Abraham’s promises: unfulfilled in the Old Testament
As we work through the next few chapters, we will see in detail why neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament consider Abraham’s promises to be fulfilled. However, at this point, it is important for us to address a few passages that can be a source of confusion. There are some Old Testament passages that, at first glance, seem to indicate Abraham’s promises were in some measure fulfilled:
Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:43–45)
But just as all the good things that the Lord your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the Lord your God has given you. (23:15)
There are a few other similar verses in the Old Testament such as Psalm 105 and Jeremiah 11:5. Some believers assume Abraham’s promises were fulfilled because Israel did possess a portion of the land for several centuries and achieved a measure of renown under David’s and Solomon’s reigns. In light of this, it is important to discern whether this was enough to fulfill Abraham’s promises. In order to interpret these passages properly, we have to view them in the full context of Scripture, and in that context there are a number of reasons why these verses do not indicate Abraham’s promises have been fulfilled.
Hebrews 11:39 plainly states the patriarchs did not receive the fulfillment of their promises because God has a greater plan of fulfillment involving both the Old Testament saints and New Testament believers:
And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised.
In addition, Isaiah predicts a second Exodus for Israel (Isaiah 11:11–12, 16; 12:2; 25:1; 43:16–17; 51:10–15), and Jeremiah predicts this event will be so dramatic that the original Exodus will pale in comparison:
“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers.” (16:14–15)
“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.” (23:7–8)
Isaiah and Jeremiah both prophesy long after Joshua conquered the land and long after the reign of Solomon, and yet they predict a dramatic, future deliverance of Israel that makes no sense if God had already fulfilled His promises. From the prophecies, it is clear that God intends a future fulfillment of Abraham’s promises. The fact that Israel had enjoyed a measure of the promise in the land is obviously not enough to fulfill the promises or else these prophets would not predict a future day of fulfillment.
All the way to the end of the Old Testament, the prophets continue to focus on Israel’s redemption and possession of the land, predicting a day in the future when these promises will be fulfilled.4These predictions do not make sense if Abraham’s promises have been fulfilled already.
It is also significant that the prophets use the language of the Exodus to predict a future day when Israel will be delivered again. The ancient Exodus is the key event that set up Israel for the possession of the land and established a nation. However, the prophets tell us there is an Exodus event in the future that will completely overshadow the ancient Exodus. If there is a future Exodus, it means the ancient Exodus was not enough to fulfill God’s promises to Israel. From reading the prophets, it becomes clear that Israel’s ancient history is not the fulfillment of God’s promises, but rather a foreshadowing of something much greater to come.
As we look at key passages in the New Testament, we will see that the authors of the New Testament continue to look for a future fulfillment of Abraham’s promises just as the prophets did. For example, in Romans 9 through 11, Paul is in anguish over the failure of the Jewish people to experience the fulfillment of their promises and yet also confident that a future day of fulfillment is coming (Romans 11:25–27). Paul would not be in anguish over his people if their promises had been fulfilled. Paul even describes his gospel mission to the Gentiles as a key part of God’s plan to fulfill these promises (Romans 10–11). In the book of Acts, there is also a clear expectation for Israel’s future.
Israel’s ancient possession of the land was a result of the promises God made to Abraham, and there was a sense in which the ancient Israelites experienced God’s faithful commitment to His promises. This is why there are verses describing ancient Israel as a fulfillment of God’s promises. The biblical authors described Israel’s story through the lens of God’s promises. While the Bible is clear ancient Israel did not experience the full fulfillment of the promises, it is the promises that are the basis for God’s interaction with Israel throughout her history. In a sense, He was fulfilling His promises in bringing them into the land. However, when we look at the condition of ancient Israel and the full testimony of Scripture, it is clear that ancient Israel was not the complete fulfillment of the promises. Both the prophets and the New Testament apostles expect a complete, future fulfillment of the promises.
1
See Deuteronomy 30:1–6; Isaiah 4:3; 45:17, 25; 54:13; 59:21; 60:4, 21; 61:8–9, 66:22; Jeremiah 31:34; 32:40; Ezekiel 20:40; 36:10; 39:22, 28–29; Joel 2:26; Zephaniah 3:9, 12; 12:13.
2
See Genesis 12:1–3, 7; 13:15; 17:7–8, 19; 25:5–6; 26:3; 28:3–4; 35:9–15; Leviticus 26:42; Deuteronomy 32:43; 1 Chronicles 16:17–18; Psalm 105:10–11; Isaiah 32:17–18; 60:21; 61:8–9; Jeremiah 24:6; 32:40–41; Ezekiel 11:17; 36:26–28; Amos 9:15.
3
See Genesis 12:3; Deuteronomy 32:21; Psalm 22:27; Isaiah 24:14–16; 42:10–12; 49:6; 56:6–7; 60:1–3; 65:1; Jeremiah 16:19–21; Amos 9:11–12; Zechariah 2:11; 14:1; Malachi 1:11.
4
See Isaiah 4:3; 32:17–18; 45:17, 25; 54:13; 59:21; 60:4, 21; 61:8–9, 66.22; Jeremiah 24:6; 31:34; 32:40–41; Ezekiel 11:17; 20:40; 36:10, 26–28; 39:25–28; Joel 2:26; Amos 9:15; Zephaniah 3:9, 12; 12:13.
