1 The Son of Promise Abraham and Isaac Lesson 10

2 How many sons did Abraham have? Hagar-Ishmael (Abram was 86) Sarah--Isaac (Abraham was 100) Keturah--Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, Shuah

3 But only Isaac was the son of promise. The others were sons of concubines (see Genesis 25:6).

4 What is a concubine? In the Bible, concubine simply means a secondary wife. Concubines are married, but they do not have the same status as the first wife. Kings often had concubines--Saul and Belshazzar did.

5 Sarah was Abraham’s first wife. Hagar and Keturah were secondary wives, and the children of these wives, he sent away, with gifts, and the rest of his possessions were given to Isaac.

6 Polygamy means having more than one spouse, usually more than one wife. Is this okay with God?

7 It was a violation of the law of God. (PP 145) Sarah was the only true wife of Abraham. (Ibid. 147) The Lord did not reprove Sarah for requiring the banishment of her rival. (Ibid.) It was one of the sins that brought the wrath of God upon the antediluvian world. (Ibid., p. 338)

8 So, no, polygamy is not okay with God. At creation, he created one man and one woman to share life together.

9 It was because both Abraham and Sarah distrusted the power of God to give them a child in their old age that they implemented a plan of their own choosing.

10 God delayed in fulfilling his promise, in order to test Abraham’s faith in his power.

11 God called Abraham to be the father of the faithful, but his faith had not been perfect.

12 When was Abraham’s faith tested? When he was called to leave Ur.

13 When was Abraham’s faith tested? When he was called to leave Ur. When he went to Egypt.

14 When was Abraham’s faith tested? When he was called to leave Ur. When he went to Egypt. When he sojourned in Gerar.

15 When was Abraham’s faith tested? When he was called to leave Ur. When he went to Egypt. When he sojourned in Gerar. When he had no son by Sarah.

16 When was Abraham’s faith tested? When he was called to leave Ur. When he went to Egypt. When he sojourned in Gerar. When he had no son by Sarah. When he was told to offer Isaac.

17 Thoughts for doubt: He would be looked upon as a second Cain. It would cause his teaching to be rejected and despised, and thus destroy his power to do good to his fellow men. He was too old to be faced with such a difficult task. He was deceived, for the command is “Thou shalt not kill.” Abraham knew about this commandment, even though Mt. Sinai had not occurred yet.

18 Reasons Abraham had to believe: The evidences of the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness The promise of the Redeemer to come God was able to raise Isaac from the dead.

19 How old was Abraham Isaac-- 20 Sarah when God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac?

20 Abraham lived in Beersheba; Mt. Moriah was near Jerusalem, approximately 45 zig- zag miles away to the north, or maybe 40 miles as the crow flies. It took Abraham two days to get close, and on the 3rd day, he and Isaac climbed the mountain.

21 Who is the angel of the LORD in Genesis 22:11? Read verses 17 and 18.

22 The angel of the LORD also appeared to Hagar. Who was this? Read Genesis 16:7 then verses 10, 11.

23 Here is another angel of the LORD: Ex 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. Now read verse 4.

24 How many times did God speak to Abraham? Genesis 12:1--leave Ur Genesis 12:7--on the plain of Moreh Genesis 13:14--after Lot went to Sodom Genesis 15:1--look toward heaven Genesis 17:1--when Abram was 99 Genesis 18:1--about Sodom Genesis 21:12--send Hagar and Ishmael away; EGW says the Lord, through an angel, gave this command Genesis 22:1--offer Isaac Genesis 22:11--on Mt. Moriah

25 There was a special place where Abraham had met heavenly messengers several times, and he went there after the command to offer Isaac, hoping to meet them again and get further direction, but none came.

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47 Credits: Slides 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 38, 39, 46--Ian W Scott/flickr Slide 34--Fr. Bessonnet/flickr Slide 42, 43, 44, 45--Steve Conger/flickr Slide 40--Father Maurer/flickr