Genesis 12-50 Patriarcal History (3000+ years)

1. The Beginning of the Hebrew Race, 12-50

Abraham, the father of the faithful.

Key verse: Gen.15:6. “And he believed in the Lord; and it was counted to him for righteousness.”(See also: Rom.4:3,9,22;s Gal.3:6)

Abraham’s witness before men, Gen.11-14.

The Call of God. [Gen.12:1; Heb.11:8]

Gen.12:1-3. What was involved in this act of faith? “God, I trust you completely. I will follow you to the ends of the earth if you want me to.” God promised Abraham land, descendants, blessings for all.

A divine call

A separating call.

An assuring call.

An advantageous call.

A beneficial call.

A preserving call.

An effectual call.

Gen.22. “Offer there thy son..” Heb. 11:17-19. In essence he said, “Lord, take everything.”

Faith and unbelief: walking by faith.

Gen.12:4-20. The blessedness of faith.

Contrast and compare with the believer today:

Abraham: “I will bless thee.”

Canaan: “Cursed be Canaan.
Faith has its tests – famine.

1. Obedience of faith: sojourned; died in faith.

2. Path of faith: strangers (tent) and pilgrims (passed through).

3. Portion of faith: a city; a better country.

4. Response of faith: builded an altar. He got beyond the land, city and country to the Person.

5. Resource of faith: called upon the name of the Lord. (note- Gen.4:16,26; Mal.3:16 [godly in dark days]; Acts 9:21 [persecution]; 2Tim.2:22 [in the last days].

6. Faithlessness of Abraham: our weakness; down into Egypt; pitch no tent; raise no altar; no call to God.

7. Faithfulness of God: the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. God does not give up on His people when they break down. The Lord plagued Pharaoh. Abraham was sent away from Egypt (the world) in reproach and shame.

Refusing and choosing.

Gen.13. Renouncing the world.

The choice of the flesh: dwelled in the cities; toward Sodom.

The confession of faith: walk through the land.

1. v.1-4. Recovery from failure; went up out of the land of Egypt. Abraham retraces his steps until he is a stranger and pilgrim with his tent, a worshiper with an altar and a dependent man calling upon the name of the Lord.

2. Result of failure: Lot went with him [12:4; 13:1; 13:5]. He was in the right position without personal exercise and faith in God.

3. v.5-9. Riches are a snare, “All their substance” [12:5]. “He was very rich” [13:2, 5-9]. Division and strife result.

4. v.8. Position of faith, “No strife.” Reveals Abraham’s heavenly mindedness; reveals Lot’s worldly mindedness.

5. v.10-13. Choice of the flesh: Lot leaves Canaan forever.

6. v.14. Confession of faith: “lift up thine eyes.”

Victory and defeat.

Gen.14. Conflicts of the world.

1. v.1-11. Conflict: Present evil world.

2. v.12. Capture: took Lot.

3. v.13-16. Contrast: Abraham renounced the world and is victorious over it. The man of faith [v.13-16]; two kings [v.17-18].

4. v.17-24. Compensation: Abraham rises above its enmity and doesn’t fall beneath its kindness. Faith knows all conflicts of earth with Christ’s reign.

Abraham’s exercise before God, Gen.15-21.

Sonship and inheritance.

Gen.15.

1. v.1. Revelation of God: “in a vision.”

2. v.2-3. Response of faith: “I am … reward.”

3. v.4. Reward of grace: “He shall come forth.”

4. v.5-7. Reckoning of righteousness: “Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness [Rom.4]. Look, listen, believe.

5. v.8-10. Remission of sins: Sacrifice.

Flesh and law. (note Gal.4:21-26)

Gen.16. “With faith and patience inherit the promises [Heb.6:12-15].

1. The Test: [15:4-6] His faith failed when tested in chapter 12. His patience breaks under testing in chapter 16.

2. The Temptation: The Egyptian woman. Hagar turned him of the path of faith. (read Gal. 4:21-26). The temptation is to walk by sight (Egypt) not faith.

3. The Teaching: The covenants – bondage or liberty. The covenant of law leads to bondage (Hagar). The covenant of grace leads to liberty (Sarah).

4. The Tendency: To go back under the law. Believers have a bent to depend on rules which lead to pride, vainglory, envy; biting and devouring [Gal.4:21; 5:15, 26].

5. The Tragedy: Continual conflict. The effort of the flesh [v.4] despises the one through whom blessing will come [Gal.5:17]. Despises, v.4; goes toward the world, v.7; hardness, v.12.

6. The Type: Apply it to ourselves. Believers may make law the rule of life (hard, self-righteous).

Almighty God and the everlasting covenant.

Gen.17.

1. v.1-2. God reveals Himself as Almighty. Before He was a shield and reward for Abraham. At 99 Abraham learns to depend on God alone.

2. v.3. Abraham falls on his face. The effect of the revelation. Now he realizes God’s greatness and his own nothingness. Previously it was himself and his need he thought of. It is true God is for us in grace and love. Higher than that though, is God is the great Object of our delight.

