Exploring New Direction - Genesis 12 and 13 - April 6, 2008

Sunday School Lesson – Exploring New Direction – April 6, 2008

This begins a new series of study entitled “Pioneers in the Covenant.”

We will study Abram (Abraham), Isaac and Jacob.

Our scripture for the month of April will be in Genesis:

April 6 – Abram – Exploring New Directions – Genesis 12:1-8; 13:5-9, 14-16.
April 13 – Abraham and Isaac – Exploring Devotion – Genesis 22:1-14, 17-18.
April 20 – Isaac – Exploring Perseverance – Genesis 26:1-3, 6, 12-22.
April 27 – Jacob – Exploring Humility – Genesis 32:3, 6-12; 33:1-5, 9-11.

To me it is overwhelming to consider that Abram (Exalted father) came from an area that worshipped idols and his father, Terah, worshipped idols. But at some point in his life Abram chose to worship the unseen GOD and to speak to HIM. Abram never tried to make an image of GOD. GOD communicated with Abram. How GOD first began to communicate with Abram is not clear. The main point is that they communicated and Abram responded to what GOD asked him to do by faith. Abram responded to GOD’S request with obedience. But Abram did not see GOD act or do anything based upon his obedient response to immediately confirm to that he had made the right choice, yet he always responded in obedience. If GOD did some mighty act every time Abram responded, we might speculate that is why Abram decided to worship the unseen GOD. Abram was responding in pure faith. Were Abram and GOD meeting in the eyes of Abram’s heart? This is what makes their relationship so unique but so vital to all of mankind. GOD had a plan to bring HIS ONLY SON into the world through the ancestry of Abraham (father of a multitude) to redeem the world of sin and death.

Abram had complete faith and trust in GOD and chose to follow the unseen GOD of the universe who he had never seen or ever witnessed a manifestation of HIS power. We are studying ground zero of a true pilgrim and pioneer of the faith as the scripture allows us to witness Abram building a relationship with GOD through faith.

Believers today have so much more to help them build an intimate, loving relationship with GOD through CHRIST than our spiritual forefathers, yet we all struggle to allow GOD to control our lives. The flesh rules in our lives and it ruled at times in the lives of Abram and Sarai.

GOD looked at Abram’s heart and knew he had the attributes and character that HE wanted in the father of HIS nation and in the ancestry of CHRIST. Sarai is equally part of GOD’S plan. Sarai had her journey with GOD, as well.

GOD looked at the heart of Abram and HE saw the good and the not-so-good. HE knew that Abram was not perfect but he had the faith desired by GOD. To me this is good news for all believers. Each believer has good points and not-so-good points. Sometimes we think because of our past lives that we are not worthy to serve our LORD. Always keep in mind that we are all saved by grace. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of GOD. We all come to CHRIST by way of the cross. Each person needs salvation.

[You may want to read the entire story of Abraham and Sarah. One point of information, Abraham did not tell a blatant lie when he told the king that Sarah was his sister. She was in fact his half sister. Abraham and Sarah had the same father but different mothers.]

All believers can trace his or her spiritual ancestry back to Abraham through CHRIST. All the promises GOD made to Abraham are also each believer's promises to claim through faith.

Let’s read Genesis 12:1-8:
1 The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.[1] Or great. Be a blessing! [2] Zch 8:13 3 I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt,[3] Gn 27:29; Nm 24:9 and all the peoples[4] Lit clans on earth will be blessed[5] Or will find blessing through you.[6] Or will bless themselves by you [7] Gn 26:4; 28:14; Gl 3:8 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people he had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the site of Shechem, at the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 But the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your • offspring.” So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped[8] Or proclaimed or invoked the name of; lit called on the name of Him.

GOD spoke to Abram. GOD asked him to leave his home, father and relatives and go to a place GOD would show him. Then GOD tells him about the benefits he will receive. All the promises are promises without any guarantee, except the WORD of GOD. Today we know that GOD’S Word is as good as it gets. HIS Word is HIS bond. Abram was seventy-five (75) years old when GOD called him. Abram responded without hesitation.

What does this mean to us? A person never gets too old to be called by GOD to serve HIM. Sarai was sixty-five (65) years old and accompanies her husband.

GOD told Abram, HE would make him into a great nation, bless him, make his name great, he will be a blessing, HE will bless those who bless him, HE will curse those who treat him with contempt and all people will be blessed through him.

GOD told Abram that HE would give this land to his off-spring. Notice in verse 7 that GOD appeared to Abram when HE made this promise. It is stioll a promise but Abram accepted what GOD told him on faith. Abram’s routine when GOD told him something was to build an altar and worship GOD. GOD made a promise and Abram built an altar to confirm his faith in what GOD said. To show that he trusted what GOD had promised him, he not only built an altar but he worshiped GOD. No wonder GOD chose Abram and acknowledged his faith.

