CHAPTER 13 – ABRAHAM, OUR SPIRITUAL FATHER AS GOD’S SPIRITUAL “WANDERING REMNANT” in the “kingdom(s) of the world.”

The THIRD person in the Bible who was to take part in the physical “wandering remnant” in the “kingdom(s) of the world” and the second person of the spiritual “wandering remnant” of the Kingdom of God in the “kingdom(s) of the world” was our spiritual forefather. For a true understanding about God creating the Nation of Israel with its Jewish People, it is imperative to study and know about one of the greatest patriarchs and brother in Jesus Christ of the Old Testament – Abram/Abraham.
Isaiah 43:15 “I am the Lord, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.” NASU
Isaiah 45:11 “This is what the Lord says — the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children {the Jews}, or give me orders about the work of my hands? NIV
Hosea 1:10 “Yet the time will come when Israel shall prosper and become a great nation; in that day her people will be too numerous to count-like sand along a seashore! Then, instead of saying to them, ‘You are not my people,’ I will tell them, ‘You are my sons, children of the Living God.’ TLB
Genesis 12:1 NOW [in Haran] the Lord said to Abram, Go for yourself [for your own advantage] away from your country, from your relatives and your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. [Heb 11:8-10.] AMP

Genesis 17:8 I {God} will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings {wanderings}, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” NASU
Hebrews 11:8-10 [Urged on] by faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to go. 9 [Prompted] by faith he dwelt as a temporary resident in the land which was designated in the promise [of God, though he was like a stranger] in a strange country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs with him of the same promise. [Gen 12:1-8.] 10 For he was [waiting expectantly and confidently] looking forward to the city {New Jerusalem} which has fixed and firm foundations, whose Architect {is God the Father} and Builder is God {the Son}. AMP

This is VERY important! There are TWO things that Abraham’s faith in God accomplished and provided for him that God also imputes/credits to all of us. ALL of Abraham’s promises from God also belong to us Christians – by his faith in God, God credited to him the SAME righteousness as we have in Christ.
Galatians 3:29 And now that we are Christ’s we are the true descendants of Abraham, and all of God’s promises to him belong to us. TLB
2 Corinthians 1:20 For as many as are the promises of God {some 37,000}, they all find their Yes [answer] in Him [Christ]. For this reason we also utter the Amen (so be it) to God through Him [in His Person and by His agency] to the glory of God. AMP
Genesis 15:6 And he [Abram] believed in (trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God). [Rom 4:3, 18-22; Gal 3:6; James 2:23.] AMP
Romans 4:13 For the promise to Abraham or his posterity {future ancestors}, that he should inherit the world, did not come through [observing the commands of] the Law but through the righteousness of faith. [Gen 17:4-6; 22:16-18.] AMP
Revelation 21:7 He {the True Believer} who is victorious {over sin} shall inherit all these things, and I will be God to him and he shall be My son. AMP
Philippians 3:9 And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him {Christ Jesus}, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law’s demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith. AMP
Hebrews 11:39-40 And all of these {Old Testament Saints}, though they won divine approval by [means of] their faith, did not receive the fulfillment of what was promised, 40 Because God had us in mind and had something better and greater in view for us, so that they [these heroes and heroines of faith {in the Old Testament}] should not come to perfection apart from us [before we could join them]. AMP

