The Promise: Genesis 12

This week we started a new teaching series on the story of Abraham. It’s a story about God’s promise to Abraham. Throughout the story, Abraham is wondering if God will be faithful to his promise. God has promised to make give Abraham land to live in, to make his name big, to give him a big family, and to bless him.

Abraham, in turn, is told to follow God to the land, and to be a blessing—to all the families of the earth.

Abraham is expected to go to the land. God is expected to give the land.

Abraham is expected to bless all families. God is expected to give Abraham a big family.

God is expected to bless Abraham.

So, the question throughout the story is: Will God be faithful to His promise? But, we simultaneously see another question arise: Will Abraham be faithful to God? Will he be a blessing to all the families (nations) around him?

In Genesis 12, we saw Abraham fail miserably by immediately leaving the land, and then bring curses upon Pharaoh in Egypt (the first other nation he dealt with).

Will we be faithful to God’s call upon us? He has made us into a new family as the spiritual children of Abraham (Galatians 3:7). Will we bless all the families of the earth? Will we follow God’s lead?