Story: Abraham’s death and his descendants
Passages: Genesis 25:1-18
Characters: Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael
Summary: Abraham took another wife and had a bunch of children through her. Abraham died at the age of 170. He was buried with Sarah by Isaac and Ishmael. Ishmael’s descendants are listed.
Notes: Abraham took another wife and had a bunch of children. However, he knew that God’s promise was through Isaac and he left everything to Isaac. I find it interesting that Isaac and Ishmael both buried Abraham. Ishmael had been out of the picture for years. Obviously his relationship with Abraham was much stronger than his relationship with Sarah. He put aside his differences with Isaac and returned to bury his father. I wonder if Ishmael moved back in the vicinity of Abraham after Sarah died. I also find it interesting that after Abraham died, God blessed Isaac. God didn’t allow any doubts that His promise to Abraham would be through Isaac. Abraham knew that the promise would be through Isaac and he sent his other sons away into other lands before he died. This meant that there would not be sibling rivalry over who would own the land. It also continued to solidify the belief that the promise would be fulfilled through Isaac and not a different son. Ishmael had 12 sons. This fulfilled the promise in Genesis 17 that 12 princes would come from Ishmael. We read here about Ishmael’s death. The final verse of this passage is translated a few different ways in different translations. It can mean he lived in strife with his kinsmen, or it can mean he died among his kinsmen. I prefer the former. The Hebrew word used here implies conflict and violence. If the word was supposed to just mean that he died, the normal word for death would have been used. Instead a word was used which communicated that Ishmael was seen as inferior by his kinsmen. Once again, we see the story of a character who is not in the line of Jesus end quickly so we can get back to the main character, Isaac in this case.
Questions: Did Ishmael and Isaac get along at this point? How did Ishmael make it in time to bury Abraham? Why did Abraham feel the need to marry another woman? What family did she come from?
Lessons: There are honestly not too many lessons here.
Showing posts with label abraham. Show all posts
Showing posts with label abraham. Show all posts
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Sarah's Death and Burial
Story: Sarah’s Death and Burial
Passage: Genesis 23
Characters: Sarah, Abraham, Ephron
Summary: Sarah died when she was 127. Abraham mourned for her and wanted to bury her but he did not own any land. He asked to buy a piece of land so he could bury Sarah on his own land. The Hittites were willing to give Abraham land for free, but he insisted on buying the land. The people kept trying to give it to Abraham but he ended up buying the land and burying Sarah.
Notes: Abraham refused to take land for free from the Hittites. I think there were a couple reasons for this. Abraham was all about only being dependent on God and not man. He refused the plunder from rescuing Sodom for that very reason. He did not want charity form the Hittites. Abraham also knew God was going to give him that land eventually. He was probably aware that friendly relations with the Hittites would have to end eventually. He didn’t want his wife buried on their land, he wanted her on land belonging to him. God had set Abraham and his family apart from the other people living in the land. Abraham didn’t want to bury his wife on their land. He wanted to own the land fair and square so that he could keep his family separate from the Hittites. I think it is interesting that Abraham had a cave specifically picked out! He knew what he wanted and he bought it!
Questions: Why did that specific cave stand out to Abraham? Did he buy the land because he knew it would be his land someday? Why was Abraham so respected among the Hittites?
Lessons: When God makes a promise to us, it is important that we live our lives and make our decisions with that promise in mind. If God calls us to something, that should become our life goal.
Passage: Genesis 23
Characters: Sarah, Abraham, Ephron
Summary: Sarah died when she was 127. Abraham mourned for her and wanted to bury her but he did not own any land. He asked to buy a piece of land so he could bury Sarah on his own land. The Hittites were willing to give Abraham land for free, but he insisted on buying the land. The people kept trying to give it to Abraham but he ended up buying the land and burying Sarah.
Notes: Abraham refused to take land for free from the Hittites. I think there were a couple reasons for this. Abraham was all about only being dependent on God and not man. He refused the plunder from rescuing Sodom for that very reason. He did not want charity form the Hittites. Abraham also knew God was going to give him that land eventually. He was probably aware that friendly relations with the Hittites would have to end eventually. He didn’t want his wife buried on their land, he wanted her on land belonging to him. God had set Abraham and his family apart from the other people living in the land. Abraham didn’t want to bury his wife on their land. He wanted to own the land fair and square so that he could keep his family separate from the Hittites. I think it is interesting that Abraham had a cave specifically picked out! He knew what he wanted and he bought it!
Questions: Why did that specific cave stand out to Abraham? Did he buy the land because he knew it would be his land someday? Why was Abraham so respected among the Hittites?
Lessons: When God makes a promise to us, it is important that we live our lives and make our decisions with that promise in mind. If God calls us to something, that should become our life goal.
