Genesis 17:1-8
In chapter 15 God even took a legal oath to keep his promise to Abram. Now God appears and changes the man’s name from Abram which means “high father,” to Abraham, which means “father of a multitude.” By this change God assures Abraham that he “will be the father of many nations.” Abraham’s wife’s name was also changed from Sarai (“princely”) to Sarah (“Princess”). This promise went beyond all that Abraham could have imagined. It even includes us, whatever nation we come from, Faith in God’s promise makes us part of Abraham’s family forever.
God’s Promise To Abraham
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the Almighty God. Obey me and always do what is right. I will make my covenant with you and give you many descendants.” Abram bowed down with his face touching the ground, and God said, “I make this covenant with you: I promise that you will be the ancestor of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, because I am making you the ancestor of many nations. I will give you many descendants, and some of them will be kings. You will have so many descendants that they will become nations. “I will keep my promise to you and to your descendants in future generations as an everlasting covenant. I will be your God and the God of your descendants. I will give to you and to your descendants this land in which you are now a foreigner. The whole land of Canaan will belong to your descendants forever, and I will be their God.”
