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God's Covenant with Abraham

by Paul George  
1/25/2009 / Bible Studies


Abram was ninety-nine years old, when Yahweh appeared to him and told him "I am God Almighty" (Genesis 17:1). God Almighty Hebrew- El Shaddai speaks of the almighty power of God either as an avenger, or a benefactor. In Genesis chapter fifteen the Lord told Abram, He was Abram's shield, and rewarder. When the Lord referred to Himself as "God Almighty" He was claiming to be All-sufficient. He is telling Abram He is all Abram needs. This is good news in difficult situations; the Lord God we serve is self-sufficient; He has everything, and does not need anything. He is capable of satisfying the desires of our hearts. He is able to fill our hearts with happiness and joy.

Identifying Himself, the Lord commanded Abram to walk for Him and be blameless and He will establish His covenant with Abram and will multiply His descendants (Genesis 17:1).

Note carefully how the Lord is putting together His plan to have a nation He will call His own. First, the Lord made an unconditional covenant with Abram (Genesis 15:18). In the reaffirming of the covenant the Lord adds a condition to the covenant; does this change the nature of the unconditional covenant? The unconditional covenant can not be changed regardless of what Abram may do or not do. The key to adding this condition to the covenant when the Lord reaffirms it is the matter of the descendants of Abram. Prior to the appearing of the Lord and identifying Himself as El Shaddai the only descendants will have will be those of Ishmael. The fact that the descendants of Ishmael will be descendants of Abram can not change in any shape or form. To this point in time, the time the Lord is reaffirming the unconditional covenant, the descendants of Ishmael have the right to occupy the land of Canaan.

When the Lord appeared and spoke to Abram, Abram falls on his face before the Lord is an expression of humility and reverence. The Lord said to Abram, "As for me," this is very important. This is a foundation, a strong foundation. When the right to occupy the land of Canaan is debated, it does not matter what man claims it is what the Lord has said, and He told Abram. The Lord told Abram, "As for me, behold," the word behold implies, pay close attention to what I am going to say, "My covenant is with you," meaning Abram, this is very important. Regardless of what the descendants of Abram will do or not do, because of the Lord's covenant is with Abram the descendants of Abram will occupy the land of Canaan, who man foolishly, in an attempt to undermine God's covenant calls Palestine. The Lord's next statement to Abram is important because it announces a change in Abram's life; the name Abram means "exalted father." However, the Lord tells Abram, he "will be the father of a multitude of nations" (Genesis 17:5). It is one thing to be called an exalted father and have no children; it's another to be called a father of a multitude of nations (Abraham).

Here is the covenant made with Abraham; this does not change the covenant made in Genesis chapter fifteen.

The Lord said to Abraham, "I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you. I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you. I will give to you and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God" (Genesis 17:6-8).

Note the "I will." Who will make Abraham exceedingly fruitful, nations of him, and kings will come out of him? There is only one who can do what He has told Abraham He will do what He said He will do, and that is God Almighty, El Shaddai.

How will God Almighty make Abraham exceedingly fruitful, nations of him and kings will come out of him? God Almighty will establish His covenant between Himself and Abraham and his descendants, after him throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant.

What will God Almighty be to Abraham and his descendants? God Almighty will be a God to Abraham and to his descendants after him.

What will God Almighty do? God Almighty will give to Abraham and his descendants all, not part, of the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. Note the word "everlasting;" the word "everlasting" has been defined as something that lasts forever, eternal, seemingly never to stop. The Lord used the word "everlasting" for the first time when He told Noah when He looks upon the rainbow, He will remember His everlasting covenant between Him and every living creature that is on the earth (Genesis 9:16).

Regardless of what man may say, God Almighty gave the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants for an everlasting possession. When will this promise contained in the covenant be fulfilled; when our Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth?

God seals this covenant with a promise, "I will be their God."

Then God Almighty said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her." Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, 'Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?'" Abraham and Sarah are in for the biggest surprise of their lives.

Go back to Genesis chapter fifteen verse four, the Lord told Abram, Eliezer would not be his heir but one that will come from his own body. The Lord said, "He will be your heir." The question was asked who the "he" is and the question was not answered; here is the answer, the son of Abraham and Sarah. Who is the son of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac? Who will receive the benefits of the covenant God Almighty has made with Abraham, Isaac?
Note verse eighteen. In this verse we see the love of a father. In the midst of good news, an answer to years of prayers, Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!" From this prayer we see a strong bond had been developed between Abraham and his son Ishmael, but the desires of Abraham's heart were not in tune with the desires of the Lord or according to His will, and the Lord said to Abraham, "No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you."

Note what the Lord told Abraham, "Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year. When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham"

Note what the Lord told Abraham, concerning Isaac, "I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him."

Turn in your Bibles to Genesis chapter twenty-one

"Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah as he had spoken. Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac."

On the day that Isaac was weaned Abraham celebrated the weaning of Isaac with a great feast and Sarah saw Ishmael mocking Isaac and she told Abraham to cast out Hagar and Ishmael. This distressed Abraham because there was a strong bond between Abraham and Ishmael. The Lord told Abraham to listen to Sarah. God reminds Abraham it will be the descendants of Isaac that will be given the land of Canaan.

Note how the Lord encourages those who are obedient; He tells Abraham not to be concerned about the well-being of Ishmael. The Lord reaffirms the promise to make a nation of Ishmael because he is a descendant of Abraham.

Early in the morning Abraham took bread and a bottle of water and gave it to Hagar and gave her Ishmael and sent her away. Hagar departed from the presence of Abraham and was wandering in the wilderness of Beersheba. When Hagar ran out of water, she put Ishmael under a bush and sat down a short distance from Ishmael because she did not want to see the death of Ishmael. The angel of the Lord asked Hagar what was wrong and told her not to be afraid because the Lord had heard the voice of Ishmael and he told her to pick up Ishmael and hold him in her hand and told Hagar, he would make Ishmael a great nation. When Hagar did as the angel of the Lord had told her the Lord opened her eyes and she saw a well; Hagar filled the water bottle and gave Ishmael a drink.

Ishmael lived in the wilderness of Paran and his mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.

Retired pastor,Church of the Nazarene

Author of web site Exploring God's Word

www.thewordofgodonline.net

New American Standard Bible

King James Version

The World English Bible

Sermons and Bible studies preached and taught by author

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