Genesis 12:1-9 God’s Amazing Promise to Abraham

In chapter 12 God makes a staggering promise to Abraham commonly known as the Abrahamic Covenant. The Lord speaks to Abraham, a Chaldean living in Ur.

He tells Abraham to leave Ur and follow the Lord’s directions to a different land. Then he promises Abraham several things.

"I will make you into a great nation” (12:2). Second, God promised to make Abraham’s name great. To this day, the three major religions of the world claim to come from Abraham.

Third, all those who bless Abraham would be blessed, and all those who curse him would be cursed.

Fourth, all the nations in the world would be blessed through Abraham. In fact, that blessing is true. Later in the Scriptures we read that the promised Messiah, the Savior Jesus Christ, comes from the line of Abraham.

Genesis 15 and 17 reiterate this promise to Abraham and mention that God will make his seed great and give him a land.

Some people argue that this covenant from God to Abraham is unconditional. As a result, nothing needs to be done in order for it to be fulfilled. God will certainly implement all of the provisions as history unfolds.

Others argue that Abraham had to fulfill various conditions. He had to leave Ur. He had to be willing to sacrifice Isaac. He had to be circumcised.

Regardless of which view is correct, God will fulfill the covenant provisions. Even if the covenant was conditional on Abraham's obedience, Abraham has already fulfilled the requirements. Therefore, the covenant is no longer conditional even if it had been conditional when originally given.

Scripture unfolds according to the principle of progressive revelation. As history proceeds the Lord reveals more about his program and plan for mankind and the nations. The Word of God continues to build on what has been said earlier generations.

This principle applies to the Abrahamic Covenant. As the patriarchs come and go, the promise is repeated to them. It plays a major role in the Scripture and particularly the understanding of prophecy as the Word of God revealed in its entirety.

Genesis 12:4 briefly records Abram’s response to the Lord’s word, “So Abram left, just as the Lord told him to do, and Lot went with him.” Abraham took his family and headed for the land of Canaan.

When he arrived in the land of Canaan, Abraham came to Schechem where the Lord appeared to him, “To your descendents I will give this land” (12:6-7).

This promise is one that extends to our day. The land of Canaan can be traced to the current land of Israel. Abraham’s descendents of this promise are the Jews from the lineage of Jacob. God’s promise to Abraham gives the Jews the right to that land.

The Muslims also claim to have a right to the land of Palestine. They say that they are descendents of Abraham’s son, Ishmael, through whom they say the promise was given. However, God did not extend the promise through Ishmael. The promise went through Abraham’s other son, Isaac.

In addition, The Muslims in that land today have no idea whether they come from Ishmael or not. They are most probably not from Ishmael because Ishmael did not settle in that land. He moved out of the land of Canaan to Paran, an area in the east central region of the Sinai peninsula.

The Muslims in the land of Palestine today descend either from Canaanites or from a mixture of the people living in that region thousands of years ago. It is very unlikely that they come from Ishmael.

God did wonderful things in Abraham’s life, and as believers we are blessed through Abraham. Our salvation comes through his descendant, Jesus.

When we see how God fulfilled his promises to Abraham, we can take comfort in knowing that God will also fulfill his promises to us. Further, he will do it precisely as promised.

As I sit here and type on my Microsoft keyboard with my flat panel monitors, I rest in the same Lord who blessed Abraham so many years ago. His Word is true. He knows my every need. He cares for me. He wants me to obey Him just as Abraham obeyed. He will bless me as I walk with Him.

As I think about the complexities and dangers presented by the situation in the Middle East, I can relax knowing that the Lord has everything in control. Nothing escapes His notice, and nothing will thwart His promise to Abraham or His plan for the ages.

What a joy to know the Lord and rest in Him. He is truly great and greatly to be praised!

If you are discouraged or uneasy about the things going on in your life today, be encouraged in the Lord. He knows all about it. He cares for you. Be like Abraham and put your trust in Him, “Abraham believed God, it was credited to him as righteousness” (Gal 3:6).