Seeds

SEEDS, NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL By: Arnold Kennedy.

To many people, the subject of Abraham’s seed is somewhat of an enigma. The purpose of this paper is to clarify thinking about:

What is the seed of Abraham – is it genetic only?

What is “offspring” – what is the meaning of the expression offspring of David?

What is the difference between “seed”, “offspring”, “children”, “fruit”, etc.?

Why it is necessary to divide between these things that are different?

THE DIFFERENT WORDS FOR “SEED”

In most common translations the Hebrew and Greek words pertaining to this subject are often badly translated, and the various translations are inconsistent. So, for a start let us look at all the words in Strong’s concordance and Thayer’s Lexicon for “seed”, “offspring”, “fruit”, “generation”, etc.

OLD TESTAMENT:

Strong H2233 zera or zerah Seed; fig. fruit, plant, sowing time, posterity – carnally, child, fruitful, seed – time, sowing time.

Strong H6631 tse’etsa Offspring, issue, that is, produce, children, – that which cometh forth [out].

NEW TESTAMENT:

Strong G1074 genea From a presumed der. of 1085. A generation, by impl. an age [the period or the persons]: age generation, nation, time. Fathered, birth, nativity; that which has been begotten, men of the same stock, a family. The several ranks of natural descent, the successive members of a genealogy. Metaph. a race of men very like each other in endowments, pursuits, character – esp. in a bad sense, a perverse race. The whole multitude of men living at the same time. An age (that is, the time ordinarily occupied be each successive generation), a space of 30 - 33 years.

Strong G1078 genesis From the same as G1074; nativity, fig. nature, generation, nature[ - ral]. Source, origin – a book of one’s lineage, that is, in which his ancestry or progeny are enumerated. Used of birth, nativity. Of that which follows origin, viz. existence, life – the wheel of life (Jas 3:6), other explain it, the wheel of human origin which as soon as men are born begins to run, that is, its course of life.

Strong G1081 gennema From 1080: offspring, by anal. produce [lit or fig.] fruit, generation. That which has been born or begotten – the offspring or progeny of men or animals; the fruits of the earth, the produce of agriculture.

Strong G1085 genos From G1096; kin [abstr. or con., lit. or fig., indiv. or coll.]: born, country[man], diversity, generation, kin, kindred, nation, offspring, stock. Race – offspring; family; stock, race; nation that is, nationality or descent from a particular people. The aggregate of many individuals of the same nature, kind, sort.

Strong G4687 speiro To sow, scatter, seed.

Strong G4690 sperma Seed; that from which a plant germinates, the seed that is, the grain or kernel which contains within itself the germ of the future plants. metaph. a seed that is, residue, or a few survivors reserved as the germ of a new race (just as seed is kept from the harvest for the sowing). The semen virile; the product of this semen, seed, children, offspring, progeny; family, race, posterity. Whatever possesses vital force or life giving power; of divine energy of the Holy Spirit operating within the soul by which we are regenerated

Strong G4703 sporas From G4687; a sowing; a scattering [of seed], that is, [concr.] seed [as sown].

It can be seen that there are a number of words in the original languages which need to be rightly divided.

SEED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

The word zera is used of the genetic seed of both men and plants. In Genesis 1, these seeds always produce after their own miyn(kind or species). In Genesis 1:11 in the expression whose seed is in itself, we see a principle. There is a later principle established that mixed seeds should not be sown together. Sentimental Christians might like to think that all seeds of men are the same as far as God is concerned, but separation is shown very early in the Bible pages. It is God who separates the seeds of mankind. It is for us to believe God.

In the early part of the Old Testament, we have a story about the one special seed of Israel that was commanded by God to utterly destroy certain other seeds [races]. This shows that there was a difference between the two groups. According to the common teaching, this separation is not supposed to continue into the New Testament, so we will have a look and see if it does. Within the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets there is no pattern of prophecy forecasting any change by God to this position; therefore any change in teaching must be questioned from the full foundation of the Law and the Prophets.

