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Genesis 15-17 Lesson 10

“By Faith Abraham Obeyed” God makes and keeps promises God’s people of old acted based on their faith God has made me a promise Based on my faith Achieved by my obedient actions

Canaan Abraham Patriarchs

Canaan Back To Bethel Egypt Patriarchs

Review Abram Was Rich Very rich 13:2 Blessed by God? Faithful to God 318 trained servants born in his house 14:14 Blessed by God? Without doubt Faithful to God Worshiped 13:4 Are the ‘faithful’ always rich? Are the rich always faithful?

Review Abram Lets Lot Choose As the patriarch or head of the family, Abram might have chosen his own portion first, and appointed Lot his; but intent upon peace, and feeling pure and parental affection for his nephew, he permitted him to make his choice first. Yielding to preference of others Lesson??

Review Lot’s Choice The well watered plains He certainly should have left the choice to the patriarch, and should have been guided by his counsel; but he took his own way, trusting to his own judgment, and guided only by the sight of his eyes: he beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered, etc Respecting older counsel Lesson??

Lot’s Choice Review so he chose the land, without considering the character of the inhabitants, or what advantages or disadvantages it might afford him in spiritual things. This choice, as we shall see as the narrative continues, had nearly proved the ruin of his body, soul, and family. Spiritual impact of decisions Lesson??

Review Our Choices Respect for others (especially older) Listen to counsel Seek our own way Trust our own judgment Guided by false appearances Do not consider associations Fail to consider spiritual affect Results in ruin of his body, soul, and family.

Lot Captured Review Genesis 14:12 They also took Lot, Abram's brother's son who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. Abram takes 318 of his trained servants to rescue Lot He travels north to Dan and on north of Damascus

Lot Rescued Review Genesis 14:6 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.

Melchizedek Review Melchizedek is called here king of Salem, and most interpreters allow that by Salem, Jerusalem is meant. Very mysterious, and at the same time typical, in the person, name, office, residence, and government of this Canaanite prince. In his person he was a representative and type of Christ His name, signifies my righteous king, or king of righteousness

Abram’s Tithe Review A tenth part of all the spoils he had taken from the confederate kings. These Abram gave as a tribute to the most high God, who, being the possessor of heaven and earth, dispenses all spiritual and temporal favors, and demands the gratitude, and submissive, loving obedience, of all his subjects.

God appears to Abram God’s relationship to Abram Abram’s concern Very old No offspring An heir is coming Can you count the stars?

Abram’s reaction Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. Romans 4:19-21 Romans 4:3 Galatians 3:6 Believed, but still wanted understanding That his descendants would be as many as the stars in the sky, yet he had no son How will I know??

After 400 years in a strange land God’s promise I brought you out of Ur To give you this land How shall I know? Sacrifices ordered and prepared Covenant ratified To your descendants I will give this land From River of Egypt to Euphrates After 400 years in a strange land

To your descendants I have given this land

Sarai’s plan Offers her handmaid to Abram Genesis 2:24 Abram complies To bring an heir Genesis 2:24 Not so from the beginning Abram complies Hagar conceives Trouble begins

Sarai’s regret Her plan backfires Sarai is despised by Hagar She blames Abram Sarai deals harshly with Hagar Hagar flees

Angel appears to Hagar Referred to as “Hagar, Sarai’s maid” Angel tells her to return to Sarai Submit yourself under her hand Promise to Hagar Multiply your descendants Child to be named Ishmael To be a wild man Abram is 86 when Ishmael is born

God appears to Abram Abram is 99 years old God offers a covenant Thirteen years after Ishmael Still no heir God offers a covenant Abram fell on his face Talking with God!!!!

God’s covenant Abram the father of many nations Name changed Abram – a high father Abraham – the father of a multitude Make many nations from you Everlasting covenant To you and your descendants

God’s covenant I will be your God I will give you the land An everlasting possession You shall keep my covenant Throughout your generations Circumcision of every male Otherwise, cutoff

God’s covenant Sarai changed to Sarah Mother of nations Abraham laughed at promise of child Again, offered Ishmael As a substitute heir Sarah would have son By this time next year Abraham circumcises his household

Abram’s faith Lessons Abram’s reaction Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. Romans 4:16-22 Romans 4:3-5 Galatians 3:6 Believed, but still wanted understanding Abram’s faith Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed--God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; 18 who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be." 19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness.“ Rom 4:1 What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.“ Gal 3:6 just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.“

Commentary One of most important OT passages Doctrine of Justification by Faith Abram believed (put faith) in Jehovah Counted it (faith) for righteousness No ‘act’ but that of heart and mind No ‘work’ of any kind Justified by faith Without any merit of works

Working faith Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark

Working faith Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

James 2:20-24 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

Our ‘plan’ is not to replace God’s plan Sarai’s plan Lessons Offers her handmaid to Abram To bring an heir Genesis 2:24 Not so from the beginning Abram complies Hagar conceives Trouble begins Our ‘plan’ is not to replace God’s plan

Circumstances are not always pleasant God appears to Hagar Lessons Referred to as “Hagar, Sarai’s maid” Angel tells her to return to Sarai Submit yourself under her hand Promise to Hagar Multiply your descendants Child to be named Ishmael To be a wild man Abram is 86 when Ishmael is born Circumstances are not always pleasant

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