Abrahamic Covenant

What is a covenant?

A covenant is sometimes between two people, but more likely it is between God and man. In a covenant, God sets the terms and we accept them. The gospel is organized so that principles and ordinances are received under covenant and are associated with a responsibility and obligation to honor them (Bible Dictionary, Covenant).

Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-16; 15:4-7, 18; 17:1-10, 15-19; Abraham 1:18-19; 2:9-11

What Abraham Promises to Do:	What the Lord Promises to do:
·         Abraham is commanded to be perfect and to walk uprightly before God.	·         Promised Abraham land for his seed, would receive promised lands for an eternal inheritance ·         Promised Abraham would have seed as numerous as the dust of the earth and as the stars in the heavens. Through his seed all families of the earth will be blessed. ·         He was promised and given the priesthood to share the gospel

                The Abrahamic Covenant is important to me and pertains to me because I am promised these same blessing because of the covenants that I have made.  I am part of the covenant people, the seed of Abraham because of the covenants that I have entered into, particularly the covenants of baptism and eternal marriage. The Bible Dictionary teaches that “the portions of the covenant that pertain to personal salvation and eternal increase are renewed with each individual who receives the ordinance of celestial marriage.” I have the responsibility to live as Abraham did, to walk uprightly before God, and I have the responsibility to share the gospel with all people.

Doctrine and Covenants 132 helps to understand Genesis 16 and why Abraham took Hagar to wife. In D&C 132:34 we learn that God commanded Abraham and Sarah to give Hagar to Abraham to wife. Because the Lord commanded it, Abraham was not sinning. By doing this he “was fulfilling, among other things, the promises” (D&C 132:34). In verse 63 we learn that “they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth, according to my commandment, and to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men” (D&C 132:63). Thus Abraham was fulfilling the promises made to him when he took Hagar to wife.

The name Abram means exalted father. The name Abraham means father of a multitude. The name Sarai means contentions or is another form of the name Sarah. The name Sarah means princess. These name changes are related to the covenant that was made. Abraham is an exalted father, but he is the father of a multitude. Sarah’s name is important because she is part of the covenant with Abraham. She has responsibilities to Abraham and to the Lord to be able to receive those promises of being a queen to Abraham to rule with him forever.