God Renews His Promises, Part Two

Genesis 15: 1-21

vs 5-6 God’s method of count
God told Abram to look to the stars and number them. God then repeated the promise
Abram believed God and had righteousness
Abram was saved by faith and not faithfulness
James 2:23, Galatians 3:6-9 - Abram saved by faith

vs 7 - God explains why we’re here
God told Abram. I brought you out of Ur, so that you can give it for an inheritance

vs 8-12 - God’s sign of Inheritance
animals were killed and divided
God walked through the pieces represented by the smoking furnace and the burning lamp

vs 13-16 - God’s revelation of Abram and Israel’s future
They will be slaves for 400 years, but Abram will die at a good old age.

vs. 17-21 - God’s Ratification of the Abrahamic Covenant
God promises a very large land

This covenant blossoms throughout the rest of the Bible. Especially with the Davidic Covenant and the kingly seed is covered more in depth.

God Remembers His Promises

Genesis 15: 1-4

vs. 1 - What is “after these things” referring to
a. Abram defeated the kings who took Lot and others as slaves
b. The encounter with Melchizadek
c. Abram refused the reward but did tithe Melchizadek

vs. 1 - God communicated with Abram through a vision
Hebrews 1:1 - God uses people (prophets) to give His message
vision - a vision is not a dream, but is still something seen supernaturally
This vision lasts the entire chapter and Abram saw himself dreaming inside of the vision.

vs. 1 - Why did God give Abram this vision?
it gave him peace, took away fear

vs 2-4 - God Promises and Inheritance
Abram calls God - Lord God = Adonai, Jehovah, Master
What are Abram’s fears? being childless
God promises a shield and reward. This is talking about God’s provision in giving Abram a son.

Why a Surprising Priestly Blessing to Top Things Off

Genesis 14: 17-24

Abraham just returned from the battle and he had won, bringing back all the people that had been taken captive and stolen.

King Melchizedek wants to give Abraham a reward.
By looking at Melchizedek, we can see types of Jesus Christ.
We cannot say with certainty that King Melchizedek was Jesus Christ incarnate in the Old Testament, but we can say that there are similarities between the two.

17 - Abraham returned from the slaughter
slaughter - stricken, wounded, smite, slay, kill

18 - Melchizedek was a Priest of the Most High God

19 - What did Melchizedek do to Abraham? Blessed him
Blessed = honor, glorify

20 -Did Melchizedek only bless Abraham? No, he blessed God also
How do we bless God? by giving God honor, praise, thanks,
Abraham gave a tenth of the spoil to Melchizedek, King of Salem

21 - Abraham wants to give the other 90% of the spoil to the King of Sodom.
The king of Sodom wants to keep only the people, but he wants Abraham to keep the goods.
Abraham says no.

21-24 - Abraham promises God that he will trust Him for his personal provisions, and that he won’t take any of the spoils of this battle.

The ways we can see Melchizedek as types of Jesus Christ
1. Melchizedek means king of Righteousness
2. Melchizedek was a priest, just like Jesus is our priest
3. Melchizedek was the king of Salem. Salem means peace
4. Melchizedek was a man among men, just like Jesus was when He came to earth.
5. Melchizedek pursues men
6. Melchizedek offers bread and wine to Abraham when he returns. Jesus offered bread and wine to the disciples and told them to remember Him when they partook of the bread and wine together.
7. Melchizedek was recognized by many
8. Melchizedek blessed others just like Jesus did
9. Melchizedek blessed God
10. Melchizedek received tithes; the ten percent that Abraham gave him.
11. Melchizedek’s life record is said to be eternal. There is no recorded dates in the Bible of his birth or death.

Must We Get Physical? Part Two

Genesis 14:1 4-16

These questions were discussed:

What was the reason for Abram’s response?

Did Abram believe in the right to use weapons?

Did his soldiers always holster their weapons?

Does Abram’s views go against the identification with the doctrine of resistance to violence?

What did Abram’s plan consist of?

Was this Abram’s nature?

Does war carry the baggage of evil?

Do you want to have a war against war in your heart?

Those that value life, hate war, but understand the necessity.

Must We Get Physical?

Geneesis 14: 1-16

  1. How many kings were confederate here?
    Where were these kings and cities from?

  2. Where does war come from?
    Where were these kings and their city-states from?
    How many kings or city-states here?
    Is there any evidence before here that man was violent towards other men?
    Why are there wars according to Scripture?

