Lesson 09 – Covenant, Hagar, and Circumcision (Genesis 15-17)
Lesson 9 – God's Covenant with Abram
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Scripture Passage: Genesis 15:1-17:27
This post and others in the series are adapted from the content of the lesson syllabus authored by group moderator Rob Perry. Content is for study and research only, not for other distribution without written permission. Contact the webmaster, Mike Foxworth.
OPEN IT
1. When have you had a scheme that you concocted backfire on you?
EXPLORE IT
2. Why did the Lord tell Abram not to be afraid? (Gen.15:1)
3. What did the Lord promise Abram? (Gen.15:4-5)
4. How did the Lord show Abram that he would take possession of the Promised Land? (Gen.15:7-17)
5. What did Sarai tell Abram to do in light of their childlessness? (Gen.16:1-2)
6. How did Sarai respond after Hagar became pregnant? (Gen.16:4-6)
7. What happened to Hagar after she fled from Sarai? (Gen.16:7-16)
8. Why did the Lord change Abram's name to Abraham? (Gen.17:1-5)
9. What sort of covenant did the Lord establish with Abraham? (Gen.17:6-8)
How were Abraham and his descendants supposed to keep the covenant that the Lord had established with
them?
(Gen.17:9-14)
10. How did the Lord promise to bless Sarai? (Gen.17:15-16)
11. How did Abraham respond to the Lord's promise? (Gen.17:17-18)
12. What promises did the Lord make with respect to Isaac and Ishmael? (Gen.17:19-21)
13. What did Abraham do when God had finished speaking to him? (Gen.17:23-27)
GET IT
14. When have you been tempted to take ungodly steps to achieve a godly goal?
15. Why is it sometimes difficult to trust God and His timing in our lives?
APPLY IT
16. Where do you need to trust God's timing instead of forcing your own plan?
Explore It Answers
This section is designed to prompt thoughts about how and why to derive each scripture-based answer, so the actual answer is based upon individual study and may not be fully disclosed here. Here, also, are parallel verses for the key scripture texts.
Biblical Answer 2
Why did the Lord tell Abram not to be afraid? (Gen.15:1)
Key Scripture: Genesis 15:1 | Parallel Texts: Genesis 1:27; Genesis 9:6; James 3:9
Biblical Answer 3
What did the Lord promise Abram? (Gen.15:4-5)
Key Scripture: Genesis 15:4-5 | Parallel Texts: Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6
Biblical Answer 4
How did the Lord show Abram that he would take possession of the Promised Land? (Gen.15:7-17)
Key Scripture: Genesis 15:7-17 | Parallel Texts: Genesis 9:13; Isaiah 54:9-10; Revelation 4:3
Biblical Answer 5
What did Sarai tell Abram to do in light of their childlessness? (Gen.16:1-2)
Key Scripture: Genesis 16:1-2 | Parallel Texts: Psalm 24:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 14:12
Biblical Answer 6
How did Sarai respond after Hagar became pregnant? (Gen.16:4-6)
Key Scripture: Genesis 16:4-6 | Parallel Texts: Romans 12:18; Proverbs 16:7; Matthew 5:9
Biblical Answer 7
What happened to Hagar after she fled from Sarai? (Gen.16:7-16)
Key Scripture: Genesis 16:7-16 | Parallel Texts: James 1:19-20; Proverbs 15:1; Ephesians 4:31-32
Biblical Answer 8
Why did the Lord change Abram's name to Abraham? (Gen.17:1-5)
Key Scripture: Genesis 17:1-5 | Parallel Texts: Deuteronomy 32:8; Acts 17:26; Revelation 7:9
Biblical Answer 9
What sort of covenant did the Lord establish with Abraham? (Gen.17:6-8)
Key Scripture: Genesis 17:6-8 | Parallel Texts: Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6
Biblical Answer 10
How did the Lord promise to bless Sarai? (Gen.17:15-16)
Key Scripture: Genesis 17:15-16 | Parallel Texts: Genesis 9:13; Isaiah 54:9-10; Revelation 4:3
Biblical Answer 11
How did Abraham respond to the Lord's promise? (Gen.17:17-18)
Key Scripture: Genesis 17:17-18 | Parallel Texts: James 1:19-20; Proverbs 15:1; Ephesians 4:31-32
Biblical Answer 12
What promises did the Lord make with respect to Isaac and Ishmael? (Gen.17:19-21)
Key Scripture: Genesis 17:19-21 | Parallel Texts: Genesis 9:13; Isaiah 54:9-10; Revelation 4:3
Biblical Answer 13
What did Abraham do when God had finished speaking to him? (Gen.17:23-27)
Key Scripture: Genesis 17:23-27 | Parallel Texts: Genesis 10:32; Deuteronomy 32:8; Acts 2:6-11
Commentary Summary
In Genesis 15:1-17:27, God's Covenant with Abram highlights doctrinal themes such as God’s character, human accountability, and the certainty of His redemptive purpose. The climax of God's covenant concerning Abram's heirs is emphasized by the signs given to him as reminders: the change of his name to Abraham and of his wife's name to Sarah. The emphasis is theological, asking what the text teaches about creation, covenant, judgment, grace, salvation, and the trustworthiness of God. This summary is designed to identify the major truths being taught, not merely repeat the narrative details.
In God's Covenant with Abram, the flow of Genesis 15:1-17:27 emphasizes practical faith, obedience, and response to God. Most importantly, the sign of circumcision will be a reminder not only to Abraham, but also to future generations. The focus here is pastoral and applicational, showing how the lesson challenges the reader to trust, repent, endure, worship, and walk in obedience. This summary is intentionally more devotional and exhortational so it does not simply duplicate the doctrinal wording used in the other commentary summaries.
Within the broader storyline of Genesis and the Bible as a whole, Genesis 15:1-17:27 helps move forward the pattern of promise, failure, mercy, and restoration that runs through Scripture. Circumcision, however, was not merely an outward sign. This summary is shaped to sound more like a Bible Project overview by emphasizing literary flow, biblical themes, and how the lesson contributes to the unified story of Scripture. The goal is to locate the passage in the wider narrative rather than repeat the same doctrinal or devotional emphasis.
Last Week
God's promises to multiply Abram's offspring and give them dominion over the land found partial fulfillment in the days of Solomon. But they point further to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Those who follow in the footsteps of Abram's faith are being multiplied in every nation and will one day inherit the earth.
This Week
The climax of God's covenant concerning Abram's heirs is emphasized by the signs given to him as reminders: the change of his name to Abraham and of his wife's name to Sarah. Most importantly, the sign of circumcision will be a reminder not only to Abraham, but also to future generations. Circumcision, however, was not merely an outward sign.
Next Week
Meaning God's protection of Abraham is presented in this chapter but not in a way that excuses Abraham's repeated sin of deceiving others about his relationship to Sarah. Abraham offered Abimelech a flimsy excuse for his duplicitous portrayal of Sarah as his sister: that Sarah actually was his half-sister. Abimelech threw that attempt at self-justification right back at Abraham, telling Sarah to give the silver he gave to her to her brother.
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