Diving In Covenant 4 The Abrahamic Covenant

Background

Who was Abraham?

Descendant of Shem Gen. 11:10-26

• Abram, high father, or exalted father, son of Terah, brother of Nahor, all of whom worshipped idols in Ur – Josh. 24:2-3
• A Hebrew – one who crossed over (NB all the Patriarchs could have known Eber)
• Called out by God. Acts 7:2-4 gives the context of the statement in Gen. 12:1
• Renamed by the Lord in Gen. 17:5 as Abraham, father of a multitude, when he only had one son, Ishmael and was still waiting for the son of the promise.
• After the chaos of Babel and the undoubted spread of Babel’s idolatrous worship, the earth had quickly become a dark place! We’re not told why God chose Abraham, but there’s a hint in Gen. 18:18-19 – although that is a long while after his call and obedient response.

So God chooses an idol worshipper from a place which was one of the centres of Nimrod’s kingdom and cult (Wooley: Ur of the Chaldees 1929 report of his expeditions, shows it was an important place with a ziggurat to the Moon Goddess amongst other things). God calls him to leave his country, kindred and his father’s house to go to a land which God would only show him when he got there!

Quite why Terah decided to take the whole family is not explained, but Abram didn’t get into the promised land until his father had died. But having got there (Gen. 12:5), God appears to Abram again and says effectively, “This is the place”, although he would never possess an inch of it, except the burial cave of Machpelah which he had to buy! Heb. 11:8-16 throws a lot of light on this and what it meant to him, and to us as an example of God-pleasing and God-honouring faith.

Until John 15 where Jesus calls His disciples ‘My friends’, no other person had ever been described as the ‘friend of God’ (Isa. 41:8). Enoch and Noah walked with God and God was evidently pleased with them but they are not described as God’s friends (may be implied though, but not stated). God spoke with Moses face to face, but he is described as a servant over the house of God (Heb. 3:5 – see Num. 12:7). We’re told that the descendants of Abraham are ‘beloved because of the fathers’, so that friendship is foundational to the election of Israel. What is the foundation of his friendship with God? He believed God! (James 2:23). And is THE example of faith for the rest of time. Over half the world ‘follow’ him!

Back to Gen. 12:7 – Abram is now in a place where God can confirm His covenant with him. Rom. 9:4-16 give a New Testament position on the nature of God’s covenant with Abraham and how it still applies to the Jewisn people.

The Covenant that God made with Abraham underpins the Mosaic, Land, Davidic and New Covenants – in fact all the succeeding Covenants, the rest of Scripture, and God’s total redemptive purposes! As the late Dwight Prior said many years ago, “God has said, ‘When I achieve My purposes in the earth, it will involve the people of Israel, the Jewish descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ ”

Something begins in Gen.12 that will shape the rest of redemptive history, and which is still being worked out in the days in which we live. Let’s try and understand what the Scripture reveals of the heart and purposes of God – for Israel, for us and for the world!

God repeated the promises to Isaac (Gen. 26:2-5, 24) and to Jacob (Gen. 28:13-15), because through them would come the Messiah – the Promised Seed. And through that Promised Seed, God would fulfil His promise to Abraham (Gal. 3:16-17). Israel was the people that God chose through which to bring about the Messiah, and through the Messiah and Israel to bring about the redemption of the world.

But this brings us to what is known in theology as ‘the scandal of particularity’ – that God would choose one man and his descendants, one nation apart from all others as His chosen people. Human nature wants to say “That’s not fair!” But that is how God works – Rom. 9:15. We either accept that or reject it! But it’s God’s world and God’s work and He does it exactly as He wills, and, ultimately, it will be seen to bring eternal glory to Him. How that works out, we will see as we progress through the covenants.

Scripture

• Gen. 12:1-3,7 The Covenant introduced
• Gen. 13:14-17 The Covenant confirmed

Discussion

David discussed the Abrahamic covenant and its significance, including the origins of Abraham and his connection to other patriarchs. He also mentioned the possibility of Shem being Melchizedek, whom Abraham greeted in Genesis 13, as Shem, as the eldest son of Noah, may have been the high priest.

Abraham, a descendant of Shem, was initially an idol worshipper before being called by God to leave his country. He also mentioned that Abraham’s father, Terah, may have been a manufacturer of idols, and Abraham’s faith played a significant role in his journey and the renaming by God

David and others discussed the choice of Abraham by God, who called him out of an idol-worshipping place. They explored how Abraham obeyed God’s command to leave his country and his father’s house, and how he became a pilgrim and a stranger in the land of promise, dwelling in tents with his descendants.

David discussed the significance of Abraham’s unquestioning obedience and his friendship with God. He emphasized that the Abrahamic covenant is foundational to God’s redemptive purposes and underpins all succeeding covenants in the Bible.

We discussed various topics including the purpose of God for Israel, the crossing of the Euphrates River, the Islamic chants in London, and the significance of Genesis 12. They also mentioned that God appeared to Abraham and promised him the land for his descendants.

In the discussion, we discussed that God may have chosen Abraham because he sought the true God and how God knows and chooses individuals for his redemptive purposes, even if they may not seem likely candidates. We also acknowledged that God’s ways and choices are beyond human understanding. The group discussed the implications of knowing who would be saved and who wouldn’t, realizing that it could lead to dismissive behaviour and a sense of power.

