Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2: Lesson 23

Genesis 12; 17

The Abrahamic Covenant

The Lord and Abraham entered a covenant that is now known as the Abrahamic covenant. As we make and keep covenants with God today, we can receive the same blessings from Him as Abraham did. This lesson can help students explain the Abrahamic covenant and how it relates to them.

Student preparation: Invite students to search “Abrahamic Covenant” in the Gospel Library or Guide to the Scriptures, or “Abraham, covenant of” in the Bible Dictionary, and come prepared to share what they found.

Possible Learning Activities

The Abrahamic covenant

Invite students to imagine they were asked to give a talk in sacrament meeting about the Abrahamic covenant. To help them assess how prepared they might be to do this, invite them to write down and answer the following questions in their study journals.

• What is the Abrahamic covenant?

• How can I receive the Abrahamic covenant?

• Why does the Abrahamic covenant matter to me?

Assure students that it is okay if they do not know much about the Abrahamic covenant. Let them know that they will be able to add to their responses during class. Encourage them to seek confirmation from the Holy Ghost about the truthfulness of what they are learning.

Note: This lesson focuses on what the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant are and why they matter to us. Lesson 24: “Abraham 2:9–11” will focus on our responsibilities in the Abrahamic covenant.

What is the Abrahamic covenant?

Recall that Abraham desired “the blessings of the fathers” and to be a “follower of righteousness” (Abraham 1:2). The Lord promised to put His name upon Abraham and to give him the priesthood (see Abraham 1:18).

Consider creating the following chart on the board. Invite students to study the verses in the first column and list the blessings they find next to the corresponding verses on the board. They will study the verses in the second column later in the lesson.

The Lord’s blessings promised to Abraham	The Lord’s blessings promised to me
Genesis 12:2; 17:1–2, 4–6 Genesis 12:3; 17:7 Genesis 12:7; 17:8 Abraham 2:11	Doctrine and Covenants 132:19–22, 30–31 Abraham 2:9–11 Doctrine and Covenants 88:18–20 Doctrine and Covenants 84:33–38

Read Genesis 12:2–3, 7; 17:1–8; Abraham 2:11, looking for the blessings God extended to Abraham.

As students read the scriptures, consider moving around the room. Some students are more likely to ask questions when a teacher is close by, so moving around the classroom while students read can make it easier for some students to ask you for help. When students have finished, invite them to share what they found.

• What did you find?

• What do these promises teach you about God?

The following is a list of some of the blessings students might find:

1. 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.”)

2. Genesis 12:3; 17:7: all the families of the earth blessed by his posterity; God’s covenant to continue with Abraham’s posterity

3. Genesis 12:7; 17:8: land of Canaan

4. 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?

Share the following statement from President Nelson to help students see how the Abrahamic covenant relates to them (see also Galatians 3:27–29; Abraham 2:10).

President Russell M. Nelson taught how each of us can also receive these same blessings that God promised Abraham:

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].” (“The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Oct. 2022, 4, 6)

• How would you summarize what we can learn from President Nelson about the blessings of Abraham?

Help students identify a truth like: As we make and keep covenants with God, we become heirs to the blessings given to Abraham.

Why does the Abrahamic covenant matter to me?

Invite students to study the references in the second column and to list in their study journals how the blessings promised to Abraham are also promised to them. These verses might be best for students to study in pairs or small groups.

The following are some of the blessings students might find:

1. Doctrine and Covenants 132:19–22, 30–31: eternal families (“continuation of the seeds” and “continuation of the lives”)

2. Abraham 2:9–11: gospel shared with all the families of the earth; salvation and exaltation

3. Doctrine and Covenants 88:18–20 (“it” refers to the earth): inheritance in the celestial kingdom (see also Hebrews 11:8, 13–16)

4. Doctrine and Covenants 84:33–38: the blessings of the priesthood, including all that the Father has

• In what ways are these promised blessings meaningful to you?

• What do these blessings teach you about God’s feelings for you?

To place the Abrahamic covenant in the context of Heavenly Father’s plan, you might want to ask students what makes it possible for us to receive the blessings they listed. You could have students ponder or share some of their thoughts. You could also share this statement from President Nelson.

President Russell M. Nelson pointed out what makes it possible for us to receive the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant:

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. (“The Everlasting Covenant,” Liahona, Oct. 2022, 7).

Explain the Abrahamic covenant

Invite students to add to their responses from the beginning of class:

• What is the Abrahamic covenant?

• How can I receive the Abrahamic covenant?

• Why does the Abrahamic covenant matter to me?

To solidify their understanding, consider inviting students to get into pairs and explain the Abrahamic covenant to each other. Encourage them to see if they can be brief yet complete in their responses. Explaining this covenant in as few words as possible can help students to understand it more clearly.

Testify of the blessings and promises God offers us through the Abrahamic covenant.

Additional Resources

What are the promises of the Abrahamic covenant?

President Russell M. Nelson said:

The covenant God made with Abraham and later reaffirmed with Isaac and Jacob is of transcendent significance. It contained several promises, including:

• Jesus the Christ would be born through Abraham’s lineage.

• Abraham’s posterity would be numerous, entitled to an eternal increase, and also entitled to bear the priesthood.

• Abraham would become a father of many nations.

• Certain lands would be inherited by his posterity.

• All nations of the earth would be blessed by his seed.

• And that covenant would be everlasting—even through “a thousand generations.”

(“Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 87)

Can we make the same covenants with God as Abraham did?

President Russell M. Nelson taught:

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. (“Come, Follow Me,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 89)

How does the declaration of lineage in my patriarchal blessing relate to the Abrahamic covenant?

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

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. (“Becoming a Missionary,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 47)

Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita of the Seventy taught:

As you receive a declaration of lineage, you will come to know that you are of the house of Israel and the seed of Abraham. To understand the significance of this, focus on the promises the Lord made to the house of Israel through Abraham. (“When to Receive Your Patriarchal Blessing,” Liahona, May 2023, 89)

Supplemental Learning Activities

The role of covenants in the gospel of Jesus Christ

If students need help connecting the Abrahamic covenant with the covenants we make in the gospel of Jesus Christ, consider watching the video “Elder Nelson Talks about Covenants” (4:45). Ask students to look for why covenants are so important in God’s plan.

Genesis 17:8. “I will be their God”

To help students further understand their covenant relationship with God, you might point out a repeated concept in Genesis 17:7–8. The Lord promises “to be a God unto thee” (verse 7) and says, “I will be their God” (verse 8). Invite students to cross-reference Abraham 1:18 and Psalm 48:14 in their scriptures or link them in the Gospel Library app. As they read all three sets of verses, encourage students to look for words and phrases that help them understand what it means to have the Lord be our God. Consider asking questions like the following:

• What do you think it means when He says that He will “be a God unto thee”?

• What are other things in our lives that we might be tempted to make as our god?

• Why do you choose to make the Lord your God?

Invite students to look for the consequences of choosing or rejecting the Lord as our God as they study the Old Testament this year.