Four Kinds of Abraham's Offspring
| Offspring | Explanation | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Natural, physical offspring | Physical descendants of Abraham | Ishmael, Isaac, the sons of Keturah (and by extension Esau, Jacob, etc.) |
| Natural, yet special offspring | Physical descendants of Abraham especially tied to God's elective and saving purposes | Isaac (by extension Jacob and the entire nation of Israel) |
| Promised offspring | The true, unique offspring of Abraham | A distinctive line of offspring, starting earlier with Seth and continuing through Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Israel, and David, culminating in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:16) |
| Spiritual offspring | Those united with Christ (the promised offspring) | Jews and Gentiles who trust in the Messiah |
- from ESV Study Bible
