Abraham’s Covenant

INTRODUCTION:  God’s covenant with Abraham shows us how God establishes a relationship with man.  As He does with the Jewish people, God will always keep His promises to man.  This is why we are eternally secure in our salvation.

1. ABRAHAM BELIEVED IN GOD (Genesis 15:1-6)
1. God Appears to Abram (Genesis 15:1).
1. I am thy shield.
2. I am thy exceeding great reward.
2. Abram Reminds God of the Promised Seed (Genesis 15:2-3).
3. God Renews His Promise (Genesis 15:4-5).
1. Of a son (Genesis 15:4)
2. Of a seed as the stars of heaven (Genesis 15:5)
4. Abram Believes in the Lord (Genesis 15:6).
1. He believes in the promise of God.
2. Abraham receives an imputed righteousness because of his faith in God (Romans 4:4-6, 9, 20-25; Galatians 3:6-14).
3. As such, he is the father to all who believe in this dispensation.
4. All who are saved today are the spiritual children of Abraham.
2. GOD ESTABLISHES HIS COVENANT (Genesis 15:7-21)
1. Abram Asks for Evidence of the Promise (Genesis 15:7-8).
2. God Requires a Sacrifice to be Made (Genesis 15:9-11).
1. An heifer, a she goat, a ram, a turtledove and a pigeon (Genesis 15:9)
2. To be divided with a walkway between them (Genesis 15:10)
3. NOTE: This type of covenant, where two parties walk between a divided sacrifice, is referred to in Jeremiah 34:18-19.  The difference here is that God passed between the pieces by Himself without Abram.  This indicates that this was an unconditional covenant.  God would fulfill it, no matter how unfaithful Abram and his seed might be.
4. Abram drove the birds away from the sacrifice (Genesis 15:11).
3. God Makes His Covenant with Abram (Genesis 15:12-17).
1. Abram goes into a deep sleep (Genesis 15:12).
2. God speaks unto Abram (Genesis 15:13-16).
1. About the sojourn of his seed in a strange land (Genesis 15:13-14)
2. About the death of Abram in a good old age (Genesis 15:15)
3. About the return of Abrams seed to this land (Genesis 15:16)
1. In the fourth generation
2. When the iniquity of the Amorites is full
4. God passes between the pieces of the sacrifice (Genesis 15:17).
1. As a smoking furnace
2. As a burning lamp
4. Gods Covenant Describes Abrams Inheritance (Genesis 15:18-21).
1. The promise of the land (Genesis 15:18)
1. From the river of Egypt
2. To the Euphrates River
2. The nations to be conquered (Genesis 15:19-21)
3. ABRAHAM BEARS A SON OF WORKS (Genesis 16:1-16)
1. Sarai Gives Hagar to be Abrams Wife (Genesis 16:1-3).
2. Hagar Is Hated of Sarai when She Conceives (Genesis 16:4-7).
1. Hagar despises Sarai because of the conception (Genesis 16:4-5).
2. Abram turns Hagar over to Sarai (Genesis 16:5-6).
3. Hagar flees from Sarai to the wilderness (Genesis 16:6-7).
3. The Angel of the Lord Appears to Hagar (Genesis 16:8-14).
1. He commands her to return to Sarai (Genesis 16:8-9).
2. He promises her that a great people will come of her son (Genesis 16:10-12).
1. Her seed will multiply (Genesis 16:10).
2. Her sons name will be Ishmael (Genesis 16:11; meaning God shall hear).
3. Her son will be a wild man (Genesis 16:12).
3. She called the name of the Lord, Thou God seest me (Genesis 16:13-14).
4. A Son Is Born to Hagar (Genesis 16:15-16).
1. His name is Ishmael (Genesis 16:15).
2. Abram is 86 years old (Genesis 16:16).
4. GOD RENEWS HIS COVENANT (Genesis 17:1-8)
1. God Appears to Abram (Genesis 17:1-2).
1. When Abram is 99 years old (Genesis 17:1)
2. He introduces Himself as the Almighty God (Genesis 17:1).
3. He commands Abram (Genesis 17:1).
1. To walk before Him
2. To be perfect
4. He renews His promises (Genesis 17:2).
1. To keep His covenant
2. To multiply Abram
2. God Changes Abrams Name (Genesis 17:3-5).
1. From Abram (meaning exalted father)
2. To Abraham (meaning father of many nations)
3. God Restates His Promises to Abraham (Genesis 17:6-8).
1. An everlasting covenant (Genesis 17:6-7)
2. An everlasting possession (Genesis 17:8)
5. THE TOKEN OF THE COVENANT (Genesis 17:9-27)
1. All Men to be Circumcised the Eighth Day (Genesis 17:9-14)
2. Gods Blessing on Sarai (Genesis 17:15-22)
1. Her name changed to Sarah (Genesis 17:15)
2. Sarah to bear a son (Genesis 17:16-19)
3. Gods blessing on Ishmael (Genesis 17:20)
4. But the covenant  to be through Isaac (Genesis 17:21-22)
3. Abraham and Ishmael Obey the Lord (Genesis 17:23-27).

CONCLUSION:  Have you believed in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ so that God can count it for righteousness (see 2 Corinthians 5:18-21)?