THE TWO SEEDS IN GENESIS 3:15.

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed [zera] and her seed [zera]; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Both seeds are the same word zera so we must accept the genetic context. Notice there is no enmity between the seeds at the time of speaking, because the seeds to be affected did not exist at that point in time. We have been taught that God is not like that; that He does not put enmity between differing seeds, but, in fact, God is still sovereign. If God wants to separate seeds, that is His business. If God wants to put enmity between seeds, that too is His business. Yet, the hypothesis of the Church of Everyone/World Church is that God made all races and seeds of men to be one, and that they should be mixed together. To use the expression that they might be one of John 17:21 as justification is to take the expression out of the context of those that thou hast given me of verse 9. God made no such extension – so where does that leave the World Church?

In the passage from Genesis above, there are stated to be two seeds. The seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent need to be identified before we can have any understanding of the issues. The seed of the woman refers to the Adamic line, and the remainder of the Bible deals only with the history of the Adamic line and its refinement to the seed of Jacob only. Somewhere along the line we have to come to a conclusion as to whether the difference between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent is a matter of:

Belief

A genetic difference

A combination of these

What happened in Eden? Satan beguiled Eve by clearly misusing and misapplying God’s words. Eve was remiss by failing to quote God’s words precisely – she altered God’s words and hence was led into a trap. Adam, on the other hand, simply disobeyed. He saw Eve eating and without fancy discussion, went ahead and disobeyed God’s commandment. The capacity or facility to disregard God was now manifest in the physical make-up of Adam’s line. The Bible account of what happened to these people, down to Noah, shows us how they generally followed the ways of natural man (those of Genesis 1).

In Abram and Sarai, God wrought a major change in the Adamic line. The spirit that had been breathed into Adam was dissipated to such a low level, that something needed to change if this human line of spirit-carrying people were to continue into the future. When Isaac was conceived, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah. This commemorated the fixing of the spirit in Abraham and Sarah so that everyone conceived of their line received the same amount of spirit as Isaac.

Esau also received the same amount of spirit as Isaac and Jacob. But whereas Isaac and Jacob chose to believe God, Esau rejected God by rejecting his birthright. He compounded the matter by marrying into the families that God had rejected and declared as not suitable for marriage with Israel. This was no mere prohibition but enshrined in the Law – much to the astonishment of modern Christians. To act contrary to this Law is the wilful pursuit of those who live like the natural man of Genesis 1. It was the giving over of himself to Satan’s ways that made him and his progeny the seed of Satan as surely as if Satan had been their physical father. The whole of Esau’s line is devoted to the destruction of Israel – as is Satan. This is the enmity foretold by God in Gen 3:15. Hence Esau’s line is the seed of the serpent through acts of disbelief and it is a genetic line because it applies to all who are descended from that line.

ABRAHAM’S SEED IS GENETIC

Let us look closer at the promises made to Abraham. These promises are also made to Abraham’s zera through Isaac. It is here suggested that the readers go to the trouble to pick up a Strong’s concordance, page 896-7 and look through the multitude of references which use zera [Strong’s ref 2233]. Every Old Testament reference to the seed of men, as a line, is to genetic seeds.There are no exceptions! Therefore it cannot refer to any spiritual seed in this context.

Lev 15:17 And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the Seed of copulation …

Now, how would one get some spiritual seed on his skin and garments? This seed is zera! “Copulation” is just copulation. So, couldzera here be spiritualised to be a spiritual seed? Remember that zera is also used for animals. Abraham’s seed is always a genetic seed. Please do not pass on reading until you have satisfied yourself that this is so. To go through Young’s or Strong’s concordance references is better than extracting verses for you! Then you will be able to see the total area covered.

If God chooses to make promises to those of one particular seed or race, that is His prerogative. That God does do this is found to be so from the beginning to the end of the Bible. Dare we question the purposes of God any longer? For the Lord of Hosts hath purposed, who shall disannul it [Is 14:27]. When it comes to the race of Israel, God says, “That the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of Him that calleth”- [Romans 9:11].