  3. Where was this war fought?
    Where is the Vale of Siddim?

  4. How many years had they served the five kings?

  5. Who were the Rephaim?
    Who were the Zuzims?
    Who were the Emims?

What You See is What You Get

Genesis 13:14-18

vs 14-15:
What did Abram see?
Who was the land promised to?
What land was promised?
How is the Lord speaking to Abram?
When did this conversation occur?
Where was he standing when God spoke to him?
How many times in these five verses does God say something like, “I will give it”?
Is this land Abram’s at this time?
Did Abram ever own the land in his lifetime?

vs 16:
What is Abram’s seed equal to?
What does the seed refer to here?
Has Israel presently inherited the land literally?
Should we interpret this for Abram’s time, present time, or for the future?

vs 17:
Did Abram walk the land?
How much did he see?

vs 18:
Where is Abram settling?
Where did Abram build the altar to the Lord? Why?
How many altars so far have we read that Abram built?
What did the altar building signify?

You Choose Left or Right. God is Leading Me. Part Two

Genesis 13: 1-13

vs. 1 - God led Abram from Egypt
He was sent away by Pharaoh

vs. 2 - God made Abram very rich.
He had cattle, silver, gold, servants.
How much stuff was Abram carrying? a lot
How did Abram become so rich? God’s blessings
Proverbs 22:2 - God makes the rich and poor
Did Abram have more wealth going into Egypt or coming out? Coming out.
Why did God make Abram and Job rich, but not the prophet Jeremiah? God used them in their own
circumstances.

vs. 3-4 - God led Abram back to the altar
Where was Abram headed after being kicked out of Egypt? Bethel and Ai
How did Abram know it was God’s will to go to Bethel?
He had built an altar to God there before and so he could go there again and use it to worship God.
God had also given him the covenant there.

vs. 5-7 - God signals for us to make decisions
Who all was sharing the land? Abram, Lot, and the inhabitants already dwelling there
What was the main problem between Abram and Lot? The land could not support them all
How do we know when we have to much stuff? It causes strife
Had Abram’s trials ceased just because He was in the Promised Land? no
What are the ingredients at the root of this strife? pride, covetousness
How does God us and view strife? God hates strife, but once our hearts our right, we can follow God’s
plan.
Could God be signaling Abram to settle this strife? yes
What had God promised Abram? land, seed, blessing

vs. 8-9 - God wants strife to stop
What did Abram see as the solution to stop the strife? separation
Is separation God’s will? yes
What does Abram teach us about making a decision here? Abraham trusted God in the outcome when
he gave Lot the chance first to choose where he would move to.

You Choose Left or Right. God is Leading Me

Genesis 13:1-13

How does God give us His directions today?

How do we know God’s will for our lives?

Does God’s will for us change regularly?
God is omniscient. He knows each person’s plan to the end, but each person does not know the ending, only what is current.

How did Bible saints discern God’s will? God spoke to individuals, prophets, judges, and through the Holy Spirit.

How do we know the Holy Spirit is guiding us? we will have peace in following God’s commandments and His Word.

Can I tell you what God’s will is for your life? Yes, if it is a direct sin to do something that you want to do.

vs. 1: God led Abram from Egypt
How did God reveal to Abram to leave Egypt? He was sent away by Pharaoh. He did not have a choice.

How much did Abram leave in Egypt? nothing.

Where did he go from Egypt? He went to the South. Which is the area south of Canaan.

Are We Walking by Faith or Running in Fear, Part TwoG

Genesis 12: 10-20

Open discussion with the congregation answered these questions and brought up the following topics:

  1. Is being a coward sin?

  2. Is lying a sin?

  3. Is disobeying God wrong?

  4. Are there people in the Bible that have had no sins recorded in God’s Word?

  5. Is Abraham one of them?

  6. Is protection promised by God?

Homework: Can you prove that when Abraham was in Ur, that he and Sarah both agreed to say that Sarah was Abraham’s sister? Does Abraham get punished, by God, for lying about Sarah?

Faith is not without fear.
Can we, without fear, walk in faith? Yes.

Are we Walking by Faith or Running in Fear?

Genesis 12: 10-20

Canaan currently in a horrible famine.

Abram went to Egypt to get food, and took Sarai with him.
Questions to ponder:
1. Did Abram disobey God by leaving Canaan, the land God promised him?
2. Did Abram realize that where he was before he went to Egypt, was the Promised Land?
3. How much of the Abrahamic Covenant was complete by the time Abram died? None.

A thought:
God said He would show the Promised Land to Abram. There was never a condition where Abram could not step out of the land. Also, Abram did build an altar, in Bethel, to worship God. We do not know if Abram talked to God about the famine at that time.

Abram exercised faith by leaving the Promised Land.
Abram would have exercised faith by staying in the land during a famine
Abram had fear with each option he had.
Abram still trusted and believed God’s promises to him and future generations with the Abrahamic Covenant. Abram’s faith in God was counted unto him for righteousness.

