scene—act 2, if you will. It brings a presence of life to the text—one for which we should rejoice. Moreover, it has great bearing upon Christmas. In this passage, God intervenes by making promises to a man named Abram in these three powerful verses. While death had been the result of sin, God’s promises speak of life not just to the lineage of Abram, but to the whole world. Specifically, three promises are given: (1) a people, (2) a land, and (3) a blessing. First, God promised Abram (later changed