Eight Covenants-Abrahamic-Part 1

The next covenant we studied was the Abrahamic on 05/02/10. This is an unconditional covenant made with Israel. In fact, Abraham couldn't nullify it if he tried! God went through the cut pieces of animals while Abraham was watching in a dream-state, therefore, God alone is responsible for its fulfillment. We can add this attribute to Him as we study Scripture and especially the covenants: God is a covenant-keeping God!
The Scriptural references are:
Genesis 12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 17:1-21; and 22:15-18.
The participants were God and Abraham, whereas Abraham stood as the representative head of the Jewish nation, but not for all humanity, (as we saw with Adam and Noah as representative head for all mankind).
There are fourteen provisions concerning this covenant:

1. A great nation would come out of Abraham-Gen. 12:2; 13:16; 15:5.
2. He was promised a Land; the land of Canaan-Gen. 12:1, 7; 13:14-15, 17.
3. Abraham personally would be greatly blessed-Gen. 12:2b.
4. Abraham's name would be great-Gen. 12:2c, (we see this today with the major religions of the world).
5. Abraham would be a blessing to others-Gen. 12:2d.
6. Those who bless Israel would be blessed-Gen. 12:3a.
7. Those who curse Israel would be cursed-Gen. 12:3b.
8. Through Abraham all would be ultimately be blessed-Gen. 12:3c; 22:18.
9. Abraham would receive a son through his wife Sarah-Gen. 15:1-4; 17:16-21.
10. Abraham's descendants would undergo the Egyptian bondage-Gen. 15:13-14.
11. Other nations, (for example the Arab states), besides Israel, would come forth from Abraham-Gen. 17:3-4, 6.
12. His name would be changed from Abram, (exalted father), to Abraham, (father of a multitude)-Gen. 17:5.
13. Sarai's name, (my princess), would changed to Sarah, (the princess)-Gen. 17:15.
14. Circumcision would be a token/sign of the covenant-Gen. 17:9-14. We noted that other ancient cultures also circumcised there males, but the uniqueness of Jewish circumcision was that it was done on the eighth day, (a time when the baby's clotting is properly developed).

So we see that these provisions of the Abrahamic Covenant can be put into three categories:

1. Abraham
2. To the Seed, Israel
3. To the Gentiles

Next time we'll look more closely at these three categories and also their influence for the development of subsequent covenants.
Be blessed,
Your chrbrotherist,
George