Abram apparently had not connected GOD’S use of off-spring to mean children.
Abram means “exalted father” and Abraham means “father of a multitude”. GOD changed Abram’s name to Abraham in Genesis 17:5 when GOD renewed HIS covenant with him at the time HE told Abram that Sarai would bare him a son. GOD changed Sarai’s name to Sarah.

Genesis 17:1-8:
1 When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am • God Almighty.[1] Gn 28:3; 35:11; Ex 6:3 Live in My presence and be devout.[2] Gn 6:9; Ps 15:2; Lk 1:6 2 I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell to the ground,[3] Lit fell on his face and God spoke with him: 4 “As for Me, My covenant is with you, and you will become the father of many nations.[4] Abraham was father not only of the Israelites, but also of the Ishmaelites, the Edomites, and the Midianites. Spiritually, he is the father of all believers; Gl 3:7,29. 5 Your name will no longer be Abram,[5] = The Father Is Exalted but your name will be Abraham,[6] = Father of a Multitude for I will make you the father of many nations.[7] Rm 4:17–18 6 I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you. 7 I will keep My covenant between Me and you, and your • offspring after you throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant to be your God and the [God]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. of your offspring after you. 8 And to you and your offspring after you I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession, and I will be their God.”

Genesis 17:15-16:
15 God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah[9] = Princess will be her name. 16 I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

Sarai means “princess” but also can mean “quarrelsome.” Sarah means “noble lady” or “chieftainness” or “commander.”

Let’s read Genesis 13:5-7:
5 Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 6 But the land was unable to support them as long as they stayed together, for they had so many possessions that they could not stay together, 7 and there was quarreling between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land.

We fast forward a few years and GOD has blessed both Abram and Lot with many possession and flocks. Grazing land was running out and the herdsmen of Abram and Lot began to quarrel. Often GOD’S blessing can result in problems. How those problems are resolved can be tests of character and reveal the hearts of those involved. How issues are resolved are witnesses to non-believers looking on. Abram and Lot were in the land of Canaanites and Perizzites, who were non-believers.

Abram was the leader, the elder and can use his authority to resolve the matter. He could have told Lot how the matter would be resolved.

Let’s read Genesis 13:8-9, 14-16:
8 Then Abram said to Lot, “Please, let’s not have quarreling between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, since we are relatives.[3] Lit brothers 9 Isn’t the whole land before you? Separate from me: if [you go]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. to the left, I will go to the right; if [you go]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. to the right, I will go to the left.”

14 After Lot had separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, “Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west, 15 for I will give you and your • offspring forever all the land that you see. 16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted.

Abram being the leader made the first move to resolve the matter. He could have said I am going this way and you go the other way. But Abram valued his relationship with Lot and his relationship with Lot’s family more than getting his way. Abram left the choice to Lot.

Abram was at a critical point in his spiritual journey. Was this a test to see how Abram would resolve the matter? We never know what is in our heart until we make a decision. When Abram made the decision to let Lot make the choice it revealed what was in Abram’s heart. I think GOD was pleased and GOD knew Abram was mature enough to take the next step in his spiritual journey and fulfillment of GOD’S plan. Look back at verses 14-16. If Abram had chosen to go toward Sodom it would have revealed Abram’s heart but Lot chose the more fertile valley to Sodom. This revealed Lot’s heart.

Often GOD places HIS children at a crossroads and they have to choose. Their choice reveals their heart. Often at the crossroads there is a temptation to lure a person one way or the other. The Bible tells us with every temptations GOD always provides a way of escape. Seek and respond to GOD’S desire for you.

GOD made promises to Abram. But again it seemed not to sink into Abram’s mind that GOD is speaking of blessing him and Sarai with a child. Often believers conclude that GOD cannot bring something about in their lives because they lean on their own understanding but all things are possible with GOD and CHRIST.

The Apostle Paul summarizes the essence of Christians being spiritually related to Abraham in Galatians 3:6-8.

Galatians 3:6-8:

6 Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness,[7] Gn 15:6 7 so understand that those who have faith are Abraham’s sons. 8 Now the Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and foretold the good news to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed in you.[8] Gn 12:3; 18:18 9 So those who have faith are blessed with Abraham, who had faith.[9] Or with believing Abraham

What a rich spiritual heritage all believers have through CHRIST!!!

If you have never asked CHRIST to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart, do it right now. If you need to rededicate your life to CHRIST, then do so right now! HE is waiting to journey with you to the Promised Land. Just as Abraham and the Israelites encountered miracles and hardships along their journey, so will you. But GOD will be with you each step of the way.