Bible Study - Count On (3) - GOD'S Promise of Blessing - Genesis 12, 15, 17, 21 - June 16,2024 - Excellent

 Bible Study – Count On (3) – GOD’S Promise of Blessing – Genesis 12, 15, and 17 + Genesis 21 - Special – June 16, 2024 - Recommended Read

Our focus scripture is Genesis 12:1-3; 15:5-7 and 17:7-11. (I added Genesis 21, which, I think adds a better understanding and foundation.)

GOD promised to bless all people through HIS chosen people.

Who are GOD’S chosen people? The descendants of Abraham and all who place their faith in JESUS are GOD’S chosen.

How can this be? Through the miracle of being “born-again” in our human spirit through faith in JESUS.

 

A person’s Spiritual Birth through faith in JESUS results in that person being eternally born into GOD’S Eternal Family.

 

Our study this week focuses on Abram, who later GOD called Abraham, Father of Many. GOD made a covenant with Abraham which was eternal through Abraham’s ancestral line through which JESUS, GOD’S only divine Son would be born 100% human and 100% GOD to fulfill GOD’S redemptive purpose.

 

How much faith did Abraham have in GOD? We will discover in Gensis 22 printed at the end of this lesson along with an excellent study written by Kelly Frances, The Plain Word.

 

Why so much on this part of Biblical history? Because it is foundational to why JESUS, through Abraham’s ancestral line, as chosen by the One True GOD for all people. (Each Person Has to make a choice)

 

This is long study but I believe you will find it worth the time to read/study it. May our LORD open your Spiritual eyes to the truth that will be revealed to you. Blessings!

 

According to early History Abraham’s father, Terah, made, sold and worshipped idols, however Abram did not believe in idols.

 

GOD called Abraham to leave Haran and travel to a land GOD would show him and those who traveled with him. Abram responded to GOD’S call. GOD still calls pastors, teachers, missionaries, and ordinary people to place their faith in HIM.

 

Did Abram know GOD? No! He experienced the presence of GOD through life experiences. GOD revealed Himself to Abram by speaking to him directly and along life’s journey. Abram was not perfect and when he stepped out of line, GOD corrected him.

 

Let’s read Genesis 12:1-9:

Genesis 12:1 The Lord said to Abram:

Go 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 anyone who treats you with contempt,
and all the peoples on earth
will be blessed^[a] through you.^[b]

⁴ So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. ⁵ He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated, and the people they 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 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring^[c] I will give this land.” 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. He built an altar to the Lord there, and he called on the name of the Lord. ⁹ Then Abram journeyed by stages to the Negev.

Abram placed his trust in the one true GOD, I AM/YAWEH. Yet Abram came from the background of his earthly father who made, sold and worshipped idols. Abram trusted the one true GOD, WHO was revealing Himself to Abram.

It is Abram’s life journey of building trust and walking by faith with the One True Living GOD, WHO became the GOD of the Israelites.

Let’s read Genesis 15:1-7: (In a vision)

Genesis 15:1: 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?” ^[a] 3 Abram continued, “Look, you have given me no offspring, so a slave born in^[b] 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^[c] will be your heir.” 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.

We must trust and obey even when we cannot see GOD’S promises fulfilled as we journey with GOD through faith in JESUS.

⁷ He also said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.”

There are times when we have to reflect upon where we have been in our journey with GOD and JESUS, in order to keep on walking by faith.

We have an adversary, Satan and his minions and our part is to stay focused upon who we are through faith in JESUS, as revealed in 1 John 4:2-6: ² This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ but every spirit that does not confess Jesus^[a] is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world.

⁴ You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. ⁵ They are from the world. Therefore, what they say is from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God. Anyone who knows God listens to us; anyone who is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception.

Why is this vital? Every day that passes, we are getting closer to the return of JESUS to rapture or remove those who have been born-again from earth. Now, is our opportunity to tell others the Good News of salvation through faith in JESUS.

Let’s read Genesis 17:1-11: (Name Change)

Genesis 17:1: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. Live^[a] in my presence and be blameless. ² I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”

³ Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: ⁴ “As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. ⁵ Your name will no longer be Abram;^[b] your name will be Abraham,^[c] for I will make you the father of many nations. ⁶ I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you. ⁷ I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you. ⁸ And to you and your future offspring^[d] I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as a permanent possession, and I will be their God.”

