Robert Morgan – The transition between Genesis 11 and 12 is the Continental Divide of Scripture, even greater than the division between the Old and New Testaments. In the first eleven chapters of the Bible, God dealt with the world in masse; but in Genesis 12, He launched a far-reaching plan of redemption by choosing a man whose descendants would become a mighty nation. From that nation would come the Messiah from whom would come the church that, in turn, would take the gospel back to the whole world. This was outlined in advance in Genesis 12, given to Abraham and his “seed” or “offspring” (22:18). 

There are seven promises in Genesis 12:1-3; and the seventh promise is repeated seven times in Scripture:(Gen.12:3, 18:18, 22:18, 26:4, 28:14; Acts 3:25-26; Gal. 3:8, 16). The seventh occurrence cuts straight to Calvary and is actually called “the gospel in advance” (Gal. 3:8 NIV). The Scripture [the Old Testament] foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and foretold the good news to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed in you…. The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but and to your seed, referring to one, who is Christ. (Gal. 3:8, 16) Whenever tempted to doubt the gospel, I just go back to the Old Testament and notice how the unfolding plan of God was revealed in advance—pre-planned, foreordained, and consistent from beginning to end. (My All in All Devotional)