Foundations of the Faith - Abraham

Abraham reveals God’s covenantal character

God’s initial covenant with Abraham - Genesis 12:1-3

Genesis 12:1–3 NIV

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

God gives Abraham an instruction to be followed - vs. 1

God promises Abraham blessing - vs. 2-3

God clarifies His promise to Abraham - Gen 15:1-4

Genesis 15:1–5 NIV

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Abraham expresses concern over not having any offspring to realize God’s promise - vs. 1-3

God clarifies the promise - vs. 4-5

God formalizes His promises to Abraham - Gen 17:1-8

Genesis 17:1–8 NIV

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.” Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”

Abraham is now 99 yrs old and still does not have a son - vs. 1a

God repeats Abraham’s responsibility and His promise - vs. 1b-2

God’s specific promises:

Abraham would be the father of many nations - vs. 3-4

Abram would now be known as Abraham -vs. 5

Abraham would be fruitful - vs. 6

This covenant is an everlasting covenant - vs. 7-8

Abraham reveals God’s requirement of faith

Abraham responded to God’s promise with faith - Gen 15:6

Genesis 15:6 NIV

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Paul explains what this means - Rom 4:3-5

Romans 4:3–5 NIV

What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.

The author of Hebrews summarizes Abraham’s actions which demonstrated his faith - Heb 11:8-12

Hebrews 11:8–12 NIV

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Abraham acted on his beliefs

Abraham’s confidence was ultimately in God

Abraham reveals God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises

After Abraham sought other ways to have an heir, God clarified that Sarah would have a child in her old age - Genesis 17:17-19

Genesis 17:17–19 NIV

Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

God fulfilled His promise - Genesis 21:1-3

Genesis 21:1–3 NIV

Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him.

God always keeps His promises - Hebrews 10:23

Hebrews 10:23 NIV

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.