1. Mesha Inscription ca.840BC

2. Mesha Inscription ca.840BC
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he had to deliver to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel When the king of Moab saw that the battle was going against him, he took with him 700 swordsmen to break through, opposite the king of Edom, but they could not. Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel. And they withdrew from him and returned to their own land. 2 Kings 3:4-5; 26-27

3. Mesha Inscription ca.840BC

4. Mesha Inscription ca.840BC

5. Mesha Inscription ca.840BC
“I am Mesha, son of Chemosh-gad, king of Moab, the Dibonite. My father reigned over Moab thirty years, and I have reigned after my father. And I have built this sanctuary for Chemosh in Karchah, a sanctuary of salvation, for he saved me from all aggressors, and made me look upon all mine enemies with contempt. Omri was king of Israel, and oppressed Moab during many days, and Chemosh was angry with his aggressions. His son succeeded him, and he also said, I will oppress Moab.”

6. Mesha Inscription ca.840BC
“And the men of Gad dwelled in the country of Ataroth from ancient times, and the king of Israel fortified Ataroth. I assaulted the wall and captured it, and killed all the warriors of the city for the well-pleasing of Chemosh and Moab.”

7. Mesha Inscription ca.840BC
“…and I killed in all seven thousand men, but I did not kill the women and maidens, for I devoted them to Ashtar-Chemosh; and I took from it the vessels of Yahweh, and offered them before Chemosh. “

8. Mesha Inscription ca.840BC

9. Abraham: God’s Covenant Love
Roadmap of the Bible
Creation New Creation
Adam Noah Abraham Moses David Jesus
You are here: Genesis 15:1-21

10. The Blessing that Overcomes the Curse
Died
Died
Curse
Good
Blessing
Blessed
Very good
Curse
Bless
Blessing
Blessed
Died
Died
Died
Died
Curse
Died
Curse
Died
Died
Died
Died
Died
Died
Creation Gen 1-2
Fall
Gen 3
Abraham Gen 12:1-3

11. Israel is Another Adam
Adam’s Big Job:
Blessing
Multiplying
Ruling

12. Israel is Another Adam Given to Adam:
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Gen 1:28

13. Israel is Another Adam Passed on to Noah (Adam 2.0):
And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth and upon every bird of the heavens, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. Into your hand they are delivered. Gen 9:1-2

14. Israel is Another Adam Passed on to Abraham and his Seed(Adam 3.0):
Blessing
Multiplying
Ruling
12:1-3
“Bless” (5x)
“great nation”
12:7
“your offspring”
13:14-17
“offspring as the dust”
15:1-21
“number the stars… so shall your offspring be.”
17:1-8; 16-21
“Bless” (3x)
“multiply you greatly”
“multitude of nations”
“exceedingly fruitful”
“shall become nations”
“fruitful and multiply”
“Kings shall come from you”
“kings of peoples shall come from her”
18:17-19
“all nations of the earth shall be blessed in him”
“great and mighty nation”
“bless” (2x)
“multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the seashore”
“your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies”

15. Canaan is Israel’s Eden
The Promised Land’s boundaries are similar to Eden’s.
The Promised Land is described with Edenic imagery.
At the Promised Land’s heart is the Edenic Tabernacle/Temple.

16. “But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me.” Hosea 6:7

17. The Blessing Depends on Israel’s Obedience
“Be a blessing”
Gen 12:1-3

18. The Blessing Depends on Israel’s Obedience
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Gen 17:1-2

19. The Blessing Depends on Israel’s Obedience
For I have chosen [Abraham], that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him. Gen 18:19

20. The Blessing Depends on Israel’s Obedience
Principle: If, and only if, Abraham’s “seed” obeys and walks in righteousness will they/he succeed in becoming the blessing that overcomes curse of the Fall.

21. The Mysterious Ritual
This is a self-maledictory oath (As these animals, so to me if I break faith)
Normally both parties walk between the pieces.
Only God walks between the pieces

22. The Mysterious Ritual God ultimately guarantees both
sides of the covenant:
-The obedience required to trigger the blessing.
-The curses promised for Israel’s disobedience.