamic Covenant within this system of doctrine, see pages 206-207, 212-214, 379-380, 419, 479-480 and 496.

[4] Chafer, Systematic Theology, Pages 413-414.

[5] John MacArthur and Richard Mayhue, eds., Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017), Page 852.

[6] MacArthur and Mayhue, eds., Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth, Page 872. The expanded edition of this quote is recorded here for the benefit of the reader:

“Other chapters expand on the Abrahamic promises. Genesis 12:6-7 promises land to Abraham’s descendants, and Genesis 13:14-17 promises this land to them “forever.” In Genesis 15, God commits to protect and reward Abraham (15:1). Abraham’s descendants will be as numerous as the stars (Gen. 15:5). The unilateral ratification of the covenant takes place in Genesis 15:7-17, where God passes through bloody animal pieces to signify that he unconditionally obligates himself to fulfill this covenant. The specific dimensions of the land promise are given by God in Genesis 15:18-21—from the rivers of Egypt to the river Euphrates (Gen. 15:18). Genesis 17 offers even more details. God will multiply Abraham’s descendants (Gen. 17:2), and Abraham will be a father of many nations (Gen. 17:5). Kings will come from Abraham (Gen. 17:6), in anticipation of the coming Davidic covenant, which highlights the importance of the kingly line in God’s program (2 Sam. 7:12-16). The Abrahamic covenant is viewed as “everlasting” (Gen. 17:7). All the land of Canaan is promised to Abraham (Gen. 17:8). Circumcision is the sign of the covenant (Gen. 17:10-14). In Genesis 22:15-18, God reaffirms his covenant with Abraham by declaring that Abraham’s descendants will be innumerable (Gen. 22:17) and that the nations of the earth will be blessed through his seed (Gen. 22:18). With the Abrahamic covenant, God obligates himself to bring blessings to three parties. He gives some promises to Abraham, some to the nation of Israel, and others to the families of the earth. Abraham will be personally blessed as God will make his name great and make him the father of many nations. Israel will be blessed as it becomes a nation that inherits a land forever and experiences peace from her enemies. Gentile peoples will also be blessed as God brings them into his covenant and blesses them as the people of God alongside Israel” (Pages 872-873).

[7] Darrell L. Bock and Craig A. Blaising, eds., Dispensationalism, Israel and the Church: The Search for Definition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), Page 307.

[8] Saucy, The Case for Progressive Dispensationalism: The Interface Between Dispensational & Non-Dispensational Theology, Pages 49-50, 51-52 and 71-72 (SCRIBD version).

[9] Samuel D. Renihan, The Mystery of Christ: His Covenant and His Kingdom (Cape Coral, FL: Founders Press, 2019), Pages 87-88.

[10] Renihan, The Mystery of Christ: His Covenant and His Kingdom, Pages 89-92. 

[11] Ibid, Pages 92-95.

[12] Ibid, Page 93.

[13] Ibid, Page 94.

[14] I am indebted to Brandon Adams for his assistance in helping me see this progressive fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant from Scripture. The majority of this information comes from a direct message conversation that Brandon and I had via Twitter in June 2019.