The Sacrifice of Isaac
Story: The Sacrifice of Isaac
Passage: Genesis 22
Characters: God, Abraham, Isaac, two servants
Summary: God tested Abraham by telling him to offer his son as a burnt offering in the place He would show him. Abraham took his son and traveled three days to the mountain God chose and carried the wood and the fire up the mountain. When Isaac asked where the lamb was, Abraham said that God would provide the lamb. Abraham took his knife and had bound his son and was about to kill him when God stopped him saying that now He knew that Abraham withheld nothing from God. Abraham saw a ram stuck in the bushes and he offered the ram instead. The mountain was called “God will provide”. God spoke again and made his promise to Abraham once again about his offspring. He promised that his offspring would possess the gate of their enemies. God also connected this promise to the condition of obedience which Abraham had just met. Abraham’s brother had some children.
Notes: This story is fascinating for several reasons. Many comparisons have been drawn between Abraham offering his son and God sacrificing His son for us. I think there is a slightly different analogy here as well. But first, some observations. This command from God made no sense. After all this trouble, Abraham finally had a son and God wanted him to kill him! This was no easy command either. It involved a three day trek without a known destination! Only if Abraham was devoted to God would he be willing to make a difficult trek with the purpose of killing his only son. Abraham obeyed though! He had total faith that God would provide. When Isaac inquired where the sacrifice was, Abraham said that it would be provided by God. Even though He believed God would provide, he still had the full intention of following God’s command all the way through. God did not step in until just before the strike. God made a promise to Abraham, but this promise was conditional. It was the same promise we have seen God give Abraham over and over again, but now we hear that is was conditional on his obedience. When God makes a promise, it can be and possibly always is conditional. Now to the analogy I see in this story. In my opinion, the Christ figure in this story is not Isaac, but the ram who was killed. Isaac was condemned to death by God and was led to his death. However, when the time came to kill him, God provided a lamb to be killed in Isaac’s place. I submit that Isaac represents humanity. We have been condemned to death by God. However, when we were still deserving death and about to die, God provided a lamb, His son, to die in our place and allow us to live with a promise that if we walked with Him, He would bless us and provide for us and fill us with His Spirit! This is significant and it is beautiful that God had the foresight to foreshadow this aspect of his redemptive story in ancient times. God knew Abraham’s heart so why did He need to test Abraham? I suspect it is because He wanted Abraham to see and believe that he was obedient and faithful and that God would come through. I believe this ordeal was more for Abraham’s benefit than God’s benefit.
Questions: Why did God choose that specific mountain? Why did God feel the need to test Abraham? Didn’t He know his heart? What did Isaac think during this story? Did Sarah know what was happening? How long had the ram been trapped in the bush? How many of God’s promises have conditions on them?
Lessons: God demands everything from us. Nothing is so important that we should not be willing to sacrifice it. God is our all in all. He is everything we need. He is the holy ruler of the universe and if what He says doesn’t make sense, this is because of our fallen minds and not because He made a mistake. Our only responsibility is to follow God and walk with Him in obedience. Nothing should come before that responsibility. If we obey in this, God will provide when we need His provision.
Passage: Genesis 22
Characters: God, Abraham, Isaac, two servants
Summary: God tested Abraham by telling him to offer his son as a burnt offering in the place He would show him. Abraham took his son and traveled three days to the mountain God chose and carried the wood and the fire up the mountain. When Isaac asked where the lamb was, Abraham said that God would provide the lamb. Abraham took his knife and had bound his son and was about to kill him when God stopped him saying that now He knew that Abraham withheld nothing from God. Abraham saw a ram stuck in the bushes and he offered the ram instead. The mountain was called “God will provide”. God spoke again and made his promise to Abraham once again about his offspring. He promised that his offspring would possess the gate of their enemies. God also connected this promise to the condition of obedience which Abraham had just met. Abraham’s brother had some children.
Notes: This story is fascinating for several reasons. Many comparisons have been drawn between Abraham offering his son and God sacrificing His son for us. I think there is a slightly different analogy here as well. But first, some observations. This command from God made no sense. After all this trouble, Abraham finally had a son and God wanted him to kill him! This was no easy command either. It involved a three day trek without a known destination! Only if Abraham was devoted to God would he be willing to make a difficult trek with the purpose of killing his only son. Abraham obeyed though! He had total faith that God would provide. When Isaac inquired where the sacrifice was, Abraham said that it would be provided by God. Even though He believed God would provide, he still had the full intention of following God’s command all the way through. God did not step in until just before the strike. God made a promise to Abraham, but this promise was conditional. It was the same promise we have seen God give Abraham over and over again, but now we hear that is was conditional on his obedience. When God makes a promise, it can be and possibly always is conditional. Now to the analogy I see in this story. In my opinion, the Christ figure in this story is not Isaac, but the ram who was killed. Isaac was condemned to death by God and was led to his death. However, when the time came to kill him, God provided a lamb to be killed in Isaac’s place. I submit that Isaac represents humanity. We have been condemned to death by God. However, when we were still deserving death and about to die, God provided a lamb, His son, to die in our place and allow us to live with a promise that if we walked with Him, He would bless us and provide for us and fill us with His Spirit! This is significant and it is beautiful that God had the foresight to foreshadow this aspect of his redemptive story in ancient times. God knew Abraham’s heart so why did He need to test Abraham? I suspect it is because He wanted Abraham to see and believe that he was obedient and faithful and that God would come through. I believe this ordeal was more for Abraham’s benefit than God’s benefit.
