Senior Class Notes – June 16, 2024

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Summer 2024 Session 1 unit 3 – God’s Promise of Blessing; Genesis 12:1-3; 15:5-7; 17:7-11 PSG 42-51 PSG-CSB.

June 16, 2024

The Point: God promised to bless all people through His chosen people.

Inspirational verse: “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.” (Galatians 3:8).

Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Acts 7:2 “And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, harken; The God of glory appeared unto out father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,” clarifies that the LORD had said these things unto Abram while he was still in Mesopotamia (Gen 11:31). God gave Abram a one verb command with four aspects to it. Abram was to get himself:16

  1. Out of his country.
  2. Away from his kindred.
  3. Away from his father’s house.
  4. Unto a land chosen by God.

Obedience to God often means leaving one thing in order to receive something else even better.16 Another point is that while Abraham was in his country among his kindred and in his father’s house, if he needed help with anything, he could approach his family for aid. Away from all this, he had to depend on the LORD.12 Abram’s journey first began when he and his family left Ur. God now required Abram to step out on faith and leave the cradle of civilization and center of human flourishing in Mesopotamia to go to less prosperous Canaan far to the west. Abram left his father’s house behind, including not only his aging father but other close relatives as well. He thus left behind family security and learned how to trust in God’s strength alone (see Acts 7:2-5).19 Having heard God’s call, Abram obeyed and left Haran when he was 75. Abram’s life to this point included the death of a brother, the reality of having a barren wife, and leaving behind everything familiar without knowing his ultimate destination.19

Genesis 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

The seven promises in verses 2-3, along with the land promise in verse 7, anticipate the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 15:18).16 Abram also learned to trust in God’s promises. God said He will make Abram become the progenitor of a great nation. God will bless him and make Abram’s name great, and assured him that he shall be a blessing.19 The covenant with Abram is the first covenant that pertains to the rule of God [The rule of God refers to His dominion and sovereignty over all things].55 It is unconditional, and depends only on God who obligates Himself in grace, indicated by the unconditional declaration, “I will.” The Abrahamic covenant is also the basis of other covenants and it promises blessing in three areas:

  1. National – “I will make of thee a great nation.”
  2. Personal – “I will bless thee and make thy name great.”
  3. Universal – “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

            This is the turning point in the Bible from the history of the whole human race (Chapters 1-11) to the story of God’s chosen people, Israel, through whom the Saviour of the world would be born.16 Wherever Abram’s descendants would go, God will look after them and respond to those who treat them well with His blessing and those who treat them poorly with His curse. In this way God blessed one family so that they may be His instrument of blessing to all families of the earth.19 The Abrahamic covenant is an important link in all that God began to do, has done throughout history, and will continue to do until the consummation of history. God blesses Abram and all his descendants through the Messiah, who is Abram’s progeny and provides salvation for the entire world.18

Genesis 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell (count) the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

Ignoring Abram’s apparent lack of gratitude, The Lord gave Abram one of the great promises of the Bible; the elderly patriarch would produce an heir out of his own body. God then made the breathtaking promise that Abram’s seed would be as numerous as the stars.16 God made it clear that Eliezar of Damascus would not be Abram’s successor. Rather, Abram’s own child-to-be would be the heir. The besetting problem, however, was that Sarai remained barren. But God broadened Abram’s horizons. God earlier used the illustration of “the dust of the earth” to show how many descendants would come from Abram (13:16). Now God showed him the uncountable stars of the ancient night sky. This visual reminder helped Abram comprehended the massive scope of the future God had planned for him. In response, he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.19

Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Old and childless, Abram believed in the LORD, that is, he affirmed that God is dependable. God counted it to him for righteousness, that is, He judged or accounted that Abram measured up to the standard, conformed to the norm. Abram’s faith and God’s gracious response to it served as a paradigm (model) of the Christian experience in three different New Testament books (Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6; James 2:23).16 Almost ten years had passed since the original promises were given. As Abram grew older and still had no children, it was natural for him to wonder how the promises could be fulfilled. In answer to Abram’s questions, God, who had revealed Himself in word, and who had faithfully protected him and sustained him, again pledged His word of promise.18 Some consider Genesis 15:6 to be the most important verse in the Old Testament. God declares Abram righteous (clean, morally right) on the basis of Abram’s faith. The idea is that God is crediting Abram’s faith as righteousness. While this connection between faith and righteousness is most often considered a New Testament concept, this verse confirms that God has always desired faith from His people.17

