Topical Bible: The Promises of God: Made to Abraham

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The promises of God made to Abraham are foundational to the narrative of the Bible and hold significant theological importance. These promises, often referred to as the Abrahamic Covenant, are first introduced in Genesis and are reiterated and expanded upon throughout the Scriptures. They encompass blessings of land, descendants, and a universal blessing, forming a central theme in the unfolding account of God's redemptive plan.

1. The Call and Initial Promise

The initial promise to Abraham, then called Abram, is found in Genesis 12:1-3. God calls Abram to leave his country, his people, and his father's household to go to a land that He will show him. The promise includes several key elements:

· Land: "Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you" (Genesis 12:1). This promise of land is later specified as the land of Canaan, which becomes the inheritance of Abraham's descendants.

· Nationhood: "I will make you into a great nation" (Genesis 12:2). Despite Abram and his wife Sarai being childless at the time, God promises that Abram will become the father of a great nation.

· Blessing and Name: "I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing" (Genesis 12:2). Abram is promised personal blessing and a great name, which implies honor and renown.

· Universal Blessing: "And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you" (Genesis 12:3). This aspect of the promise points to a future blessing for all nations, ultimately fulfilled in the coming of Jesus Christ, a descendant of Abraham.

2. The Covenant Confirmed and Expanded

The promises are reaffirmed and expanded in Genesis 15 and 17. In Genesis 15, God formalizes the covenant with Abram through a solemn ceremony. Abram is promised descendants as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5), and God reiterates the promise of land, specifying its boundaries (Genesis 15:18-21).

In Genesis 17, God changes Abram's name to Abraham, meaning "father of many nations," and Sarai's name to Sarah. The covenant is marked by the institution of circumcision as a sign of the covenant (Genesis 17:10-11). God promises that Sarah will bear a son, Isaac, through whom the covenant will be established (Genesis 17:19).

3. The Promise of a Son

The promise of a son is a critical component of God's covenant with Abraham. Despite their old age, God assures Abraham and Sarah that they will have a son. This promise is fulfilled with the birth of Isaac, as recorded in Genesis 21:1-3 . Isaac becomes the child of promise, through whom the covenantal blessings are passed down.

4. The Test of Faith

In Genesis 22, Abraham's faith is tested when God commands him to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. Abraham's willingness to obey demonstrates his trust in God's promises. After God intervenes to spare Isaac, He reaffirms the covenant, emphasizing the promise of numerous descendants and the blessing to all nations (Genesis 22:16-18).

5. Theological Significance

The promises made to Abraham are pivotal in understanding the biblical narrative. They establish the framework for God's relationship with Israel and foreshadow the coming of the Messiah. The Apostle Paul, in Galatians 3:16 , identifies Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of the promise to bless all nations through Abraham's seed. Thus, the Abrahamic Covenant is seen as a cornerstone of God's redemptive plan, extending blessings to all who are in Christ by faith.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 12:3,7
And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Galatians 3:16
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He said not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to your seed, which is Christ.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of the Order and Nature of the Promises of God which were Made to ...
... Book XVI. Chapter 16."Of the Order and Nature of the Promises of God Which
Were Made to Abraham. God's promises made to Abraham ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 16 of the order and.htm

Of the Miracles which God Has Condescended to Adhibit through the ...
... I should seem tedious were I to recount all the ancient miracles, which were wrought
in attestation of God's promises which He made to Abraham thousands of ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 8 of the miracles which.htm

Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity God's Testament and Promise in ...
... seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it ... mediator is not a mediator
of one; but God is one.21 Is the law then against the promises of God ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/thirteenth sunday after trinity gods.htm

The Impossibility of Failure.
... a still more ancient, even an eternal, oath, made to the ... him in the confirmation
by oath of God's promise ... Thus the promises that have been fulfilled through the ...
/.../chapter vi the impossibility of.htm

From Abraham to Egypt.
... (1) The several appearances of God to Abraham: (a) The purpose of each; (b) its
influence in the life of Abraham. (2) The promises made to Abraham and renewed ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter iv from abraham to.htm

Putting God to Work
... We see deep humility, but holy boldness as well, perseverance, and advances made
based on victory ... God has specifically to do with prayer promises in their ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the weapon of prayer/ii putting god to work.htm

The Kingdom Given to the Saints at the Resurrection of the Just.
... in faith, not having received the promises, but having ... obtain a better resurrection"
(v.35), "God having provided ... they without us should not be made perfect," v ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the kingdom given to the.htm

The Promises of the Christian Home.
... promises made to God regard themselves and their children; and their faithful
fulfillment brings them within the glorious promise which God gave to Abraham; for ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xxv the promises of.htm

Whether the Degrees of Prophecy Change as Time Goes On?
... Isaac, being founded on that which was made to Abraham ... apostles, concerning the faith
in one God and three ... early days of the Assyrian kingdom promises were made ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the degrees of prophecy 2.htm

Our Inheritance
... "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit
the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could ...
//christianbookshelf.org/byers/sanctification/chapter v our inheritance.htm