Questions: Why did God choose that specific mountain? Why did God feel the need to test Abraham? Didn’t He know his heart? What did Isaac think during this story? Did Sarah know what was happening? How long had the ram been trapped in the bush? How many of God’s promises have conditions on them?
Lessons: God demands everything from us. Nothing is so important that we should not be willing to sacrifice it. God is our all in all. He is everything we need. He is the holy ruler of the universe and if what He says doesn’t make sense, this is because of our fallen minds and not because He made a mistake. Our only responsibility is to follow God and walk with Him in obedience. Nothing should come before that responsibility. If we obey in this, God will provide when we need His provision.
A Treaty with Abimelech
Story: A treaty with Abimelech
Passage: Genesis 21:22-34
Characters: Abimelech, Phicol, Abraham,
Summary: Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army were worried that Abraham had grown to strong. They made Abraham swear to deal honestly with them and their land. Abraham then rebuked Abimelech because some of his servants had taken a well belonging to Abraham. Abraham set apart seven lambs and gave them to Abimelech as a witness that he had dug the well. After Abimelech and Phicol had left, Abraham called on the name of the Lord and planted a tree.
Notes: Abraham had been so blessed that Abimelech was intimidated by him. When we read what he says to Abraham, it is obvious that he is worried that Abraham will take his land. If he was aware of God’s promise to Abraham, he had good reason to be worried! Abraham made a covenant with Abimelech and then immediately brought up the conflict over his well. When I read this passage I wondered if the wording was significant when the passage says Abraham set apart 7 lambs. To be set apart is what the word holy means. Abraham consecrated these lambs and then gave them to Abimelech as a witness. This proved that Abraham believed what he said. No one is willing to sacrifice for what they know is a lie. We make sacrifices for what we believe to be true. If we aren’t willing to sacrifice for something, we either don’t believe that it is true, or we don’t think it is worth sacrificing for. Look at your own life and at what you make sacrifices for. If you make sacrifices for your own benefit, what does that mean you believe in? Abraham left this meeting and immediately called on the Lord. I would have thought this would have been good to do before making a covenant with the Philistines, but it is obvious that Abraham tried to stay in communication with God. He wanted to make sure he was still following the plan God had laid out for him.
Questions: Why was Abraham so intimidating to Abimelech? Why was the commander of his army present? Why did Abraham plant a tree? What do we make sacrifices for? Do we legitimately make sacrifices for God? If not, why not?
Lessons: We need to be willing to make sacrifices for God if we believe in Him. We know he is worth it and deserves it. If we are not willing to sacrifice for God, we need to really examine our actions and our motivations for our actions. It is also important that we call on the name of the Lord. We want to be in constant communication with God through prayer and live in full submission to His will through the Spirit.
Passage: Genesis 21:22-34
Characters: Abimelech, Phicol, Abraham,
Summary: Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army were worried that Abraham had grown to strong. They made Abraham swear to deal honestly with them and their land. Abraham then rebuked Abimelech because some of his servants had taken a well belonging to Abraham. Abraham set apart seven lambs and gave them to Abimelech as a witness that he had dug the well. After Abimelech and Phicol had left, Abraham called on the name of the Lord and planted a tree.
Notes: Abraham had been so blessed that Abimelech was intimidated by him. When we read what he says to Abraham, it is obvious that he is worried that Abraham will take his land. If he was aware of God’s promise to Abraham, he had good reason to be worried! Abraham made a covenant with Abimelech and then immediately brought up the conflict over his well. When I read this passage I wondered if the wording was significant when the passage says Abraham set apart 7 lambs. To be set apart is what the word holy means. Abraham consecrated these lambs and then gave them to Abimelech as a witness. This proved that Abraham believed what he said. No one is willing to sacrifice for what they know is a lie. We make sacrifices for what we believe to be true. If we aren’t willing to sacrifice for something, we either don’t believe that it is true, or we don’t think it is worth sacrificing for. Look at your own life and at what you make sacrifices for. If you make sacrifices for your own benefit, what does that mean you believe in? Abraham left this meeting and immediately called on the Lord. I would have thought this would have been good to do before making a covenant with the Philistines, but it is obvious that Abraham tried to stay in communication with God. He wanted to make sure he was still following the plan God had laid out for him.
Questions: Why was Abraham so intimidating to Abimelech? Why was the commander of his army present? Why did Abraham plant a tree? What do we make sacrifices for? Do we legitimately make sacrifices for God? If not, why not?
Lessons: We need to be willing to make sacrifices for God if we believe in Him. We know he is worth it and deserves it. If we are not willing to sacrifice for God, we need to really examine our actions and our motivations for our actions. It is also important that we call on the name of the Lord. We want to be in constant communication with God through prayer and live in full submission to His will through the Spirit.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
The Birth of Isaac, God Protects Hagar and Ishmael
Story: The birth of Isaac, God protects Hagar and Ishmael
Passage: Genesis 21:1-21
Characters: Sarah, God, Abraham, Isacc, Ishmael, Hagar
Summary: The Lord kept his promise and Sarah gave birth to a son when God said she would. They named him Isaac. Sarah said that people would laugh over her when they hear her story. Abraham threw a feast to celebrate his son being weaned, but Ishmael mocked Isaac. Sarah wanted Hagar and Ishmael gone. God told Abram to listen to Sarah so he cast them out. They wandered and ran out of water so Hagar left the baby to die under a bush but God spoke to her and promised to make Ishmael into a great nation. She saw a well and they drank. She raised Ishamel in the wilderness and he became good with a bow. He married an Egyptian woman.
