Why is Abraham (and his offspring) chosen out of all of humanity? How does the rationale for Abraham’s election matter for our own notions of being “chosen”?
In Genesis 15:6, why does it matter that Abraham believes God’s promise despite the fact that the promise appears impossible? What does this author want to demonstrate about Abraham or even the example of one who trusts in God?
When we read all three of the calls to Abraham together, Genesis 12, 15, and 17, how is the story enhanced? What do we gain from this combination that we would be missing if there had only been one such passage?
Applying the Text:
What are the values and characteristics of the people in your life you would call a “blessing?” How do those compare with the language of Abraham being a blessing in the biblical text?
Based on Abraham’s story, what are the obligations of the divine promise from God to us today? Does this covenant extend beyond Abraham? How do we talk about this in our church communities?
God promises to make Abraham a great nation. Now that people read the Bible all over the world, how should we understand that promise?