And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles
A blessed seed
The children of these persons themselves, that are now the blessed of the Lord, or their successors in profession, the Church’s seed, shall be “accounted to the Lord for a generation” (Psalms 22:30).
1. They shall signalize themselves, and make their neighbours to take notice of them. They shall distinguish themselves by the gravity, seriousness, humility, and cheerfulness of their conversation, especially by that brotherly love by which all men shall know them to be Christ’s disciples; and they thus distinguishing themselves, God shall dignify them by making then the blessings of their age, and instruments of His glory; and by giving to remarkable tokens of His favour, which shall make them eminent, and go them respect from all about them.
2. God shall have the glory of this, for eve:.” one shall attribute it to the blessing of God. (M. Henry.)
The life-testimony of the Christian missionary
The glorious fulfilment of this promise in its original and proper sense may be seen already in the influence exerted by the eloquent example of the missionary on the most ignorant and corrupted heathen, without waiting for the future restoration of the Jews to the land of their fathers. (J. A. Alexander.)
The seed which the Lord hath blessed
The blessed seed
I. THERE IS A SEED OR RACE WHICH THE LORD HATH BLESSED. Elsewhere it is described as “the Israel of God (Galatians 6:16). But it is neither co-extensive with, nor confined to, the descendants of Jacob (Romans 9:6 - Galatians 3:28; Galatians 4:28; Ephesians 3:6; Philippians 3:3). This seed God hath blessed abundantly.
1. With peace.
2. With purity.
3. With strength.
4. With hope.
5. With joy.
6. With that which is the source of the peace and hope and joy--an assurance of HIS love.
II. THERE ARE OUTWARD SIGNS BY WHICH THOSE WHO BELONG TO THE SEED WHICH THE LORD HATH BLESSED MAY BE INFALLIBLY KNOWN. God has distinguished HIS ancient people by certain physical characteristics which have survived through many generations and have proved indestructible by all changes of climate and condition, so that wherever any of them are found we may say with confidence, these are the children of Abraham. And there are certain marks by which all who belong to God’s spiritual Israel are as clearly marked off from their fellow-men. Such as--
1. Love for Christ.
2. Unworldiness.
3. Consistency. (J. Harris, M. A.)