Notes: God came through and Abraham followed through on his side of the deal. He named his son Isaac and circumcised him like he was told to. It is obvious that Abraham favored Isaac. We see no mention of a feast celebrating Ishmael, but here he throws a feast for Isaac. I’m not really sure what Ishmael was doing to deserve Sarah’s wrath. The ESV says he was laughing, which is fitting since Isaac’s name means “he laughs”. NIV seems to see it as a mocking laughter. Either way, Ishmael can’t have been very old at this time and I feel like his attitude can’t have been too intentionally harmful. But Sarah seems to have dealt with jealousy. Her first attempt to scare Hagar away had failed, and now she turned to Abraham to take care of it. She referred to Hagar and Ishmael as “this slave woman and her son.” This is very impersonal considering it was Sarah’s idea to let Abraham marry Hagar. She comes right out and says she doesn’t want Ishmael being Abraham’s heir. Abraham didn’t know what to do! From previous chapters we see that he liked Ishmael, but his wife hated Ishmael. God stepped in and said to do what Sarah suggested. Sarah was being selfish and hateful, yet God told Abraham to follow her advice. God can work through bad situations and even bad motives. God told him that his offspring would be named through Isaac, but Ishmael would also become a nation. God made this promise to Abraham a ridiculous number of times! So Abraham cast them out. Hagar loved Ishmael and could not bring herself to watch him die when they ran out of water. She put him under a bush and then went far enough away so that she wouldn’t have to watch. The fact that she was able to just set him down and not have him follow her tells me Ishmael was likely still very young. God heard her weeping and promised her that her son would become a great nation. He opened her eyes to see a well. This tells me that God had somehow made it so that she could not see this well right in front of her! This is a little weird to me, but God did it for a reason. Maybe He wanted her to cry out to Him. This is the first mention of a weapon. And it is in the hands of Ishmael who lived alone in the wilderness, whose descendants were going to be militant. God was already fulfilling his prophecy. Hagar found an Egyptian woman to marry him. This sounds like an arranged marriage to me. Also, Egypt is later used to represent sin. This might be another way that the passage contrasts Ishmael’s life with Isaacs. It is interesting to read the stories of people not in the line of Israel. The fact that they are mentioned means they are important, but the brevity of the stories about them shows that they are not the main characters in the story.
Questions: Why did God use Sarah’s attitude and motives to accomplish his purpose? Did Abraham regret sending Hagar and Ishmael away? Was Hagar glad to finally get away from Sarah? Why did God hide the well from Hagar? Ishmael was not a main part of God’s redemptive plan for the world, but he is included and God showed Himself to Hagar and Ishmael after they had separated from the main plot line. Why? And did God do anything else miraculous in Ishamel’s life? In other words, did God continue to directly provide for Ishmael?
Lessons: God can use wrong motives and bad situations. Just because something goes wrong or seems broken and sinful does not mean that God is unable to work through it. In this story, God separated Ishmael through Sarah’s sinful jealousy. There is no situation to dark or messed up for God to be found in.
Passage: Genesis 21:1-21
Characters: Sarah, God, Abraham, Isacc, Ishmael, Hagar
Summary: The Lord kept his promise and Sarah gave birth to a son when God said she would. They named him Isaac. Sarah said that people would laugh over her when they hear her story. Abraham threw a feast to celebrate his son being weaned, but Ishmael mocked Isaac. Sarah wanted Hagar and Ishmael gone. God told Abram to listen to Sarah so he cast them out. They wandered and ran out of water so Hagar left the baby to die under a bush but God spoke to her and promised to make Ishmael into a great nation. She saw a well and they drank. She raised Ishamel in the wilderness and he became good with a bow. He married an Egyptian woman.
