Week 2 / Patriarchs

God’s Covenant with Abraham

Read: Genesis 15

SOAP: Genesis 15:5-6

"The Lord took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars—if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”

Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord credited it as righteousness to him." (NET)

Into the Text

When I was a little girl, one of the most powerful ways to make a promise with someone was to make a pinky promise. Now, as much as the pinky promise was revered, it wasn’t always upheld. We were children after all.

Here in Genesis 15, we see one of the most important promises of God in all of Scripture. God comes to Abram, later called Abraham, and promises him three things: land, a seed, and blessing.

Abraham’s family would have the land of Canaan. Abraham would also have a son. Through his son, he would have a great family. God would also use Abraham’s family to bless the whole world. As great as this sounds, Abraham was seventy-five years old, and his wife, Sarah, was barren. But God still made the promise.

What’s interesting about this covenant is that Abraham was asleep while it was being made! God was the one who completed the covenant ceremony. He essentially says He will be responsible for making all of this happen. Abraham would be the beneficiary.

From Abraham’s family line will come the greatest seed, Jesus Christ. Through his life, death, burial, and resurrection, He will pay the price for the sins of all humanity and offer salvation freely to those who would believe in Him. He will be the greatest blessing the world has ever known.

Prayer

God, thank you that you are a covenant keeping God. You always uphold your end of a promise. Thank you that everything you promise is sure and secure, and I can rest in that truth. Amen.