God’s Covenant with Abram
(Romans 4:1–12; Hebrews 11:8–19)
After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: Isa 41:10Psa 119:114Psa 84:11Heb 13:5-6Gen 26:24Isa 41:14Deu 33:26-29Lam 3:24
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Gen 25:211Sa 1:11Act 7:5Gen 12:1-3Gen 24:10Gen 24:2Gen 43:19Gen 44:1 Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.” Gen 14:14Pro 29:21Ecc 2:7Heb 10:35-36Jer 12:1Gen 12:2Gen 13:16Pro 13:12
Then the word of the LORD came to Abram, saying, “This one will not be your heir, but one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” Gen 17:162Sa 7:12Gal 4:28Gen 21:122Ch 32:21Phm 1:122Sa 16:11 And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.” 1 Heb 11:12Rom 4:18Deu 1:10Exo 32:13Gen 22:17Deu 10:22Jer 33:221Ch 27:23
Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness. 2 Jas 2:23Gal 3:6-14Rom 4:9Rom 4:20-25Rom 4:3-6Heb 11:8Psa 106:31Rom 4:11
The LORD also told him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” Gen 12:1Act 7:2-4Gen 13:15-17Neh 9:7-8Psa 105:42Psa 105:44Rom 4:13Gen 12:7
God Confirms His Promise
(Numbers 34:1–15; Romans 4:13–25)
But Abram replied, “Lord GOD, how can I know that I will possess it?” Luk 1:18Luk 1:342Ki 20:8Isa 7:11Jdg 6:17-24Jdg 6:36-40Psa 86:171Sa 14:9-10
And the LORD said to him, “Bring Me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a turtledove and a young pigeon.” Lev 14:22Lev 14:30Luk 2:24Lev 1:14Lev 3:1Lev 3:6Lev 9:2Gen 22:13
So Abram brought all these to Him, split each of them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. The birds, however, he did not cut in half. Jer 34:18-19Lev 1:17Gen 15:172Ti 2:15 And the birds of prey descended on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. Mat 13:4Psa 119:13Ezk 17:3Ezk 17:7 As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and suddenly great terror and darkness overwhelmed him. Gen 2:21Job 33:15Dan 10:8-91Sa 26:12Act 9:8-9Job 4:13-14Psa 4:3-5Act 20:9
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. Act 7:6-7Exo 1:11Exo 12:40-41Act 7:17Exo 1:1-2Gal 3:17Lev 19:34Exo 23:9 But I will judge the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will depart with many possessions. 3 Neh 9:9-11Exo 6:5-6Exo 12:32-38Jos 24:4-71Sa 12:8Deu 4:20Exo 7:1-14Psa 135:14 You, however, will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age. Job 5:26Gen 25:7-92Ch 34:28Num 27:13Dan 12:131Ch 29:28Act 13:36Ecc 12:7 In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” 1Ki 21:26Dan 8:23Exo 12:40Mat 23:32-351Th 2:162Pe 3:8-9Zec 5:5-11
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the halves of the carcasses. Jer 34:18-19Jdg 6:21Jer 11:41Ch 21:26Exo 3:2-32Sa 22:9Deu 4:20Isa 62:1 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates— Jos 1:3-4Gen 12:7Gen 24:7Gen 13:15Deu 11:24Exo 23:27-31Isa 27:12Neh 9:8 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Num 24:21-22 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Gen 14:5Isa 17:5 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” Deu 7:1Exo 23:23-28Exo 33:2Exo 34:11Gen 10:15-19Mat 8:28