The Abrahamic covenant is God's foundational threefold promise to make a nation from Abraham, give that nation a land, and one day rule over them as King.
God's promise began in Genesis 12, where He told Abraham He would make a great nation of him. Les Feldick teaches that this covenant also promised Abraham a geographical area of land and a future King, the Messiah, who would be Israel's government. Scripture connects God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt to His remembering the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Genesis 12:2 — God promises to make Abraham a great nation, the foundational promise of the Abrahamic covenant.
Exodus 2:24 — The Bible directly ties Israel's groaning in Egypt to God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Luke 1:72-73 — Zechariah calls the covenant a holy oath that God swore to Abraham.
In Exodus 2:24, the Bible says, "And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob." This is the point where God moves to deliver Israel out of Egypt, and the reason given is His covenant with the patriarchs. The covenant's opening promise is found in Genesis 12, where God says to Abraham, "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing." In Luke 1:72-73, Zechariah speaks of God performing "the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham." The Bible continues to refer to this same Abrahamic covenant as the basis of God's dealings with Israel.
Les Feldick repeatedly describes the Abrahamic covenant as "basically three promises." First, God promised to make a nation of people from Abraham — the nation of Israel — a people totally different from every other race, through whom God would bring His plan of redemption to the whole human race. Second, God promised that nation a geographical area of land, which is why Scripture calls it the Promised Land. Third, because people in a territory need a government, God promised that one day He Himself would come and be their King and Messiah. Les adds that this future kingdom will be on earth, not in heaven. Les also teaches that all the other covenants are wrapped up within these three promises, and that the Abrahamic covenant is the foundation behind everything happening from the Gospels through the book of Acts. He notes that when Israel was in bondage in Egypt, God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and moved to bring the nation out according to those prophetic promises. Zechariah's prophecy in Luke 1, he says, is simply a reminder of that same holy covenant and oath sworn to Abraham.
Les Feldick identifies three promises in the Abrahamic covenant. First, God would make a great nation from Abraham — the nation of Israel. Second, He would put that nation in a specific geographical territory, which is why it is called the Promised Land. Third, because that nation would need a government, God said He would one day come and be their King and Messiah. Les notes that these three parts work together: people must have land, and land must have government.
Exodus 2:24 says God heard Israel's groaning and remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Les explains that this is God moving according to His prophetic promises to Abraham. The Exodus is not an isolated event but the outworking of the Abrahamic covenant, bringing the nation out of Egypt so they could eventually enter the promised land.
Les teaches that everything happening in the Gospels and well into the book of Acts is based on the Abrahamic covenant. In Luke 1, Zechariah celebrates God's mercy to the fathers and remembers the holy covenant and oath sworn to Abraham. The New Testament, then, continues to view Israel's hope through the promises made to Abraham.
The third promise of the covenant is a future kingdom. Les describes God Himself coming to be Israel's King and government. He stresses that this glorious kingdom will be on earth, not in heaven, and that the King will be the Messiah, the Son of God, who is also Israel's Redeemer and Savior.
God vs. Satan's Magicians: Why Aaron's Rod Swallowed Theirs
Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
The Covenant Made to Abraham
God called Abraham out of Ur and promised to make from him a distinct nation through whom redemption would come to the human race; the covenant included a nation, a land, and God as King.
Three Necessary Parts
A nation cannot exist without land, and people living on land cannot exist without government, so the Abrahamic covenant must include all three.
Foundation for All Other Covenants
The Abrahamic covenant's three promises contain all the other covenants, and its promised King is also Israel's Messiah, Redeemer, and Savior.
The Holy Oath in Luke 1
Zechariah's prophecy is a reminder of the covenant and oath God swore to Abraham, including the Promised Land and the future King-Messiah.
Remembered Covenant From Exodus to Acts
God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and everything in the Gospels and Acts is built on that same Abrahamic covenant.
The Earthly Kingdom Promised
The third part of the covenant is that God Himself will one day come as King over a glorious kingdom on earth, not in heaven.
Genesis 15 and the Nation Promise
In Genesis 15 God confirms the covenant promise that Abraham would become a nation, and Abraham's name would be known worldwide.
Genesis 12:2: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
This is the opening promise of the Abrahamic covenant, the nation God promised to make from Abraham.
Exodus 2:24: And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
This verse directly connects Israel's deliverance from Egypt to the covenant God made with the patriarchs.
Luke 1:72: To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
Zechariah describes the Abrahamic covenant as a holy covenant of mercy to the fathers.
Luke 1:73: The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
This identifies the covenant as the oath God swore specifically to Abraham.
Because God promised Abraham, first, that a great nation would come from him; second, that this nation would be given a specific land; and third, that God Himself would one day be their King and government. Les Feldick emphasizes these three parts throughout his teaching.
Yes. Les teaches that the third part of the covenant looks ahead to God Himself coming to be Israel's King over a glorious kingdom on earth. He specifically says this kingdom is not up in heaven but on earth.
God's covenant with Abraham is the foundation of Israel's deliverance from Egypt and of all His dealings with Israel through the Gospels and Acts. Exodus 2:24 says God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Les teaches that everything through Acts rests on this same covenant.
The main point is that Israel would become a nation, receive a land, and be ruled by God Himself as King — the Messiah. All the other covenants are wrapped up within these three promises.
Watch the Teaching: God vs. Satan's Magicians: Why Aaron's Rod Swallowed Theirs