“This he made with Abraham and His sworn oath to Isaac;

Which he established with Jacob to be a statute,

To Israel as a Covenant forever.”

(Psalm 105:9-10)

David circles back in these verses to add clarity as to the nature of this Covenant. It is the covenant that God made with Abraham, which he renewed with Isaac and then again with Jacob. It is everlasting and it came along with an oath. As Paul writes:

For when God was making a promise to Abraham, since he had nothing greater against which to swear, he swore against himself! Saying, ‘I will indeed bless you, and I will surely multiply you.’ In this way, remaining patient, he obtained the blessing, for men swear against that which is greater and, for all of them, an oath is taken for the final validation of a lawsuit — in which he abundantly desired to exhibit to the heirs of the promise his unchangeable purpose, so he guaranteed it with an oath.

(Hebrews 6:13-17)

Too often people in churches act as if the New Testament is the only thing of any value to them. I have even heard people call themselves “New Testament Christians” or speak of attending “New Testament Churches.” This phraseology is nonsensical at best. Without the Old Testament, we do not have the New Testament. God’s promise to his church is meaningless unless we find that promise grounded in the promise that he made to Abraham. As noted already, the church is the fulfillment of the promise that God made all of those years ago, when he swore an oath to Abraham (Galatians 3:29).

Thus, who is true Israel? Christ’s church. Such is the error of many dispensational writers, who wish to see Israel and the church remain as separate entities. Yet, how can they be, when Paul makes a direct connection between Christian faith and the promise of Abraham? No, the church began in Eden, continued through Abraham and through Israel and found its fullness in the church of Jesus Christ. Remember, not all Israel is true Israel, only those with faith in Jesus Christ through whom the promise of election has been worked out (Romans 9:6-8). To believers, it is a covenant forever.