Posted on : 06 Mar, 2006
Subject : Abraham's Family: Types and Shadows
Abraham’s Family: Types & Shadows
Elohim[God] wants people to understand the Plan of Redemption. For that reason, there are many types and shadows [events and circumstances with symbolic and instructive meanings] presented within the Scriptures.
Through studying the patriarch Abraham’s extended family, we can discern the basic model of four different spiritual categories of people.
There is a Divine spiritual plan – a template. It is like a family, in that different people have different roles and responsibilities, different privileges and diverse talents, etc. People are different spiritually just as we are different physically. Obviously, we are NOT all created equal. There are two different genders, many different races, many more diverse cultures, and an infinite variation in body shapes and mental abilities, not to mention all the different circumstances into which a person may be born. In reality, we are all very different.
Similarly, in spiritual matters, there are differences in opportunity, diversity of spiritual gifts, degrees of authority, and so forth. In the family of Abraham we can discover a miniature of the spiritual categories of Righteous, Wicked, and Ignorant.
Abraham was a type of God the Father
“Abraham…offering up his son Isaac…is a similitude[1] of God and His Only Begotten Son.” [Jacob 4:5 (3:6)] Abraham’s actions were symbolic – they represented Yahweh, the Heavenly Father, offering Yahshua, the Son.
Eliezer was like the angels
Eliezer was Abraham’s servant – his chief steward. He served Abraham, and also supervised Abraham’s businesses and possessions. He was part of Abraham’s household but not a son – not an heir.
Eliezer is symbolic of those beings who are of His household, but not His sons. This includes angels. Angels are created beings, but have no potential to become heirs. Angels cannot inherit a place within the Kingdom of Heaven. Angels are a different race than mankind.
Eliezer was a steward – a faithful servant. The reason he was temporarily considered an ‘heir’ was because Abraham did not yet have any sons. [Genesis 15:2-4] But once Abraham had a child of his own, Eliezer had no more possibility of becoming a legal heir.
Ishmael represents the Wicked
The Wicked are those who have the potential to inherit the Heavenly Kingdom, but reject their opportunity.
Ishmael was a son of Abraham, but was not designated as an heir. Sarah gave her slave, Hagar, to Abram so that she [Hagar] might bear a son, by proxy, for Sarah. By law, because Sarah owned Hagar, Ishmael could only be elevated to the status of heir-ship ifSarah permitted it. Hagar was a secondary wife.
Abraham hoped that Ishmael would be righteous, and would qualify to be an heir. [Genesis 17:18] But, Ishmael mocked Isaac, and, with his mother, was cast out from Abraham’s presence. Ishmael forfeited his inheritance.
Ishmael represents those who are spiritually Wicked – those who have the opportunity to inherit, and whom the Father hopes will inherit, but who mock the Right Way.
Ishmael is also symbolic of Lucifer, who became Satan.
Ishmael was more carnally-minded, whereas Isaac was more spiritually-minded. [See Galatians 4]
Ishmael fathered twelve princes of twelve nations, which was a mirror-image parallel to the Twelve Tribes of Israel. [Genesis 25:12-16]
Ishmael dwelt completely separate from his brother, Isaac.
Isaac symbolizes the Righteous.
In polygynous[2] patriarchal families, the son of the primary wife was the primary heir. “And I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant...My covenant will I establish with Isaac.” [Genesis 17:19 & 21]
Sarah was the principle wife, or matriarch of the family. All children born to her would be heirs of Abraham’s estate. She was the queen of the family, with preeminent rights over all secondary wives or concubines.
Isaac symbolizes the Righteous. “If ye be Christ’s then ye are Abraham’s seed, and heirs, according to the promise.” [Galatians 3:29] “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. We are the children of God; and if children, then heirs: heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ.” [Romans 8:14-16] Paul further used this symbolism when he stated: “we are not children of the bondwoman [Hagar], but of the free [Sarah].” [Galatians 4:31]
Isaac was the inheritor of “all that [Abraham] had.” [Genesis 25:5] This typifies the righteous saints of God inheriting “all things” after the Judgment. [Hebrews 2:8]
As already noted, Isaac was a symbolic type of the Messiah. [Jacob 4:5 (3:6)]
The sons of concubines represent the Ignorant.
Abraham also fathered children with Keturah, and other concubines. [Genesis 25:1 & 6; 1st Chronicles 1:32] A concubine was a free woman who was a ‘half-wife’. She did not have the same legal rights as a primary wife, and her children would not normally be heirs of the father’s estate.
In the Plan of Redemption, those who are ignorant of the gospel – who never hear it during this life – cannot inherit a place in the Kingdom of Heaven. They may enter it, but may not become co-heirs with the Messiah.
Even though the children Abraham fathered with Keturah and the concubines did not have the opportunity to inherit, they were given good gifts, because of their father’s kindness and abundance. [Genesis 25:6]
It is into this category that the majority of Abraham’s children were born. Keturah bore six sons, in contrast to one son each from Sarah and Hagar [We do not know how many children Abraham fathered with the other concubines]. In Elohim’s spiritual plan, most people remain ignorant during this mortal life. A few have the possibility of becoming heirs; some of them forfeit their opportunity by rejecting it, and others fulfill their opportunity and become heirs of the Covenant.
Yahweh is the father of all spirits. [Numbers 16:22 and Alma 40:11 (19:43)] Abraham was the father of all the children of his household – those who could inherit as well as though who could not inherit.
The children of Keturah and the other concubines were separated or segregated from Isaac. [Genesis 25:6] Isaac inherited everything and lived ‘above’ the other children.
The Pattern
In Elohim’s grand spiritual Plan, there are those who will hear and understand the gospel during this life. Some will yield themselves to have faith in Elohim, repent of sins, be properly baptized, and comply with the commandments of the Covenant. They are called the Righteous. After the Judgment, they will inherit place of honor within the Kingdom of Heaven, and rule and reign over the world by the side of the Messiah.
Angels are the servants of the Righteous, as Eliezer and Abraham’s other servants provided for his family. [Hebrews 1:13-14] “To which of the angels has God ever said, Take your seat at My right hand? They are ministering spirits, sent to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation.”
Others will hear the gospel, but will at some point reject it – making a mockery of it. They will be cast out from God’s presence, into the ‘parallel’ Kingdom of the Devil. They are called the Wicked. “The Wicked “did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore, they willfully [deliberately]rebel against God.” [3rd Nephi 6:17-18 (3:19-20)]
Most people will remain ignorant of the gospel during this mortal life. The Ignorant either will never hear the gospel, or will not comprehend it. They do not have the opportunity to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Because they have not heard the gospel, they cannot reject, it, either. Therefore, they are in no danger of being cast into the Kingdom of the Devil. The Ignorant are saved from perishing, and can enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but cannot inherit a place of honor within it.
Elohim’s plan is gracious, righteous, just and most holy. Each person will be treated with incomprehensible mercy and fairness by the One who is the Source of all love.
David Bruce Clark
Lion of God Ministries
2001 South St. Lexington MO 64067
[1] The story of Abraham and Isaac resembles the Heavenly Father and the Son. Spiritual types and shadows do not exactly parallel things in the Heavens, but are similar to them. There are components in the story of Abraham offering Isaac that, obviously, do not match the Atonement.
[2] Polygyny is one man having more than one wife or women.
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