1. Genesis Week 7 – Passing Promises From Abraham to Isaac Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob Promises Restated Promises Passed Down Text: Gen 23:1 – 26:33

2. Passing the Torch  Passes the torch to Isaac – Ch. 23 & 24 are a transition  Ch. 23 – scene of Sarah’s death  Sarah died at 127  Abraham wanted to bury her at Hebron (Kiriath-Arba)  Note the attitude of the Hittites in vs. 5-6  What was Abraham’s response in vs. 15-18?  23:15-18 Paid Full Price  Why?  Herod built the structure that stands there today in the 1 st century. The Cave of Machpelah ( The Cave of the Patriarchs)

3. Passing the Torch  The significance of the location of Sarah’s burial?  12:1, 7 – “…Go to the land I will show you…” and “To your offspring I will give this land…”  13:15 – “the land that you see I will give…your offspring forever…”  15:18 – recall the “one-way” covenant  17:8 – “I will give to you…the land of Canaan…”  ANSWER: Abraham wanted Sarah buried in the land that would be his and his descendants.

4. Intermarriage  Ch 24 – Abraham is old & wants a wife for Isaac.  24:3 – No Canaanites, but only from “my kin”  Why is the matter of a wife so important to Abraham?  Deut 7:3-4 – God forbids his people to intermarry. Why?  Ex 34:12-16 – On Mt Sinai.  Why the big deal?  Physical or Spiritual Purity?  Idolatry  Esau’s marriage to Hittites in Gen 26:35  During the Judges, Jud 3:6, 14:3  Solomon, 1 Kings 11: 1-2  Grave Concern for Ezra & Nehimiah in Ezra 10 & Neh 13:23-27  What lesson does this teach US about association with the unGodly?  About marriage to the unGodly?  2 Cor 6:14-18 – Do not be unequally yoked…

5. Wife Hunt  24:2 - An oath “hand under my thigh.” WHAT?  Why?  An oath concerning posterity/God’s seed promise  An oath that dealt with circumcision  24:7 - A pagan wife = Risk to Promise  (Abraham’s perspective)  Servant goes 2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

6. Path of Abraham’s Servant Modern Day in Red

7. Passing Torch to Isaac  25:19-26 – Do you see the faith of Abraham passed onto Isaac? How?  Prayed for his wife  How old was Isaac when he had his 1 st son?  60 Years old  Early enmity between these brothers  Struggled in womb  Heel holder  Parental Favorites

8. Passing the Torch to Isaac  Gen 25:29-34 – What do you make of Jacob’s name?  Jacob means “He Cheats”  Didn’t make is own way out/“stole” the birthright  Didn’t even get born without cheating (Heal Holder)  Esau so hungry he sold his inheritance  Called “Edom” or red  Despised = considers of no value  What do you make of God blessing the cheater in regard to the birthright? Does God respect his behavior as being a “good businessman?”

9. Like Father Like Son  Read Genesis 26:1-16  God confirms his covenant to Isaac  Lies & Deceipt (Abraham and Isaac)  Same Wife/Sister Lie  Same Place (Gerar)  To same King (Abimelech), perhaps son or grandson  V. 12-16 – How did God “punish” Isaac for this lie?  What does this say about the nature of God and his blessings to us?

10. Like Father Like Son Isaac and Rebecca Spied Upon by Abimelech Raffaello Sanzio ( Raphael ) (1518-19)  Abimelech learns that Rachael is Isaac’s wife.  How did he discover this?  Saw them laughing implies enjoying company and affection  Do you laugh with your spouse?  Do others know by your affectionate behavior that you are married?

11. Wells Are Deep Subjects  Gen 26:17-26  Isaac RE-digs the wells of Abraham  Called them by same names as Abraham  What is the significance of this?  Esek, “contention”  Sitnah, “enmity”  Rehoboth, “broad places/room”, room for them in the land  Vs. 22 – God blessed them by providing water, which equals life and the ability to stay in the land Isaac Opposed by Abimelech’s men

12. God’s Response to Prayer  24:12 - Servant’s prayer for a wife for Isaac.  Response in 24:27 - Finds Rebekah  25:21 – Isaac’s prayer for barren Rebekah.  Rebekah Conceives  In light of this, what do you make of Matt 6:26-33

13. “I Am with you”  I AM is with us.  Is there anything more comforting?  God appears to Isaac  26:24 - At Beersheba to remind him…  I am the God of your Father…  Fear Not, for I am with you…  …I will multiply your offspring…  Exodus 3:14-17 – to Moses. “I AM WHO I AM”  I am the God of your fathers, A, I, and J  I will bring you out of Egypt

14. “Outlandish” Claim  Isaiah 7:14 – virgin will conceive, name Immanuel (God with Us.)  Matt 1:21-23 & John 1:14 – Fulfillment  So, now that Jesus has ascended, is he still with us? How is God with us now?

15. Barrenness  Gen 3:16 – pain in childbirth  Physical pain is obvious  Emotional pain in not being able to have kids  Examples of children from barren mothers  Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Samson, Samuel, John the Baptist  Anything is possible with God

16. Theology  “God of Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob”  What does this mean, imply about God?  God is wholly consistent  God is utterly reliable  God’s Steadfast Love is present throughout this passage  24:12 – Servant prays to Abraham’s God for success  24:27 – Servant thanks God for fulfillment  Who deserved God’s love, Abraham or Isaac?  Who received it? Why?  1John 4:8 – God is love  1 Pet 5:10 – God of all grace pours out blessings on us

17. Toward Next Week  Summary  Week 8 – Lessons from Deception