We touched on the confirmation of the covenant with Abraham, including the promise of a physical plot of land, which occurred after his arrival in the land. In the discussion, we talked about the significance of the Abrahamic covenant and its role in God’s plan of redemption. We emphasized that the covenant included blessings for all nations, including the Gentiles, and that it laid the foundation for the future fulfilment of the covenant through Jesus Christ.

In the conversation, we discussed the concept of blessings and curses, the importance of faith in Abraham’s journey, the role of Israel as a blessing to the world, and the manifestation of God’s kingdom through families and communities. We also mentioned the impact of the Jewish people in various fields and the significance of God’s choice in selecting them.

In the conversation, David discussed the need for separation from worldly attachments and the importance of following God’s call. The group also emphasized the distinction between distancing oneself from negative influences versus completely cutting off family ties.

We discussed Abraham’s journey and the importance of trusting God’s plan and reflected on Abraham’s mistakes and how God tested him until he learned to fully rely on Him.

The group discussed the idea that God is more interested in the journey and character development of individuals rather than just the outcome. We also touched on the topic of the land promises made to Abraham and how they are still relevant today.

Finally, we talked about the importance of obeying God’s purpose, recognizing and letting go of things that hold us back, seeking God in solitude, and the faithfulness of Abraham despite his mistakes, and  mentioned the significance of waiting and being reminded of God’s faithfulness to His promises.

Week Two

We discussed the Abrahamic covenant, specifically focusing on Genesis 15. We recapped last week’s discussion of  the Abrahamic covenant and its significance in God’s redemptive purposes. We explored how God chose Abraham and his descendants to be a blessing to the world, fulfilling the covenant through Christ and the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

David discussed the various promises made by God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the book of Genesis. He emphasized the importance of the land and the formation of a great nation, as well as the blessing that would be extended to all families and nations through them.

We summarised the promises that are contained in Genesis chapters 12 to 28, where God states what He will do for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The numbers in the chart below show how many times a particular promise is mentioned.

This shows that the emphasis in the Covenant is on the Land and the Nation. This is consistent with the Biblical principle that God’s blessings are almost always mediated to people through other people – in order for the nations to be blessed, God elects one nation and gives them a land. This nation and the land are fundamental to all God’s redemptive purposes! (See “The God of Israel and Christian Theology” where R. Kendall Soulen unpacks this in great detail.)

We read Genesis 15, where God promises Abraham a great reward and assures him that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars. In the discussion that followed, we also talked about Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek and his refusal to accept any reward from the King of Sodom after the Battle of Siddim. We also examined the name “Eliezer”, which means “God is my help or my help is God”. The discussion concluded with the idea that despite having a large household, Abraham felt lonely due to his lack of a descendant. The participants discussed the topic of childlessness in the Middle East, using religious and historical contexts.

Abraham’s Faith in God’s Promise

The group, led by David, discussed the biblical story of Abraham and Sarah, focusing on the concept of faith. David emphasized Abraham’s deep belief in God’s promises. The conversation explored the difficulty of believing in personal promises compared to abstract ones. We highlighted the difficulty of believing in God’s plans when they seem impossible and emphasized Abraham’s steadfastness in holding onto God’s promise even when it seemed unlikely. The discussion pointed out Abraham’s growth in faith when he was asked to sacrifice his son Isaac.

Biblical Figures’ Life Exploration

We explored the timing of Abram’s marriages and the birth of his children, with some questions raised about the age of Isaac at the time of his near-sacrifice. The conversation also touched on the historical context of the Bible, with a focus on the lives of Abraham, Isaac, and Sarah. The group debated the movements, interactions, and family relationships of these biblical figures, as well as their ages. The conversation also explored the specific words and phrases used in the Bible to denote different life stages and relationships. Towards the end of the discussion, the group examined the implications of Sarah’s death and Abraham’s subsequent marriage, when Abraham was quite prolific and the problems that arose from that.

Abraham’s Righteousness and Loving Kindness

The team discussed the biblical concept of righteousness, with a focus on Abraham’s righteousness. They explored the idea that righteousness is not only a forensic concept, but also a practical one expressed through acts of love and kindness. The conversation also touched on the concept of justification through faith and works, as presented in the Epistle of James. The team also discussed the Hebrew word ‘hesed’, which is often translated as ‘loving kindness’ in the Bible, and its encapsulation of concepts such as love, favour, grace, forgiveness, and more. They also discussed the feminine noun ‘tsedekah’, which means ‘to do more than is required’.

Faith and Religious Belief Systems

The team discussed the concept of faith and its role in religious belief systems. We emphasized that faith is more than just an intellectual acceptance of truth, but a relationship that should be demonstrated through actions and highlighted the importance of love and priorities in faith, and stressed the need to go beyond religious requirements. We discussed the value of deeds of loving kindness and faith in the Bible and talked about faith being concrete, practical, and practical-minded, emphasizing that faith is based on God’s grace and the Holy Spirit working through it.

God’s Guidance and Protection in Tough Times

We emphasized the importance of being in tune with God’s guidance and mentioned Jacob’s experiences, suggesting God’s presence even in tough times. We also discussed the concept of God’s protection and the significance of “the way of the Lord” in the Old Testament. David differentiated between forensic righteousness and practical righteousness, emphasizing that faith requires action and the impact it would have on those around us.