GENESIS 17
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”
– Genesis 17:1-8
GENESIS 17 THE FATHER OF A MULTITUDE OF NATIONS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Before Abram was a hundred years old, God showed himself to him
In this covenant meeting, Abram’s name was changed to Abraham
God altered his name to Abraham which means father of multitudes
Abram was humbled and fell on his face and listened intently.
As part of the covenant, Abraham was required to walk with God
He had to be righteous and blameless so he can multiply much
Abraham’s lineage will bear kings in it and he will possess Canaan
The Lord also promised Abraham it will be an everlasting possession.
Can you imagine how Abraham would have felt at his age when he finally begins to get a clearer glimpse of what God’s plan was for his life? He was seventy-five when he was first asked to leave Ur without really knowing what’s ahead of him. Seventy-four years of waiting on details from God. It shows Abraham’s great faith in God. His faith is now paying off. God promised him that he will be the father of a multitude of nations. What an honor and a privilege! But that promise came with a requirement for a blameless life.
REFLECTION
- What can we learn about God’s character in this account?
