Topical Bible: The Jews: Called: Seed of Jacob

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Topical Encyclopedia

The term "Seed of Jacob" is a biblical designation for the Jewish people, emphasizing their descent from Jacob, also known as Israel, the patriarch whose twelve sons became the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel. This designation underscores the covenantal relationship between God and the descendants of Jacob, highlighting their unique role in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan.

Biblical References:

1. Genesis 28:13-14 : In this passage, God reaffirms the Abrahamic covenant with Jacob, promising that his descendants will be numerous and that through them, all the families of the earth will be blessed. "And there at the top the LORD was standing and said, 'I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.'"

2. Isaiah 45:19 : The prophet Isaiah speaks of the faithfulness of God to the descendants of Jacob, affirming that God has not spoken in secret and that His promises to Israel are sure. "I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, 'Seek me in vain.' I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right."

3. Jeremiah 33:25-26 : Here, God assures the continuity of His covenant with the seed of Jacob, promising that He will not reject the descendants of Jacob and David. "This is what the LORD says: 'If I have not established My covenant with the day and the night and the fixed laws of heaven and earth, then I would also reject the descendants of Jacob and My servant David, so as not to take from his descendants rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore them from captivity and have compassion on them.'"

4. Romans 9:6-8 : The Apostle Paul discusses the spiritual significance of being the seed of Jacob, distinguishing between physical descent and spiritual inheritance. "It is not as though God’s word has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are Abraham’s descendants are they all his children. On the contrary, 'Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.' So it is not the children of the flesh who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as offspring."

Theological Significance:

The designation "Seed of Jacob" carries profound theological implications. It signifies the continuity of God's promises from Abraham through Isaac to Jacob, and ultimately to the nation of Israel. This lineage is central to the narrative of the Old Testament, where the Jewish people are chosen to be a light to the nations and the bearers of God's law and revelation.

The covenantal relationship established with Jacob and his descendants is foundational to understanding the identity and mission of Israel. It is through this lineage that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would come, fulfilling the promises made to the patriarchs and extending the blessings of Abraham to all nations.

Throughout the biblical narrative, the faithfulness of God to the seed of Jacob is a recurring theme, demonstrating His unwavering commitment to His covenant people despite their frequent unfaithfulness. This relationship is characterized by both divine election and human responsibility, as the descendants of Jacob are called to live in obedience to God's commandments and to be a witness to His holiness and justice.

In summary, the term "Seed of Jacob" encapsulates the historical, theological, and eschatological dimensions of God's dealings with the Jewish people, serving as a testament to His enduring faithfulness and the unfolding of His redemptive purposes in history.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 33:26
Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Ridiculous Interpretations of the Jews. Christians are the True ...
... Chapter CXXIII."Ridiculous interpretations of the Jews. ... we who have been deemed worthy
to be called a people ... raise up to Israel and to Judah the seed of men ...
/.../chapter cxxiii ridiculous interpretations of the.htm

Christ Predicted by Moses.
... Jerusalem, where was the vast temple of the Jews which was ... For what is called by
the Divine Spirit through the ... the blood should not be of human seed, but of ...
/.../justin/the first apology of justin/chapter xxxii christ predicted by moses.htm

Salvation to the Jews
... the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had ... shall be presented in its fullness
to the Jews, many will ... ministers there are only a few who feel called upon to ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 35 salvation to the.htm

At Jacob's Well
... to the woman at the well, good seed had been ... brought to them the salvation which
the Jews rejected ... When John was called to Ephesus and Smyrna, he remembered the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 19 at jacobs well.htm

Book 1 Footnotes:
... Nor did the Jews feed upon any other domestic animals ... here and Hebrews 11:17, Isaac
is called Abraham's only ... of all nations being happy in the seed of Abraham ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 1 footnotes .htm

Samaria. Sychem.
... here and there sprinkled among them, and the Jews here and ... about it of three half
furlongs, and called the city ... is known that they are not of the seed of Israel ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 56 samaria sychem.htm

Whether the Old Law Should have Been Given to the Jews Alone?
... reason for the Law being given to the Jews rather than ... that Christ should be born
of his seed: but of gratuitous ... the just one form the east, hath called him to ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the old law should.htm

Covenanting According to the Purposes of God.
... shall call."[541] Not merely to the Jews was its ... forth the praises of Him who hath
called them out of ... condition of a people keeping covenant, the seed of Jacob ...
/.../the ordinance of covenanting/chapter viii covenanting according to.htm

Psalm LXXVI.
... [3439] But Jacob had spoken ... For He is, as the Scripture saith, and as ye have but
now heard, out of the seed of David ... See now whether they must be called Jews. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxvi.htm

But You Will Say, the Good Will of a Friend Towards Me, Although I ...
... That Christ is the Seed of Abraham, the order of successive ... For Jacob himself was
called Israel. ... these twelve sons he begat Judah, whence the Jews have their ...
/.../augustine/concerning faith of things not seen /5 but you will say.htm