23 The Abrahamic Covenant
23 The Abrahamic Covenant
Just like us today, Abraham entered into a covenant with the
Lord. With us it begins at baptism.
Some of the parallels between Abraham’s day and our day:
Male children were circumcised at eight days old as a token
of the covenant their parents had made and that they would make at eight years
old.
Today, our children are often given a name and a blessing as
an ordinance. It is not a necessary ordinance for salvation, but it does show
that the parents want to raise their children in the faith and help them to be
ready for baptism and covenant making at eight years old.
Through further study, we know that Abraham sought after the
gifts and blessings that he knew the righteous fathers before him had, and that
the priesthood was handed down through Adam to his righteous sons and to theirs
as well.
He desired that too, and he sought after the covenants and the blessings
associated with his desire to follow Jesus Christ. As a result, He entered into
a celestial marriage with Sarah, as we can also do in our temples today.
Because of their covenants and their righteousness, they were told that their
posterity would be as the sands of the sea and the stars of the sky. This
posterity would continue beyond their mortal lives. And the priesthood would be
preserved through Abraham’s seed, so that all the families of the earth could
be blessed with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Abrahamic Covenant is again available to us today,
through the principles and ordinances of the gospel, including faith in Jesus
Christ, repentance, baptism, and receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost; and
through the ordinances and covenants made in holy temples.
Abraham first received the gospel by baptism (which is the
covenant of salvation). Then he had conferred upon him the higher priesthood,
and he entered into celestial marriage (which is the covenant of exaltation),
gaining assurance thereby that he would have eternal increase. Finally he
received a promise that all of these blessings would be offered to all of his
mortal posterity (D&C
132:29–50; Abr.
2:6–11). Included in the divine promises to Abraham were the assurances
that (1) Christ would come through his lineage, and that (2) Abraham’s
posterity would receive certain lands as an eternal inheritance (Gen.
17; 22:15–18; Gal.
3; Abr.
2). These promises taken together are called the “Abrahamic covenant.” It
was renewed with Isaac (Gen.
26:1–4, 24) and again with Jacob (Gen.
28; 35:9–13; 48:3–4).
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 (see D&C
132:29–33). Those of non-Israelite lineage, commonly known as Gentiles, are
adopted into the house of Israel and become heirs of the covenant and the seed
of Abraham through the ordinances of the gospel (Gal.
3:26–29).
Being an heir to the Abrahamic covenant does not make one a
“chosen person” per se but does signify that such are chosen to responsibly
carry the gospel to all the peoples of the earth. Abraham’s seed have carried
out the missionary activity in all the nations since Abraham’s day. (Matt.
3:9; Abr.
2:9–11.)
To fulfill the covenant God made with Abraham—having
particular reference to the fact that the literal seed of his body would be
entitled to all of the blessings of the gospel (Abr.
2:10–11)—a number of specific and particular things must take place in the
last days. The gospel must be restored, the priesthood must be conferred again
upon man, the keys of the sealing power must be given again to mortals, Israel
must be gathered, and the Holy Ghost must be poured out upon the Gentiles. All
this has already taken place or is in process of fulfillment. See also Adoption; Gentile.
The Abrahamic covenant
- What
is the Abrahamic covenant? A covenant between God and man that enables us,
through the atonement of Jesus Christ, to walk back into our Father’s
presence and enjoy all the blessings He has to give to His faithful sons
and daughter.
- How
can I receive the Abrahamic covenant? Through baptism and through temple
covenants, ordinances, and endowments.
- Why
does the Abrahamic covenant matter to me? Because I know that my Heavenly
Father loves me, He has provided a plan for my eternal happiness and
progression.
Through baptism and temple covenants, how can we become
rightful heirs in the kingdom of God?
Abraham
1:2 2 And, finding there was greater happiness and
peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right
whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a
follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed
great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to
possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince
of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the
commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the
right belonging to the fathers.
Listen to the Lord’s promise to Abraham because of the
covenant he made with Him.
Abraham
1:18 18 Behold, I will lead thee by my hand, and I will take
thee, to put upon thee my name, even the Priesthood of thy father, and my power
shall be over thee.
Read Genesis
12:2–3, 7
Journal Activity
|
The
Lord’s blessings promised to Abraham |
The
Lord’s blessings promised to me |
|
Doctrine
and Covenants 132:19–22, 30–31 |
The following is a list of some of the blessings students
might find:
- Genesis
12:2; 17:1–2,
4–6: father of many nations; multiplied exceedingly; exceeding
fruitful (In Hebrew, the name Abram means “exalted
father,” and the name Abraham means “father of many.”)
- Genesis
12:3; 17:7:
all the families of the earth blessed by his posterity; God’s covenant to
continue with Abraham’s posterity
- Genesis
12:7; 17:8:
land of Canaan
- Abraham
2:11: priesthood
Students may also identify the phrase “kings shall come out
of thee” (Genesis
17:6). This refers to the kings that would rule both Israel and Judah; but
more importantly, it refers to Jesus Christ (see Matthew
1:1; Revelation
19:16).
You may want to point out that the covenant God made with
Abraham is known as the Abrahamic covenant. Explain that it is how God offers
His greatest blessings to His children. God reaffirmed this covenant with
Abraham multiple times in his life (see Genesis
13:14–17; 15:5,
18; 22:15–18; Abraham
2:8–12; 3:14).
How can I receive the Abrahamic Covenant?
Galatians
3:27–29 27 For as many of you as have
been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor
free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ
Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are
ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Abraham
2:10 10 And I will bless them through thy name; for
as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name,
and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as
their father;
President Russell M. Nelson taught:
When we embrace the gospel and are baptized, we take upon
ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Baptism is the gate that leads to
becoming joint heirs to all the promises given anciently by the Lord to
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their posterity.
“The new and everlasting covenant” (Doctrine
and Covenants 132:6) and the Abrahamic covenant are essentially the
same—two ways of phrasing the covenant God made with mortal men and women at
different times. …
… [Y]ou and I personally entered the covenant path at
baptism. Then we enter it more completely in the temple. The blessings of the
Abrahamic covenant are conferred in holy temples. These blessings allow us,
upon being resurrected, to “inherit thrones, kingdoms, powers, principalities,
and dominions, to our ‘exaltation and glory in all things’ [Doctrine
and Covenants 132:19].”
2. The Savior’s atoning sacrifice enabled the Father to
fulfill His promises made to His children. … The fulfillment of the Abrahamic
covenant becomes feasible because of the Atonement of our Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is at the center of the Abrahamic
covenant.
3. Adam and Eve, Noah and his wife, Abraham and Sarah, Lehi and Sariah, and all
other devoted disciples of Jesus Christ—since the world was created—have made
the same covenants with God. They have received the same ordinances
that we as members of the Lord’s restored Church today have made: those
covenants that we receive at baptism and in the temple.
Elder Bednar:
Either by literal lineage or adoption, [we are] rightful
heir[s] to the promises made by God to Abraham. We are the seed of Abraham. One
of the primary reasons we receive a patriarchal blessing is to help us more
fully understand who we are as the posterity of Abraham and to recognize the
responsibility that rests upon us.
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