Abraham Park - The Promise of the Eternal Covenant: Gods Profound Providence as Revealed in the Genealogy of Jesus Christ (Postexilic Period) Book 5

List of Abbreviations

All Bible quotations in this book are from the New American Standard Bible unless indicated otherwise.

Authors Foreword

The Bible is filled with promises of the eternal covenant that God had sovereignly established according to His decree of salvation for fallen mankind (Gen 9:16; 17:7; Exod 31:16; Ezek 37:26; Heb 9:15). The first promise of the eternal covenant that God made after the fall of man was the promise of the womans seed (Gen 3:15). This promise poured forth a holy river of life, which flowed ceaselessly through all of historys ordeals and Satans interferences. This river of life has now sublimated into the cross on the hill of Golgotha, blossoming as the new covenant that brings His chosen people salvation from all sins and the pitch-dark despair of death (Luke 22:20; 1 Chr 11:25). As the mediator of the new covenant (Heb 9:15; 12:24), Jesus Christthe good and great Shepherd of the sheepshed His precious blood on the cross for His flock (John 10:11; Heb 13:20). This blood is the blood of forgiveness (Eph 1:7), the blood of the eternal covenant ( Ref Exod 24:8; Zech 9:11; Heb 10:29), and the blood that breaks down all the barriers of the world and establishes peace among all (Isa 54:10; Eph 2:13-19).

The genealogy is a list of names that encapsulates and summarizes the promises of the eternal covenant and their fulfillments in light of the history of redemption. The Bible places great importance on its genealogies because Gods administration of redemption to send the Savior as the womans seed (Gen 3:15) progresses through the succession of progeny within the genealogies. They are recorded as turning points at every watershed moment in the history of redemption. An era in redemptive history concludes with a genealogy; a new era begins with another. In particular, the genealogy in Matthew 1 is an encapsulation of the entire history of redemption. It proclaims that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of every promise of the eternal covenant. I sincerely hope and pray that the in-depth study of the Matthean genealogy will endow us with the overflowing grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the central figure of the genealogy. As we grow in the knowledge of Him (2 Pet 3:18), may only the name of Jesus be magnified (Acts 19:17) and glorified (2 Thess 1:12)!

As history draws near to its close, the shroud of darkness around the world deepens as it spirals ever deeper into inescapable chaos. What is required of the believer who seeks and waits for the second coming of the Lord during such time? It is holiness . Hebrews 12:14 states, Pursue peace with all men and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. According to the original Greek, this passage can be rendered, without holiness no one will see the Lord. The word emphasized here is holiness , which is ( hagiasmos ) in Greek, meaning sanctification. Sanctification is having the attitude (heart) of Jesus Christ (Phil 2:5). It is the Christian virtue of conforming ourselves to the image of Christ in order to have Christ fully formed in us (Gal 4:19). All saints who await the second coming of the Lord must attain holiness.

The most important way to attain holiness is through the Word of God. First Timothy 4:5 states, for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. Ephesians 5:26 states, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word (John 17:17, 19). We can attain holiness by living a life of reading, hearing, and keeping the Word of God in the Bible (Rev 1:3).

The Bible is the inerrant and infallible Word of God, unrivaled by any other writing in the world. Even the most sophisticated literary works cannot be compared to the Bible. I am completely captivated by the fearfully and wonderfully written Word of God. That is why I never drift away from it wherever I may be. Outwardly, this attachment to the Bible became the impetus in overcoming the long-sufferings of life through thanksgiving and grace. Inwardly, it was the wellspring that allowed me to strive step by step toward attaining to the holiness and to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:13).

This inadequate servants books in the History of Redemption series, which are currently in publication, are the fruits of my love for the Bible. Since a book is inseparable from the character of the authors faith, the books of the History of Redemption series form the essential digest of the entirety of my doctrinal beliefs, faith, philosophy, and character. I sincerely hope that the History of Redemption series may serve as a guide to the Bible and as an instrument of righteousness that will help unveil the Holy Scriptures.

I was able to publish The Unquenchable Lamp of the Covenant: the First Fourteen Generations in the Genealogy of Jesus Christ in 2010, and Gods Profound and Mysterious Providence: The Genealogy of Jesus Christ from David to the Exile in Babylon in 2011. Now, I am overwhelmed as The Promise of the Eternal Covenant: Gods Profound Providence as Revealed in the Genealogy of Jesus Christ (the Postexilic Period) is finally being published to reveal Gods redemptive administration in the third period of Jesus Christs genealogy.

One of the accomplishments in this humble work is a timeline entitled, The Third Period in the Genealogy of Jesus Christ and Transitions in World History (Excursus 1). This timeline is a comprehensive compendium that brings together three broad elements. It showcases the rise and fall of world powers during the third period in Jesus Christs genealogy alongside the activities of IsraelGods instrument in the midst of world powers, and the ministries of the prophets sent by God at various epochs of history.

Based on Gods revelation of the future of mankind as given to Daniel, I have provided a redemptive-historical treatment of the unfolding of Gods profound and mysterious providence within the rapidly changing history of the world. I have invested much time in trying to accurately understand the events in the Bible and their chronological years in accordance to the command, Consider the years of all generations (Deut 32:7). This unprecedented work was so vast and so overwhelming that I spent many sleepless nights with my manuscripts, clinging to the Bible in tearful prayers and searching through various reference works. As a precious baby is born after much labor pain, this humble work was completed as a fruition of a long pursuit of research. It is accomplished all by Gods grace and solely by His helping hand (Ezra 7:9; 8:18, 22, 31; Neh 2:8, 18).