Dear Gramps,

What are the specific blessings promised to
the seed of Abraham?

Allen

Dear Allen,

The blessings given to Abraham were renewed with his son Issac as well as with Jacob.  They are referred to as the Abrahamic Covenant.  He was promised that these blessings would also be given to his posterity.  One of the blessings given to Abraham was that Christ would come through his lineage.

Another was that Abraham was given the land of Canaan as an eternal inheritance.   Canaan is the land bordering the Mediterranean and the Jordan River.  Abraham never possessed this land, but will after the millennium and a “little season”.  In essence this will expand as all of Abraham’s seed who are righteous will be given an inheritance.  President Smith in Doctrines of Salvation stated:  “Time will come after the resurrection from the dead, when Abraham and his children who have been faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord should possess that land, and they shall also spread forth as far as it is necessary for them to receive an inheritance.”  (1:88)  The children of Israel after they fled Egypt were required to remain in the desert for 40 years prior to their being able to go into the land of Canaan.  This is why “the land of Canaan” is so important to those of the house of Israel as well as the Palestinians who are descendants of Abraham’s first son, Ishmael, through his wife Hagar.

Abraham was promised that his seed would be as numerous as the stars and as the grains of sand.  Abraham had eight sons.  Ishmael by Hagar, Issac by Sarah and six sons by Keturah.    Through these eight sons come those who claim to be of Abraham’s descendants, the Arab, Moslem and Israelite nations.  They number in excess of 100 million people.

The Bible Dictionary explains that the blessings given to Abraham and those promised to his seed are:  “Abraham first received the gospel of baptism(which is the covenant of salvation).  Then he had conferred upon him the higher priesthood, and he entered into celestial marriage (which is the covenant of exaltation),  gaining assurance thereby that he would have eternal increase.  Finally he received a promise that all of these blessings would be offered to all of his mortal posterity”.  Basically it means that his posterity would be entitled to all the blessings of the Gospel.

Being of Abraham’s lineage, whether born into it or adopted into it,  gives us the responsibility to spread the Gospel throughout the world, which has always been the responsibility of Abraham’s seed.  The Bible Dictionary states:  “To fulfill the covenant God made with Abraham… a number of specific and particular things must take place in the last days. The gospel must be restored, the priesthood must be conferred again upon man, the keys of the sealing power must be given again to mortals, Israel must be gathered, and the Holy Ghost must be poured out upon the gentiles. All this has already taken place or is in process of fulfillment”.

Gramps