As followers of Christ we know we are in the midst of a new covenant... we entered into it at baptism... we reconfirm/renew it each year at the Passover.

Each year we grow in our understanding of what that covenant means... our growth and expansion of understanding is pleasing to God.  Today we will look at how God used the process of covenant review in the life of Abraham.

God’s Covenant With Abraham

Genesis 12:1-3 this is the covenant Paul refers to in Galatians 3. It is a covenant graciously offered by God and based on faith…  a willingness to believe what God says and then to act upon it. It is a covenant we now know had blessings built in for all people on earth (not just Israel). It is a covenant that looks forward to the coming of the Messiah... so that by faith in Him we might receive the promise of the holy spirit... the power of everlasting life... and share in the better promises of the new covenant.

You could say the new covenant is built on the foundation of this covenant of faith.

However, much time and many events take place between Genesis 12 and Galatians 3. God's covenants and promises unfold, are expanded, and head in new directions.

Physical Blessings For A Physical Nation

Abraham received his calling not long after the tower of babel incident. The people of the earth had a plan to pool their resources and challenge the authority of the Creator... to declare themselves a great nation and a mighty people. God put an end to that by confusing their languages... then proceeded to rollout a plan to create a TRULY great nation based on BETTER priorities and ways... the nation established by God… would be called Israel.

God begins by calling this man Abram. Abram was 75 years old at the time but still had many years of living to go. He left his father, people, culture, religion, and false gods to follow the living God.

Genesis 12:4-7 Abraham demonstrates his willingness to step out and act on faith. God responds by expanding (or building upon) the basic promise of blessing by saying "this great nation you are to become will be given this choice land". God adds concrete realities to the previous statements.

Action & Events in Abrams Life (Genesis 13-14)

There is a drought in the land. So, Abraham travels to Egypt for the duration. While there he has some questionable interactions with the Pharaoh. Pharaoh tries to appease God's anger by giving Abram all kinds of livestock, servants (great wealth) and then kicks Abram out. The upshot is: Abram is now rich.

Abram goes back to Canaan. Friction builds up with his nephew Lot. Abraham suggests they separate to different territories to keep the peace. Lot goes to Sodom where he gets into some serious trouble. Abraham comes to the rescue.  After the conflict and settling of accounts we are introduced to Melchizadek.

Summary: Abraham has had some hits and some misses…  all this is interesting and exciting... but Abram is getting old by now. The situation is looking bleak. What good is God's promise of land and a great nation if Abram doesn't have a child? Genesis 15:1-4

God Reaffirms Their Covenant

So... when Abram is having some doubts, questioning the plan... how does God respond? He says “let’s go over our covenant again”. (Note: deal with doubt by going back to the basic NC promises, if you believe God’s promise of eternal life everything else falls into place).

Genesis 15:5-7 God reaffirms his promise of a child to whom all the promises and inheritance of the land will flow. He adds a promise that they will be a huge number of people (more concrete detail). Abram believes God can deliver on His promise, This is a big deal. Why? God wants people to believe what He says… its even more important than obedience!

Consider this: If obedience was all God wanted He could force you to obey! You could have no choice. But, God wants you to have freedom. He wants you to believe His words are life and then desire to walk in them. This is what Paul means when he says... by this faith we uphold the law Romans 3:31.

If you believe what God says, then you act in faith, you will obey... because you want to (from the heart).

Genesis 15:8Abram believes but still needs reassurance from God, which God provides by giving Abram a vision related to the covenant.  Remember: Abram didn’t have a set of scriptures to read.

Genesis 15:9-21 In this vision God adds details and builds upon the previous promises of the covenant.

1. I will walk among your descendants after you die (the sacrificial animals; heifer, goat, ram, dove... represent Israel, Abram's future children whom God walks between).
2. God provides a prophecy that the children will become slaves in Egypt... but He will rescue them and Egypt will give them all kinds of riches on the way out. (probably more for future generations benefit than Abram’s)
3. Provides a more detailed description of the land they will receive.

Action & Events in Abram's Life (Genesis 16)

Sarah assumes she is barren. She gets desperate and comes up with a plan to get child through her maid, Hagar. She tells Abram to marry Hagar as a second wife and thereby conceive a child which Sarai can then raise as her own. This was a common procedure in the culture at the time (like surrogate motherhood)... Sarai and Abram are following social norms here rather than any directive from God.

Multiple wives goes outside boundaries of God’s original intent for the family. This creates tensionand trouble. They work their way through it and Ishmael is born. But, Abram has made some miss-steps. How does God respond?

God Reaffirms Their Covenant Again

Genesis 17:1-2 the covenant is based on faith but presumes that this faith will be demonstrated by action! The Hagar/Ishmael episode was badly done... I want you to walk blamelessly...

