Israel and the Land Promise in the NT

Gerald McDermott has a good post here on how the land promise made to Abraham and hos descendants are treated in the New Testament.  

Genesis 25:1-11

It is generally recognized that Genesis 25:1-11 provides a transition from the Abraham story to the Isaac story. This is correct but one should also not the continuity of the Abrahamic Covenant and its promises in these verses. Here are a few points of continuity.

• Like his father Abraham (Gen 12:1-3), Isaac is given the promise and the blessing unconditionally (vv. 5, 11).
• Keturah and her children demonstrate the Abrahamic promises in two ways (distinction from the main line of promise of Isaac and yet receive collateral blessing*).
• Isaac is linked to the burial cave in Machpelah (vv. 9-10).
• The fact that Abraham “died in a good old age, an old man and full of years” testify to God’s blessing (vv. 7-8).
• Isaac’s presence underscores the continuity of the promises.
• Isaac’s settling at Beer-lahai-roi suggests that Isaac not Ishmael is the heir of the promise (v. 11, cf. Gen 16:13-15).

* By collateral blessings I mean those Abrahamic blessings that fall on those not in the main line of the Abrahamic promises but who are blessed nonetheless due to their proximity to Abraham.

The Promise in Hebrews 11:39-40

  
See Steven Coxhead's post on the promise not received in Hebrews 11:39-40.
  

The Election of Israel

Claude Mariottini has a good post on the election of Israel here.

Walton on the Blessing of Abraham on the Nations

John Walton has a nice post on the blessing of Abraham on the nations in Genesis. Read it here.

Deuteronomy 30:1-10 and the Land Promises to Israel

Matt Waymeyer has a nice follow up to his previous post on Joshua 21:43-45 and the fulfillment (or not) of the Abrahamic promise of land. In particular, Matt is addressing the view that the return from Babylonian exile might constitute a fulfillment of the restoration promises and land promises, e.g., Deuteronomy 30:1-10. He offers ten reasons why this view ought to be rejected. You can read it here.

Joshua 21:43-45 and the Promise of Land

Matt Waymeyer has a nice post on Joshua 21:43-45 and the fulfillment (or not) of the Abrahamic promise of land.