Gen 15:4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, "This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir."
5 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."
6 And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness.
Even though no 'token' of this Covenant was given to Abram yet, he "believed in the LORD", and God counted it as righteousness. That act by Abram became the 'faith' on The Promise God first gave that all nations would be blessed through Christ.
Gen 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:
19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."
God then reaffirmed that Covenant, changing Abram's name to Abraham, meaning 'father of a multitude'. Then God added to that Covenant that He would be a GOD to Abraham and to his seed after him "for an everlasting covenant.":
Gen 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, "I am the Almighty GOD; walk before Me, and be thou perfect.
2 And I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly."
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
5 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.
6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
The Old Covenant by Circumcision: In Hope of A Better Testament To Come
But we still do not have a "token" of That Old Covenant yet, until Gen.17:10:
Gen 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, "Thou shalt keep My covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
10 This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt Me and you.
The Covenant God gave to Abraham would continue through his son Isaac, and then to Jacob. God would give Jacob a new name of "Israel" (Yisra'el), which is from two Hebrew words of 'sarah' (to prevail), and 'El' (God). 'Israel' means 'one who prevails with God', just as Jacob did wrestle with The Angel of The Lord and did prevail (Gen.32:28). Then Jacob would bear twelve sons, becoming the twelve tribes of Israel. It was to the children of Israel which that original Covenant by the "token" of flesh circumcision was to soon land upon.
When God pitied His People Israel who were under heavy bondage in Egypt, He led
