acts 7:5

Open Heart said:

Where in the Genesis story of Abraham does it mention anything about an afterlife?

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In these verses.
1.) God says to Abraham......he will die before his heirs even inherit the land
Gen 15:15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
2.) The covenant promise concerns the 4th generation, excluding Isaac, and Jacob at that particular time.
16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

AbbaLove said:

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Take it to simply mean (whether Messianic Judaism or Christianity) that Abraham didn't inherit any of the land (not even a footstep) while he was living. Perhaps, you're reading too much into it. An inheritance occurs while one is still living; however, Abraham's descendants would eventually inherit the "promised" land.

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According to Hebrews an inheritance is in force ( has effect) after the death of the testator.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Gen 25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
Heb 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

Ge 25:6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.

Isaac, also in distinction to a firstborn (having fellowheirs) was treated as a sole heir in the will, as an only born son, like Christ is said to be an only born son....
Joh 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Open Heart said:

#1 is the only one that mentions death, and it only refers to the grave. I'm not a person that doesn't believe in an afterlife. I'm just saying no afterlife is mentioned in Genesis.

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I believe the text speaks to the need for a resurrection. The covenant promise in that covenant concerns events 400+ years future. To that generation of his seed. Not only that but as another poster pointed out, Abraham Isaac and Jacob lived as aliens and strangers in their lifetime in the land and while on this earth as the book of Hebrews points out . To which the law gives testimony.
Ge 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

AbbaLove said:

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IF, through conquest, Abraham had laid claim to the land during his lifetime then when he died his son Issac would inherit the land, and so on as long as it remained in the family. Acts 7:5 simply means Abraham didn't receive any inheritance in the land (not even a footstep) while he was living. So, how could he include any of the [Promised] land in a will to pass on to Issac and so forth (except the burial cave).

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Where do you find in Genesis that Abraham had a will stating that Issac was to inherit the [Promised] land? The only site Abraham purchased (from the Hittites) was a burial plot (cave) for his wife Sarah.

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Abraham had not laid claim to any of the [Promised] land through conquest during his lifetime. It was only much later that the twelve tribes (through conquest) were able to settle down having laid claim to a portion of their Promised Land. The full extent of the Promised Land has yet to be fully realized.​

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There are two covenants. The first does not give to Abraham, but his seed. in particular the fourth generation of his seed
Ge 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
But The second covenant spake to Abraham as well.
Ge 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

Actually however the second covenant was established first, in Isaac.
Paul teaches that nothing can be added to nor taken away concerning this covenant.
Ga 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.

So I am thinking the promise of a royal kingpriest was established in Isaac to Abraham from that point on.
Ge 17:21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.


Gen 22:16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Ex 6:4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

Open Heart said:

Did I say Hebrews? I said Genesis.

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Not understanding your point?????????? Genesis is clear the first covenant was to be fulfilled 400 years ihn the future after Abe was dead. Also the future promise of the second covenant to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob continues to be remembered throughout the Sinai covenant.
God has already established to give it to them = promise established in the past but fulfillment still future. They were pilgrims and strangers in the past, inheritance of a home land eternal still future.
Ex 6:4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

Open Heart said:

I agree with everything you said. And their covenant is perpetual. So for example the Promised Land is still theirs.

The point which you did not understand was that there was no promise of eternal life in Abraham's covenant.

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The earthly one yes. But the royal covenant is the promise of the heavenly eternal kingdom in Jesus.
How was Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob to inherit the land eternally if they were not raised from the dead?

visionary said:

Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his possession, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who are heirs with him of the same promise.

Abraham looked forward to his own eternity, "for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God" (Heb. 11:10)

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Amen visionary
Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
we are to walk the same way.......Children of promise born again of promise...

Open Heart said:

Abraham, like everyone who ever lived, benefits from the New Covenant, which stretches back in time as well as forward. But "the Abrahamic Covenant" is not the same thing as the New Covenant. Agreed?

We have more information than Abraham had. The prophets began to speak of the resurrection and an afterlife. Abraham didn't have that information. Because we have that information, we can interpret that that Israel inherits the New Jerusalem (not everyone does, btw). But Abraham certainly had no such understanding -- it was not spelled out for him.

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If he had no such understanding, how could he have had faith in it?

Ro 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Heb 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure
As is according to Genesis here
Gen 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

Open Heart said:

Abraham, like everyone who ever lived, benefits from the New Covenant, which stretches back in time as well as forward. But "the Abrahamic Covenant" is not the same thing as the New Covenant. Agreed?

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Agreed. That does not mean that Abraham did not know and believe what God had promised concerning an eternal inheritance. The promise to Abraham and his seed was established in Genesis 17

Open Heart said:

We have more information than Abraham had. The prophets began to speak of the resurrection and an afterlife. Abraham didn't have that information. Because we have that information, we can interpret that that Israel inherits the New Jerusalem (not everyone does, btw). But Abraham certainly had no such understanding -- it was not spelled out for him.

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It is the Children born of promise which inherit. We inherit the promise in Christ Jesus by faith.
Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.