Genesis 18:18 Study Bible: seeing that Abraham has surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?

◄ Genesis 18:18 ►

Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.

Abraham
The name "Abraham" is derived from the Hebrew "Avraham," meaning "father of a multitude." This name change from Abram to Abraham in Genesis 17:5 signifies God's covenant with him, marking a transformation in his identity and purpose. Abraham is a central figure in the Bible, revered as the patriarch of the Israelites, Ishmaelites, Edomites, and Midianites. His faith and obedience to God set a foundational example for believers, illustrating the importance of trust in God's promises.

will surely become
The phrase "will surely become" underscores the certainty and divine assurance of God's promise. In Hebrew, the repetition of the verb form can indicate emphasis, highlighting the inevitability of God's plan. This reflects the biblical theme that God's word is unfailing and His promises are steadfast, providing believers with confidence in His divine will and timing.

a great and powerful nation
This phrase speaks to the future establishment of Israel as a nation. Historically, the descendants of Abraham, through Isaac and Jacob, formed the twelve tribes of Israel. The term "great" in Hebrew, "gadol," implies not only size but also significance and influence. "Powerful" or "mighty" suggests strength and resilience, characteristics that would define Israel's history and its role in God's redemptive plan.

and all the nations on earth
This phrase expands the scope of God's promise beyond Israel to include all humanity. The Hebrew word for "nations," "goyim," often refers to Gentiles or non-Israelite peoples. This foreshadows the universal blessing that would come through Abraham's lineage, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who offers salvation to all people, regardless of ethnic or national identity.

will be blessed through him
The blessing through Abraham is a central theme in the Abrahamic covenant. This promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament, where Jesus Christ, a descendant of Abraham, becomes the source of blessing for all nations. The Hebrew word for "blessed," "barak," conveys a sense of divine favor and prosperity. This blessing is not merely material but spiritual, offering redemption and reconciliation with God. Through Abraham's faith and obedience, God's plan for salvation history unfolds, inviting all to partake in His blessings.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Abraham
The central figure in this passage, Abraham is chosen by God to be the father of a great nation. His faith and obedience are pivotal in the unfolding of God's plan for humanity.

2. God
The divine speaker in this passage, God reaffirms His covenant with Abraham, highlighting the future blessings that will come through him.

3. Nations on Earth
This refers to all the peoples and ethnic groups that will be impacted by the blessings promised to Abraham, indicating the universal scope of God's plan.

4. Covenant
The event of God establishing a covenant with Abraham, which includes promises of land, descendants, and blessings.

5. Promise of Blessing
The event where God promises that through Abraham, all nations will be blessed, pointing to the future coming of the Messiah.

Teaching Points

The Universality of God's Plan
God's promise to Abraham was not just for his biological descendants but for all nations. This highlights the inclusive nature of God's salvation plan.

Faith and Obedience
Abraham's life exemplifies the importance of faith and obedience in receiving God's promises. Believers are called to trust and follow God's leading, even when the path is unclear.

Blessing as a Responsibility
Being blessed by God comes with the responsibility to be a blessing to others. Christians are called to reflect God's love and grace to the world.

The Fulfillment in Christ
The ultimate fulfillment of the promise to Abraham is found in Jesus Christ, through whom all nations are blessed. This underscores the centrality of Christ in God's redemptive plan.

Living as Part of God's Covenant
Believers today are part of the covenant community through faith in Christ. This calls for a life of holiness, service, and witness to the world.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the promise to Abraham in Genesis 18:18 shape our understanding of God's plan for humanity?

2. In what ways can we, as modern believers, be a blessing to the nations around us?

3. How does the New Testament interpretation of Abraham's promise (e.g., in Galatians 3) influence our view of the Gospel?

4. What are some practical ways we can demonstrate faith and obedience in our daily lives, following Abraham's example?

5. How does understanding our role in God's covenant community impact our interactions with others, both within and outside the church?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 12:3
This earlier promise to Abraham sets the foundation for Genesis 18:18, where God initially promises to bless all families of the earth through him.

Galatians 3:8
Paul references this promise to Abraham, explaining that the Gospel was preached in advance to Abraham, indicating that justification by faith would extend to the Gentiles.

Romans 4:13-17
Paul discusses the promise to Abraham and his offspring, emphasizing that it comes through the righteousness of faith, not the law.

Hebrews 11:8-12
The faith of Abraham is highlighted, showing how he obeyed and believed in God's promises, even when they seemed impossible.

Sermons

God's Reasons for Revealing His Intentions to Abraham	A. Fuller.	Genesis 18:16-18
The Friend of God	The Congregational Pulpit	Genesis 18:16-18
The Secret of the Lord with Abraham	T. H. Leale	Genesis 18:16-18
Abraham's Intercession for Sodom	R.A. Redford	Genesis 18:16-33

People

Abraham, Mamre, Sarah

Places

Canaan, Gomorrah, Sodom, Sodom and Gomorrah

Topics

Becometh, Bless, Blessed, Blessing, Certainly, Indeed, Mighty, Nation, Nations, Powerful, Seeing, Strong, Surely, Themselves

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Genesis 18:18

     1335   blessing
     1340   consistency
     1348   covenant, with Abraham
     5078   Abraham, significance
     6214   participation, in Christ
     7511   Gentiles, in OT
     7949   mission, of Israel
     8848   worldliness

Genesis 18:1-22

1454 theophany
5076 Abraham, life of

Genesis 18:1-33

1511 Trinity, relationships in

Genesis 18:16-32

4275 Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 18:16-33

1095 God, patience of
5077 Abraham, character

Genesis 18:17-33

4224 cities of the plain

Genesis 18:18-19

7125 elect, the

Library

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Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

