Bible Study - GOD'S Story - GOD Chooses a People - Genesis 12 and 15 - June 9, 2013

Bible Study – GOD’S Story – GOD Chooses a People – June 9, 2013

This is lesson two in our series entitled “GOD’S Story.”

Our scripture is Genesis 12:1-7; 15:5-8, 13-17.

Last week, we studied the creation of the universe, GOD making man and woman, GOD giving man responsibility and one restriction, mankind’s disobedience which is sin and mankind losing eternal life and their personal relationship with GOD and being removed from the physical presence of GOD when GOD drove them out of the garden. We also saw that GOD had a plan for the redemption of mankind through HIS ONLY SON JESUS, the seed of woman, CHRIST, who would be victorious over Satan.

A great deal happened between Genesis 3 to Genesis 12 – Once Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden, mankind was rebellious and sin increased. Cain killed his brother Abel, there was an interaction between the spirit world and the people of earth, GOD sent a great flood and only eight of HIS chosen were spared along with animal life. These eight spared were Noah, Noah’s wife, their three sons Shem, Ham, Japheth, and the wife of each son. Abram’s lineage traces back to Noah’s son, Shem, and his descendants. GOD made a covenant with Noah as recorded in Genesis 9:18-19:

18 Noah’s sons who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan.
19 These three were Noah’s sons, and from them the whole earth was populated.s

Noah’s three sons continued the “line of promise” after the great flood. This was a new beginning for GOD’S chosen.

GOD was committed to the human race, not for humans to just have life, but for them to have life more abundantly through CHRIST. GOD would choose a person in the “line of promise” to represent HIM to the world. At this point-in-time GOD is ready to build a nation of HIS chosen who will be priests and represent HIM to the world.

In HIS wisdom, HE personally called Abram. Abram means “exalted father.”  Later, GOD would change his name to Abraham, which means “father of multitudes.” His name is interesting because he and Sarai did not have any children to carry on the family lineage. The “line of promise” meant that Abram’s offspring had to be from his own body. There had to be a bloodline.

Note the age when GOD called Abram. He was 75 and Sarai was 65. GOD wanted Abram to know that when he and Sarai had an offspring it would be a miracle from HIM. When Abram was told that Sarah would conceive, he laughed as did Sarah.

It is so interesting that from one offspring a nation was produced. That reveals the power of GOD. When Christians accept CHRIST by faith, they come under the promises and covenants GOD made to Abraham.

Why did GOD call Abram? It is simple; we do not know other than GOD knew his heart. HE looked into the core of Abram’s being, the eyes of his heart, and HE saw the attributes and character HE desired for HIS chosen people.

Consider the heritage that was handed down from Noah. Noah was a man of GOD who preached for 120 years GOD’S message of impending doom. Noah was a man of great faith who built the ark midst much ridicule and in an area where there was little rain. He preached and warned people for 120 years without a single convert. Noah was a man of great faith in the true GOD.  

We do not know much about Abram’s life before GOD called him. GOD called him when he was 75 years old and Sarai, his wife and his half-sister, was 65 years old. Sarai means “a princess” but also means “contentious” or “quarrelsome.” Later, GOD would change her name to Sarah, which means “noble lady,” “chieftainness,” “captain,” or “commander.”

We know that Abram grew up in a pagan city called Ur of the Chaldeans. We know that his dad worshipped pagan gods. We do not know how or when Abram became a believer in the one true GOD. Some scholars speculate that someone from the “line of promise” introduced him to the true GOD. When GOD has a plan, HE makes certain that those who know the truth come into contact with those who need truth.

The “line of promise” continued through Noah and his descendants because Noah and his family survived the great flood. We know that Abram’s father, Terah, was a descendant of Noah through the lineage of Shem. Thus Terah and Abram/Abraham were in the lineage of CHRIST and that lineage traces back to Adam.  When we accept CHRIST as our Savior we are also in the “line of promise.” Our calling is to introduce truth/CHRIST to others.

