Genesis 12

Abrahamic Covenant, Take 2

The genealogy of chapter 11 leads from Noah to Abram over approximately 400 years. He is in his homeland, Ur of the Chaldeans, when God calls him. In 12:1-3 we read the initial calling of God of the Abrahamic Covenant. This covenant will be rolled out by God over the next 20 years. It’s just like God to call you to the first step of His plan without giving you the full picture of the plan. This irritates me about God sometimes and I think He knows it ….and I suppose it makes Him smile. Actually, when I come to my senses (spiritual senses that is), it makes me smile too because it reminds me of how faithless I can be at times when God is really stretching me.

The seed

God’s initiation of the Abrahamic Covenant is in Genesis 12:1-3. It is the second monumentally significant passage in Genesis regarding the unfolding of God’s redemption story. The first was in Genesis 3:15, when God was speaking to the serpent and said, “I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed; He (Jesus, the seed of Eve) will bruise you on the head and you shall bruise him on the heel.” This is the first prophecy in scripture about the future work of the Messiah, Jesus. It is the hope of the chosen of God throughout history, even in the worst of times. Jesus will be the ultimate victor and will crush Satan’s head!

“IN” You

God’s call to Abram takes us to the next level of hope and blessing of God.  12:1-3 says, “Now the Lord said to Abram, go forth from your country and from your relatives and from your father’s house to the land which I will show you, (Canaan, the promised land); And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” I think it’s interesting that in the last phrase, that the text says “in” Abram, “all families of the earth will be blessed.” Here’s why:

1. It’s not that Abraham is a blessings to all nations, per se, but what is inhim is the blessing. What is in him is the seed of the Messiah. Recall that the detailed genealogies connect Adam and Eve to Noah and then Noah to Abram. The promised seed of the Messiah in Eve from 3:15 is the seed of blessings that is promised.
2. Second observation is that this promise extends beyond the chosen nation of Israel to “all the families of the earth.” This is good news for us gentile believers. Paul called this section of scripture “gospel”.  It is good news for all nations! In Galatians 3:8, Paul writes, “The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham saying, ‘All nations will be blessed in You.’ So then, those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.” Paul says, God preached the gospel to Abraham in Genesis 12. WOW! Call me a Bible nerd, but connecting scripture like this is so cool! The blessings given to Abraham are unconditional and eternal and we as believers “are blessed with Abraham”in the same way that he was blessed.

I love it when a plan come together

Lord, the way You have woven and interconnected Your plan of redemption and salvation throughout all of scripture is a masterpiece of epic proportions. To be forgiven and saved from the wrath to come is grace unleashed toward me. To be blessed with Your hand always upon me with favor and love is unfathomable. To be an heir of Your chosen nation and child in Your family is…..I can’t find the Words. Praise and thank you. I am grateful always. Amen!