Notes: God came through and Abraham followed through on his side of the deal. He named his son Isaac and circumcised him like he was told to. It is obvious that Abraham favored Isaac. We see no mention of a feast celebrating Ishmael, but here he throws a feast for Isaac. I’m not really sure what Ishmael was doing to deserve Sarah’s wrath. The ESV says he was laughing, which is fitting since Isaac’s name means “he laughs”. NIV seems to see it as a mocking laughter. Either way, Ishmael can’t have been very old at this time and I feel like his attitude can’t have been too intentionally harmful. But Sarah seems to have dealt with jealousy. Her first attempt to scare Hagar away had failed, and now she turned to Abraham to take care of it. She referred to Hagar and Ishmael as “this slave woman and her son.” This is very impersonal considering it was Sarah’s idea to let Abraham marry Hagar. She comes right out and says she doesn’t want Ishmael being Abraham’s heir. Abraham didn’t know what to do! From previous chapters we see that he liked Ishmael, but his wife hated Ishmael. God stepped in and said to do what Sarah suggested. Sarah was being selfish and hateful, yet God told Abraham to follow her advice. God can work through bad situations and even bad motives. God told him that his offspring would be named through Isaac, but Ishmael would also become a nation. God made this promise to Abraham a ridiculous number of times! So Abraham cast them out. Hagar loved Ishmael and could not bring herself to watch him die when they ran out of water. She put him under a bush and then went far enough away so that she wouldn’t have to watch. The fact that she was able to just set him down and not have him follow her tells me Ishmael was likely still very young. God heard her weeping and promised her that her son would become a great nation. He opened her eyes to see a well. This tells me that God had somehow made it so that she could not see this well right in front of her! This is a little weird to me, but God did it for a reason. Maybe He wanted her to cry out to Him. This is the first mention of a weapon. And it is in the hands of Ishmael who lived alone in the wilderness, whose descendants were going to be militant. God was already fulfilling his prophecy. Hagar found an Egyptian woman to marry him. This sounds like an arranged marriage to me. Also, Egypt is later used to represent sin. This might be another way that the passage contrasts Ishmael’s life with Isaacs. It is interesting to read the stories of people not in the line of Israel. The fact that they are mentioned means they are important, but the brevity of the stories about them shows that they are not the main characters in the story.
Questions: Why did God use Sarah’s attitude and motives to accomplish his purpose? Did Abraham regret sending Hagar and Ishmael away? Was Hagar glad to finally get away from Sarah? Why did God hide the well from Hagar? Ishmael was not a main part of God’s redemptive plan for the world, but he is included and God showed Himself to Hagar and Ishmael after they had separated from the main plot line. Why? And did God do anything else miraculous in Ishamel’s life? In other words, did God continue to directly provide for Ishmael?
Lessons: God can use wrong motives and bad situations. Just because something goes wrong or seems broken and sinful does not mean that God is unable to work through it. In this story, God separated Ishmael through Sarah’s sinful jealousy. There is no situation to dark or messed up for God to be found in.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Abraham and Abimelech
Story: Abraham and Abimelech
Passage: Genesis 20
Characters: Abraham, Sarah, Abimelech, God
Summary: Abraham traveled to Gerar. He said that Sarah was his sister and Abimelech, king of Gerar took her. God told him he would die for taking another man’s wife. Abimelech was confused and maintained his innocence. God revealed that Abimelech was innocent because God didn’t let him touch her. God told him to return Sarah to Abraham and Abraham would pray for
Abimelech and he would be spared. Abraham prayed for Abimelech and God healed his entire household. God had caused all of the women in his house to become barren.
Notes:
Abrhaham was doing it again! He was giving his wife to another man to save his own life. Once again God punished the man even though he had no idea of what he was doing! I love the way God begins His conversation with Abimelech. Remember, Abimelech had no idea that he had taken another man’s wife. God said, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman you have taken…” That’s a scary thing to hear from God when you think you are innocent! Poor Abimelech tried to maintain his innocence and the Lord immediately acknowledged that he had indeed not touched her yet. But He also says that it was God that kept him from touching her. This implies that without God, he would have. The true test became how Abimelech would respond to this knowelge. Would he return Sarah without incident? This is what he did. Although you can tell he
was mad at Abraham for deceiving him like that. Abraham tries to make excuses and justify his actions by referencing the fact that she is sort of his sister. This seems pathetic to me, but it is encouraging that God used a pathetic person like Abraham to lead and found His chosen people! This should give you a ton of hope and confidence! God loves using weak men! Abimelech gave Abraham all kinds of livestock and possessions and let him live wherever he wanted to. So once again, God blessed Abraham through this deception! Another interesting observation is that Abraham is 100 years old at this point and Sarah is also quite old. The fact that Abraham was still worried he would be killed over her beauty makes me think one of three things could have been going on here. One, she was a very beautiful old lady. Two, Abraham was blind to the fact that they had aged. Three, she was very inwardly beautiful and that was what would attract Abimelech. Obviously, Abimelech did take her so something was going on here that drew him to her.
Questions: Why did God react so harshly to Abimelech when his intentions were innocent? Why did God once again bless Abraham through this deception? What on earth did Sarah think of this deal she made with Abraham?
Lessons: God can use us even when we screw up. When we are cowardly and don’t consult God
for our decisions, He does not give up on us. Instead He continues to show us mercy and grace and guides us in the direction that we should go. Also, sinning with good intentions is still sinning and still deserves death.
Passage: Genesis 20
Characters: Abraham, Sarah, Abimelech, God
Summary: Abraham traveled to Gerar. He said that Sarah was his sister and Abimelech, king of Gerar took her. God told him he would die for taking another man’s wife. Abimelech was confused and maintained his innocence. God revealed that Abimelech was innocent because God didn’t let him touch her. God told him to return Sarah to Abraham and Abraham would pray for
Abimelech and he would be spared. Abraham prayed for Abimelech and God healed his entire household. God had caused all of the women in his house to become barren.
