Interceding for the Righteous

Genesis 18:16-33

vs. 16 - God watches the wicked
God knew of the people’s sins in Sodom and the surrounding cities

vs. 17 - God teaches judgment
Abraham knew God would punish the sinners

vs. 18 - God teaches blessings
God discusses His judgment so that Abraham realizes God’s blessings are for him, the coming nation, and those that love God.

vs. 19 - God expects proper child training
Abraham was in charge and commanded his entire household in the things of the Lord.

For by Flesh or by Promise?

Genesis 16: 1-16

1-4 - Sarai means princess
handmaid = servant
Hagar - flight
LORD - Jehovah = A self-existing One

The custom of the day = Sarai was looked upon as having kids because Hagar had a child.
Hagar was Sarai’s handmaid.
This was an accepted practice of the day, when the wife could not have children.

5-6 - Living by flesh, comes by suffering
Abraham does not love Hagar.
After conceiving, Hagar despises Sarai.
Sarai complains to Abram and he allows Sarai to do with Hagar what she wants to do.

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.