I believe we have all made promises we couldn’t keep. However, when God makes a promise, it becomes a covenant — a contract if you will.
Genesis 12 describes what happens when God makes His promise to Abram.
In this Bible passage and study lesson from Genesis, Abram sets out for what will become the promised land.
At this time Noah’s ordeal is over and God has separated the languages at the tower of Babel.
After God gave Abram the promise of Canaan, he obeyed.
The Promise from God and the Obedience of Abram
Now the Lord said to Abram,
“Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. – Genesis 12:1-4 NASB
From Abram to Abraham – Which is It?
Note: Sometimes we take for granted that everyone knows Abram became Abraham. And I was confused at one point as well.
Just for fun, I looked up the name meaning at Dictionary.com and it stated simply: “an earlier name of Abraham. Genesis 17:5.“
Abram answers God’s call
At God’s call to Abram, he picked up his belongings and left for another land; a land of strangers.
Verse 4 simply says; “Abram left.” It almost seems like a footnote, showing how much faith he had, but he obeyed without hesitation.
This unconditional show of faith is a far cry from what we’ll see in Exodus as Israel complains in the desert for lack of faith. But that’s another story.
How Far is Canaan?
According to the map, the indirect route (to avoid the desert) took him somewhere between 600-800 miles. Quite a distance to cover on foot.
Despite the long journey, Abram decided to take it. Why? Because God told him to.
Being Obedient to God
Because Abram had such faith in God, he followed the directions God gave him. He obeyed.
The Covenant of God
God’s covenant (promise) to Abram was that he would start a new nation (Israel) which is the promised land.
The Covenant of Abram
Abram would receive an even greater blessing if he obeyed God and followed His plan.
The Family Line
As a result of Abram’s foundation and descendants, Jesus Christ was born to save the world from sin.
Even though it meant leaving everything he knew to travel into unknown territory, God saw into the future when He asked Abram to travel to Canaan.
What about Us?
The question for us is, can we give up some of our comfort and security to follow God’s lead?
Just as He did with Abram, I’m sure God has a plan for you and me — if we obey Him.
Love in Christ
– Bob
See John 3:16 to learn more about Jesus Christ’s love and life-changing experience.