Abram - Covenant of the Promised Land 

Bible Study Lessons from Genesis 12:1-9

In this Bible passage and study lesson from Genesis, Abram (later Abraham) sets out for what will become the promised land. God sets His covenant with Abram and promises him the land of Canaan. The story is one of obedience.

12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

2 "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.

3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.

5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.

6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.

7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

8 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east.

There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.

9 Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.

The Covenant of God and the Obedience of Abram

Abram - Abraham

A quick note. Sometimes we take for granted that everyone knows Abram later becomes Abraham. I was confused at one time too!

God Calls - Abram Answers

Abram heard God call him to pick up his belongings and move to another land; a land of strangers if you will. Verse four simply says "Abram left" in a very matter-of-fact way. In fact his leaving is almost a footnote in the message. This shows how much faith Abram had (which would later be tested) but, this time he obeyed without a word.

How Far is Canaan?

This was no small journey. By my loose calculations on the map, the indirect route Abram followed (in order to avoid the desert) took him somewhere between 600-800 miles. Quite a distance on foot. Such a long journey but Abram took it. Why? Because God asked him to.

Obedience to God

You see, Abram had such faith in God that he did not question when God gave directions. He simply followed. He obeyed.

The Covenant

God's covenant (promise) to Abram was that the land of Canaan would be given to his descendants and he would start a new nation; a nation which would become great: The nation of Israel. This is the promised land.

Abram's Part of the Covenant

All God asked of Abram was that he obey God and follow His plan - for this Abram would receive an even greater blessing.

The Family Line

From Abram's foundation and descendants came Jesus Christ who was born to save the world from sin. God saw into the future when He asked Abram to travel to Canaan. Abram obeyed even though it meant leaving everything he knew to travel into unknown territory.

How about us?

Are we willing to give up some of our comfort and security in order to go where God is leading us? If we take it upon ourselves to obey God I'm sure He has a plan for you and me just as He did with Abram.

Love in Christ

- Bob

Genesis 7:6-24 - Noah and the Flood