'Because of his Importunity'
'And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him! For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Meditations for Household Piety.
1. If thou be called to the government of a family, thou must not hold it sufficient to serve God and live uprightly in thy own person, unless thou cause all under thy charge to do the same with thee. For the performance of this duty God was so well pleased with Abraham, that he would not hide from him his counsel: "For," saith God, "I know him that he will command his sons and his household after him that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

There is a Great Question About Lying, which Often Arises in the Midst Of...
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St. Augustine—On Lying

Whether the Proofs which Christ Made Use of Manifested Sufficiently the Truth of his Resurrection?
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Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Epistle Lii. To Natalis, Bishop .
To Natalis, Bishop [1463] . Gregory to Natalis, Bishop of Salona. As though forgetting the tenour of former letters, I had determined to say nothing to your Blessedness but what should savour of sweetness: but, now that in your epistle you have recurred in the way of argumentation to preceding letters, I am once more compelled to say perhaps some things that I had rather not have said. For in defence of feasts your Fraternity mentions the feast of Abraham, in which by the testimony of Holy Scripture …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Miscellaneous.
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John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan

The Leaven.
"Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."--MATT. xiii. 33. In the mustard-seed we saw the kingdom growing great by its inherent vitality; in the leaven we see it growing great by a contagious influence. There, the increase was attained by development from within; here, by acquisitions from without. It is not that there are two distinct ways in which the Gospel may gain complete …
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord

Sanctification and Justification.
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Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Mothers, Daughters, and Wives in Israel
In order accurately to understand the position of woman in Israel, it is only necessary carefully to peruse the New Testament. The picture of social life there presented gives a full view of the place which she held in private and in public life. Here we do not find that separation, so common among Orientals at all times, but a woman mingles freely with others both at home and abroad. So far from suffering under social inferiority, she takes influential and often leading part in all movements, specially …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Debt of Irenæus to Justin Martyr
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Irenæus—The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching

Difficulties and Objections
"Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not My way equal? are not your ways unequal?" (Ezek. 18:25). A convenient point has been reached when we may now examine, more definitely, some of the difficulties encountered and the objections which might be advanced against what we have written in previous pages. The author deemed it better to reserve these for a separate consideration rather than deal with them as he went along, requiring as that would have done the …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

How those are to be Admonished who Praise the Unlawful Things of which they are Conscious, and those who While Condemning Them, in no Wise Guard
(Admonition 32.) Differently to be admonished are they who even praise the unlawful things which they do, and those who censure what is wrong, and yet avoid it not. For they who even praise the unlawful things which they do are to be admonished to consider how for the most part they offend more by the mouth than by deeds. For by deeds they perpetrate wrong things in their own persons only; but with the mouth they bring out wickedness in the persons of as many as there are souls of hearers, to …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Fifteenth Day for Schools and Colleges
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Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Prayer Taught and Encouraged.
(Probably Judæa.) ^C Luke XI. 1-13. ^c 1 And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples. [Jesus had already taught his disciples how to pray in the Sermon on the Mount. This disciple probably thought that the prayer already taught was too brief to be sufficient, especially as Jesus often prayed so long. It was customary for the rabbis to give their disciples forms …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Sundry Exhortations.
HEBREWS xiii. Let love of the brethren continue. Forget not to shew love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are evil entreated, as being yourselves also in the body. Let marriage be had in honour among all, and let the bed be undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for Himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, …
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

Degrees of Sin
Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous? Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. He that delivered me unto thee, has the greater sin.' John 19: 11. The Stoic philosophers held that all sins were equal; but this Scripture clearly holds forth that there is a gradual difference in sin; some are greater than others; some are mighty sins,' and crying sins.' Amos 5: 12; Gen 18: 21. Every sin has a voice to speak, but some …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

In the Present Crusade against the Bible and the Faith of Christian Men...
IN the present crusade against the Bible and the Faith of Christian men, the task of destroying confidence in the first chapter of Genesis has been undertaken by Mr. C. W. Goodwin, M.A. He requires us to "regard it as the speculation of some Hebrew Descartes or Newton, promulgated in all good faith as the best and most probable account that could be then given of God's Universe." (p. 252.) Mr. Goodwin remarks with scorn, that "we are asked to believe that a vision of Creation was presented to him …
John William Burgon—Inspiration and Interpretation

The Baptismal Covenant Can be Kept Unbroken. Aim and Responsibility of Parents.
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G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church

The Justice of God
The next attribute is God's justice. All God's attributes are identical, and are the same with his essence. Though he has several attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet he has but one essence. A cedar tree may have several branches, yet it is but one cedar. So there are several attributes of God whereby we conceive of him, but only one entire essence. Well, then, concerning God's justice. Deut 32:4. Just and right is he.' Job 37:23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

"And There is None that Calleth Upon Thy Name, that Stirreth up Himself to Take Hold on Thee,"
Isaiah lxiv. 7.--"And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee," &c. They go on in the confession of their sins. Many a man hath soon done with that a general notion of sin is the highest advancement in repentance that many attain to. You may see here sin and judgment mixed in thorough other(315) in their complaint. They do not so fix their eyes upon their desolate estate of captivity, as to forget their provocations. Many a man would spend more affection, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Wonderful.
Isaiah ix:6. HIS name shall be called "Wonderful" (Isaiah ix:6). And long before Isaiah had uttered this divine prediction the angel of the Lord had announced his name to be Wonderful. As such He appeared to Manoah. And Manoah said unto the angel of Jehovah, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor. And the angel of Jehovah said unto Him "why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is Wonderful" (margin, Judges xiii:17-18). This angel of Jehovah, the Person who …
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

Wisdom and Revelation.
"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness …
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

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