What does Genesis 12:2 Mean?

Study Notes

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For analysis and summary of the Abrahamic Covenant, .

covenant

The Abrahamic Covenant as formed Genesis 12:1-4 and confirmed; Genesis 13:14-17 ; Genesis 15:1-7 ; Genesis 17:1-8 is in seven distinct parts:

(1) "I will make of thee a great nation." Fulfilled in a threefold way:

(a) In a natural posterity--"as the dust of the earth Genesis 13:16 ; John 8:37 , viz. the Hebrew people.

(b) In a spiritual posterity--"look now toward heaven. .. so shall thy seed be" John 8:39 ; Romans 4:16 ; Romans 4:17 ; Romans 9:7 ; Romans 9:8 ; Galatians 3:6 ; Galatians 3:7 ; Galatians 3:29 viz. all men of faith, whether Jew or Gentile.

(c) fulfilled also through Ishmael Genesis 17:18-20

(2) "I will bless thee." Fulfilled in two ways:

(a) temporally Genesis 13:14 ; Genesis 13:15 ; Genesis 13:17 ; Genesis 15:18 ; Genesis 24:34 ; Genesis 24:35 (b) spiritually; Genesis 15:6 ; John 8:56

(3) "And make thy name great." Abraham's is one of the universal names.

(4) "And thou shalt be a blessing" Galatians 3:13 ; Galatians 3:14

(5) "I will bless them that bless thee." In fulfilment closely related to the next clause.

(6) "And curse him that curseth thee." Wonderfully fulfilled in the history of the dispersion. It has invariably fared ill with the people who have persecuted the Jew--well with those who have protected him. The future will still more remarkably prove this principle Deuteronomy 30:7 ; Isaiah 14:1 ,; Joel 3:1-8 ; Micah 5:7-9 ; Haggai 2:22 ; Zechariah 14:1-3 ; Matthew 25:40 ; Matthew 25:45 .

(7) "In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." This is the great evangelic promise fulfilled in Abraham's Seed, Christ Galatians 3:16 ; John 8:56-58 .

It brings into greater definiteness the promise of the Adamic Covenant concerning the Seed of the woman Genesis 3:15

NOTE.--The gift of the land is modified by prophecies of three dispossessions and restorations Genesis 15:13 ; Genesis 15:14 ; Genesis 15:16 ; Jeremiah 25:11 ; Jeremiah 25:12 ; Deuteronomy 28:62-65 ; Deuteronomy 30:1-3 . Two dispossessions and restorations have been accomplished. Israel is now in the third dispersion, from which she will be restored at the return of the Lord as King under the Davidic Covenant; Deuteronomy 30:3 ; Jeremiah 23:5-8 ; Ezekiel 37:21-25 ; Luke 1:30-33 ; Acts 15:14-17

See, for the other seven covenants:

EDENIC (See Scofield " Genesis 1:28 ") ADAMIC See Scofield " Genesis 3:15 " NOAHIC See Scofield " Genesis 9:1 " MOSAIC See Scofield " Exodus 19:25 " PALESTINIAN See Scofield " Deuteronomy 30:3 " DAVIDIC See Scofield " 2 Samuel 7:16 " NEW See Scofield " Hebrews 8:8 "

Context Summary

God's commands are always associated with promises. Count the shalls and wills here. He does not give His reasons, but He is lavish of His promises. The keynote of Abram's life was Separation. Step by step, until country, kindred, Lot, worldly alliances and fleshly expedients were one by one cast aside and he stood alone with God! Though he knew not whither he went, the father of the faithful obeyed, and crossed the wide and perilous deserts. It was this absolute and unquestioning obedience that endeared him to God. Let us ever obey and step out, though it seems as though there were nought but seething mist. We shall find it solidify under the tread of faith. Read Romans 4:16; Hebrews 11:8. Notice the combination of the Tent and Altar. The tent-life is natural to the man whose portion is God; and where he pitches his tent he will rear his altar. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 12

¹  God calls Abram, and blesses him with a promise of Christ
⁴  He departs with Lot from Haran, and comes to Canaan
⁶  He journeys through Canaan,
⁷  which is promised to him in a vision
¹⁰  He is driven by famine into Egypt
¹¹  Fear makes him feign his wife to be his sister
¹⁴  Pharaoh, having taken her from him, is compelled to restore her
¹⁸  Pharaoh reproves Abram, whom he dismisses