12:1-2 Abraham Steps Out in Faith God promised to give Abraham many descendants—“a great nation.” And a land in which they could dwell, bless others, and be blessed. At this point, however, the promise was simply that—a promise. Abraham had to step out in faith, trusting that God would fulfill his word to him. Faith is a step we all must take, believing the Lord has a promised land for us, too.
12:3 A Promise of Hope In words that are staggering in their implications, God made a promise to Abraham: “All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” As the apostle Paul would later recognize (Gal 3:8), this early promise of the coming Messiah pointed toward the greatest source of hope for those who suffer: Jesus Christ himself.