Despite the particularity of Abraham, Kuyper reminds us that “from the beginning God is focused on the salvation of the world, and Abraham’s call stands in the service of that salvation.” So, although particular grace is operative in Abraham, we must observe that he is in no way isolated from the common life of humanity but rather embedded in it. A key evidence of Abraham’s ‘embeddedness’ is his interaction with Melchizedek, whose priesthood is a continuation of the Creation ordinance of God to Man. It is a priesthood of this kind which Jesus will fulfil for the whole of humanity.
Kuyper writes to combat ideas of Israel as superior to the other nations in the economy of God’s redemption plan. He says that Abraham’s story does not warrant an isolationist (religiously) nor a nationalist (politically) view of God’s salvation plan. Separatist notions of God’s working come from various corners (Anabaptist, Zionist or whatever), but none do justice to God’s actual working in the whole of humanity, beyond his elect. The ‘great mystery’ is not just that Gentiles can become God’s people but that Christ came in our nature to save all who are in our nature and not just His national people. The God of Israel has providentially instructed individuals and nations throughout history to bring about his purposes, and his claim is upon the whole world. Just as Israel’s ultimate goal was to bring in the nations, so the church must resist inward-focussed particularism.