Gospel Outreach International

This Bible study explores Genesis chapters 15 and 16, examining God’s covenant with Abram and the complications that arose from human impatience. The study addresses a fundamental question that many believers grapple with: How can we be certain of God’s promises when circumstances seem impossible? Through Abram’s story of receiving divine confirmation despite having no children, and Sarah’s attempt to help God’s plan along through Hagar, we discover profound truths about God’s unchangeable nature, His protection of those who trust Him, and His patient work in our lives even when we make mistakes.

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” Genesis 15:1

• God’s unchangeable nature is a foundational biblical truth - He is incapable of change because of His utter perfection
• All biblical covenants are sealed in blood, with the current covenant being sealed through Christ’s work on the cross
• Divine protection is promised to people of faith - nothing in the spiritual realm can take believers from God’s hand
• God graciously calls people to Himself to make covenants, but we cannot make agreements with God on our own terms
• The current covenant is “whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” which requires repentance and turning away from sin
• God often confirms His calling and covenant with believers over time, providing encouragement and reward
• Abram’s lack of offspring seemed to contradict God’s promise of descendants, yet God confirmed the covenant would be fulfilled
• Sarah’s impatience in arranging for Hagar to bear children produced Ishmael, leading to ongoing conflict in the Middle East
• The promised land extends from the River Nile to the River Euphrates - a massive territory
• God is patient with nations and individuals, giving time for repentance before judgment
• Prophecy serves not to tell the future, but to witness that what God said would happen has occurred
• Our decisions can affect others down through generations, as seen with Sarah and Hagar
• God sees us in our afflictions and feels them with us, as expressed in the name “Jehovah El Rohai” - the God who sees me
• God knows each person’s character even before birth, as demonstrated when He named Ishmael while still in the womb
• There is nowhere we can be hidden from God’s sight - He sees, hears, and answers

So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” Genesis 16:13

The heart of this message really comes down to Jesus - from the blood covenant sealed on the cross to the promise that His salvation is complete and finished. As the teacher reminded us, Christ suffered for us as the man of sorrows, and if we can add even one thread to what He accomplished, we’re lost. But praise God, we don’t have to! The work is done, the covenant is sealed, and whether you’ve just accepted Him today or you’ve been walking with Him for years, He sees you, He’s with you in your afflictions, and He’s not finished working on you yet. We’re all still a work in progress, aren’t we? What a God we’ve got indeed!

Bible References

• Genesis 15-16:
• Hebrews 11
• John 3:16
• Hebrews 13:8
• Joel 2:32
• Romans 10:13
• Psalm 139