This is part four of a seven-part series on the covenants of God. I realize the entire Bible is His covenant with humanity, but I am going to focus on these seven.
“From a pagan village to the father of nations, Abraham’s story isn’t about his greatness—it’s about a God who promises the impossible and proves His faithfulness through a single, sovereign act.” Author unknown by me.
What does it mean to trust a promise you can’t see? The Abrahamic Covenant, one of the Bible’s most pivotal moments, centers on Abraham, a man called out of obscurity to become the father of the faithful. This covenant, rooted in Genesis, isn’t just about one person—it’s God’s plan to bless the entire world through faith. Let’s unpack its context, terms, and why it still shapes our understanding of grace, drawing from Scripture to explore its profound implications.
Abraham wasn’t a saint when God called him. Living in a pagan village, he was no standout for righteousness. Yet, God chose him—not because of his works, but because of a divine promise (Genesis 12:1-3, NIV). Leaving his home, family, and security, Abraham stepped into the unknown, driven by faith. This act earned him the title father of us all (Romans 4:16, NASB), not for his deeds, but for his trust in God’s word.
Paul underscores this in Romans 4:1-3 (NASB): “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” His faith, not his works, justified him. This covenant, like all post-fall covenants, is an extension of the Covenant of Grace. Abraham’s story shows that salvation has always been by faith—Old Testament or New. He didn’t know Jesus by name, but his faith in God’s promise mirrored our faith in Christ, whose righteousness was imputed to him (Romans 4:23-24).
The Abrahamic Covenant, detailed in Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV), is breathtaking in scope: “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… all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Unlike the universal Noahic Covenant, this one starts with a single man but extends to the whole world. The promise passes from Abraham to Isaac, to Jacob, to Israel, and ultimately to Christ, through whom all nations are blessed (Galatians 3:16).
In Genesis 15, Abraham, now wealthy but childless, questions God: “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless?” (Genesis 15:2, NIV). God’s response is poetic: “Look up at the sky and count the stars… So shall your offspring be” (Genesis 15:5). Abraham believed, and God “credited it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). Why the delay in giving a child? To prove the promise rested on God’s power alone, not Abraham’s ability. Human effort couldn’t fulfill it—only divine sovereignty could.
Abraham’s faith wasn’t flawless. He questioned God, just as we do: How can I know Your promise is true? God’s answer is one of the Bible’s most transformative moments. In Genesis 15:9-10 (NASB), God instructs Abraham to prepare a covenant ritual, cutting animals in half and laying them opposite each other. In ancient custom, both parties would walk between the pieces, vowing to keep the covenant or face death. But in Genesis 15:17 (KJV), only God—appearing as a “smoking furnace and a burning lamp”—passes through. This theophany (God manifesting visibly, like the burning bush) underscores a staggering truth: the covenant is one-sided. God alone bears the obligation.
Hebrews 6:13-18 (NIV) explains why: “When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself… it is impossible for God to lie.” If God broke His promise (an impossibility), He’d cease to be God. His unchangeable nature—omniscient, sovereign, eternal—is our anchor. Abraham didn’t walk the gauntlet; God’s oath to Himself guarantees the promise, giving us “hope as an anchor for the soul” (Hebrews 6:19).
The covenant’s promises—a great nation, the land of Canaan, and global blessing—seem impossible. Abraham and Sarah were old, too old for children (Romans 4:19). Yet God specified the child would come from Sarah, not through human schemes like Hagar’s son, Ishmael (Galatians 4:22-23, ESV). When Abraham and Sarah tried to “help” God by using Hagar, God rejected it: Ishmael wasn’t the child of promise. Isaac, born miraculously, inherited the covenant, proving salvation is “of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9).
The promise continued through Isaac to Jacob, not Esau, despite Esau being older—a cultural norm overturned by God’s sovereign choice (Romans 9:11-13, ESV). Jacob, a schemer and liar, didn’t earn the blessing; God gave it freely, showing “it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:16). The Pharisees later misunderstood this, claiming biological descent from Abraham guaranteed salvation. Jesus corrected them: only children of the promise, not of the flesh, are God’s people (Romans 9:8).
The book of Joshua recounts the fulfillment of the land promise, as Israel conquers Canaan—not by their strength, but by God’s sovereign work. Ultimately, the covenant points to Christ, the singular seed through whom all nations are blessed (Galatians 3:16).
Years later, God gave circumcision as the covenant’s sign (Genesis 17:10-11). Abraham was circumcised after his faith; Isaac, as a child, before faith. This act symbolized cleansing from the uncleanness inherited from Adam. But circumcision didn’t guarantee salvation. The Jews erred in thinking the sign alone secured God’s favor, just as some Christians mistakenly believe baptism saves automatically. Both are signs of obedience to the Covenant of Grace, pointing to the need for imputed righteousness, not bestowing it (Romans 4:11).
The Abrahamic Covenant isn’t ancient history—it’s the heartbeat of the gospel. It shows salvation has always been by faith, not works. Abraham’s righteousness came from Christ’s merit, imputed to him, just as it is to us (Romans 4:23-24). This levels the playing field: no one earns God’s favor, whether in Ur, Jerusalem, or today’s world.
It also addresses our deepest question: Can I trust God’s promises? When doubt creeps in, the covenant’s one-sided nature—God swearing by Himself—offers unshakable assurance. His faithfulness doesn’t depend on our performance but on His unchanging character. The rainbow of Noah’s covenant promised mercy; the fire of Abraham’s covenant promises certainty.
Finally, it calls us to live as Abraham did—by faith. We’re not blessed to hoard God’s gifts but to be a blessing, sharing the hope of Christ with a world desperate for it. The Abrahamic Covenant reminds us that God’s plan, from a childless nomad to a global Savior, is unstoppable.
Abraham’s story isn’t about a perfect man but a perfect God. From a pagan to the father of faith, his life proves salvation is God’s work, received by trusting His promise. The stars Abraham counted still shine, reminding us that God’s covenant—sealed by His own oath—extends to us through Christ. Let’s live by faith, anchored in the One who cannot lie, and carry His blessing to the world.