SEED AND OFFSPRING

In the prophetical Scriptures in particular, the words shown above as “seed” and “offspring” are often linked together. For example, speaking of Israel, God says:

Isaiah 61:9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles [nations], and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord has blessed.

This seed which the Lord has blessed is spoken of as being the planting of the Lord [v3]. In this section of Scripture, strangers [zar] and aliens [nekar] are to serve as servants, vine-dressers, and plough-men to God’s seed. The relationship is that of servant-hood to those with the garments of salvation.

Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.

In verse one of this chapter my people, my chosen are expressed as being Israel and/or Jacob. Their King is described in verse six as the king of Israel. This prophecy cannot be extended to all races. There are no Scriptures like this for other than Israel. The offspring of Israel are different and separate from that of all other races or people.

Isaiah 65:23 ¼ for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them.

This chapter is about an “elect” [v22], and a singular “nation” [v1]. Their situation is Jerusalem which is reserved for a “seed”. The time is the time of the new heavens and a new earth [v17]. Anyone will look in vain for a prophetical stream which regathers all the seeds of men to either the Jerusalem that now is, or to the New Jerusalem.

Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed [zera] after thee in their generations [posterity] for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed [zera]after thee.

Throughout the Old Testament the seed of Abraham is through the seed of copulation, through the son of promise, Isaac. Isaac’s birth was a physical event, not a mystical, spiritual church-conceived experience. The birth of Isaac was supernatural, but God had told Abraham that Sarah would bear him the child - unto thee [v21]. The covenant was made to him and his zera. Israel came from Abraham’s loins [Heb 7:5].

Try as we like, we cannot stretch the promise to include any other seed, or even to encompass any other of Abraham’s seed. We cannot honestly say that all of mankind came through Abraham’s loins! If any want to say God’s people now a spiritual seed from every race, where would Abraham’s loins come into it?

SEED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

In the New Testament we find the same picture as is presented in the Old Testament.

Luke 1:54,55 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spake toour fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Some might like to suggest from what they teach that the subject is not Israel and the seed of Abraham. They teach that all the New Testament is now about “The Church”. This is not true, because what they mean by “The Church” is what the Greek text says! The passage above says nothing about a multi-racial church. The people who are the subject of the passage are Israel as the seed [zera] of Abraham [Note the "our Fathers"].

Luke 1:68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people.

There is no mention of other peoples. There never is!

Luke 1:73 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that we … to give the knowledge of salvation unto His people.

“Our fathers” is another way of expressing the line by descent of His people. Now we are back to the covenant in Genesis 17:7. This is a generation of Abraham’s physical seed to whom fulfilment is made. The promise was made to Abraham’s zera [in Hebrew] and it is being fulfilled in Abraham’s sperma [in Greek].

“SPERMA” (AV: “seed”)

This word is used 37 times in the New Testament in a familial sense – referring to things that are homogenous in a genetic sense. The word used in Luke 1:44-55 in discussing Abraham’s seed (sperma). So, let us look at some more verses in which sperma occurs so we can have certainty about this matter.

Mark 12:22 The seven had her, and left no seed.

Luke 20:28 And raise up seed unto his brother.

“Sperma” does not sound like a spiritual seed, does it? It is physical! And it is physical seed in the following verses:

Acts 3:25,26 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed [sperma] shall all the kindreds [the same kin] of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Acts 7:5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed [sperma] after him, when as yet he had no child.

Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be heir to the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed [sperma], through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be to all the seed [sperma]; not only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all [separated ones (Israelites) as identified in Rom 1:7].

The pronoun us is the children of Abraham to whom the original covenant was made. The promise is not made at any stage to other than all the seed, namely to those of whom Abraham is the father. This could not be clearer.

Rom 4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.

The context here is the original covenant to Abraham and his seed.

Rom 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.