Genesis 12 God's Promises

Genesis 12 Abram – God’s Promises
Listing of genealogy from Shem to Abram.
Read Genesis 12:1-9
Beginning in chapter 12, God promises Abram several things:
Go forth to the land I will show you. (No If).
• I will make you a great nation. Israel.
• I will bless you. “face to face”, Multiple promises, a son, wealth, the line of Jesus
• I will make your name great. – It’s great.
• You shall be a blessing. - His faith is still a blessing.
• I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you, I will curse.
• In you all the families of the earth will be blessed. – Jesus – Of course.

V7 – I will give this land to your descendents. (Canaan)

God kept His promises to Abram.

Promises in the Bible
God will keep all his promises
Psalm 89:34 My covenant I will not violate, Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips.

Some promises are to us (believers, followers of Christ)
James 1:5, NIV. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

Some promises are made to individuals in the Bible
Abram

Some Promises are positive, some are negative.
Genesis 3:14-19 – God promised to curse the serpent, the woman, and Adam.

Promises must be understood in the context in which they are presented
Jeremiah 30:17- For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds,' declares the LORD, 'Because they have called you an outcast, saying: "It is Zion; no one cares for her."'

This verse is presented in the context of delivering Israel and Judah from captivity. Their “sickness” or lack of health is presented figuratively and their deliverance is described as a restoration to health. Picking out promises without understanding the context is dangerous.

Some promises reveal something about God’s character
Numbers 14:17 18'The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.'

Some promises are for the future
Revelation 21:4, NIV. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."