Righteousness then Grace -- Abram to Abraham

The parallel of righteousness before grace occurs in the Old Testament, types and shadows to confirm the substance of the New Covenant.

Abram heeded the call of the Lord to leave his family and his country into a land that He would show him (Genesis 12: 1).

When Abram  heard that his nephew Lot was in trouble, Abram came to his rescue:

"And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan." (Genesis 14: 14)

Abram was already so well-off, he commanded 318 hired servants who were born in his own house!

After he rescued Lot and all of his substance, then came Melchizedek, which means "King of Righteousness":

"And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

"And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

"And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all." (Genesis 14: 18-20)

The King of Righteousness, who is Jesus our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1: 30), established Abram with blessings. It is the goodness of God which brings us to repentance (Romans 2: 4), the same goodness which empowered Abram to believe the Lord:

"And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15: 5-6)

First, Abram received the gift of righteousness. Even though he acted in unbelief to father a child with his bondmaid Hagar (Genesis 16), the Lord did not give up on Abram, a reminder to all believers that our righteousness is based on faith, not on works.

The grace of God then manifested in Abram's life when the Lord changed his name:

"As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

"Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee." (Genesis 17: 4-5)

In order to change his name, the Lord added  a "Heh" or a "הָ֔ which is the letter for "grace".

Because Abraham was ninety-nine years old, without a doubt it would be God's grace, and His grace alone which would empowered Abraham and  Sarah to receive a child of promise.

Get established in righteousness before God, then get ready for God's grace to flow into your life.