Notes:
Abrhaham was doing it again! He was giving his wife to another man to save his own life. Once again God punished the man even though he had no idea of what he was doing! I love the way God begins His conversation with Abimelech. Remember, Abimelech had no idea that he had taken another man’s wife. God said, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman you have taken…” That’s a scary thing to hear from God when you think you are innocent! Poor Abimelech tried to maintain his innocence and the Lord immediately acknowledged that he had indeed not touched her yet. But He also says that it was God that kept him from touching her. This implies that without God, he would have. The true test became how Abimelech would respond to this knowelge. Would he return Sarah without incident? This is what he did. Although you can tell he
was mad at Abraham for deceiving him like that. Abraham tries to make excuses and justify his actions by referencing the fact that she is sort of his sister. This seems pathetic to me, but it is encouraging that God used a pathetic person like Abraham to lead and found His chosen people! This should give you a ton of hope and confidence! God loves using weak men! Abimelech gave Abraham all kinds of livestock and possessions and let him live wherever he wanted to. So once again, God blessed Abraham through this deception! Another interesting observation is that Abraham is 100 years old at this point and Sarah is also quite old. The fact that Abraham was still worried he would be killed over her beauty makes me think one of three things could have been going on here. One, she was a very beautiful old lady. Two, Abraham was blind to the fact that they had aged. Three, she was very inwardly beautiful and that was what would attract Abimelech. Obviously, Abimelech did take her so something was going on here that drew him to her.
Questions: Why did God react so harshly to Abimelech when his intentions were innocent? Why did God once again bless Abraham through this deception? What on earth did Sarah think of this deal she made with Abraham?
Lessons: God can use us even when we screw up. When we are cowardly and don’t consult God
for our decisions, He does not give up on us. Instead He continues to show us mercy and grace and guides us in the direction that we should go. Also, sinning with good intentions is still sinning and still deserves death.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
Story: Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
Passage: Genesis 18:22-33
Characters: Abraham, God
Summary: Thethree men who visited Abraham began to leave but Abraham stopped God and approached Him to ask if He would spare Sodom if there were 50 righteous men there. God said that He would. Abraham asked about what God would do for 45, 40, 30, 20, and 10 righteous people. God said He would spare the city in each circumstance.
Notes: Abraham was very bold. He stopped God and approached Him to ask Him to spare his relatives. He appealed to God's inability to punish the righteous. God is just and it is unjust to punish the righteous. As He negotiated with God, Abraham did some quick math as he calculated how many family members Lot probably had. Remember that Lot was living in Sodom at the time. God patiently answered each of Abraham's questions. You can tell that Abraham was embarassed or ashamed to be asking these questions of a holy God. His wording was never direct or to the point. He even made God do math at one point! However God always gave a direct answer. He showed no indication of being annoyed or impatient, but He was direct. It shows His authority in this encounter. The other two men were not indicated as being present for this encounter. Now the word righteous does not mean sinless in the old testament. Noah is described as righteous. To be righteous was to walk with God. What Abraham may not have fully realized is that Lot and his family were humans and were therefore not sinless and deserved the punishment which God was about to mete out on Sodom. Remember for tomorrow's reading that the deal was that God would spare the city if there were 10 righteous people in the city.
Questions: Where did the other two people go? How did God feel about Abraham's approaching Him? Was He amused? Annoyed? Were Lot and his family actually righteous?
Lessons: According to the new testament, we are supposed to be persistant in our prayers and petitions to God. God wants us to trust Him, to approach Him with our thoughts, concerns, praises, and issues. He wants us to beg Him to be involved in our lives. He wants us to acknowlege His supremacy. He won't get impatient with us. Abraham was asking God a silly thing to spare sinners from His punishment. But God patiently listened and we will find out that He did indeed spare Lot's family. God loves it when we stop Him and "annoy" Him for the sake of others.
Passage: Genesis 18:22-33
Characters: Abraham, God
Summary: Thethree men who visited Abraham began to leave but Abraham stopped God and approached Him to ask if He would spare Sodom if there were 50 righteous men there. God said that He would. Abraham asked about what God would do for 45, 40, 30, 20, and 10 righteous people. God said He would spare the city in each circumstance.
Notes: Abraham was very bold. He stopped God and approached Him to ask Him to spare his relatives. He appealed to God's inability to punish the righteous. God is just and it is unjust to punish the righteous. As He negotiated with God, Abraham did some quick math as he calculated how many family members Lot probably had. Remember that Lot was living in Sodom at the time. God patiently answered each of Abraham's questions. You can tell that Abraham was embarassed or ashamed to be asking these questions of a holy God. His wording was never direct or to the point. He even made God do math at one point! However God always gave a direct answer. He showed no indication of being annoyed or impatient, but He was direct. It shows His authority in this encounter. The other two men were not indicated as being present for this encounter. Now the word righteous does not mean sinless in the old testament. Noah is described as righteous. To be righteous was to walk with God. What Abraham may not have fully realized is that Lot and his family were humans and were therefore not sinless and deserved the punishment which God was about to mete out on Sodom. Remember for tomorrow's reading that the deal was that God would spare the city if there were 10 righteous people in the city.
Questions: Where did the other two people go? How did God feel about Abraham's approaching Him? Was He amused? Annoyed? Were Lot and his family actually righteous?
