The Seed, Christ, is singular in number. But God's promise to Abraham is that the Seed shall be as the stars of the heavens and as the sand on the seashore. The singular Seed is to be large in number. This is because there is only one fruit that is acceptable to God—Christ, and God has determined that Christ shall be multiplied in and through the members of the Body of Christ.

The good works of people accomplish useful deeds in the world. But the eternal Seed is Christ. Christ shall fill all the creation. The Church is the fullness of Him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1:23).

The grace that comes to us by the Gospel of Christ is for the purpose of bringing forth the righteous Seed.

. . . that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61:3)

The Divine edict has gone forth! Christ shall be formed in the Church:

For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:11)

Our marriage to Christ is destined to bring forth fruit. For some Christians a long period of time passes before the desired fruit is forthcoming. This is because God has in mind to bring forth in them fruit of special quality and quantity. The Scriptures have quite a bit to say about barrenness and fruitbearing. Sarai, Rachel, Hannah, and Elizabeth were barren women. But when their desire came it was a tree of life.

Some Christians are used of God almost from the moment of their conversion. Others love God just as fervently but God deals with them by delay as he did with Sarai, with Hannah, with Elizabeth. "Known unto God are all his works from the creation of the world" (Acts 15:18). When a particularly rich fruit is to be formed a particularly prolonged death may be required.

The experience of Abraham and Sarah is known to most Christians. They wanted a child and the Lord promised them a child. But waiting for God proved to be more than they could bear. The "death" that the Lord required was too prolonged.

The attempt of Abraham and Sarah to bring forth fruit by human ingenuity resulted in an abundance of confusion and conflict. Instead of the promised fruit they brought forth a "wild man" (Genesis 16:12). We always bring forth a "wild man" when we attempt to bear fruit apart from abiding in Christ.

Abraham and Sarah were tested by the delay of what God had promised. When the promise was fulfilled, the gift of God far exceeded in glory and abundance anything Abraham and Sarah possibly could have imagined. Abraham became the father of all who are of the promised Seed.

Sarah became the recipient of the promise:

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalms 113:9)

Sometimes those who wait on the Lord are cut off from every opportunity for fruit-bearing. They may then be in line for the abundance of God:

Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 54:1)

To be continued.