Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Understanding important truths from the Bible….

Genesis 15 and 17

Covenant is a fact of Scripture. Some would go so far as to say it is the binding principle of Scripture. By this they mean it is a truth that runs throughout the Scriptures from which all other Scriptures in some way finds its explanation.

Whether or not this is so can be debated. What cannot be debated is the importance of the covenant in Scripture. The covenant with Abram in chapter 15 and 17 are of special interest as this is at least the basis of God’s covenant relationship with His people.

In chapter 15 God’s covenant promise to Abram is an offspring and a land. In this covenant the offspring is a result of faith. This gives it a spiritual reality. Just as Abram will have a physical heir, he will have spiritual (his children who become so by faith) heirs.

He receives a promise of a land for his people. This promise is material and specific. In Genesis 15:17-21 the physical dimensions of the land are given. As long as this covenant stands, that it is not superseded, this land will belong to Abram’s physical descendants.

In Genesis 17 the same two promises are given with the addition of a sign, circumcision, to identify his descendants. This sign is to identify Abram’s descendants as long as the covenant continues. This covenant may be superseded but it cannot be abrogated.

In this covenant there is a change of names for both Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah. Abraham and Sarah are to be the parents of a continuing nation with certain land rights. This nation will be ruled by descendants of Abraham and Sarah. But here the spiritual perspective becomes even more plain in the broadness of the promise. It is extended to many nations or far beyond any single national boundary.

The New Testament identifies the covenant with Abraham as that which was the object of Abraham’s faith. The heirs were those who like Abraham have faith in the true God. The land is described by the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 11:9-10.

If anyone is a true believer he or she is a covenant believer and covenant keeper. This is to have a true and abiding faith in Jesus Christ who is God’s covenant with us. Isaiah 42:6; 49:8-13.

6"I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness;
I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
a light for the nations,

8Thus says the LORD: "In a time of favor I have answered you;
in a day of salvation I have helped you;
I will keep you and give you
as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
to apportion the desolate heritages,
9 saying to the prisoners, 'Come out,'
to those who are in darkness, 'Appear.'
They shall feed along the ways;
on all bare heights shall be their pasture;
10 they shall not hunger or thirst,
neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,
for he who has pity on them will lead them,
and by springs of water will guide them.
11 And I will make all my mountains a road,
and my highways shall be raised up.
12 Behold, these shall come from afar,
and behold, these from the north and from the west,
and these from the land of Syene."

13 Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the LORD has comforted his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted.

Paul’s explanation of Abraham’s place in God’s revelation of His purpose give us a clear understanding of his importance and our relationship to Abraham, the father of all who believe. Romans 4:9-12

9 Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.

10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.

11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well,

12 and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.