Note: the word blameless here is taw-meem; it means complete, whole, with integrity. For example; Moses used it to describe the counting of the 50 days of Pentecost (count until it is complete). Most often Moses used it to describe animals suitable for sacrifice (they are to be without blemish, no missing eyes, or limbs, no defects etc.).

So, God is saying "keep living your life under my watching eyes and be complete, whole, and without defects. You've made some mistakes... let's review the covenant again. Note: if you have had some miss-steps, go back to the promises of your covenant with God. Remember why this stuff matters.

First, God's Part of the Covenant:

Genesis 17:3-8 ok, here's what I (YHWH) am going to do. Goes over the main points: lots of descendants... lots of land. I want you to change your name to Abraham to provide a constant reminder of this. Also, God adds some additional information... this covenant with your descendant will be everlasting.

Abraham's Part of the Covenant

Genesis 17:9-14 God already reiterated to Abraham that the goal is to live blamelessly. God now adds circumcision to the covenant.

1. Abraham and all his male descendants are to be circumcised. The covenant with its blessings and its expectations is not simply between God and Abraham... but also with all his descendants.
2. Circumcision is also a sign of the everlasting nature of this covenant (verse 13)

But wait… didn’t God put an end to His covenant with Israel?

430 years later God would enter into a covenant with Israel at Sinai. That covenant was do be based on the condition of obedience rather than God’s grace. It is a very detailed agreement: huge amount of info about what was expected of Israel, lots of detail about the blessings they could expect, lots of detail of the consequences they would face if they disobeyed. We read about that covenant in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

We know from history that Israel failed to obey, broke the covenant, reaped the consequences. That covenant is no longer in force... it has been replaced with what we generally call  “the new covenant”.

Galatians 3:15-18 the previous commitments and promises God made to Abraham (and his descendants) still stand.  

These covenant promises made to Abraham and sons are not conditional… they are not “if you obey”… then… X. God wanted to see obedience… He wanted Abraham to practice blameless living... becoming complete and mature spiritually. An individual could opt out of the covenant by refusing circumcision.

Romans 11:28-29 the descendants of Abraham are still a special people with a special role and a special future in God's plan. They still mark themselves by circumcision.

 However, the covenant promises God made to Abraham didn’t contain the promise of eternal life. That better promise is accessed by entering into the new covenant in Christ... being baptized into His death… receiving the holy spirit.

Spiritually speaking  Israel are in the dark during this age of the Church. But after Christ's return Israel will be the first among nations to gain access to the spiritual blessing of that new covenant.

Jeremiah 31:31-37, Jeremiah 32:40

Israel will be the first of the nations to be judged by tribulation when Christ returns… and the first to be restored when Christ establishes the rule of God on earth. God will once again establish Israel as a model nation through whom He will teach all peoples. God remains true to the everlasting covenant!

Actions & Events (Genesis 18-21)

1. God reiterates His promise that Sarah will bear a son for Abraham, Sarah laughs in disbelief
2. Abraham carries out the instructions to circumcise.
3. Abraham pleads for Sodom and Gomorrah - demonstrates mercy in the face of judgment (in my opinion the shining moment of his walk with God)
4. There are some dubious dealings with Abimelech (similar to Abram’s dealings with the Pharaoh)
5. Finally, Issac the son of promise is born - which leads to more family tension

More ups and downs... Abraham shows great spiritual maturity, he finally receives the promise of an heir. But still has some of the same bad habits as before. How does God respond?

God ReAffirms His Promises... and Tests Abraham’s commitment.

Genesis 22:1-2

God plucked Abraham and offered him purpose, blessings and hope. Abraham believed and responded in faith, he did what he was asked. But he also had his lapses. There were times when he relied on his own craftiness, or what seemed right in his own eyes. Perhaps these played into the long-drawn-out timeline through which the promises were revealed and fulfilled... perhaps they played a part in this final recorded episode of Abraham's life.

Genesis 22:3-14 verse 8 - Abraham had faith that whatever it was God could work it out. Verse 12 - God learned what He wanted to know… “are you all in?” Can you lose something, someone that  you love and believe My power to restore them once more at the appointed time?

James 2:21-26 Abraham got through it by maintaining the same faith that got him there in the first place

Hebrews 11:17-19 Abraham got through this trial by faith in God’s ultimate power over life. The mental anguish was not worthy to be compared with what God has in store for those who love and obey HIm.

How did God respond? Genesis 22:15-19

Conclusion

You may have been tested and tried with unanswered prayer, a long delay of a hoped for blessing, you may have experienced lapses, moments of doubt, perhaps you have been asked to give up someone. Or something, you love.

In all these things believe that God can, and will, provide you with that which is even better... the promise of life. Respond in faith, seek to walk in a manner that is blameless.

God has entered into a covenant with you that is bigger and better that what was offered to Israel. But He still uses the technique of recalling, rehearsing and reaffirming. He calls you once again this year to reaffirm and rehearse the promises of that covenant at the Passover.