Lord’s Library editors created this short resource to offer a summary of the Abrahamic Covenant in the Bible with key verses.
The Abrahamic Covenant is a promise made by God to Abraham and his descendants, establishing a special relationship between God and the Jewish people. The covenant is a cornerstone of the Jewish faith and has had a profound impact on the development of Judaism and Christianity. It can be found in several places in the Bible, including Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 15, Genesis 17:1-14, and Genesis 22:15-18.
- Genesis 12:1-3: “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
- Genesis 15
- Genesis 17:1-14: “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.”
- Genesis 22:15-18: “And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”
The first mention of the Abrahamic Covenant is in Genesis 12:1-3, where God calls Abraham and promises to bless him and his descendants. This promise to make Abraham into a great nation and to bless him and his descendants is the foundation of the Abrahamic Covenant. The promise includes a commitment to protect Abraham and his descendants, to give them a land of their own, and to make their name great.
Abrahamic Covenant in the Bible
In Genesis 15, God reaffirms the covenant and promises that Abraham will have a son, even though he and his wife Sarah are both elderly and childless. God tells Abraham to look at the stars in the sky, promising that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars. This reaffirmation of the covenant strengthens Abraham’s faith in God’s promise and underscores the importance of trust and obedience in the covenant relationship.
In Genesis 17, God establishes the sign of the covenant, which is circumcision. All male descendants of Abraham are to be circumcised on the eighth day of their lives as a symbol of their commitment to the covenant. God also changes Abraham’s name from Abram to Abraham, which means “father of many nations,” emphasizing the promise that Abraham’s descendants will be numerous and powerful.
In Genesis 22, God tests Abraham’s faith by commanding him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Abraham obeys God’s command, but at the last moment, God provides a ram for the sacrifice instead of Isaac. This test of faith reinforces the importance of trust and obedience in the covenant relationship.
The Abrahamic Covenant is significant for several reasons. First, it establishes a special relationship between God and the Jewish people. The covenant promises that God will protect and bless Abraham and his descendants and that they will be a great nation with a land of their own. This promise has been a source of comfort and hope for the Jewish people throughout their history.
The covenant also establishes a framework for the relationship between God and humanity. The covenant is based on trust and obedience, and it emphasizes the importance of faith in God’s promises. This framework has had an incalculable impact on the development of both Judaism and Christianity.
The Abrahamic Covenant is a reminder of the importance of faith and obedience in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Like Abraham, we are called to trust in God’s promises and obey his commands.
The Promise: A promise made by God to Abraham and his descendants, establishing a special relationship between God and the Jewish people. The covenant is a cornerstone of the Jewish faith and has had a profound impact on the development of Judaism and Christianity.
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Tim is the Founder of Lord's Library. He believes the Bible commands us to minister "as of the ability which God giveth" (1 Peter 4:11). Tim aspires to be as The Lord's mouth by "taking forth the precious from the vile" (Jeremiah 15:19) and witnessing The Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4) to the whole world.
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