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Bible Study Online ArticleLocated at the Bottom of Page In the last article we'd learned, that instead of Abram and Sarai trusting in God, and having the patience to wait on His plan to develop - when it came to them being able to start building a family. The Sacred Record reveals, that they'd decided to take matters into their own hands.
They started out, by coming up with a plan, that they would hope -- provide Abram with a child, that would become heir to his estate. In actuality, this was Sarai's (Abraham's wife) plan, and needless-to-say, she was able to convince Abram to go along with it. The plan dealt with an idea that Sarai had came up with, and this notion of her's, also included her maidservant Hagar. Understand that Sarai had decided, that she would give Hagar (as a wife) over to her husband Abram. And of course, with Hagar being Abram's wife, he would lay with her, in the hopes of being able to produce an heir through her. Know that Sarai was willing to do this, because she felt like, she would also benefit -- by being able to build her a family, through some other means. And make no mistake, panic had begun to set in for Sarai, for she was now found -- to be in the later stages of her life. And because of this, she had finally given herself over to the idea, that she would be forever barren: "So she said to Abram, 'The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.' Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife." -- Genesis 16:2,3 And as we would later learn, the plan had worked to some degree, for the Scared Record had revealed -- that Hagar had discovered, that she had become pregnant with Abram's child. But in spite of this so-called good news, all would not be well for Abram's household? For we would now find, that Sarai and Hagar, would end up finding themselves competing against each other. And because of this "strife" -- that had been created behind Hagar's pregnancy, Hagar would eventually leave Abram's household. But her departure wouldn't last for long, for the Sacred Record would reveal, that she had been visited by an angel as she rested by a water spring that was found in "The Wilderness of Shur" : "Go back to your mistress and submit to her and I will increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count. You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers." -- Genesis 16:9-12 So Hagar would return to Abram's household, and she would give birth to Abram's first born son, and she named him Ishmael -- just like the angel had foretold. Now as we begin to move forward, we find that thirteen years later, Abram was now 99 years old. And it's at this time, that the Lord decides to pay him a visit. Now upon this visit, God begins speaking to Abram, as we find him self-abasing himself facedown on his knees -- before the Lord: "I am God Almighty walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers. As for Me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram, your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. "I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, were you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." -- (Genesis 17:1-8) Now let's take a closer look at what God had just told Abram: Now apparently, what Abram and Sarai had done, when it came to them doing things their way -- instead of God's way? Seemed to have caused, Abram to fall out of fellowship with God for a limited time. The reason why I'm making such a claim, deals with the fact, that we now find that 13 years later -- God is ready to finish the work that he had already started in Abram. So for 13 years after Hagar had found herself to be with child, Abram hears nothing from God for 13 years. However that might have been, we now find God reminding, and reassuring Abram -- about the covenant that he had already made with him, earlier in his walk, some 13 years before. Now it's at this moment, God makes the covenant more personal, when it comes to Abram. For we find, that this particular covenant, could be seen as God's way -- to show Abram that He's ready for him to go to the next level. Notice how the Lord begins to do this, by changing his name? For we find that from this point forward, the name Abram, which meant (A High Father) -- will now be known, by the name "Abraham" with signifies (The Father of a Multitude). Know that this prophecy, would indeed come to pass. Also know, that it's still, very much in effect to this very day. Understand that Abraham would have great wealth, in all areas of his life. Kings would also come from his seed, that would find themselves reigning in areas like: Israel, Judah, Edom and the Saracens. Also know that great people have came, and continue to come, from Abraham's lineage. People like: Joseph, Moses, King David, John the Baptist, and Jesus Christ - just to name a few. Keep in mind that God had already promised this land to Abraham and his seed, but notice that this time around, He adds the word "everlasting?" Understand that the meaning of this word "everlasting", basically deals with things, that are eternal and never-ending. Now this does not mean, that the natural world would never end -- but this is a clear indication, that not only will Abraham's descendants continue to be God's chosen people, but perhaps -- but as this covenant stands at that time, heirs to His everlasting kingdom as well. Now before we move forward, I want to take a brief look, at how the Abrahamic Covenant would be modified throughout Israel's development as a nation. And we'll also take a look at, how this covenant still impacts us, to this very day and beyond. **YOUR CURRENT - BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES - WOULD BE HERE** Jacob - The Path of Uncertainty 01) Introduction of Abraham - Before He was Called 02) The Divine Calling of Abraham 04) The Strife between Abram and Lot 06) Abram's Mission to Rescue Lot 10) <-CURRENT - BIBLE STUDY ONLINE - PAGE-> Added to page 10) The Abrahamic Covenant and its Modification 11) Sarah the Mother of Nations 
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