1 Part 2: Patriarchal History: Gen 12—36
a. The Theme of Redemption is Crystallized Various terms connect the themes of Gen 1-11 with land seed Blessing Also, the importance of: genealogy word b. Date: 2,166 B.C. 2
(cf. 12:7– “To your seed I will give this land”) 3 1 The L ORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 1 The L ORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
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“I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. And through your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed” 5
(Gal 3:8)“The Scripture... announced the Gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you (quoting Gen 12:3)’” (Gal 3:16) “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ” (cf. Gal 3:29) 6
7 Gen 12:1-3 is not distinct from Gen 3:15; in fact it is directly based upon, and expands, the original promise.
Partial fulfillment throughout Genesis 1. Patriarchs acquire certain land rights (21:22-33; 23:1-20; 33:19) 2. They have children/descendants (often with difficulty) (21:2-7; 25:21) 3. Abraham and his family are constantly blessed (wealth, livestock, etc.) a. Nations are also blessed Gen 14 Gen b. There continues to be the hope of a Royal “Seed” (Isaac, Jacob, Joseph…) 8
Conditional: “if…then” Unconditional: “I will…” 9
10 The Unconditional Promise – Genesis 15 15:9 The Lord said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon. 15:10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other…” (cf. Jer 34:18-19) Gretchen Wayne Gretchen vows to keep her conditions & Wayne vows to keep his conditions
11 Abram God Abram vows to keep his conditions & God vows to keep his conditions The Unconditional Promise – Genesis 15 15:9 The Lord said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon. 15:10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other…”
12 Abram God & God vows to keep his conditions There are NO “human” conditions The Unconditional Promise – Genesis 15 Gen 15:18– “The LORD made a covenant with Abram Saying, ‘To your descendants I have given this land”
13 The Unconditional Promise of Genesis 12 and 15 flows from 3:15
e. Abraham’s FRAGILE faith? 1 Journey in Egypt (Gen 12) 2 Tries to manufacture the promise under his power i. Eliezer as heir? (Gen 15) ii. Abraham and Hagar (Gen 16) iii. Ishmael the heir? (Gen 17) 3 Lies about his wife again! (Gen 20) 14
“you want me to do WHAT with the promised seed?” Significance: the dilemmas of chaps (bareness, doubt, delay, etc) Moral approach: A Father’s love for his son Theological approach: God’s promise is on the line Location: Jerusalem; Temple; Crucifixion Sacrifice: an animal is sacrificed as a “burnt offering” (for sin) in the place of a human. 15
“Flat” Character ‘flat’ and ‘round’ characters rather passive character emphasizes the God who is actively fulfilling his promise 16
a. Birth of Jacob b. Steals the Birthright c. Dream at Bethel Grace Promise Babel d. At Paddan-Aram with Uncle Laban e. Wrestles with God f. Conclusion And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. 14 Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
Part 3: The Joseph Story: Genesis
A. Introduction A. Major Themes a. Partial fulfillment of Abrahamic promise a. God’s sovereignty through bad circumstances The “IT” of Gen 50:20 refers to the same event, which was comprised of two different agents: human (did evil) and God (did good). 19
Snake Killer (Gen 3:15)? Good candidate—Gen 37, 39 Judah and Tamar (Gen 38) Oooops, someone put this chapter in the wrong place! Judah and Joseph 20 Joseph 1.Best candidate 2.Royal figure 3.Moral character (Gen 37!!) 4.11 th born, yet 1 st born of favorite wife Judah 1.Worst candidate 2.Leading instigator against Joseph (Gen 37) 3.Moral character (Gen 38!!)
PProphecy in Gen 49 RReuben SSimeon and Levi JJudah TTheological point: The same sovereign Creator, who took what is “formless and void” and made it into a beautiful creation, DELIGHTS in taking humans who are “formless and void” and making them into portraits of grace. MMatt 1:1-17 EEph 2: