Abrahamic Covenant
THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
So far we have covered the Edenic, Adamic, and Noahic covenants. You can read about each by clicking on the links below –
Today we are teaching on the Abrahamic Covenant. The Abrahamic Covenant is the beginnings of the formal revelation of the covenant of grace. This is God’s decision to reach into humanity and specifically save people for Himself. It comes in the form of a promise to Abraham. Abraham, who’s the son of an idolater, who did not know God. God takes the initiative with him, calls him into a relationship with Himself, and makes unconditional promises to Abraham. He promises that Abraham is going to be a great nation, that he is going to be given a land, a place to live, and that through Him, all of the nations will be blessed.
Let’s begin our study by looking at the key verses that explain this covenant.
Scriptures – 6 passages
Genesis 12: l -3: “The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:7: “The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring, I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”
Genesis 13:14-17: “The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. 15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. 17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”
Genesis l5: 1-21: “After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” 2 But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” 4 Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be….” to vs 21.
Genesis 17:1-21: “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” 3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised…..” to verse 21
These lengthy segments of Scripture contain many provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant. The emphasis of Genesis l5 is first, Abraham would father one nation in particular, and second, he would father many nations in general. While the emphasis of Genesis 17 is on the symbol of the covenant: physical circumcision on the eighth day of a boy’s life. Just as the rainbow was the sign of the Noahic Covenant, so circumcision is the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant.
Genesis 22: l5- 18: “The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring, all nations on earth will be blessed] because you have obeyed me.”
The Participants in the Covenant
God and Abraham are involved in this covenant, in which Abraham stood as the representative head of the whole Jewish nation, not for all humanity.
The Provisions of the Covenant
A list generated from these passages shows a total of fourteen provisions in this covenant –
- a great nation was to come out of Abraham, namely, the nation of Israel (Gen. 12:2; 13: 16; 15:5; 1 7: 1-2, 7; 22: l 7b).
- he was promised a Land; specifically, the land of Canaan (Gen. 12: l, 7; 13: l4- 15, 17; 15: l 7-2 l; 17:8). (see below)
God promises Abraham land and then hundreds of years later through Moses He reaffirms that promise making clear the title deed to that Land belongs to Israel and no one else. Understand, the conditional Mosaic Covenant did not lay aside the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant. The promise of the land was and always has been unconditional even though because of Israel’s unfaithfulness and disobedience they would be removed from the land for a time. However, the right to the Land would never be taken from her. The Abrahamic Covenant teaches that ownership for the Land is unconditional while the Mosaic Covenant teaches that the enjoyment of the Land is conditioned on obedience.
- Abraham himself was to be greatly blessed (Gen. 12:2b.
- Abraham’s name would be great (Gen. 1 2:2c .
- Abraham will be a blessing to others (Gen. 1 2:2d.
- those who bless Israel will be blessed (Gen. 12:3a).
- those who curse Israel will be cursed (Gen. 1 2:3b.
- in Abraham, all will ultimately be blessed (Gen. 12:3c; 22:18).
- Abraham would receive a son through his wife Sarah (Gen. l5:1-4; 17:16-2 l .
- his descendants would undergo the Egyptian bondage {Gen. l5:13- l4).
- other nations, as well as Israel, would come forth from Abraham (Gen. 1 7:3-4, 6; the Arab states are some of these nations.
- his name was to be changed from Abram, meaning “exalted father,” to Abraham, meaning “father of a multitude” (Gen. 17:5}.
- Sari’s name, meaning “my princess,” was to be changed to Sarah, meaning “the princess” (Gen. 17:15}.
- circumcision was to be a token of the covenant (Gen. 1 7:9 14); thus, according to the Abrahamic Covenant, circumcision was to be a sign of one’s Jewishness. The practice of circumcision did not begin with Abraham since others in the ancient Near East practiced the ritual either at birth or puberty. The uniqueness of Jewish circumcision is not the act, but the timing of the act: on the eighth day. Circumcision would show this to be a blood covenant and hence emphasize its solemnity. It would also show that this sign of Jewishness is passed on through the natural generation.
The provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant can be categorized in three areas: to Abraham; to the Seed (Israel); and to the Gentiles.
- To Abraham
Abraham was to be the father of a great nation, Israel. He was to possess all of the Promised Land. Other nations, including the Arab states, were ultimately to descend from Abraham. Many of his descendants would become kings, both Jewish and non-Jewish kings. Abraham was to receive personal blessings. Abraham was to be a blessing to others. His name was to become great, and so it is among Jews, Moslems, and in all Christendom.
- To the Seed, Israel
The nation of Israel was to become great. It was ultimately to become innumerable. It was to possess all of the Promised Land. It was to receive victory over its enemies. The fact that the promises were made to both Abraham and his seed shows that these blessings have not yet received complete fulfillment but await the Messianic Kingdom.
- To the Gentiles
The Gentiles would be blessed for blessing Israel and cursed for cursing Israel. Also, they were to receive spiritual blessings, but ultimately these were to come through one specific Seed of Abraham, the Messiah. The Abrahamic Covenant contains both physical and spiritual promises. While the physical blessings were limited to the jews only, the spiritual blessings were to extend to the Gentiles, but only through the Messiah.
The Basis for Development of Other Covenants
The Abrahamic Covenant can be summarized into three basic elements: 1) the Land, 2) the Seed, and 3) the Blessing. The details of the land are explained and developed further in the Mosaic Covenant or what some call the Land Covenant. The Seed aspect is covered in the Davidic Covenant. The Blessing aspect is presented in the New Covenant.
The Confirmation of the Covenant
- Confirmation Through Isaac
Abraham had eight sons by three different women, and the question arose: through which son would the Abrahamic Covenant be confirmed? God revealed that it was to be only through Sarah’s son, Isaac. God’s appearance to Isaac is recorded in Genesis 26:2-5:
Then the Lord appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. 4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands, and in your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; 5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
The covenant was later reconfirmed to Isaac in Genesis 26:24: And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for My servant Abraham’s sake.”
- Confirmation Through Jacob
Isaac had two sons, and God chose to confirm the covenant with Jacob, as seen in Genesis 28: l 3-1 5:
And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep[c] you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”
- Confirmation Through all the Sons of Jacob
Next, it was confirmed through all of Jacob’s twelve sons (Gen. 49a, who fathered the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
The Status of the Covenant
Because the Abrahamic Covenant is unconditional, it is still very much in effect even though it has remained largely unfulfilled. The ultimate fulfillment will come during the Millennial Age.
The Abrahamic Covenant was the basis for the Exodus, for giving Israel the Land, for the Jewish survival in spite of disobedience, and for the coming of the Messiah, for the resurrection of the dead, and for Israel’s final redemption and restoration.
Next time we will take look at the Mosaic Covenant