The Three Covenants of Abraham

[manichunter]

How many covenants did God make with Abraham? God made three different covenants with Abraham. They all foreshodaw the work of redemption by God towards mankind that was done by Jesus. Why did God make three covenants with Abraham? What does each covenant represent? 1.The first covenant was: Genesis 15:9-18 9So He said to him, "Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." 10Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. 11And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him. 13Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." 17And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. 18On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: (Hint- A covenant was made with Adam that shows God relating to all of mankind and giving them an inheritance, but mankind as a whole went prodigal and was unable to come back on their own) This is the initial covenant made to all and it assign to all an inheritance.2.Then God makes another covenant:Genesis 17:1-11 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. 2And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly." 3Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4"As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. 7And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. 8Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." 9And God said to Abraham: "As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.(Hint- A covenant was made with Jacob and his name was changed to Israel) This is the covenant being entrusted to a called out nation that were suppose to administer the covenant to the other nations.3.The last covenant was:Genesis 22:9-18 9Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am." 12And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." 13Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided." 15Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16and said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son-- 17blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." (Hint- one word "Jesus") This is the renewed covenant in which God takes care of the sacrifice on mankind's behalf making the covenant eternal and unbreakable.There is so much more I discovered today when God told me to read Genesis today. I learned that Abraham and Noah followed the Torah before it was given to Moses and Israel. I learned that Isaac was just as devout towards God as Abraham. I learned that Lot was considered more of a son to Abraham that nephew, since Lot's father was dead. Lot, however, wanted to live a compromised lifestyle. I learned that Abraham had a trained fighting force of about 318 men at any given time. I wonder how many people he actually travelled with. I saw that Rebekah prayed and talked with God by herself. Regarding the revelation of these covenants, are these covenants just one covenant given in separate manifestations that reveal one covenant being expanded and built upon for one great work.

 

[tim_from_pa]

Yes, this is something that some of us here were saying all along regarding the Abrahamic covenant(s). Actually, we find promises in Genesis 12,13,15,17,21,and 22.Since there were doubtless quite a few times that God talked with Abraham, I personally look at these covenants as an unfolding of God's purpose synonymous with future events as you pointed out.However, there is one thing here you said that most people "do not get".
Hint- A covenant was made with Jacob and his name was changed to Israel) This is the covenant being entrusted to a called out nation that were suppose to administer the covenant to the other nations.
It is by Israel and through Israel that the blessing to the fallen world would come.So.... we have the one seed, Christ, that came from Israel that blessed the whole world, and then we have many seed as sand of the seashore and stars of heaven that bless the world.It's the latter part of this blessing that I want to point out something here. Does it make sense that the Law portion of the Covenant was entrusted to Israel and then the grace (New Covenant) entrusted to non-Israelite Gentile nations?If that's the case, then God has forsaken His people and not used them the way He promised. You see, Abraham was not promised only one nation of people, but many. These promises stand along side of promises of Messiah and they all either have to be true, or go out the window by default.These were passed to Isaac, then Jacob, and then the tribe of Joseph. Jesus was not from Joseph, but from the tribe of Judah which only inherited the right to rule and law-making functions.So, the whole point of these promises were the foretelling of Messiah as you pointed out, but also to foretell many nations of people who would present Messiah. Most of the NW European nations, Britain, and the USA which were traditionally Christians nations that brought the gospel to the world is the real Israel. And by that, I do not mean that the church replaced Israel, but indeed many in the church actually are Israelites unbeknownst to themselves that fulfilled their God appointed destiny of becoming many nations, yes, even superpower nations destined to bless this fallen world according to the promises that you pointed out.

 

[tomwebster]

(tim_from_pa;56603)
... Jesus was not from Joseph, but from the tribe of Judah ...
AND Levi. Mary's mother was 100% of Levi.

 

[tim_from_pa]

(tomwebster;56606)
AND Levi. Mary's mother was 100% of Levi.
True.... we tend to get all excited over the King that we forget the Priest-King role and tend to downplay Levi. My genealogy hanging on my wall here at home also shows the Levitical lineage as you stated.