The People of God
In calling Abraham, God was choosing for himself a holy people (Gen 12:1-3). The recalling of this election and vocation found frequent expression in the words of the prophets: "I will be their God and they shall be my people" (Jer 31:33; Ezek 37:27; Hos 2:23, also echoed in 2 Cor 6:16; Heb 8:10). Through the Word of God and the Spirit of God, God chose one from among the nations to bring salvation to all. The election of Israel marked a decisive moment in the realization of the plan of salvation.
The covenant God made with Abraham entailed many things which are of interest to those of us in the church age. This includes the foreshadowing of Messiah in Isaac, the promised son. Of particular interest is the account of the offering of Isaac by his father upon the mount of the Lord in the land of Moriah.
Now fast forward about two thousand years to the time of Jesus. In light of the ministry, teaching, and above all the death and resurrection of Jesus and the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we see the ultimate fulfillment of what God promised Abraham.
In the Old Testament, the people of Israel were a pilgrim people journeying towards the fulfillment of the promise that in Abraham all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. In Christ this is fulfilled when, on the cross, the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile is broken down (Eph 2:14). Thus the Church, embracing Jew and Gentile is a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation", "God's own people" (1 Peter 2:9-10).
