as universal and extensive in its application. It would not be a matter of the nations looking over the fence to see what Israel had done and then, in copycat fashion, blessing themselves; it would be only by grace, as a gift of God—not by works. This would be the basis for God’s blessing humanity in personal salvation when faith was exercised. The apostle Paul had named Abraham (the changed form of his original name, Abram) as “heir of the world” (Rom. 4:13) and later, in Galatians, as the father
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