Like Father Like Son

Genesis 26: 1-0

vs. 1 - Famine in the land
When there was a famine in the land, when Abraham, Isaac’s father, was alive, Abraham went to Egypt to escape it.
Isaac wants to get away from this famine also

vs. 2 - God tells Isaac not to go to Egypt

vs. 3-5 - God repeats the Abrahamic Covenant to Isaac.
God wants Isaac to sojourn in the land.
Sojourn is not possessing, but confirms to Isaac that the land he sees will eventually be possessed by God’s people.

vs. 5 - God says that Abraham obeyed Him. How can God say that when Abraham lied and sinned in the past?
God sees Abraham as righteous because of his faith.

vs. 6 - Gerar means dwelling place. This is the city where Isaac went.

vs. 7 - Isaac lied about Rebekah being his wife, just like Abraham did with Sarah. He lied because of fear.

vs. 8 - sporting = caressing

vs. 9 - Abimalech calls Isaac out for his lying

At this point, the worldly king is more righteous than Isaac.

vs. 10 - Abimalech makes a law; don’t touch Rebekah or you die.

The Sons of Isaac

Genesis 25:19-28

20 - Promises sometimes are a long time waiting

21 - Promises still demand prayer on our part

22 - Sometimes we just don’t understand the struggle

23 - God has bigger plans for our children than we do

24 - The big day will eventually arrive

25 - God is even in control of the colors of things

26 - Let God have our children before this point

27 - Let God have our children’s future

28 - Don’t love our children like this

Where is Mt. Sinai and Where do the Ishmaelites Live?

We are to study and make sure that things we hear preached are true. We are to use the Bible as our guide. Even our maps, which are drawn by man, should be tested and checked against God’s Word.

Where is Mt. Sinai?
- Most maps show Mt. Sinai at the bottom of the Sinai Peninsula. This is incorrect, and here is why.

- Moses led the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land. We know he crossed The Red Sea and met God at Mt. Sinai.

- Exodus 13:17 - Moses did not lead the Israelites by the Way of the Philistines (a route close to the Mediterranean Sea). So we can know that Mt. Sinai is not along that route.

- Genesis 23:19 - Locate Hebron and Sodom on your map

- Galatians 4:25 - says Mt. Sinai is in Arabia

- Exodus 15:22, Genesis 36:16, Exodus 17:8, 1 Samuel 15:7, Genesis 25:18

Every Person Counts Part Two

Genesis 25:12-18

12 - Ishmael counted even though he wasn’t part of the promise

13 - Nebajoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam

14 - Mishma, Dumah, Massa

15 - Hadar, Jetur, Maphish, Kedasah

16 - Progression:
Ishmael had sons
They all had names
They created towns
They each became a nation

17 - Length of life. Ishmael was 137 years old when he died

Every Person Counts Part One

 * Genesis 25:1-11

* Every Person Counts!

-1-11 1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. 6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country. 7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. 8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people. 9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre; 10 The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife. 11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.

 

1-6

* Gen 25:1  Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

- 1 Chr 1:32,33 Keturah is called Abraham’s concubine

- and her name was Keturah. -

- = incense, perfumed

* Why Genealogies? Every Individual counts to God!

- God is longsuffering and wants no one to perish!

- Why so many concubines? I am convinced that geneologies here represent fulfilled promise to Abraham who would be “Father to Many Nations

* Was A concubine considered a Wife?

* Promised seed Messiah comes through Isaac but none of the other blood lines!

* Difference BETWEEN Sarah, Hagar, Keturah? Not after the flesh

- Then again Abraham took a wife

*THE FATHER OF MANY NATIONS

-BOTH PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY

-GOD HONORED HIS PROMISE TO ABRAHAM TO BE

 

* Gen 25:2  And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

* And she bare him Zimran, 1Chr 1.32

-= musician

-baring gave birth, generations of Abraham

* and Jokshan Gen 25.2-3; 1Chr 1.32

- = snarer,

* and Medan Gen 25.2; 1Chr 1.32

-= contention

* and Midian, Midianites 59 times

-= strife

-Father of Midianites, Arabians

-desert territory north of the Arabian peninsula -land to which Moses fled to as he escaped Pharoah -Moses took wife from Jethro the priest of Midian -It was a Midiaitish woman who was killed in the tent of an Israelite to stay the plague Num 25.15 -Moses directed Israel to go to war with Midianites to avenge the Lord -Gideon fought against Midian; Midian was very active in war against Israel in Judges

* and Ishbak Gen 25.2; 1Chr 1.32

-= he releases

* and Shuah. Gen 25:2; 1Chr 1.32

-= wealth

 

Gen 25:3  And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.