Lessons: According to the new testament, we are supposed to be persistant in our prayers and petitions to God. God wants us to trust Him, to approach Him with our thoughts, concerns, praises, and issues. He wants us to beg Him to be involved in our lives. He wants us to acknowlege His supremacy. He won't get impatient with us. Abraham was asking God a silly thing to spare sinners from His punishment. But God patiently listened and we will find out that He did indeed spare Lot's family. God loves it when we stop Him and "annoy" Him for the sake of others.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Isaac's Birth Promised
Story: Isaac's Birth Promised
Passage: Genesis 17:15-18:21
Characters: God, Abraham, three men, Sarai
Summary: God changed Sarai's name to Sarah. He promised Abraham a son through Sarah and He blessed the son. Abraham did not believe God and asked for Ishmael to have the blessing. God said that He would bless Ishmael, but His covenant was with Isaac. Abraham circumcised his entire household. Three men appeared to Abraham. Abraham served them. The men said that Sarah would have a son in the next year. She overheard and laughed at the men and God questioned her laughter. The Lord decided to tell Abraham his plan for Sodom.
Notes: Abraham fully believed that God's covenant was with Ishmael. When God promised a son to Sarah, he laughed at God's promise! God still chose to bless Ishmael though. His covenant however was with Isaac. God's choice of names was interesting. God puts a lot of stock in names. Throughout the old testament, and even into the new testament, God changed peoples' names to better represent His plan for their lives. He had already changed Abram's name to Abraham. Now He changed Sarai's name to Sarah. Sarah means princess. I'm not sure exactly why He deliberately called her princess, but I suspect that she felt like a failure. She couldn't give Abraham a son. But God wanted her to know that she was still a princess in His eyes and she would be the mother of an eternally royal line. Isaac means "he laughs". This is fitting since both Abraham and Sarah laughed when God told them they would have Isaac. Abraham then immediately obeyed God's command to circumcise his household. Remember that although God's command occurred in the previous chapter, it was the same conversation with Abraham as this one. Abraham immediately obeyed. It wasn't just Abraham's family who was set apart, it was those who Abraham had bought and acquired. It was all of his servants. Likewise, we have been bought by God and we are set apart for him, even though most of us are not Jews. God then appeared as three men. I assume that these men represented the trinity. This is significant because I cannot think of another time in the Bible when God physically portrayed the trinity so clearly. Obviously this was a pivotal moment in the story that God was writing. The only other place I can think of where the trinity was observably present was Jesus baptism. The Spirit was a dove, the Father was a voice, and the Son was obviously Jesus. This was another pivotal moment in history. In this case, I wonder if Abraham was aware of who these visitors were. He treated them with tremendous respect and served them immediately. God asked where Sarah was and heard she was in the tent. Instead of sending Abraham to get her, He spoke about Isaac as if she were there. He was well aware that she was listening. He was also well aware that she laughed. I love that she argued with Him saying she did not laugh. God responds by saying, "No, but you did laugh." And then He just moves on. It wasn't an argument so much as it was a statement. Sarah tried to argue with God and God just sort of brushed her argument aside. I just find that funny!. Anyway, I think it is interesting that God decided to share with Abraham his plan for Sodom. Obviously, God and Abraham were very close if God felt like he deserved to be told about His plan.
Questions: Did Abraham believe God initially about Isaac? Why did God change Sarah's name to princess? Did Abraham know who the three men were? Did the men enjoy the food that Abraham gave them? Why did Sarah bother arging with God? Why did God choose to share His plans with Abraham?
Lessons: As first born, Ishmael deserved to have the covenant with God. But God places no weight on birthorder. God blesses who He wants to bless and uses who He wants to use. We as gentiles do not deserve the convenant we have with God. But God loved us and chose to use us in His story. We also see Abraham display immediate obedience. When God tells us to do something, we need to do it immediately!
Passage: Genesis 17:15-18:21
Characters: God, Abraham, three men, Sarai
Summary: God changed Sarai's name to Sarah. He promised Abraham a son through Sarah and He blessed the son. Abraham did not believe God and asked for Ishmael to have the blessing. God said that He would bless Ishmael, but His covenant was with Isaac. Abraham circumcised his entire household. Three men appeared to Abraham. Abraham served them. The men said that Sarah would have a son in the next year. She overheard and laughed at the men and God questioned her laughter. The Lord decided to tell Abraham his plan for Sodom.
