What is a “Covenant Blessing”? I am 59 and in less than 2 months I will turn 60. I am already feeling old and at times wonder if I’m relevant. That generational gap keeps widening. Yet I still believe that the best is yet to come. I have a sense that my most significant contribution to others has yet to be built. So I try to stay productive with the work that I do. I try mindfully try to include the mindset of those younger than me into my work flow. I am forever teetering on the the balance beam of experience and learning. That is the tension I live in. So when I read that Abram was 99 years old when God made a covenant with him to bless the nations, I am inspired to believe that you are never too old.
Genesis 17:1–8 The Covenant Blessing
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.”
Cultural Environment of Genesis 17
This moment takes place in a patriarchal, tribal, and nomadic culture in the Ancient Near East, somewhere around 2000–1800 BCE. People like Abram lived in extended family groups, moving seasonally with their flocks and herds. Life was deeply tied to land, lineage, and legacy—but none of these were guaranteed. In fact, without offspring, your name and memory would vanish. In such a setting, legacy wasn’t about personal fulfillment but about ensuring your tribe would survive, thrive, and be remembered.
Aging and Relevance in Abram’s World
Even in a culture where people were often seen as wise elders with age, the expectation to have children—and especially sons—was urgent and defining. Barrenness was considered a kind of social and spiritual failure. So Abram, at 99 and childless, likely felt a sense of both personal loss and social futility. It is likely that the incredibly human question – “Why now, Lord?”— resonated in Abram’s heart.
But in biblical storytelling, God often shows up when human power runs out. In other words, Abram’s old age isn’t a barrier—it’s a setup for divine glory. The message is: “This isn’t about your ability. It’s about my faithfulness.”
Covenant and Calling: A Double-Edged Blessing
God’s covenant blessing here is also a responsibility, maybe even a burden. In the ancient world, covenants were serious. They were binding legal and relational agreements, often sealed with blood. But this is no equal partnership—it’s a sovereign arrangement. God initiates it, defines it, and promises to uphold it. Abram’s job is to trust and obey, not negotiate terms.
So while it may seem like Abram is “middle management,” he’s actually something like a proxy king or tribal patriarch under a divine suzerain. He’s entrusted with immense influence, but it is completely dependent on obedience to God’s will.
The idea that he doesn’t have “a say” in the modern sense is accurate—but in this world, that wasn’t offensive; it was honoring. To be chosen by the Most High God to carry a divine legacy was the highest calling imaginable. That’s why a covenant blessing is a blessing rather than a burden!
Multitude of Nations: Was This What Abram Wanted?
We don’t get direct insight into whether Abram wanted this specifically—but we know he longed for an heir (Genesis 15 shows his distress over being childless). So God’s promise doesn’t come out of nowhere. Still, the scale of the blessing—“a multitude of nations”—definitely exceeds personal hope. It’s not about Abram’s comfort but about the formation of a people through whom God would bless the whole world.
Covenant Blessing or Not, All Blessings Bear Responsibility
The tension felt here—“Does God ever call us to things we didn’t ask for?”—is central to the biblical narrative. Think of Moses, Jeremiah, Mary. Often the call of God disrupts our comfort zone. And yet it is always wrapped in purpose, presence, and often a new identity. Even if it is not a covenant blessing, there is still great responsibility in their callings.
Name Changes: What’s the Big Deal?
In the Bible, name changes are monumental. A name represented more than just identity—it was destiny.
- Abram means “exalted father.”
- Abraham means “father of many/multitudes.”
The change signals not just a new phase in life, but a new role in redemptive history.
Other name changes follow a similar pattern:
- Jacob → Israel: from deceiver to one who wrestles with God and becomes the father of a nation.
- Simon → Peter: from impulsive fisherman to foundational rock of the Church.
- Saul → Paul: from persecutor to apostle.
Each name change accompanies a divine encounter and commissioning. It’s like being drafted into something bigger than yourself.
Final Thoughts: So Why Abram?
So I wonder, Why does God “need” Abram?—By asking that question I feel like I am knocking on the door of the mystery of divine partnership. The simple answer, “He doesn’t.” No, God doesn’t need Abram or any of us or anything from us. But God chooses to work through Abram, through us, because relationship is part of the nature of God’s work. It’s not efficiency God’s after—it’s intimacy, transformation, and participation.
So maybe this speaks to you and your own season too: relevance doesn’t come from youth, productivity, or perfection—but from willingness, openness, and trust. Just like Abraham, your time is still unfolding.