Digging Deeper
Just this week I was rereading a passage of scripture in Luke 2 and discovered that I had not been reading it correctly for a very long time. In verses 21 and 22 Luke talks about Jesus being circumcised on the 8th day and then talks about his family going to Jerusalem for purification according to the law of Moses. I’ve always thought all of that happened on the 8th day. This week when I was reading I went back to Leviticus 12 and read the law of Moses that these verses point back to and realized that the day Jesus and his family went to the temple in Jerusalem would have been on his 40th day of life.
While I want us to focus on some different passages of scripture today, I share this story with you to say that we are always learning and uncovering more information about what is in the Bible. We can sit with this text our whole lives and still learn something new with each reading. That is the beauty of scripture - it is living and active and the Spirit is continually revealing new things to us through it.
Last week we began a conversation around covenant while looking at the promise that God made with Noah to never again flood the earth, and using a rainbow as a symbol reminding us of that everlasting covenant. You can find that post here if you missed it.
This week I want to move to the promises that God made with Abraham. In Genesis 12-17 we see a series of conversations that God has with Abraham. I’m going to highlight a few key passages for the sake of time. You may want to spend some time reading Genesis 12-17 in its entirety. After reading each passage pause and consider these questions - What do I notice in this passage of scripture? What do I want to explore more or ask questions about from these verses?
Genesis 12:1-3 (CSB)
The Lord said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
What is God asking Abram to do?
What does God promise Abram?
Who will be impacted because of these promises?
Genesis 13:14-17 (CSB)
After Lot had separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west, for I will give you and your offspring forever all the land that you see. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. Get up and walk around the land, through its length and width, for I will give it to you.”
What is God promising to Abram?
How difficult might it have been for Abram to hold onto this promise the longer he went without children?
How long do these promises last?
Genesis 15:5-8 (CSB)
He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.” Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. He also said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” But he said, “Lord God, how can I know that I will possess it?”
Compare the imagery from Chapter 13 with Chapter 15 - counting the dust and counting the stars? Why does God use these images do you think?
Are you encouraged that Abram also needed to be reminded by God about his promises?
Genesis 15:10, 12, 17-18 (CSB)
He said to him, “Bring me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” So he brought all these to him, cut them in half, and laid the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut the birds in half. As the sun was setting, a deep sleep came over Abram, and suddenly great terror and darkness descended on him. When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I give this land to your offspring, from the Brook of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River: the land of the Kenites, Kennizzites, Kadmonites, Hethites, Perizzites, Rephaim, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”
Why were all of these animals used in making the covenant?
How did a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch pass between the animals?
Who are all of these peoples whose land will belong to Abram’s offspring?
Genesis 17:1-8, 10, 13b (CSB)
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless. I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: “As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you. I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you. And to you and your future offspring I will give the land where you are residing - all the land of Canaan - as a permanent possession, and I will be their God” This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: every one of your males must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked in your flesh as a permanent covenant.
Why did God change Abram’s name?
What does it look like for God to confirm his covenant with future generations?
What is included in this permanent covenant?
What is the symbol of this covenant?
Nearly 25 years have passed by the time we arrive at Genesis 17. Abram is now 99 years old! That is a lot of life that Abram and his family have lived. They did not always have a tidy picture of what comes next, but God was faithful to them and showed up time and again to remind them of who he is and his promises to them. As God changes Abram’s name to Abraham he reiterates those earlier promises, where Abram was challenged to count the dust or count the stars, as he calls him to be the father of many nations. God reminds Abraham that this is a permanent covenant - God is saying I will be your God always for every generation.
As you’ve read these passages today did you see anything new about Abraham or the promises God made to him and his offspring? Is there anything that you already knew, but were reminded of today? Are you encouraged by God’s overwhelming faithfulness?
Feel free to email me with your thoughts or insights. I’d love to hear from you.
~ Melissa