* And Jokshan - see Gen 25.2

* begat Sheba 23

- = “seven” or “an oath”

- Of foreign origin; Sheba, the name of three early progenitors of tribes and of an Ethiopian district: - Sheba, Sabeans.

- 2Chr9:1-12; 1Ki10:1-10; 1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. 2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not. 4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built, 5 And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her. 6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. 7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard. 8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom. 9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice. 10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones. 12 And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day. 13 And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

-Psalm 72 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son. 2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. 4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. 5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. 6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. 7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. 8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. 12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. 14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. 15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised. 16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. 17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. 18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. 19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. 20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

- Isaiah 60:6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.

- Ezekiel 27:22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold. 23 Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, were thy merchants. 24 These were thy merchants in all sorts of things, in blue clothes, and broidered work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cords, and made of cedar, among thy merchandise.

- Ezekiel 38: 13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

* and Dedan. 11

-Dedan = “low country”

-Of uncertain derivation; Dedan, the name of two Cushites and of their territory. The second form used in Eze 25:13: - Dedan.

-Genesis 10:7-9 7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. 8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod

1) the son of Raamah and grandson of Cush. A son of Jokshan and grandson of Keturah (noun proper masculine)

2) a place in south Arabia (noun proper locative) -Jer 49:8 Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him.

-Eze 25:12 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them; 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword.

-Ezek 27:15 The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of ivory and ebony. ….. 20 Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots.

- Ezekiel 38: 13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

* And the sons of Dedan

* were Asshurim 1

-= “steps”

1) a tribe inhabiting the plain of Esdraelon

2) a tribe descended from Abraham and Keturah

* and Letushim 1

- = “hammered”

* and Leummim 1

-= “peoples”

 

* Gen 25:4  And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

* And the sons of Midian;

* Ephah 5

-= “gloomy”

1) a son of Midian (noun proper masculine)

2) a Judaite, son of Jahdai (noun proper masculine)

3) a concubine of Caleb in the line of Judah (noun proper feminine) -The same as H5890; Ephah, the name of a son of Midian, and of the region settled by him; also of an Israelite and of an Israelitess: - Ephah.

-1 Chronicles 1:33

-Isaiah 60: 6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.

* and Epher 4

-= “a calf”

-1 Chronicles 1:33

-1 Chr 4: 17 And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 18 And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah.

-THE HALF-TRIBE OF MANASSEH

- 1Chr 5:23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baalhermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon. 24 And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valour, famous men, and heads of the house of their fathers. 25 And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them. 26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

* and Hanoch 16 same as Enoch, Henoch

-= “dedicated”

1) eldest son of Cain (noun proper masculine)

2) son of Jared and father of Methuselah whom God took home to heaven without dying (noun proper locative)

3) the city which Cain built and named after himself (noun proper locative)

4) a son of Midian, the third child (noun proper masculine)

5) the eldest son of Reuben (noun proper masculine)

* and Abida or Abidah 2

-= “my father knows”

* and Eldaah 2

-= “God has known”

-Gen 25:4, 1Ch 1:33

All these were the children of Keturah.

 

* Gen 25:5  And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. Gen 12:1-3 and all the othe expanding Covent explanations!

* WHY?

-And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac?

- Abraham was given a son and his bloodline would be the way Messiah would eventually step out of glory into human flesh to save many people alive!

- He blessed Isaac with everything

- Fullied the Covenant?

 

* Gen 25:6  But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.

-But unto the sons of the concubines,

-which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts,

* WHY

-and sent them away from Isaac his son, -while he yet lived, -EAST -eastward, -unto the east country.

-WHY?

 

7-11

* Gen 25:7-8 7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. * Gen 25:8  Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

- 175 years of life

- 38 years Abraham lived after Sarah. The miracle of God enabled Abraham to continue to father children until he reached 175 years Gen 25:8  Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

- gave up the ghost died

- Died in a good old age

- An old man

- Full, of years

- Gathered to his people

* HOW LONG?

* HOW SIGNIFICANT? JUST WHO WAS THIS MAN?

- SO ENDED THE PHYSICAL LIFE OF THE MAN ABRAHAM BY *1. WHOM GOD HAS COVENANTED WITH US SO GREAT A SALVATION AND SO MANY BLESSINGS!