Abram was a man of great faith and it was his faith that GOD accrued to him as righteousness. That is why when we accept CHRIST by faith we are born into GOD’S family and HE sends the Holy Spirit to indwell us. The Holy Spirit confirms and assures every Christian that he/she is GOD’S child.

Let’s explore Abram’s journey of faith, which began when he was 75 years old. We are never too old to be called by GOD.

Let’s read Genesis 12:1-3:

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.

3 I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

When GOD calls a person to service, HE most often does not give him/her the complete plan. In our scripture, we see that GOD instructed Abram to leave the comfort of his home, kin folks and his father’s house, although his father went with him. GOD instructed him to go to a land that HE would show him. Abram takes a leap of faith and puts feet to his calling.

GOD told Abram that HE would make him into a great nation. HE will bless him. His name will be great and he will be a blessing because through his lineage the Messiah would come to earth. Abram did not know all that lay before him but he trusted GOD.

GOD told him that he would bless those who blessed him and curse those who treated him with contempt. All people would be blessed through his lineage because CHRIST would come through his lineage, the “line of promise.”

Let’s read Genesis 12:4-7:

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 Then 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.

Haran, Lots’ dad, died before Abram and Terah left Ur. Apparently Terah took Lot under his care after Haran died. When Abram left Ur, he took Sarai, Terah and Lot. They traveled to the city of Haran. When Terah died, Abram took on the responsibility for Lot and they packed up and went to Canaan.

Abram went through Shechem, at the oak of Moreh. Shechem was Abram’s first stop in Canaan. Shechem was thought to be a place of worship for the Canaanites. Moreh comes from a Hebrew word which means “teaching.” Scholars believe that there was a mighty oak in Moreh where the Canaanites received oracles from their pagan gods.

As Abram was traveling, the LORD appeared to him. We do not know in what form the LORD appeared to him but they communicated. The LORD told him to look at the land around him because that land would belong to his offspring. This was GOD’S confirmation that Abram would have offspring. Abram built an altar to confirm GOD’S presence and promise. It was a message and witness to the pagans. Abram worshipped the true GOD, Yahweh, Who had revealed Himself to Abram.

Let’s read Genesis 15:1-4

The Abrahamic Covenant

1 After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great. 2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what can You give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Abram continued, “Look, You have given me no •offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir.” 4 Now the word of the Lord came to him: “This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body will be your heir.”

The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision. GOD instructed Abram not to be afraid because HE would protect him. GOD would be his shield.

GOD stated that HE was going to reward him. Abram wanted to know, “What would he do with more stuff when his only heir was his servant, Eliezer?” Abram reminded GOD that HE had confirmed to him that he would have offspring who would have the land GOD had shown him. God reconfirmed to Abram that he would have offspring. His offspring would come from his body and would not come from a servant or a surrogate.

Let’s read Genesis 15:5-8:

5 He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.” 6 Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness. 7 He also said to him, “I am •Yahweh who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” 8 But he said, “Lord God, how can I know that I will possess it?”

GOD took Abram outside and instructed him to look up at the starry sky and instructed him to count the stars, if he could. We need to keep in mind that this was a vision. GOD told him that his offspring would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abram believed what GOD had told him. GOD credited his belief or faith as righteousness. The word “believed” carries the idea of complete trust, assurance, certainty and reliability. GOD said it and Abram accepted HIS Word as HIS bond. There was no doubt. It was total trust.

Faith is important when we obediently serve GOD. Faith is taking a step where there appears to be no step. It is not taking a step to test GOD but take the step only when led by GOD.

GOD revealed HIS covenant name, Yahweh, to Abram. Revealing HIS covenant name confirmed the promise.

Abram asked GOD how he would know for sure that he would inherit the land. Abram wanted something that would be a sign that what GOD had told him would take place. There is nothing wrong with confirming something GOD has revealed to you. GOD agreed to give him something to confirm HIS promise as revealed in our next scripture.

