# How do Preterists interpet Genesis 17:8?



## jdcart (May 17, 2014)

In Genesis 17:8, it appears that God has promised Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession. Given the word "everlasting", wouldn't this imply that the land of Canaan is yet recognized by God as belonging to the descendents of Abraham?

sorry for the typo


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## Bill The Baptist (May 17, 2014)

In what sense could anything on this Earth be considered "everlasting"?


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## au5t1n (May 17, 2014)

The promise must be read in light of the reality that Abraham's descendants are properly the children of promise by union with his promised seed, Jesus Christ ([KJV]Gal. 3:16[/KJV]), and in light of the typical significance of the land of Canaan, Jerusalem ([KJV]Gal. 4:26[/KJV]), and the entering in of rest spoken of in [KJV]Hebrews 4[/KJV]. Believers are Abraham's descendants who inherit the promised land, enter into God's rest, and belong to the heavenly Jerusalem.

This understanding is not unique to preterism. Idealists such as myself and historicists might hold it as well, and in my experience typically do. Futurism, by contrast, interprets this promise carnally.


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## MarieP (May 17, 2014)

> "So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance"- Ex. 12:17
> 
> "For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever"- Ex. 12:23-24
> 
> ...



I've heard passages like these explained two different ways:
1) the New Covenant fulfillment of these promises make it literally everlasting (like Bill and Austin said)
2) the "everlasting" in these contexts is limited by "throughout your generations" and "for you" (the Old Covenant dispensation) and are not literal parts of the New Covenant dispensation


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## One Little Nail (May 17, 2014)

I think passover, circumcision & if I remember correctly sabbath amongst others were spoken of as being eternal or everlasting ordinances, they are only in the sense that the Anti-type fulfils the meaning of the sign or thing signified, 
the land promise becomes the meek inheriting the earth at the 2nd coming, speaking only of full preterism which says
that the resurrection & 2nd coming occurred in 70AD they would then be obliged or constrained to say that it occurred
or begun the process of from this date.


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## Jerusalem Blade (May 17, 2014)

I would approach it like this (and I think preterists would likewise), Israel _does_ inherit the land, _plus_ the land of all the earth. Who is Israel now? Certainly not those destined for Hell, but the Israel of God: those who are incorporated into the body of the King and God of Israel.


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## Peairtach (May 17, 2014)

The true descendants of Abraham are Jews and Gentiles who believe in Christ - the "Israel of God" (Gal 6:16) to distinguish between them and the Jews that do not truly belong to God.

The Israel of God is in the process of inheriting the Land of the OT plus the rest of the Earth (e.g. Matt.5:5).

At some point the unbelieving Jews will be incorporated into the Israel of God, and inherit the Earth, including the former OT Land with the Gentiles.

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk 2


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