Calling on the Name of the Lord who Called You

Genesis 12: 1-9

Vs 1-3 - Promises that God makes to Abram (the Abrahamic Covenant)
A. I will make of thee a great nation
B. I will make thy name great
C. I will bless thee
D. You will be a blessing to others
E. God promises to guide Abram to a land that He will show him

The Abrahamic Covenant is the foundation for all the other covenants that God makes in the future.
It is the gospel of the Old Testament. Abram had faith in God’s promises and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Abram’s faith in God’s promises saved him from an eternity in hell, since God had not sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins yet.

vs. 4 - Abram had to obey and he did so even at the age of 75
God’s call means that we must follow
Sarai and Lot went with him, along with 318 trained soldiers/servants and all of his substance/possessions.

vs. 5 - God may call us to take a wife
Never take her for granted
Take her carefully, make sure she is a good, grounded believer.
Sarai was a blessing to Abram

vs. 6 - God calls us to worship Him in the way
God put enemies in Abram’s path to test him. Abram continued to worship at God at the different places

vs. 7 - God promises land
Abram is not the one who got to own the land of Canaan. Abram’s seed inhabited and conquered some of the land during the time of Joshua. Not all of the land, God promised, has ever been owned by the Jews.
Not until after the tribulation when Jesus comes to reign as king will the land be completely owned by the church.

The LORD talked with Abram. All capitalized letters of “LORD” means Jehovah. Our Savior is talking to Abram. It is significant that Jesus spoke with Abram, that Abram believed Him, and was saved.

vs. 8 - God calls us to worship Him repeatedly
We must never stop acknowledging who God is, thanking Him, and praising Him for his blessings and promises to us. Along with the fact that He sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins so that we can be saved.


The Family of Shem, Part Two

Genesis 11: 19-32, Hebrews 3:1-19

vs. 18: Reu is the son of Peleg

vs. 20: Serug is the son of Reu

vs. 23: Nahor is the son of Serug
This Nahor is the great grandfather of Abram

vs. 24: Terah is the son of Nahor
Terah had 3 sons: Nahor, Abram, and Haran
The Nahor here, is Abram’s brother.

vs. 27: Lot is the son of Haran
Lot is the nephew of Abram, and the grandson of Terah.

Joshua 24:2 - Terah is mentioned here with Abram and Nahor. They were serving other gods before Abram had faith in the one true God.

Abram married Sarai
Nahor married Milcah (his niece, Haran’s daughter)
Haran dies in Ur before his father, Terah, does.

Terah, Abram, Sarai, and Lot leave the land of Ur and go to the land of Canaan, to the city of Haran.


The Roadblock to Wicked Imaginations

Genesis 11:1-9

vs. 1: Man’s one common communication
vs. 2: Man dwelt together versus scattered apart
vs. 3: Man’s subtle plans
vs. 4: Man’s fruits of rebellion
vs. 5: Man needs God to intervene
vs. 6: Man is as evil as he imagines
vs. 7-8: Man needs overruled by God (d/t his evilness)
vs. 9: Man is in spiritual confusion

Approximately 200 years after the flood was the people scattered here at the Tower of Babel.
Genesis chapter ten takes place at God dividing and scattering the people through his judgment using language.
Babel means confusion. Babylon is the place of spiritual confusion.

The Family of Shem

Genesis 10:21-32; 11:11-19

Israel came from Shem’s family.

Eber is mentioned early in the text, in Shem’s family line, even though he was born further down on the list.
God wanted him mentioned up front because the Hebrew race came from him.

Shem lived 100 years into Abraham’s life.

Family Tree:
Shem
^
Elam - the Elamites lived to the right of the Persian Gulf.
^
Asshur - Assyria
^
Arpachshad - settled in the Babylon area, but then went back west again
^
Lud
^
Aram - Syria & Damascus. (When Damascus is destroyed, the end times are very near)
Aram’s sons: Uz, Hul, Gether, Mash

Arpachshad sons: Shelah, Peleg (earth divided during his life [Tower of Babel]), Eber (the word Hebrew came from him.)

Eber
^
Joktan - Saudia Arabia

The Family of Ham, Part Three

Genesis 10: 6-20

13-14: The sons of Mizraim (Egypt)
Ludim
Anamim
Lehabim
Naphtuhim
Pathrosim
Casluim (out of who came the Philistines)
Caphtorim

15-18: The sons of Canaan
Sidon
Heth
Jebusite
Amorite
Girgashite
Hivite
Arkite
Sinite
Arvadite
Zemarite
Hamathite

God permitted these enemies of the Israelites to be located on and around the pathway that Moses would take during the Exodus. Also, the enemies (Canaanites) were settled in the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 20:16-18: God commands the Israelites to destroy all the enemies in the Promised Land, which they did not do.

18-19: The borders of Canaan
Sidon
Gerar
Gaza
Sodom
Gomorrah
Admah
Zeboiim
Lasha