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First Biblical Promise In Genesis

The concept of a divine promise appears early in the biblical narrative, with the first explicit promises made by God to Abraham in Genesis 12. These promises form the foundation of God's covenant relationship with Abraham and his descendants [13]. While the creation account in Genesis 1:1 describes God's initial act of bringing the heavens and the earth into being [2], and some rabbinic traditions suggest the Torah should begin with the first commandment given to Israel in Exodus [12], the promises to Abraham are pivotal for understanding the unfolding of God's plan in the Old Testament.

God's initial promise to Abraham is found in Genesis 12:1-3, where God commands Abram to leave his country, kindred, and father's house to go to a land that God would show him. In return, God promises to make him a great nation, bless him, make his name great, bless those who bless him, curse those who curse him, and through him, all the families of the earth would be blessed [13]. This promise is multifaceted, encompassing land, nationhood, blessing, and a universal redemptive purpose. The fulfillment of the land promise is immediately noted when Abram safely reaches Canaan [8].

Later, God reiterates and expands upon these promises, establishing a covenant with Abraham. In Genesis 15:18, God promises Abraham the land of Canaan [9]. This covenant is described as a "cutting" (Hebrew: berith), referring to the ancient custom of cutting animals in two and passing between the parts to ratify a covenant [4]. This ritual underscores the solemnity and binding nature of the agreement. The promise of numerous descendants is also central, as seen in Genesis 17:2, where God states, "I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly" [3]. This promise of a vast progeny is further linked to the land, ensuring a people to inhabit it.

The promises made to Abraham are not merely temporal but carry a spiritual dimension. John Calvin notes that while terrestrial promises, such as the possession of the land of Canaan, were given to the Jewish nation, the "spiritual promise, as the head to which the others bore reference, always holding the first place" [11]. This suggests that the physical blessings were outward signs pointing to a deeper spiritual reality. Charles Hodge emphasizes that Abraham's justification was by faith in these promises, not merely general piety [15]. Abraham "staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what He had promised He was able also to perform" [15].

The covenant with Abraham was marked by the sign of circumcision, which God instituted in Genesis 17:10. This act served as a physical sign of the covenant between God and Abraham's male descendants [16]. Just as baptism is a sign in the New Testament Church, circumcision was the sign in the Old Testament Church, and the covenant itself is sometimes referred to as the "covenant of circumcision" [16]. This sign was a pledge of God's promise to be a God to Abraham and his seed [14].

The promises made to Abraham were subsequently reaffirmed to his son Isaac and grandson Jacob. To Isaac, God states, "Live in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For to you, and to your seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father" [1]. This reiteration confirms the continuity of the divine commitment through the patriarchal line [9]. Ramban (Nachmanides) observes that God's assurance to Isaac was not merely a repetition but a confirmation that the oath to Abraham was unconditional and specifically applied to Isaac as Abraham's designated heir [17]. Similarly, the promises were extended to Jacob, ensuring the continuation of the covenant [5].

While the Abrahamic covenant is often considered the first explicit mention of a covenant with specific promises, some scholars point to an earlier, more general covenant with Noah after the flood. Genesis 6:18 contains the first explicit mention of a covenant in the Bible, referring to God's unilateral pact with humankind and the world that a flood would not recur [10]. However, the Abrahamic covenant introduces a new level of specificity and detail regarding a chosen people, a promised land, and a universal blessing through a particular lineage.

The promises in Genesis are foundational to understanding the concept of the Messiah. The term "Messiah" (Hebrew: mashiah) means "anointed" and refers to those consecrated to specific offices, such as priests, prophets, and kings [6]. The ultimate Messiah, Jesus Christ, is understood to embody all these offices and fulfill the promises made to Abraham, particularly the promise that "in him and his seed all nations should be blessed" [16]. The New Testament interprets these promises as finding their ultimate fulfillment in Christ, extending the blessings of Abraham to all who believe, regardless of their ethnic origin [5].

The promises of God are consistently portrayed as reliable and enduring. They are "contained in the Scriptures," "made in Christ," and "confirmed by an oath" [5]. God is faithful to His promises and remembers them [5]. The resurrection of Jesus is presented as God's "assurance" or pledge that His revelation is true and worthy of acceptance, providing "full assurance of faith" in God's declarations [7]. This continuity from the initial promises in Genesis to their ultimate fulfillment in Christ underscores the overarching narrative of God's redemptive plan.

The early promises in Genesis, particularly those given to Abraham, establish a pattern of divine initiative and human response. God makes unconditional promises, and humanity is called to respond in faith and obedience, as exemplified by Abraham [15]. These promises are not merely historical relics but are seen as active and ongoing, shaping the identity and destiny of God's people throughout biblical history and into the Christian era.

