Word of Life

Disclaimer – The following article is meant for educational purposes only and not for any commercial purpose.   By Emmanuel Gomes Edited by Fr Trevor D'Souza, OFM In our previous article , we discussed on the literary structure of Genesis 12-50 which consists of Patriarchal History. We also discussed one of the three promises God made to Abraham - the promise of a great nation ( Genesis 15 ). In this article, we will discuss the remaining two promises or covenants God established with Abraham - The Great Name and the Covenant of Circumcision ( Genesis 17 )  Universal Blessing and the Sacrifice of Isaac ( Genesis 22 ) The Great Name and the Covenant of Circumcision ( Genesis 17 ) Before we go into the covenant, we must understand what “Great Name” means. "Great name" was associated with kingship in the ancient Near East, as can be seen from the inscription from Shamshi-Adad I, king of Assyria, ca. 1800 B.C: "I erected a stela in my great name in the land of Lebanon,

Disclaimer  –  The following article is meant for educational purposes only and not for any commercial purpose.   By Emmanuel Gomes Edited by  Fr Trevor D'Souza, OFM Genesis 1-11 provides early history of mankind as a whole. Genesis 12-50 provides the early history of Israel in particular. In the Pentateuch, the two are related in the sense that hope for all people are tied to the promises God makes to them. Genesis 12-50, tells the story of the three great patriarchs - the ancestors of Israel - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - as well as the twelve sons of Jacob from whom the twelve tribes will descend, especially Joseph. The covenant God establishes with Abraham is passed down to his heirs Isaac and Jacob and ultimately to the twelve tribes. This becomes the foundation for the plan for salvation for mankind. Thus the significance of these Chapters in both historical and theological aspects is immense. Literary Structure of Genesis 12-50 Here, we are dealing with three cycles of the liv