“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.””
Genesis 12:1-3 NLT
“It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.”
Hebrews 11:8 NLT
“For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.””
Romans 4:3 NLT
In the eyes of God, Abraham was a very special man. Faith. Yes. We will come across this wonderful faith again and again. Faith is a fruit of the Spirit.
[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, …”
Galatians 5:22 KJV
Faith is a gift of God, and it comes by the hearing of the Word of God.
“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”
Romans 10:17 NLT
“… Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”
Romans 12:3 NLT
“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. …”
Hebrews 12:2 NLT
Faithful Abraham is a great example to all the faithful who followed his way of faith till this very day.
“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.”
Romans 4:20-25 NLT
God loved his faithful Abraham. Look at these beautiful words:
“After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.””
Genesis 13:14-17 NLT
“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.””
Genesis 15:1 NKJV
“Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
Genesis 15:5-6 NLT
“So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River—”
Genesis 15:18 NLT
““I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.”
Genesis 17:7 NLT
“… Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.”
Genesis 17:19 NLT
Yes. This Covenant was repeated to Isaac and Jacob.
“Remember his covenant forever— the commitment he made to a thousand generations. This is the covenant he made with Abraham and the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant: “I will give you the land of Canaan as your special possession.” He said this when you were few in number, a tiny group of strangers in Canaan. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. Yet he did not let anyone oppress them. He warned kings on their behalf: “Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.” Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens! Honor and majesty surround him; strength and joy fill his dwelling. O nations of the world, recognize the Lord, recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.”
1 Chronicles 16:15-29 NLT
The Covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is also labeled the “Everlasting Covenant”. Or Never-ending Covenant. These words are repeated, and emphasise the ongoing continuation of God’s commitment to Redeem the fallen human beings. Those expressions – the Everlasting Covenant, or the Never-ending Covenant – inspire a sense of certainty in what is said, and God’s absolute determination to do what He promised. This passage in 1 Chronicles 16:15 starts with: “Remember His covenant forever.” As the Salvation information continued to unfold and accumulate, we begin to see the power and beauty of what God is doing.
““I will give you the land of Canaan as your special possession.” He said this when you were few in number, a tiny group of strangers in Canaan. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. Yet he did not let anyone oppress them. He warned kings on their behalf: “Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.””
1 Chronicles 16:18-22 NLT
This Fatherly tender care for their welfare and safety is a touching picture of our compassionate and loving God. It is a part of the covenantal pledge by God to those who willingly embrace it. So He uses the expression: “everlasting covenant” to confirm it. There was joy and blessedness for those who experienced the life under the Covenant.
“Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.”
1 Chronicles 16:23-24, 29 NLT