Genesis17_4-6

Genesis 17:4-6

As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. Abraham: that is, Father of a great multitude

And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

After speaking about the covenant of multiplying Abram exceedingly, God began to reveal the specific details of this covenant. God promised that Abram would become the father of many nations. This meant that Abram’s descendants would not only be numerous but would also establish different kingdoms on the earth. According to historical records, many nations indeed came from Abram. His seed includes both physical descendants and religious believers. Looking around the world, many nations trace their spiritual heritage to Abram—such as Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Even though Muslims oppose Israel and Christians in many ways, they still acknowledge that they are descendants of Abram.

In this passage, Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, meaning “father of many nations,” rather than “exalted father.” This also indicated that his inner person was transformed. A name often represents a person’s inner identity. At the same time, God promised to make his seed exceedingly fruitful. This was important because redemption does not come from a person’s righteousness or actions, but only from the covenant of God. According to human sinful nature, all people are under death and cannot save themselves from anything except through Jesus Christ, who is the true fulfillment of the covenant God made with Abraham.

Indeed, kings came from Abraham throughout history. Even today, his descendants have spread across the earth and among many nations. This does not mean that Muslims are the center of God’s plan. On the contrary, Jesus Christ is the core of God’s covenant. Although Muslims also came from the promise given to Abraham, they are similar to Ishmael in their spiritual position.