How does Acts 7:5 connect to God's covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15? Acts 7:5—Stephen’s Inspired Summary “‘Yet He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants after him, even though Abraham had no child.’” (Acts 7:5) Genesis 15—God’s Covenant Spoken and Sealed “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I have given this land, from the River of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates….’” (Genesis 15:18) Key Parallels between the Two Passages • Same Promise: land “inheritance” for Abraham’s offspring. • Same Timing: spoken while Abraham “had no child” (Genesis 15:2; Acts 7:5). • Same Scope: entire territory defined in Genesis 15:18 echoed in “possession of the land” (Acts 7:5). • Same Certainty: God’s unilateral oath (Genesis 15:17) underlies Stephen’s confident retelling. Progressive Unfolding of the Covenant 1. Genesis 15—Promise initiated: a son, countless descendants, and a specific land grant. 2. Genesis 17—Covenant confirmed through circumcision, name change to Abraham. 3. Exodus–Joshua—Promise pursued and partially possessed. 4. Acts 7—Promise remembered amid Israel’s history, pointing to ultimate fulfillment in Christ (Galatians 3:16). Faith Illustrated • Abraham believed the Lord, “and He credited it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). • Stephen highlights Abraham’s faith by noting he owned “not even a foot of ground,” yet trusted God’s word. • Romans 4:13–21 and Hebrews 11:8–10 draw on the same scene to commend unwavering faith. Assurance for Believers Today • God keeps literal promises despite apparent delay (2 Peter 3:9). • The land pledge foreshadows the broader inheritance secured in Christ for all who are of faith (Ephesians 1:11). • Just as Abraham looked ahead to possession he never saw in his lifetime, believers await the “city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). |
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