Sources

  1. Genesis “Live in this land, and I will be with you, and will bless you. For to you, and to your seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. -- Genesis 26:3”
  2. Genesis “Genesis 1:1 (YLT) — In the beginning of God's preparing the heavens and the earth--”
  3. Genesis “I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” -- Genesis 17:2”
  4. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Covenant — The Heb. berith means primarily "a cutting," with reference to the custom of cutting or dividing animals in two and passing between the parts in ratifying a covenant. (Genesis 15; Jeremiah 34:18,19) In the New Testament the corresponding word is diathece (diatheke), which is frequently translated testament in the Authorized Version. In its biblical meaning two parties the word is used-- + Of a covenant between God and man; e.g. God covenanted with Noah, after the flood, that a like judgment should not be repeated. It is not precisely like a covenant between”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Promises of God, The — Contained in the Scriptures -- Ro 1:2. Made in Christ -- Eph 3:6; 2Ti 1:1. Made to Christ. -- Ga 3:16,19. Abraham. -- Ge 12:3,7; Ga 3:16. Isaac. -- Ge 26:3,4. Jacob. -- Ge 28:14. David. -- 2Sa 7:12; Ps 89:3,4,35,36. The Israelites. -- Ro 9:4. The Fathers. -- Ac 13:32; 26:6,7. All who are called of God. -- Ac 2:39. Those who love him. -- Jas 1:12; 2:5. Confirmed by an oath -- Ps 89:3,4; Heb 8:6. Covenant established upon -- Heb 8:6. God is faithful to -- Tit 1:2; Heb 10:23. God remembers -- Ps 105:42; Lu 1:54,55. Are Good. -- 1Ki 8:56. Holy. -- ”
  6. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Messiah — (Heb. mashiah), in all the thirty-nine instances of its occurring in the Old Testament, is rendered by the LXX. "Christos." It means anointed. Thus priests (Ex. 28:41; 40:15; Num. 3:3), prophets (1 Kings 19:16), and kings (1 Sam. 9:16; 16:3; 2 Sam. 12:7) were anointed with oil, and so consecrated to their respective offices. The great Messiah is anointed "above his fellows" (Ps. 45:7); i.e., he embraces in himself all the three offices. The Greek form "Messias" is only twice used in the New Testament, in John 1:41 and 4:25 (R.V., "Messiah"), and in the Old ”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Assurance — The resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:31) is the "assurance" (Gr. pistis, generally rendered "faith") or pledge God has given that his revelation is true and worthy of acceptance. The "full assurance [Gr. plerophoria, full bearing'] of faith" (Heb. 10:22) is a fulness of faith in God which leaves no room for doubt. The "full assurance of understanding" (Col. 2:2) is an entire unwavering conviction of the truth of the declarations of Scripture, a joyful steadfastness on the part of any one of conviction that he has grasped the very truth. The "full assurance ”
  8. Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 12:5: into the land of Canaan . . . they came--with his wife and an orphan nephew. Abram reached his destination in safety, and thus the first promise was made good.”
  9. Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Exodus 3:16: GO, AND GATHER. Scripture reads, the God of Abraham 378 The name God is not repeated in our verse with Isaac or with Jacob. because God made a covenant with Abraham to give him the land of Canaan. 379 Canaan was first promised to Abraham (Gen. 15:18). God then promised Isaac and Jacob that he would keep the promise made to Abraham (Gen. 26:3-5; 35:11, 12) (Weiser).”
  10. Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 6:18: 6:18 This first explicit mention of a covenant in the Bible refers to the unilateral pact that God made with humankind and the world after the flood (see 9:9, 11, 14-17).”
  11. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 98: place a manifest indication of favour before his eye, added the promise of possession of the land of Canaan. In the same way we should understand all the terrestrial promises which were given to the Jewish nation, the spiritual promise, as the head to which the others bore reference, always holding the first place. Having handled this subject fully when treating of the difference between the old and the new dispensations, I now only glance at it. 12. Under the appellation of children the difference they observe is this, that the ch”
  12. Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Genesis 1:1: IN THE BEGINNING G-D CREATED. Rabbi Yitzchak said: The Torah, which is the book of laws, should have begun with the verse, This month shall be unto you the first of the months , 1 Exodus 12:2. which is the first commandment given to Israel. 2 It is true the book of Genesis contains three commandments (1:28; 17:10; 32:33), but after the Revelation on Sinai these laws became incumbent upon Israel. Hence the verse this month , etc., is “the first commandment given to Israel” as a people. What then is the reason that it begins with the creation? Should the nati”
  13. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 2: Augustine — City of God, Christian Doctrine — CHAP. 16.--OF THE ORDER AND NATURE OF THE PROMISES OF GOD WHICH WERE MADE TO ABRAHAM, (part 1): God's promises made to Abraham are now to be considered; for in these the oracles of ]our God, (6) that is, of the true God, began to appear more openly concerning the godly 321 people, whom prophetic authority foretold. The first of these reads thus: "And the Lord said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, and go into a land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, ”
  14. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 65: a pledge of the promise which He had made. When he promised to Abraham to be a God to him and to his seed after him, He appointed circumcision as the seal and pledge of that promise. So when He promised to save men 589 by the blood of Christ and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost, he appointed baptism to be, not only the sign, but also the seal and pledge of those exceeding great and precious promises. No believer in the Bible can look on the rainbow without having his faith strengthened in the promise that a deluge shall never again destr”
  15. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 74: argues from the case of Abraham, who, according to the express declaration of the Scriptures, was justified by faith; and he quotes from the old prophets the great principle, true then as now, that the “just shall live by faith.” (2.) In the second place, he proves that the faith intended was faith in a promise and not merely general piety or confidence toward God. Abraham, he says, “staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that what He had promised He wa”
  16. Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 17:10: Every man child among you shall be circumcised--This was the sign in the Old Testament Church as baptism is in the New, and hence the covenant is called "covenant of circumcision" (Act 7:8; Rom 4:11). The terms of the covenant were these: on the one hand Abraham and his seed were to observe the right of circumcision; and on the other, God promised, in the event of such observance, to give them Canaan for a perpetual possession, to be a God to him and his posterity, and that in him and his seed all nations should be blessed.”
  17. Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Genesis 26:3: AND I WILL FULFILL THE OATH WHICH I SWORE UNTO ABRAHAM THY FATHER. There is no need for the Holy One, blessed be He, to assure Isaac that He will not violate the oath which He swore to his father, for He is not a man, that He should repent . 127 I Samuel 15:29. Abraham had no other seed upon whom a covenant had been established with G-d except Isaac. The oath, moreover, was not given on condition. In the case of Jacob, 128 Further, 35:12. And [[illegible]] land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, to thee will I give it . it was necessary that he be given su”
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