*2. HE WAS THE FRIEND OF GOD in James 2:23 *3. HE WAS REFERRED TO AS OUR FATHER in James 2:21 *4. He illustrated fir us justification In Rom 4, Gal 3 & James 2:27 *5. He illustrated Faith in Hebrews 11:8-19

 

* Gen 25:9  And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;

* Father of Many Nations blessed exceedingly

* his sons Isaac & Ishmael

* Isaac SARAH 1-12+ Israel

* Ishmael - HAGAR 1-12+ Arabs

* Keturah 6 + Other Nations

- Buried him

- in the Cave of Machpelah

- That which he bought to bury Sarah in;

- In the field of Ephon the Zohar the Hittite

- Which is before Mamre, = Hebron

 

DEATH IS APPOINTED!

* Gen 25:10  The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.

- the field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth

- There was Abraham buried and Sarah his wife

 

* Gen 25:11  And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.

- And it came to pass after the death of Abraham

- That God blessed his son Isaac

- And Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi

- Gen 16: 13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? 14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

- AV-the well Lahairoi 2, Beerlahairoi 1; 3

* Every Person Counts!

 

A Servant on His Master's Mission

Genesis 24:39-67

We are God’s servant

vs. 34 - The servant acknowledged he had a master

vs. 35 - Abraham’s blessings came from the Lord. The servant gives credit to God.

vs. 36 - Isaac receives these blessings through inheritance
”Wealth is given by God so that we can glorify Him with it.”

vs. 37-38 - The servant repeats his mission’s purpose from Abraham

vs. 39-41 - The servant believes and has faith like Abraham did

Aren't We Glad That We Prayed

Genesis 24: 15-33

How quickly was the servant’s prayer answered?

What are some biblical characteristics revealed in this verse about Rebekah?

How could one tell that a young woman was a virgin?

What shows us that Abraham’s servant’s interest went far more than Rebekah’s physical beauty?

What does the NT teach us about a woman’s physical attractiveness?

Is this saying it’s sin to be beautiful, wear jewelry, fix your hair, wear makeup?

How did the servant respond to Rebekah’s arrival?

What do these verses reveal of Rebekah’s character?

What did REbekah do for Abraham’s servant?

What does hasted suggest?

What does “ran again” suggest?

How many camels did Rebekah draw water for?

Why didn’t Abraham’s servant lift a finger to help Rebekah water the camels?

Was it customary to feed someone else’s camels?

What does “wondering at her” mean?

What did the servant give her?

How is Rebekah related to Isaac?

Who is Rebekah speaking for?

What is the servant doing in vs 26-27?

What did the servant focus on as he bowed to bless God?

What is required for the Lord’s leading?

What impact did the servant’s communication, gifts, and worship have on Rebekah?

What does this story teach us about finding the right mate?

What impact did Rebekah’s story have on her brother, Laban?

Why did Laban, her brother, get involved and not her father, Bethuel and her mother?

HOw did Laban treat Jacob later on?

What kind of man may these verses reveal Laban to be?

What kind of man was Abraham’s servant?


God, You Must Fix the Problem that I am Facing

Genesis 24:1-14

vs. 1 - Abraham trusted in God

vs. 2-4: Abraham made Eliezer promise to get Isaac a wife from Haran

vs. 5: Eliezer worried that he couldn’t keep the promise

vs. 6-8: Abraham tries to reassure Eliezer by saying God would send His angel before him.

vs. 9: Eliezer performed the act of making the promise, and verbally made the promise to Abraham

vs. 10: Approximately 500 mile trip with the ten camels and goods

vs. 11: Eliezer stops at the well where he knows the women are going to be coming to get water.

God is leading all the time, while we are seeking.

vs. 12-14: Eliezer prayed specifically for the events that he wanted to see from Isaac’s wife.

A Lesson in Death and Dying, Part Two

Genesis 23: 1- 20

Is cremation biblical? Is burying biblical?

Genesis 23:19 - Abraham bought a burying place for Sarah

Leviticus 10: 1-3 - Nadab and Abihu were burned by God for serving in the tabernacle wrongfully

Numbers 11: 1-3 - God sent fire to burn the people as punishment

I Samuel 31: 8-13 - Saul and his sons were cremated and then their bones buried after they died in war

Deuteronomy 34: 1- 8 - Moses died in Moab and was buried by God

Deuteronomy 21:22-23 - A command was given by God to bury the dead

Numbers 11: 31-34 - People were buried after dying from a plague

Genesis 47: 29-30 - Jacob dies and is buried

New Testament examples of people buried:
Ananias and Sapphira
Judas
Lazarus
Jesus

The Bible gives us 133 examples of people being buried in the Bible.

