Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

As we continue to learn about the Biblical concept of “covenant” during these Lenten Sundays, we move a bit further into the Book of Genesis. The covenant described in Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 follows the pattern I described last week, based on 3rd century BCE Hittite suzerainty treaties.

See if you can identify the four parts of a traditional covenant, based on the Hittite model, articulated in Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16. They are: 

A declaration of the covenant creator’s identity;
A requirement of loyalty from the lesser party to the covenant;
A statement of the benefits accruing to the lesser party;
A statement of the obligation of the lesser party (for this, read past verse 7).

Name changes in the Bible are a sign of God’s transformative activity in the lives of those whose names change. What can you learn about the changes from Abram to Abraham, and from Sarai to Sarah?

Think about your own life. Who is God to you? What commitment does God ask of you (this can be tricky; remember that we believe in grace and not works)? What benefits accrue to you from God? What does God require of you?