Notes: Abraham fully believed that God's covenant was with Ishmael. When God promised a son to Sarah, he laughed at God's promise! God still chose to bless Ishmael though. His covenant however was with Isaac. God's choice of names was interesting. God puts a lot of stock in names. Throughout the old testament, and even into the new testament, God changed peoples' names to better represent His plan for their lives. He had already changed Abram's name to Abraham. Now He changed Sarai's name to Sarah. Sarah means princess. I'm not sure exactly why He deliberately called her princess, but I suspect that she felt like a failure. She couldn't give Abraham a son. But God wanted her to know that she was still a princess in His eyes and she would be the mother of an eternally royal line. Isaac means "he laughs". This is fitting since both Abraham and Sarah laughed when God told them they would have Isaac. Abraham then immediately obeyed God's command to circumcise his household. Remember that although God's command occurred in the previous chapter, it was the same conversation with Abraham as this one. Abraham immediately obeyed. It wasn't just Abraham's family who was set apart, it was those who Abraham had bought and acquired. It was all of his servants. Likewise, we have been bought by God and we are set apart for him, even though most of us are not Jews. God then appeared as three men. I assume that these men represented the trinity. This is significant because I cannot think of another time in the Bible when God physically portrayed the trinity so clearly. Obviously this was a pivotal moment in the story that God was writing. The only other place I can think of where the trinity was observably present was Jesus baptism. The Spirit was a dove, the Father was a voice, and the Son was obviously Jesus. This was another pivotal moment in history. In this case, I wonder if Abraham was aware of who these visitors were. He treated them with tremendous respect and served them immediately. God asked where Sarah was and heard she was in the tent. Instead of sending Abraham to get her, He spoke about Isaac as if she were there. He was well aware that she was listening. He was also well aware that she laughed. I love that she argued with Him saying she did not laugh. God responds by saying, "No, but you did laugh." And then He just moves on. It wasn't an argument so much as it was a statement. Sarah tried to argue with God and God just sort of brushed her argument aside. I just find that funny!. Anyway, I think it is interesting that God decided to share with Abraham his plan for Sodom. Obviously, God and Abraham were very close if God felt like he deserved to be told about His plan.
Questions: Did Abraham believe God initially about Isaac? Why did God change Sarah's name to princess? Did Abraham know who the three men were? Did the men enjoy the food that Abraham gave them? Why did Sarah bother arging with God? Why did God choose to share His plans with Abraham?
Lessons: As first born, Ishmael deserved to have the covenant with God. But God places no weight on birthorder. God blesses who He wants to bless and uses who He wants to use. We as gentiles do not deserve the convenant we have with God. But God loved us and chose to use us in His story. We also see Abraham display immediate obedience. When God tells us to do something, we need to do it immediately!
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Abraham and the covenant of circumcision
Story: Abraham and the covenant of circumcision
Passage: Genesis 17:1-14
Summary: God appeared to Abram and commanded him to walk before Him and be blameless. God promised that his descendants would be a multitude of nations. God changed his name from Abram to Abraham. God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham. God commanded him to circumcise his offspring to set them apart from other nations.
Notes: God sure made a lot of covenants with Abram! And each one was more detailed and unbelievable than the one before it! In this passage God commanded Abram to : walk before Him and be blameless, to keep the covenant, to circumcise his offspring. God promised: to multiply him greatly, to make him the father of a multitude of nations, that kings would come from him, that He would be their God, and that He would give them the land as an everlasting possession. Abraham's response: fell on his face. This was an appropriate response to the holiness of God which Abraham had experienced. Abram means exalted father. This was interesting and probably frustrating since he was not a father until Ishmael. And once Ishmael was born his name changed to Abraham, which means father of a multitude. The Israelites were to be set apart through circumcision. This is significant because they were set apart by sacrificing their flesh. Today, we are set apart through the sacrifice of Christ. Our flesh dies and we are made holy, which means set apart.
Questions: Why circumcision exactly? Why did God choose this method to set apart His people? Has Abraham not gotten the point yet? Why does God have to keep making promises to Abraham? Does he not trust God? Why did God choose this timing to change Abram's name? Why right after the birth of Ishmael?
Lessons: We are called to be different. We have been adopted by Christ and are now His chosen people, set apart for Him. While we are no longer under the law of circumcision, we are still called to be set apart as holy!
Passage: Genesis 17:1-14
Summary: God appeared to Abram and commanded him to walk before Him and be blameless. God promised that his descendants would be a multitude of nations. God changed his name from Abram to Abraham. God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham. God commanded him to circumcise his offspring to set them apart from other nations.
Notes: God sure made a lot of covenants with Abram! And each one was more detailed and unbelievable than the one before it! In this passage God commanded Abram to : walk before Him and be blameless, to keep the covenant, to circumcise his offspring. God promised: to multiply him greatly, to make him the father of a multitude of nations, that kings would come from him, that He would be their God, and that He would give them the land as an everlasting possession. Abraham's response: fell on his face. This was an appropriate response to the holiness of God which Abraham had experienced. Abram means exalted father. This was interesting and probably frustrating since he was not a father until Ishmael. And once Ishmael was born his name changed to Abraham, which means father of a multitude. The Israelites were to be set apart through circumcision. This is significant because they were set apart by sacrificing their flesh. Today, we are set apart through the sacrifice of Christ. Our flesh dies and we are made holy, which means set apart.
Questions: Why circumcision exactly? Why did God choose this method to set apart His people? Has Abraham not gotten the point yet? Why does God have to keep making promises to Abraham? Does he not trust God? Why did God choose this timing to change Abram's name? Why right after the birth of Ishmael?
Lessons: We are called to be different. We have been adopted by Christ and are now His chosen people, set apart for Him. While we are no longer under the law of circumcision, we are still called to be set apart as holy!
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