3. v.4. God communicates:

• His grace to the nations.

• He honors His servant and changes his name (father of a multitude).

• Abraham would be fruitful for God.

• Abraham and his family would enjoy the closest relationship with God.

• He would have an everlasting covenant and an everlasting possession.

4. v.9-13. Responsibility toward God.

• Walk suited to God because we are blessed, not to obtain blessing.

• The flesh has to be refused. Have no confidence in the flesh; make no allowance for the flesh [Rom.2:29].

• Sarah was blessed with Abraham. She had her named changed and had the laughter of joy.

5. v.18-21. Intercession (for Ishmael). Abraham pleads with God (read Rom.9:6-9).

6. v.22-27. Keeping covenant. Abraham immediately does what he heard.

Blessings and privileges.

Gen.18.

1. v.1-7. Divine visitation. Abraham had a personal visitation of the Lord to him. We need the personal manifestation of the Lord; to answer God’s call; to have no confidence in the flesh (read Jn.14:16-25: “manifest”; “come to”; “make our abode.”).

2. v.6-8. Divine ministry. This visitation leads to service.

3. v.9-15. Divine communication. God’s assurance of coming blessing (Jn.14:3-18. “I will come again”; “I will not leave”; “I will come to you”. Inward unbelief is known by God.

4. v.16-20. Divine prophecy. God comes to Abraham as a friend (read Isa.41:8; Jn.15:15). Judgment is coming. v.16, look toward Sodom; v.22, went toward Sodom; 19:1, came to Sodom.

5. v.22-23. Divine intercession. Intercession in confidence and nearness.

Friendship with the world.

Gen.19.

1. Contrast: Abraham in his tent door; Lot in the gate of Sodom in a place of administration.

2. Downward: 13:12- “toward Sodom.” 14:12- “dwelt in Sodom.” 19:1- “sat in the gate of Sodom” (read Lu.17:28-32).

3. Breakdown: Sodom was wicked and they were sinners before the Lord exceedingly. Lot was not a witness to grace but a judge in wickedness.

4. Warning: “get out” (read 2Cor.6:14-15; Rev.18:4).

5. Angels: Lot was vexed with filthy conversation but had no communion with the Lord. (read 1Cor.3:15).

6. Inconsistency: No power to restrain wickedness. He was willing to abandon his daughters.

7. Failure: He seemed as one that mocked. His life was a contradiction to what he said.

8. Hesitation: He lingered in fear and unbelief. He wanted to go to a city instead of a mountain.

9. Wife: A false professor was the nearest to him.

10. Fear: He goes to the mountain in fear, not in faith and fades out of the picture.

Works of the Flesh.

Gen.20

1. v.2-3. Repeated sin: The fear of man was more important than God’s assurance the heir would come through Sarah. One who is not a novice but walked the path of separation, breaks down when faith is needed. The flesh never changes. It may use different forms. We are unable to do anything without God. God deals with, and acts for His failing people.

2. v.9-10. Rebuke justified: He had failed in faith, wronged his wife, wronged a man of the world. He had sunk below the conduct of decent men of the world. Abraham acts with duplicity saying, “There is no fear of God in this place,” and he didn’t have the fear of God himself. He was thinking his own thoughts and thinking only of himself.

3. v.11-13. Lame excuse: It is always hard to say, “I have sinned.” Abraham seeks to excuse himself by not telling all the truth.

4. v.13. Root of unbelief: He lowers the testimony of God to the apprehension of the world. “God caused me to wander.” He didn’t tell about the heavenly country and city with foundations. He gave the impression he was a prodigal.

5. Unbecoming conduct: In weakness and unbelief he accepts sheep, oxen, men servants, maid servants and money. In a time of power and victory, he refused from a thread to a shoe latchet. Abimilech, in contempt, reproves Sarah as well.

6. v.17-18. Recovery: After their failure is exposed, Abraham again takes his true place in reference to the world as an intercessor.

The birth of the heir.

Gen.21.

The heir born, v.1-7; the bondwoman and her son cast out, v.8-21; the world owns that God is with this man of faith, v.22-34.

1. v.1-5. The birth: Isaac (“laughter”); this time everything is done according to God’s will and word. Gal.4:4, “When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son”. This birth is a type of Christ.

2. v.6-9. The effect: Some rejoiced; some mocked. The same was true of Christ’s coming. His supreme place caused jealousy and enmity of the world.

3. v. 10. The lesson: We are objects of sovereign grace. In Gal.4:28-31, Isaac is a type of the believer walking after the Spirit.; Ishmael is a type of one walking after the flesh.

4. v.11-12. The flesh: The more Christ has His true place in our affections, the more we are aware of the character of the flesh. We still want to exalt self. The Corinthians were indulging the flesh in a worldly form. The Colossians were ministering to the flesh in religious ritual. The Galatians were giving place to the flesh by legality. We are to refuse the flesh – it calls for self-denial, and will bring suffering but blessing.

