Why God Chose Abraham
Genesis 12-22
By David Feddes

12:1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him.

15:1 “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great… 
5 “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them… So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly. 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.” 7 “And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. 8 And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings… for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

18:18 “Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. 19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

22:16 “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”


Chosen to

  • Relate with God
  • Get blessings
  • Bless all nations
  • Live by faith
  • Anticipate Jesus


Relate with God

  • Leave old home ruled by idols
  • Seek new home ruled by God
  • Live in covenant faithfulness
  • Love God as dearest friend


Get blessings

  • Great name
  • Great nation
  • Great offspring
  • Great reward
  • Great land


Bless all nations
In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed (22:18).
It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. (Galatians 3:16)


Live by faith

  • Shaky faith of ungodly sinner
  • Faith reckoned as righteousness
  • Active faith shown real by deeds
  • Faith in Lamb and resurrection


Anticipate Jesus

  • Rejoices to see Jesus’ day
  • Rescues from enemies
  • Pays honor to priest-king
  • Intercedes for others
  • Offers his beloved son


Chosen to

  • Relate with God
  • Get blessings
  • Bless all nations
  • Live by faith
  • Anticipate Jesus


Last modified: Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 8:32 AM