Let’s read Genesis 15:9-12:

9 He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old cow, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 So he brought all these to Him, split them down the middle, and laid the pieces opposite each other, but he did not cut up the birds. 11 Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was setting, a deep sleep fell on Abram, and suddenly great terror and darkness descended on him.

This is an interesting arrangement. Moses referred to these animals later in conjunction with worship and atoning for sins. These three animals were split down the middle and placed opposite each other. Birds of prey came down on the carcasses but Abram drove them away.

Abram went into a deep sleep and suddenly great terror and darkness descended on him. I have pondered this for some time and I will give you what came to mind. These three animals were alive, whole and then split in half and of course dead. They were separated and apart. It would take a miracle for them to be restored and only GOD could restore life to them.

Abram fell into a deep sleep and plunged into great terror and darkness which to me represents the hopelessness of the situation unless GOD intervenes. Sin resulted in mankind being permanently separated from GOD and there was nothing man could do to restore life to these animals and make them whole and alive again. GOD through the passion of CHRIST is mankind’s only provision for restoration in helpless and hopeless circumstances.

Let’s read Genesis 15:13-21:

13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know this for certain: Your offspring will be foreigners in a land that does not belong to them; they will be enslaved and oppressed 400 years. 14 However, I will judge the nation they serve, and afterward they will go out with many possessions. 15 But you will go to your fathers in peace and be buried at a ripe old age. 16 In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” 17 When the sun had set and it was dark, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the divided animals. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “I give this land to your offspring, from the brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River: 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.

GOD reveals HIS foreknowledge regarding the future of Abram’s offspring. HIS chosen people would be captive in Egypt for 400 years. GOD would judge the Egyptians. Abraham’s offspring would leave Egypt with many possessions as they journey to the Promised Land. Abram would die before these things happened but Abraham’s offspring would return to the land GOD promised.

GOD confirmed the covenant with Abram by using a smoking pot and a flaming torch. Fire and smoke represents GOD’S holiness, righteousness, judgment and purifying power.

You have heard the expression, “Where there is smoke there is fire.” When pondering the smoking pot, the thought came to me that the cleansing fire is inside the pot which we cannot see. We only see and smell the smoke but you know there is fire inside the pot. Then there is a flaming torch which is visible to all. This alludes to GOD’S divine hiddenness, that is GOD does not reveal all of HIS plans to everyone. There was a hidden activity as represented by the hidden fire that is only indicated by the smoke. There is a visible activity, represented by the torch, which gives light to all who seek light in darkness. The light of the world is CHRIST.

The “line of promise” would be fully revealed many years later in HIS only Son, JESUS CHRIST. Every Christian continues the “line of promise” as he/she reveals CHRIST and HIS saving power to others, especially to their family, friends and others, as led by the Holy Spirit.

GOD passed between the split pieces. I believe that was to indicate HIS unifying power. HE alone can restore mankind that has been split apart by sin and declared eternally dead.

As stated earlier, GOD does not reveal HIS full plan to everyone, as we see in 1 Corinthians 2:8-9:

7 On the contrary, we speak God’s hidden wisdom in a •mystery, a wisdom God predestined before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age knew this wisdom, for if they had known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

GOD so loved those HE made, mankind, that HE allowed HIS only Son to come to earth and give HIS life to pay the sin debt, in full, so that eternal life and Son-ship and Daughter-ship would be restored to all who will place their faith in HIM. Through the miracle of rebirth, all who place their faith in CHRIST will be reborn into GOD’S family with full rights and privileges. Folks, this world is not our home. One day each person will exit his/her earthly bodies and go into eternity. Christians will go to heaven, not based upon their merit but based upon the shed blood of CHRIST blotting out all of our sin. It is a free gift but as with any gift you have to reach out a receive it.

This scripture ends with GOD defining the land mass which Abram’s offspring will inherit. 

GOD had selected the patriarch for HIS chosen people through whom the Messiah would come to earth. CHRIST coming to earth is one thing but the most important is you inviting CHRIST into your heart by faith.

If you have not done so, now is the moment. Blessings!!!