Much can be said about our spiritual, righteous brother Abraham, but what I want to focus on was his willingness by faith to be part of the “physical wanderers” on the land and to be a true representative of the true “spiritual remnant” of the Kingdom of God in the “kingdom(s) of the world.” He and two generations after him were physical “wanderers” on the land as well as being part of the “spiritual remnant” of God. Even though Abraham “possessed” land, it MUST be clearly understood that he did NOT “own” any land except for a “small” parcel that he purchased to use as a burial ground for Sarah, himself, and other family members.
Genesis 23:14-20 Ephron replied to Abraham, saying, 15 My lord, listen to me. The land is worth 400 shekels of silver; what is that between you and me? So bury your dead. 16 So Abraham listened to what Ephron said and acted upon it. He weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: 400 shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.
17 So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre [Hebron] — the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and in all its borders round about — was made over 18 As a possession to Abraham in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at his city gate.
19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah to the east of Mamre, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan. 20 The field and the cave in it were conveyed to Abraham for a permanent burial place by the sons of Heth. AMP
Acts 7:16 And their bodies [Jacob’s and Joseph’s] were taken back to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of [silver] money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem. [Gen 50:13; Josh 24:32.] AMP
Acts 7:5 Yet He {God} gave him {Abraham} no inheritable property in it {Haran}, [no] not even enough ground to set his foot on; but He promised that He would give it to {h}im for a permanent possession and to his descendants after him, even though [as yet] he had no child. [Gen 12:7; 17:8; Deut 2:5.] AMP

Why is it so important and necessary to know and understand why Abraham as the “father of our faith” was considered to be a “physical wanderer” in the “kingdom(s) of the world” and part of the “spiritual remnant” of the Kingdom of God in the world?
Romans 4:16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law {physical blood descendants – the Jews}, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham {spiritual descendants through one’s faith in Jesus Christ}, who is the father of us all {truly “Born Again” Old Testament and New Testament Saints}, NASU
Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; 10 for he was looking for the city {New Jerusalem} which has foundations, whose architect {is God the Father} and builder is God {the Son}. NASU

I have talked about Abraham’s righteousness – his being declared righteous by his faith and actions. Let’s take a look at some Scriptures that affirm his faith and his actions, his friendship with God, and the required faith and the destiny of his spiritual heirs:
Luke 16:23-26 And in Hades (the realm of the dead), being in torment, he {the rich man} lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away {in the Kingdom of God}, and Lazarus in his bosom {holding him very close}. 24 And he cried out and said, Father Abraham, have pity and mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Child, remember that you in your lifetime fully received [what is due you in] comforts and delights, and Lazarus in like manner the discomforts and distresses; but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who want to pass from this [place] to you may not be able, and no one may pass from there to us. AMP
Galatians 3:6-9 Thus Abraham believed in and adhered to and trusted in and relied on God, and it was reckoned and placed to his account and credited as righteousness (as conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action). [Gen 15:6.] 7 Know and understand that it is [really] the people [who live] by faith who are [the true] sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify (declare righteous, put in right standing with Himself) the Gentiles in consequence{/result} of faith, proclaimed the Gospel [foretelling the glad tidings of a Savior long beforehand] to Abraham in the promise, saying, In you shall all the nations [of the earth] be blessed. [Gen 12:3.] 9 So then, those who are people of faith are blessed and made happy and favored by God [as partners in fellowship] with the believing and trusting Abraham. AMP
James 2:21-24 Was not our forefather Abraham [shown to be] justified (made acceptable to God) by [his] works when he brought to the altar as an offering his [own] son Isaac? [Gen 22:1-14.] 22 You see that [his] faith was cooperating with his works, and [his] faith was completed and reached its supreme expression [when he implemented it] by [good] works. 23 And [so] the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed in (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on) God, and this was accounted to him as righteousness (as conformity to God’s will in thought and deed), and he was called God’s friend. [Gen 15:6; 2 Chron 20:7; Isa 41:8.] 24 You see that a man is justified (pronounced righteous before God) through what he does and not alone through faith [through works of obedience as well as by what he believes]. AMP
Genesis 18:17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do, [Gal 3:8.] AMP
Exodus 33:11 And the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Moses returned to the camp, but his minister Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the [temporary prayer] tent. AMP
John 15:14 {Jesus said,} You are My friends if you keep on doing the things which I command you to do. AMP
Luke 13:28 There will be weeping and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves being cast forth (banished, driven away){because of your lack of true faith in God and the things of God}. AMP
Matthew 7:22-23 Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? 23 And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]. [Ps 6:8.] AMP