⁹ God also said to Abraham, “As for you, you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations are to keep my covenant. ¹⁰ This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: Every one of your males must be circumcised. ¹¹ You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and you.^[e] 

GOD made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants as step one in HIS redemptive plan. After the passion of JESUS, the law was fulfilled which made the way for GOD’S Grace to fall upon all who place their faith in JESUS. Since HIS passion has been established as the path to eternal life through the miracle of Spiritual birth into GOD’S eternal family, what does that mean? When a person accepts JESUS as his/her Savior the miracle of Spiritual birth takes place in the twinkling of the eye. That person is Spiritually born into GOD’S eternal Family never to be unborn and become one in JESUS.

We read in Galatians 3:28:
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The Sacrifice of Isaac – Genesis 22

Let’s consider the faith that Abraham had in GOD as written in Genesis 22:1: After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

² “Take your son,” he said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” (Know this, a burnt offering meant burning Isaac reducing him to a pile of ashes with the faith in GOD to restore or resurrect Isaac from those ashes to still be Isaac.)

³ So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. ⁴ On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. ⁵ Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” ⁶ Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the knife, and the two of them walked on together.

⁷ Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.”

And he replied, “Here I am, my son.”

Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide^[a] the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.

⁹ When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac^[b] and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

¹¹ But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

He replied, “Here I am.”

¹² Then he said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me.” ¹³ Abraham looked up and saw a ram^[c] caught in the thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. ¹⁴ And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide,^[d] so today it is said, “It will be provided^[e] on the Lord’s mountain.”

¹⁵ Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven ¹⁶ and said, “By myself I have sworn,” this is the Lord’s declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, ¹⁷ I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the city gates of their^[f] enemies. ¹⁸ And all the nations of the earth will be blessed^[g] by your offspring because you have obeyed my command.”

¹⁹ Abraham went back to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beer-Sheba. And Abraham settled in Beer-Sheba.

JESUS taught that those who have placed their faith in HIM need only to have the faith the size of a mustard seed to move mountains. Abraham placed his faith in GOD and so can you!

This is an interesting and excellent study which covers the in-depth purpose of Abraham and Isaac at Mt. Moriah  

Genesis 22 – Abraham And Isaac At Mt. Moriah – Plain Truth

Genesis 22/ Abraham / By kfrances

 

The carnal heart must be subdued and transformed,

The Almost Sacrifice of Isaac

When Isaac was born Abraham was an old man of 100 years. We might call him ‘ancient of days’, who had a son who was born by the intervention of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 4) – whereas Ishmael was born according to the flesh.

Isaac was not Abraham’s ‘only son;’ the Hebrew word is better translated as ‘precious, unique, one of a kind son’. Hebrews 11:17 calls Isaac ‘the only begotten son.’  The Hebrew word for ‘only begotten’ means special or unique, it has nothing to do with begetting but rather it has to do with status.

Genesis 22:2, we read the words ‘whom thou lovest,’ again meaning: beloved, only begotten (special, unique) son.  These terms are not by accident, for God was going to use an experience which Abraham and Isaac were about to encounter to point to the Messiah and the cross. God told Abraham who was living in Beersheba, to go to the land of Moriah. It was about 45 miles from Beersheba to Moriah, and Abraham made it in three days. Why Moriah? In 1 Chronicles 21:18, 26, David was instructed to build an altar on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. Why is this significant? Because, in 2 Chronicles 3:1 we are told that this is the same place where Solomon’s temple was built…on Mt. Moriah.  What was offered in Solomon’s temple? Sacrifices of animals were offered, that means the very place that Abraham took Isaac was the place where the sacrificial system was established.  Genesis 22:2, makes is clear that the sacrifice (Isaac) which Abraham was going to offer was a sacrifice for sin (burnt offering). Cf. Lev. 1:3-4.

Genesis 22:4, tells us how long the ordeal lasted…three days, and on the third day Abraham saw the place afar off. In verse five, it states that the lads are a witness to this, who were standing afar off. Wow! When you read the account of the cross in Mark 15:40-41, there were also people “looking on afar off”.  Verse six describes that the wood was carried by Isaac. Abraham laid the wood on Isaac his son and had the instruments that would be used to slay his own son. This is a type of what happened to Jesus who also bore his wood (Matthew 27:32, John 19:16-17). 
See blog titled, ‘Who Really Carried the Cross of Jesus? By: Ty Benbow. 07.30.3013. Answers in Genesis. Click on this link to access: https://theplainword.com/who-really-carried-the-cross-of-jesus/

Isaac inquires the whereabouts of the animal for the offering (v. 7), then in verse eight – Abraham gives a prophetic answer: God will provide a lamb (a substitute) for Himself. Abraham bound Isaac to the wood and laid him upon the altar (v. 9). Isaac did not resist but placed himself in his father’s hands and said, “your will be done.   Abraham raised his hand to slay his son as a sin offering (v. 10). 