Testing That Teaches us to Trust

Genesis 22: 1- 19

vs. 1 - God tempted Abraham
tempt means to test
God does not tempt us to do evil
James 1:13 - God does not tempt with evil

vs. 2 - God wants aBraham to “offer” Issac as a sacrifice
God doesn’t say to kill him, just offer him.

vs. 3-4 - They walked three days

vs. 5 - Abraham said they were going to go worship.
Worship means to commune with God, to bow down.

vs. 6 - Abraham took his supplies with Isaac up the mountain

vs. 7 - Isaac was not too young to know all the supplies that was needed

vs. 8-9 - Isaac trusted Abraham. They loved each other

vs 9 - Abraham had faith that Isaac would live on to fullfill God’s promise. He believed that God would raise him from the dead.

vs. 10-11 - The Angel of the Lord spoke from heaven. This is Jesus.

Isaac did not fight with his father about being placed on the altar. In this way, he encouraged his father’s faith and did not hinder it.

vs. 12-13 - Abraham sacrificed the ram that was caught in the thicket. This is the first example of substitutional atonement.
Substitutional Atonement - is when someone or something else takes the punishment in our place. Jesus was our substitutional atonement for us. Our punishment for our sins is death, but Jesus died on the cross, in our place.

vs. 14-15 - Jesus calls Abraham a second time with a message

vs. 16 - 18 - Jesus repeats the Abrahamic Covenant to him which consists of the Land, Descendants and Blessings. There is a little more added to the Land, which Jesus states to him. He says that Abraham will own the gates of his enemies, which refers to the Israelites conquering enemy territory from Joshua on forward.

Keeping the Air Clear of Conflict

Genesis 21: 22-34

22 - The unsaved watch us. They should see Jesus in us.

23 - Abimelech wants to be friends with Abraham and make a peace treaty with him.

24 - Abraham promises to be peaceful toward each other

25 Abraham brings up a problem between the two of them. Abimelech’s servants took avay one of Abraham’s wells.

26 - Abimelech says he did not know anything about this well.

27-32 - Abraham gives Abimelech extra presents of frendship to Abimelech

33-34 Abraham planted a grove of trees and worshiped the Lord there. From here on, the planting of groves was wicked since the people would worship idols instead of the One, True God. God wanted worship in the Tabernacle after it was built.

2 Kings 17:16 - idolatry happened in the groves

Separation is a Good Idea Sometimes

Genesis 21:9-21

vs. 9 - Ishmael’s mockery towards Isaac impacted Sarah

vs. 10 - Sarah was worried that God’s blessing and the inheritance would have to be shared with Ishmael

vs. 11 - Abraham was sad that Ishmael and Hagar would have to leave

vs. 12 - God tells Abraham to listen to Sarah and send them away, even though he loved them

vs. 13 - God tells Abraham that Ishmael will be a great nation

vs. 14-15 - It seems that Hagar forgot that God promised to make Ishmael a nation. Hagar was thinking that she and her son would be dying out there in the wilderness.

vs. 16-21 - The angel of God came to Hagar and opened her eyes to the fountain of water. God promises Hagar that a nation will come from Ishmael.

The God Who Keeps His Promises

Genesis 21: 1-9

vs. 1 - God keeps His promises

vs. 2 - God is the miraculous God, who sets the clock

vs. 3 - God wants us to laugh. Isaac means laughter

vs. 4 - God gave a sign for the Covenant. Circumcision

vs. 5 - God proves this miracle, by the ages of Abraham and Sarah

vs. 6 - God changed Sarah’s laughter of unbelief to a laughter of faith

vs. 7 - God gave Sarah a song

vs. 8 - God desires all of us to go from milk to solid food

vs. 9 - God confirms that mocking may turn to murdering today.

Abraham's Faith was in One Greater Than Himself, Part Two

Genesis 20:1-18

Abraham travels to Gerar.

He lies about Sarah being his wife to King Abimelech.

Abraham was afraid of being killed for Sarah

King Abimelech takes Sarah. God punishes him and his household with fertility problems and disease.

God talks to King Abimelech in a dream and tells him to give Sarah back and to have Abraham pray for his healing.

Abraham was living in the flesh when he lied. He was not relying totally on God in this fearful situation.

King Abimilech gives Abraham sheep, oxen, land, and money to show how sorry he was for taking Sarah, and to also get forgiveness in their eyes.

When Abraham prayed for Abimelech, he had to humble himself and confess his lie. He also had to pray for King Abimelech’s healing even when he knew that he was the one that had caused it in the first place with his lying.