Christian Stories - Biblical Stories
Instead of waiting on the Lord, Abram and Sarai decided to take matters into their own hands. They came up with a plan that would provide Abram with a child that would become heir to his estate. Sarai felt like she would also benefit from this plan, being that this would be a chance for her to build a family through other means, since she had considered herself forever barren. This plan would include Sarai's Egyptian maidservant Hagar. Sarai would give her husband Abram permission to marry and lay with Hagar. Soon after, Hagar would find that she had become pregnant with Abram's child. But all would not be well for Abram's household, being that Sarai and Hagar would find themselves competing against each other. This would lead to Hagar leaving Abram's household, but after she had been visited by an angel -- Hagar would return. She would give birth to Abram's first born son and named him Ishmael. Now we find that thirteen years later, Abram was now ninety-nine years old and the Lord decides to pay him a visit: "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) This is what God told Abram as he had self-abased himself facedown on his knees. "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." Apparently what Abram and Sarai had done when it came to them doing things their way instead of God's way, had caused Abram to fall out of fellowship with God. So therefore, we now find that thirteen years later; God is ready to finish the work that he had already started in Abram. So He reminds and reassures Abram about the covenant that he had already made with him. "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." Now God makes a more personal covenant with Abram, and to show Abram that He is ready for him to go to the next level, he begins by changing his name. From this point foreword -- Abram (A High Father) -- will now be known as -- Abraham (The Father of a Multitude) "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." This would indeed come to pass and is still very much in effect this very day. Abraham would have great wealth in all areas of his life. He would also bore kings that would reign in areas like Israel, Judah, Edom and the Saracens. 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. "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" God had already promised this land to Abraham and his seed, but this time He adds the word everlasting. Now the meaning of this word deals with things that are eternal and never ending. 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 heirs to His everlasting kingdom as well. But keep in mind that this covenant which is known at this time as "The Abrahamic Covenant" would continue to be added to and expanded by God as the world's population grew throughout time. Because of the sinful practices that Abraham's descendants had committed, God revised His original covenant with Abram through King David. In this revised covenant, God reassures David that a descendant of his, will still rule an everlasting kingdom. This promise alone is what keeps God's original covenant with Abram still in tact but revised through David. Abraham descendants continued to break the laws that God had put before them. So God would allow the Babylonians to conquer them and bring them into captivity. Through Jeremiah, God would reassure His people of the covenant that He had made through their forefathers but it would be revised again. This time the covenant would make people accountable for their own individuals sins instead of making the people or nation suffer as a whole. This covenant includes and mentions the privilege of having a personal relationship with God. Mentions the gift of forgiveness that God would bestow on all his believers. But more importantly, this covenant also points to the great tribulation and the Messiah (Jesus Christ) "In those days and at that time I will make a righteous branch sprout from Davids line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness." (Jeremiah 33: 15-16)
During the "Last Supper" just before Jesus was about to be tormented and crucified for our sins. He revised the New Covenant that God had given to Jeremiah. Since Abraham's descendants had rejected him as their Messiah, the Blood Covenant will now include all believers who accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior (and not just Abraham's descendants) the right to an everlasting life. Sure they will still have everything that Jeremiah had pointed out to them in the New Covenant -- this is their right -- after all they are God's chosen people. But as for the rest of us on this planet, we now have a chance through Jesus Christ to have an everlasting life as well. And I thank God everyday for allowing all of us the privilege and honor of being eternal heirs to His everlasting kingdom. Thank you Father my Most High God - The Creator of all things for allowing all of us a chance to be redeemed. Thank you so much for I know that you truly love us all - Thank you in Jesus name... Amen. 01) Introduction of Abraham - Before He was Called 02) The Divine Calling of Abraham 04) The Strife between Abram and Lot 10) <-CURRENT PAGE-> 11) Sarah the Mother of Nations 13) Abraham Bargains for Sodom 14) Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed 15) The Judgment of Lot's Wife 17) Abimelech Angry with Abraham  CrossDaily.com Web Search where you can VOTE FOR THIS SITE & other great ones. Christian search engine, directory & voting index. You'll find Bible, chat, churches, jobs, music, reviews, software, theology, & more. See the best sites!
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