Session 4: Patriarchs, Part 1
09/11/17
Genesis 12-24 (The burgundy color)
All of sons of Jacobs will be spoken about, but most especially about the covenant with Abram. Remember that the original covenant was “implicit” which was a familiar relationship with God which was broken at the fall. At this time, Adam and Eve lost their trust with the Father. God now reaches down to His people via covenants.
Genesis 10: spoke about the Covenant with Noah (promise never to destroy the land that way again)
Today we wills speak about the 3rd Covenant; God calls one man Abram to trust and follow Him (which does not come necessarily easy) calling him into a covenant family which will become permanent and lays the groundwork for God calling Israel and even us to a covenant relationship with Him.
Chapter 12: The call on Abram’s life (v. 1); called from the Urs of Chaldeans (today’s Iraq); Joshua 24:2-3 lets us know that he comes from a pagan family. Abram is in the line of Shem (Toledot); opens with the concept of blessing (on man and woman and wants that blessings to be passed along for generations; to Noah, then to Shem).
Problems and obstacles in the story come alone right away. V.30; Sarah is barren and has no child. This is how Abram is asked to trust in God. V. 1 is the call of Abram who leaves the area (East to West in modern day Iraq); remember that Adam and Eve went East of Eden. A direct reversal from the Garden of Eden.
Leaving his land and kindred; most people think that Abram obeys the Lord immediately; but he was not! He leaves one detail out; he does not follow the Lord which will be a bit of a problem; this issue of having children.
When he gets into the Promised Land there is a famine (v.10). Why would God allow this? Did not Abram obey God and travel to this land? No. He was not! The clue is that several times the narrator tells us that he “takes someone with him” (his nephew Lot) a direct violation of Abram calls of leaving his kindred as an “insurance policy.”
Deuteronomy 28 tells us that when there is a draught it is a result of disobedience to God’s commands. Therefore, there should be a reason for this draught.
We are on a great adventure with God and He calls us to trust and follow him. Can we trust Him?
Abram’s destination is the Land of Canaan (in the Fertile Crescent); right in the middle. This land is surrounded by the Mediterranean on the west and desert on the East (approximately the size of New Jersey). So whomever controls this land will have control over many aspects of society. God is calling Abram to come and possess this land (filled with flowing milk and honey) and this is accomplished by trusting in God.
95% of the Biblical drama takes place on this little stage. It is very important for the rest of the story (what today would be like controlling the internet).
The story is about trusting God and we see that in Chapter 12; God makes three promises:
1.)The Land that I will show you (Canaan where the seed will live)
2.)Make your name great (a Royal Kingdom)
3.)Worldwide blessing (The Messiah, Jesus)
Back to the problem: the key to the plot is the problem; Sarah is without child. Abram is old (over 75) God is making him promises which depend upon having children; so he is constantly questioning how this will happen. The blessing with Adam and Eve (life giving fruitfulness). Will Abram trust God?
So what does Abram do? Chapter 12 has the famine and he goes down into Egypt. The place he leaves is Bethel and lies about his wife saying that she is his sister. Abram’s philosophy of life is “God’s helps those who help themselves.” No, God helps those who abandon themselves in trusting obedience to Him. God’s cunning (not Abram’s) bring Sarai out from pharaoh.
Chapter 13: goes back up North to Bethel. The lesson is when you leave the path and go off base, you repentance will take you back to the place where you left off. There is going to be a problem between Abram’s kinfolk and Lot’s over property! (Some things have not changed). Abram’s settles is by separating himself from Lot and finally dependent upon God.
Chapter 14: Lot settles near the Dead Sea and gets himself in a lot of trouble getting captive. Now he meets Melchizedek (the mysterious character) whom we know his name means “My king is righteous,” the King of Salem (where Jeru-salem comes from). His name is a “throw” name. Most of the rabbis see that if he is a priest of God Most High, then he must be from the line of Shem, if he is giving a blessing. He actually could be Shem himself. The important thing is that the blessing given to Noah is now given to Abram via Melchizedek. As Catholics, we are use to this term “Melchizedek” whom our clergy are ordained in his name (Hebrews 7:1-3) a “priest forever.”
Chapter 15: these three promises still prevail without children. He no longer has Lot as his “insurance policy” and Abram complains that he has no children. Vv. 1-4; promises a son to be his heir (not Eliezer of Damascus). V. 5; Abram was brought outside.
He then asks Abram to look toward heaven and number the stars (if you are able) and God says “So shall your descendant be.” This is reckoned as “righteousness” on the part of Abram because he believed. The assumption is that it is nighttime. Vv. 12 and 17, says the night have come. So, possibly God actually brings Abram out in the middle of the day when you cannot see anything (but they are there by faith). Our lesson is that we do not walk by sight or feelings, rather, by faith. Vv. 7-8; Abram asks God “How will I know?” What God asks Abram by the numbers and types of animals; it is covenant language that made everything to Abram (v. 18).
There are a number of covenants, which extend kinship bonds (family). Our covenant with God was broken in the fall. But now God is working through Abram’s line between a nation and Himself which will eventually be extended to the entire world. Abram is the first covenant, to Moses, David and ultimately Jesus.
A typical covenant ceremony takes place; terms are set and a representative is called upon; (this takes place in our times with the wedding covenant) all resulting in family.
It deepens the promise of Chapter 12 about giving land.
Chapter 17: the covenant is confirmed and “kingdom” is deepened. Chapter 22: the covenant is deepened with the sacrifice of Isaac.
Abram still is struggling with being childish; so Sarah comes up with the solution of Hagar. He ends up agreeing and has Ishmael (father of the Arab nations which comes Islam who sees God as Master) whereas Judaism sees God as Father.
Chapter 16:1-3; the language that is used very similar to that of the Garden of Eden “harkening to the voice” a new telling of the Fall.
Chapter 17: Abram (“exalted father”) becomes Abraham (“Father of many nations”); the sign of the covenant becomes circumcision (from the Egyptians) to remind him of Abram going into Hagar.
Isaac (“laughter”) is born; when God’s gets the last laugh.
Chapter 19; the power of and closeness of Abraham with God; when God listens to him.
Chapter 22; God commands Abraham to take his only son to Mount Moriah to sacrifice him; on the way, v. 7 Abraham “God will provide for Himself the Lamb” Abraham has faith and binds Isaac; the test for Abraham NOT God. An angel stops Abraham before he sacrifices his only son. They hear in the thicket, a ram (from this point on we are looking for “God’s Lamb”); this place is called “Yahweh Jireh” (YHWH) meaning “The Lord will provide.”
Chapter 24; Isaac marries Rebecca (v.67); “She became his wife and he LOVED her.” This is where the notion where martial love comes from for the Jews. Divine Covenant Love is what keeps people together (which is very different from our common day notion of love).
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