Think about this for a moment, Isaac is there stretched out on the wood, he bore the wood; and the one that was to slay him was his own father.  Therefore we can conclude that Isaac is a symbol (type) of Christ because he is the only begotten son (beloved son), who is going to be offered as a sin offering, he submissively places himself in the hands of his father, is willingness to die (in figure), and on the third day he resurrected from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19).  At the same time, Isaac is also a symbol of us because he was not actually sacrificed, there was a substitute offered in the place of Isaac. In verses 11-12, Abraham is stopped because of his faithfulness and a ram was a substitutionary sacrifice in place of Isaac (v. 13). 

Verse 14. Solomon’s temple was built in a direction from east to west (the west wall is supposedly there today); in the northeast of the temple was the sheep gate. This is where they kept the sheep for sacrifices. Geographically, this is the place where Abraham found this lamb and offered it on Mt. Moriah in Isaac’s stead. This is the place where Jesus was taken from the sheep gate to die for the sins of the world which was represented by the temple on Mt. Moriah. Did Abraham understand that this was more profound than just history? Yes, indeed. John 8:56, record a conversation Jesus is entertaining with a group of Jewish people and stated that Abraham understood. Galatians 3:8 also tells us Abraham understood because the gospel was preached to him. The Gentiles were justified by faith and God would establish His church – this was not a New Testament idea! 

The fact is, the gospel was preached to Abraham and the idea that the gospel was going to go to the nations was already contained in the experience that God gave to Abraham. What is this story really pointing too? It is interesting that every time in the book of Genesis that either Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob erects an altar; immediately after they make the sacrifice – God makes promises. Whenever they do not raise up an altar, there is always a Messianic prophecy connected with the promises. Let’s look at four promises that God made to Abraham here in this story:

1.    Abraham and his descendants would have dominion over their enemies (Genesis 22:17).  This is what Adam lost and what was going to be restored to the ‘seed’.  Adam lost dominion over the enemy in the Garden when he yielded to his voice.  At that moment, Adam also lost dominion over the earth as God’s steward.  So, the promised land (not the little strip of land known as Israel) was understood by Abraham that it was only a down payment…just a little sample of what God was really promising.  How can we know this?  Romans 4:13 says that Abraham would be heir of the world AND in Hebrews 11 we find that Abraham and all the other bible hero’s up to Abraham did not consider Canaan their homeland.  They looked for a city who’s builder and maker was God and it says when they left their country they were searching for a heavenly homeland.  Abraham was not looking for Jerusalem to fill God’s promise.  God told Abraham he would have dominion over all his enemies including the devil and inherit all of the earth,

2.    Promised Abraham that through his ‘seed’ the blessing would come to counteract the curse,

3.    Abraham will have a group of people (spiritual Israel) that are innumerable like the stars of heaven,

4.    Abraham is not the key figure; he is mentioned as bringing these things through Jesus who is the key figure.  You see, the devil defeated Abraham in that Abraham was deceitful regarding Sarah, he was a bigamist, etc.  BUT Abraham is the instrument that God uses to bring the ‘seed’ into the world to recover and restore that which was lost…JESUS.

Parallels:

Matthew 1:18,  Jesus was born according to the act of the Holy Spirit, a child of the Holy Spirit, conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Mark 1:11, When Jesus was baptized the words were heard from heaven that said: “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”  This was said again on the mount of transfiguration.

John 3:16 Reference to Jesus as the ‘begotten son’.  As well with Isaac.  He is not the only son that the Father has (for we are sons and daughters), but Jesus is the unique Son, the special Son, the Son of the promise, the Son through whom all the promises given to Abraham will be fulfilled.

The sacrifice of Christ was offered as a burnt offering which had a sweet-smelling savor to God (Eph. 5:2). 

Matthew 12:40, tells us how long the ordeal of Christ and his Father lasted…three days and three nights. 

God the Father was burdened with the idea of offering up his Son, just as in the Old Testament story of Isaac.

Jesus submissively place himself in the hands of his Father.  In the Garden of Gethsemene, Jesus said, ‘My Father if this cup can pass from Me let it be so, never the less not my will be done but yours’.  Three times Jesus said this.

