Why could God tell Abraham to look in all four directions from where he was standing?
God could tell Abram to look in all four directions because Abram was standing on the high ground. The land of Israel has a mountainous spine between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River, so from that elevated position he could look northward, southward, eastward, and westward and see the land God promised to give him and his seed.
Les explains that Abraham was on the high ground. The little narrow neck of land between the Mediterranean and the Jordan River has mountains running right up through its spine, so God could say, “Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward, southward, eastward, and westward.” From that elevated vantage point, Abraham could look as far south, north, east, and west as he could see, and God promised, “all the land which thou seest, to thee shall I give it, and to thy seed for ever.”
And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.