The Everlasting Covenant

Genesis 17:7–8 (NASB95) 

7“I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. 8“I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” 

God spoke to Abraham and established a covenant that would last for all generations. He promised to be the God of Abraham and his descendants. God also pledged to give them the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession. The Hebrew word for everlasting, ʿôlām, shows that this covenant was not temporary. It was meant to endure through every generation of Abraham’s family, specifically through Isaac’s line. 

God’s words, “I will be their God,” reveal a personal, ongoing relationship. This covenant is not just about land or ritual. It is about belonging to God and living under His care. The sign of circumcision will mark this relationship, but the heart of the covenant was spiritual allegiance. God’s promise was not limited to a single moment or a single person. It was a commitment to be present with Abraham’s family forever.  

The promise of land was more than a gift of territory. It was a sign that God would transform Abraham’s descendants from strangers into heirs. They would move from being outsiders to possessors of the land. This promise found fulfillment when Israel entered Canaan under Joshua and during the time of the monarchy. Yet, the promise points beyond physical land. Christian tradition sees this as a sign of the greater inheritance believers receive—eternal life and a relationship with God. 

God’s covenant with Abraham shows His faithfulness. He initiates, sustains, and fulfills His promises. The covenant is not based on human effort but on God’s character. 

The church today can trust God’s promises, even when they seem distant or impossible. We are called to pass faith to the next generation and to remember that our true inheritance is not found in earthly possessions but in our relationship with God. As God’s people, we live as heirs of an everlasting covenant, secure in His unchanging love and faithfulness.