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Posted by Michael Harrison (Member # 6801) on :

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad." Joh 8:56

Abraham rejoiced to see my day? Abraham was a long time gone before Jesus was born on earth. Yet Abraham saw His day. Did Jesus mean that Abraham saw HIS day coming? That's not what it says. Abraham saw HIS day. What it means....

Posted by Carol Swenson (Member # 6929) on :

Life Application Bible Commentary: John

John 8:56

“Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.” (NRSV)

Jesus referred to Abraham as their ancestor, but he meant it only in the physical sense. Abraham, by some revelation not directly recorded in Genesis, saw the coming day of the Messiah (cf. Hebrews 11:8-13). Several possibilities have been proposed: (1) According to rabbinic tradition, Abraham was given foresight about the future of his descendants. Jesus, perhaps knowing this tradition, pinpointed the one event that would have made Abraham rejoice—the day when the Messiah, his descendant, would come to deliver the world; (2) Genesis 17:7 mentions God’s establishment of an everlasting covenant with Abraham’s offspring, which some take to be a messianic promise; (3) Genesis 22:8 records Abraham’s prophetic words that “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering,” (NIV) which received their complete fulfillment in Jesus. Of the three interpretations, the first makes the most sense because the text speaks of “my day”—i.e., the time of Christ’s presence on earth.

Warren Wiersbe’s “Be” Series: Old & New Testaments

How did Abraham “see” our Lord’s day, that is, His life and ministry on earth? The same way he saw the future city: by faith (Heb. 11:10, 13-16). God did not give Abraham some special vision of our Lord’s life and ministry, but He did give him the spiritual perception to “see” these future events. Certainly Abraham saw the birth of the Messiah in the miraculous birth of his own son, Isaac. He certainly saw Calvary when he offered Isaac to God (Gen. 22). In the priestly ministry of Melchizedek (Gen. 14:17-24), Abraham could see the heavenly priesthood of the Lord. In the marriage of Isaac, Abraham could see a picture of the marriage of the Lamb (Gen. 24).

Posted by Michael Harrison (Member # 6801) on :

quote:
Abraham, by some revelation not directly recorded in Genesis, saw the coming day of the Messiah (cf. Hebrews 11:8-13). Several possibilities have been proposed: 1) 2) 3) etc.

It says here that it isn't clear by the text, because it isn't directly recorded, how Abraham saw Jesus' day, and even goes on to say that 'possibilities' have been proposed! I would add to the list. For since it reads that Abraham 'saw' Jesus' day, it is expected that one would logically assume that Jesus meant His appearance on the earth. I suspect this to be every bit true. However, the text is clear that he did in fact 'see' Jesus' day (as opposed to seeing His day coming). I will submit that the way he 'saw' was that he knew the 'rest of God' which Jesus is, and which was evidently available to those who believed, even under the Old Covenant. Thereby He saw Jesus' day and rejoiced in it!

It is our calling to 'see' Jesus' day, not in the future, but now.

Posted by Aaron (Member # 3761) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Michael Harrison:
[QUOTE] Thereby He saw Jesus' day and rejoiced in it!

Revelation precedes faith. This is how I reconcile the issue: God revealed the day to Abraham spiritually. To Abraham the "day" was as real as the nose on his face even though it was, according to time, far off.

I wanted to comment on this portion as well:

quote:
I will submit that the way he 'saw' was that he knew the 'rest of God' which Jesus is, and which was evidently available to those who believed, even under the Old Covenant.

Abraham was not under the Old covenant as I understand it. To me the old covenant = Sinai. Abraham was never under that Law.

Aaron

Posted by Michael Harrison (Member # 6801) on :

Good point Aaron!

On the 'rest' of God; it has been available to men of faith for as long as time.

Posted by Eden (Member # 5728) on :

I tend to think that the Lord GOD (the Adonai Yehovah) actually showed Abraham the days of Jesus in Israel.

On the other hand, if that is true, Abraham lived in around the 19th century B.C. (before Christ) so if God showed Jesus's 1st century time to Abraham in a vision or appearance and talking with, seeing 1st century Israel would have been quite a shock or almost incomprehensible to the 19th century B.C. shepherd and camel breeder Abraham and Sarah.

However, God is very able to showing Abraham the day of Jesus and Abraham believed in Him whom God showed Abraham in a vision or talking to. The Son of God says that Abraham saw My day, so that seems to imply a vision.

with love, eden

Posted by Michael Harrison (Member # 6801) on :

We have to ask, for it doesn't say: Did he see Jesus day coming? Did rather, he see Jesus' day, what it is? What it is, and the fact of its coming are different things. Take note that it does not clearly say that he saw Jesus' day coming.

And what clued him into Jesus' day? Is it in the story of Abraham? It seems likely that if Jesus said that Abraham saw Jesus' day, that it is illustrated somewhere within the framework of Abraham's life. And likely Abraham seeing Jesus' day is what resulted in his being able to obey as he did. Therefore he rested in who Jesus is, and thereby honered God by his faith.