John 19:17, states that Jesus bore his wooden cross and was nailed to the wood by his own consent.  Who was executing the sentence upon Christ?  Isaiah 53:4, makes clear that God, his own Father, raised his hand against him (Jesus).  The hand of the Father was not stayed in the case of Jesus as it was with Isaac.  Why did Jesus do this?  For our transgressions, our iniquities, and He did this for our peace and our healing…Jesus is the great substitute (Isa. 53:5).  He was the one offered in our place, so we do not have to suffer the death sentence (second death).

In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul says, “For He (God the Father) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (emphasis added). 

By the way, did you know that when Jesus suffered on the cross that there were witnesses that watched from afar off?  See: Mark 15:40. 

What day of the week did Jesus resurrect?  The first day of the week.  What day was the reference of His suffering?  The third day.  Did Abraham receive Isaac back resurrected in figure on the third day?  Yes, see Hebrews 11.  In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 Paul says that Jesus rose (resurrected) on the third day.  This was foreshadowed in the story of Isaac, but also in the story of Jonah when on the third day the fish spewed Jonah out.  Jonah lived in spite of being in that tomb for three days so to speak.  Romans 8:32 tells us the Father spared not his Son…we can’t image what it was like for the Father to raise his hand against his own Son. Paul wrote that God did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us.   At the very center of the story of Abraham and Isaac is Jesus Christ.

Four promises to Abraham:

Through Abraham and his seed dominion would be restored.

Through Abraham and his seed, the Earth would be recovered.

Through Abraham and his seed, a blessing would come upon the human race to counteract the curse.

Through Abraham and his seed would come a multiplicity of seed which no one can number would come as a result of Abraham and his seed.

Were those promises made to the Jewish nation or were they made for the human race through Jesus?  Actually, the promises are centered in Christ.  The Church has missed the point when they focus on literal Israel.  The fact is that Jesus is the one who fulfilled these promises with the whole human race – not just one people.  Prophecy is not centered in Israel it is centered in Jesus.  Notice in Galatians 3:16 the promises are made to Abraham and his seed.  Who is that seed?  That seed is Jesus Christ.  This is the reason why Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:20 that the promises of God are in Jesus. 

These four promises made to Abraham will be fulfilled through Jesus. Luke 1:71-73, Daniel 7:26-27, tells us that Abraham was promised that he would inherit the world which would ONLY be fulfilled through Jesus.  The meek shall inherit the earth because of Jesus.  By the way, who removed the curse?  Galatians 3:13-14 says, we have been saved from the curse of the law by Jesus.  The blessing of Abraham comes to all those who believe.  It is removed by accepting Jesus.  Revelation 7:9 states, there will be a great multitude that cannot be numbered, they have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.  These promises are only fulfilled in Jesus Christ and given to those who believe in Jesus Christ…not a nation.  Galatians 3:29 makes are crystal clear, if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.  IT CANNOT BE ANY MORE CLEAR THAN THIS. 

What happened in 1948, the proclamation of the establishment of the state of Israel, has no prophetic significance because scripture says that ‘all promises are in Jesus’.  Galatians 4:4-7, says to inherit the promises we must become sons and daughters of God.  How do we do this? All those who have been baptized in Christ have put on Christ (Gal. 3:26-27).  We are sons and daughters of God through Jesus Christ.  We become brothers and sisters of Jesus, therefore we become sons and daughters of God…therefore we inherit all the promises of God.

Immediately after Jacob saw that ladder between heaven and earth you find God giving the promises.  What God was teaching was that the promises were going to come through the Messiah, through the sacrifice, through Him who was truly Jacob’s ladder, so Jesus was truly represented by Isaac. This is the end of this writing ----

Back to my writing:

GOD spoke directly to Abram through visions, and the way HE spoke to the prophets. Has GOD spoken to you? If so, how did you know it? It is awesome, distinctive, and knowing in a still small voice as HE did with Elijah. In general, HE speaks in ways the person will listen to HIM, which are numerous.

GOD’S redemptive plan came through the passion of JESUS. GOD still reveals Himself to all people today. This study is the foundation for a person’s faith through the passion of JESUS through faith in JESUS. Faith in JESUS is the only way any person can be Spiritually Born into GOD’S eternal family. FATHER, here I am as I am, please redeem me from my sins by the shed blood of Jesus, my faith in JESUS and the miracle of being “born Spiritually into YOUR eternal Family and Kingdom.

Once we become GOD’S Son or Daughter through the miracle of Spiritual Birth, we are still building our relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. It is an awesome and eternally rewarding journey of learning, building trust and taking steps of faith, which continues to build our faith.

AMEN WITH BLESSINGS AND HAPPY JOURNEY!!!