Read for This Week’s Study: Genesis 15–19:29; Rom. 4:3,
4, 9, 22; Gal. 4:21–31; Rom 4:11; Rom. 9:9; Amos 4:11.
Memory Text: “But Abram said, ‘Lord G od , what will You give me,
seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ ”
(Genesis 15:2, NKJV).
W
ith Genesis 15, we come to the crucial moment when God for-
malizes His covenant with Abraham. The Abrahamic covenant
is the second covenant, after the covenant with Noah.
Like Noah’s covenant, Abraham’s covenant involves other nations, as
well, for ultimately, the covenant with Abraham is part of the everlast-
ing covenant, which is offered to all humanity (Gen. 17:7, Heb. 13:20).
This episode of Abraham’s life is full of fear and laughter. Abram is
afraid (Gen. 15:1), as are Sarah (Gen. 18:15) and Hagar (Gen. 21:17).
Abram laughs (Gen. 17:17), and Sarah (Gen. 18:12), and Ishmael,
too (Gen. 21:9, ESV). These chapters resonate with human sensitivity
and warmth. Abram is passionate about the salvation of the wicked
Sodomites; he is caring toward Sarah, Hagar, and Lot; and he is hospi­
table toward the three foreigners (Gen. 18:2–6).
It is in this context that Abram, whose name implies nobility and
respectability, will have his name changed into Abraham, which means
“father of many nations” (Gen. 17:5). Thus, we see here more hints of
the universal nature of what God plans to do through His covenant with
Abraham.