These two promises were intended to be the basis of a two-fold relation to God, and the foundation of two distinct religious institutions called "the Old Testament and the New," "the Old Covenant and the New," "the Two Covenants," and "the Covenants of Promise." There was contemplated in them the constitution for a temporal and a spiritual kingdom of God--a kingdom of God of this world, and a kingdom of God not of this world. Be it, however, always remembered, when we attempt to form correct and comprehensive views of the whole economy of God's redemption, that these two promises were made while the patriarchal institution was yet standing and several centuries before its close. What, then, it will be asked, are these

      We find them in their most simple form in the beginning of the twelfth chapter of Genesis. The first--

      "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curses thee."

      The second--"In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed."

      These promises when fully developed contained numerous blessings. They are, however, in all their details separate and distinct from each. [226] other. Abraham's family alone are personally concerned in the first--all families of the earth in the second. Temporal and earthly are the blessings of the former--spiritual and eternal are the blessings of the latter. Paul calls the second, "The gospel preached to Abraham," and "The covenant confirmed by God in reference to the Messiah, four hundred and thirty years before the giving of the law." The Jewish kingdom in all its glory was but the development of the first--the Christian kingdom in its present and future blessings is the consummation of the second.

[A. C.]      

Source:

Alexander Campbell. "Two Promises." The Millennial Harbinger Extra 5 (August 1834): 392.

[MHA1 226-227]