Genesis 15:7 And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

For the third time in Abram’s life (12:1; 13:14-17) the LORD addressed the issue of land. Here Jehovah linked His name and His past leadership in Abram’s life to the promised land. He reminded Abram that the same God who had faithfully brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees would just as surely give him this land to inherit.16 In Abram’s day, legal agreements were formalized by means of a very graphic covenant ceremony. The dividing of an animal sealed the covenant. The animal was cut in half, and the two parties would pass between the two halves while repeating the terms of the covenant. By doing so, the two parties were stating, “if I fail to fulfill my commitments to the covenant, may I suffer the same fate as this animal.”17 In this case, however, God alone passes between the animal pieces, in the form of a smoking furnace from which torch-like flames shoot out (Ex.19:18), because this covenant with Abram is unconditional, and can be carried out only by God Himself.14

Genesis 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

Verse added for clarification. This section (17:4-8) contains the fullest presentation of God’s covenant with Abram. Eight different aspects of the covenant are presented in these verses. Most of these promises are not new, but nowhere else are they put together in one place. The new aspect is where God changed the patriarch’s name, thus indicating His authority over him: instead of Abram (“Exalted Father”), his new name would be Abraham (“Father of a Multitude”).16 When God selected Abraham, He chose a man without children, land, or reputation. To such a person God was ready to promise a son, a land, and greatness. Two imperatives are used by the Lord to express His expectations:

  1. Abraham is to walk before God.
  2. His walk must be unblemished (perfect); Abraham is to meet his obligations to God.

Genesis 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

God makes five “I will” statements in verses 6-8.17

  1. I will make thee exceeding fruitful.
  2. I will make nations of thee and kings shall come out of thee.
  3. I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant.
  4. I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan.
  5. I will be their God.

Genesis 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

God said this covenant between Himself and Abraham would continue in perpetuity (an everlasting covenant) and that all the land of Canaan would be for an everlasting possession for Abraham and his descendants, plus the Lord himself would be their God.19 Since the covenant is “everlasting” and includes possession of Canaan, it guarantees Israel the right of possession as an earthly inheritance forever. God is the Landlord who gives the title deed to Israel, His son. Thus, the Jews have a rightful claim to this land as long as the earth shall stand.14

Genesis 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

God now placed one final covenant-related demand on Abraham and his seed: circumcision.16 Circumcision did not originate with the Hebrews but was apparently required for Egyptian male temple servants. That same day Abraham took Ishmael and every male among the men of Abraham’s house and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin, and was himself circumcised, as God had said unto him.19

Genesis 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

Circumcision: this surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis was typically done with a razor-sharp flint knife (Josh. 5:2-3). On newborns it was performed when the boy was eight days old (17:12); no form of female circumcision was authorized.16 Circumcision is an outward sign of an inward commitment. It is to an Israelite what a wedding ring is to a bridegroom. It is important to note that circumcision is not a condition of the covenant, but a sign of Abraham’s participation in it.16 Circumcision in and of itself did not make people acceptable to God. It was meant as a tangible symbol of God’s covenant in their lives, as an outward sign standing for the inward reality of a thorough commitment to God. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul speaks of having a “circumcised heart,” pointing to the fact that a circumcised body means nothing if the heart is not in accord (Rom. 2:25-29).18

Genesis 17:11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

This surrender of the first portion of the bodily instrument used to fulfill God’s first command to humanity (“Be fruitful and multiply,” Gen. 1:28) symbolized the individual willingness to submit all of himself to God and to all of His covenant commands.16 God instituted a covenant of circumcision to provide a sign in the flesh of Abraham’s foreskin and all male descendants after him in their generations that will be for an everlasting covenant.19

References: Summer 2024, June 2, 2024 – August 25, 2024

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  2. (CFSLPB) – The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible Copyright © 2017 by Thomas Nelson. Text from the Holy Bible, New International Version copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
  3. (CSBDSB) – Christian Standard Bible Disciple’s Study Bible Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers, One Lifeway Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee 37234.
  4. (CWB) – Commentary on the Whole Bible by Matthew Henry – Marshall, Morgan & Scott, Ltd. Copyright © 1960. Copyright 1961 by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan. 49506
  5. (CWB#2) – Commentary practical and explanatory on the Whole Bible by Rev. Robert Jamieson, Rev. A.R. Fausset, Rev. David Brown by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan. 49506
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