5. v.22-24. The testimony: The one who had reproved Abraham, now acknowledges, “God is with thee in all that thou doest.” If we refuse the flesh and walk by faith in separation from the world, people will think the same of us.

6. v.25-34. The world: The world admits that God is with His people , but will seek to stop the means of spiritual refreshment. We may resist and reprove the world, but do it with the spirit of grace that imparts spiritual blessing (seven ewe lambs).

Abraham is with God, calls on the name of the Lord, and lives as a pilgrim.

Chapters 12-14. Separation from the world to God. Abraham and the world.

Chapters 15-21. “After these things”. His inner soul. Abraham and God.

Chapters 22-24. “After these things”. God’s blessings through Abraham.

• 22: Death and resurrection – a lamb.

• 23: Death of Sarah – Israel set aside.

• 24: Rebekah – calling out of the Church.

The offering of Isaac.

Genesis 22 is a marvelous presentation of the love of God in giving His Son. Morally it sets forth, in a special way, the faith of Abraham.

1. v.1. The supreme test: No one has ever had his or her faith tested beyond that of Abraham. The one in whom all the promises were centered was Isaac. He acted not according to reason but in faith.

2. v.3-6. The act of obedience: Job submitted passively to what God allowed. Abraham was called to act in a way contrary to nature, to paternal love, and to divine and human laws deliberately. Faith knows that those which sleep in Jesus, “Will God bring with Him.”

3. v.7-8. Father and son: The first mention of love in the Bible[v.2] is significantly in connection with the love of the father acting in the fear of God. He overcame the fear of man.

4. v.9-10. Perfect obedience: The perfect submission and uncomplaining obedience of the Son to the Father, “Not My will, but Thine be done.” Isaac bore the wood; the knife and the fire (judgment and death) are in the hands of the father (read Ps.88:6-7).

5. v.5. Perfect communion: “Abide ye here.” There are some things only comprehended by the Father and the Son [Jn.5:17,30].

6. v.9-10. Perfect submission: Abraham builds the altar, Abraham lays the wood in order, Abraham binds his son, Abraham laid him on the altar, Abraham stretched forth his hand, Abraham took the knife. “He is led as a lamb to the slaughter..”

Comparison and contrast: In other offerings the victim was killed and then laid on the altar. Here, as a type of Christ, the living sacrifice is on the altar. The type stops here because “God spared not His Son.” In a figure Abraham received Isaac from the dead [Heb.11:9]. The ram then takes up the type of Christ as God provides for “Himself a lamb.”

The test was not to make him fall, but to deepen his capacity to obey God and thereby develop his character. The refining process is to extract what is good and precious from all the dross around. To obey God may mean giving up something we really want. Obedience should not be expected to be easy or to come naturally. It is difficult to let go of what we deeply love. Have you withheld your love, your children, your time from God? Abraham went farther and higher because he was willing to give his son. That is like God. Abraham received abundant blessing because he did not hold back, but obeyed his God. God in turn blessed him…

• God gave his descendants the ability to conquer their enemies.

• God promised him children and grandchildren who would bless the whole earth.

AN OVERVIEW OF THE CHARACTER STUDY OF ABRAHAM.

Abraham: father of (many) a multitude.

Ancestry:

• Descendant of Shem, 1Chr.1:24-27.

• Son of Terah, Gen.11:26

• First named Abram (“exalted father”), Gen.11:27.

• A native of Ur, Gen.11:28, 31.

• Pagan ancestors, Jos.24:2.

• Marries Sari, Gen.11:29.

Wanderings:

• Goes to Haran, Gen.11:31.

• Receives God’s call, Gen.12:1-3; Acts 7:2-4.

• Prompted by faith, Heb.11:8.

• Enters Canaan; Canaan promised to him by God, Gen.12:1-7.

• Dwells at Bethel, Gen.12:8.

• Famine sends him to Egypt, Gen.12:10-20.

• Returns to Canaan enriched, Gen.13:1-5.

• Chooses Hebron rather than strife, Gen.13:6-12.

Testing and victory of Abraham:

• Separates from Lot, Gen.13:8-12.

• Rescues Lot. Gen.14:14-16.

• Receives a blessing from Melchisedek, Gen.14:18-20.

• His covenant with God renewed; a son promised, Gen.15:1-2.

• Justified by faith, Gen.15:6; Rom.4:3.

• Takes Hagar as a concubine, Gen.16:1-4.

• Ishmael is born, Gen.16:5-16.

• His covenant with God renewed again; he is named “Abraham: father of (many) a multitude.” Gen.17:1-8.

• His household is circumcised, Gen.17:9-14, 23-27.

• Promised a son, Gen.17:15-19.

• Covenant in Isaac, not Ishmael, Gen.17:20-22; Gal.4:22-31.

• Receives messengers, Gen.18:1-15.

• Intercedes concerning Sodom, Gen.18:16-33.

• Witnesses Sodom’s doom, Gen.19:27-28.

• His faith delivers Lot, Gen.19:29.

• Sojourns at Gerar; deceives Abimelech, Gen.20:1-18.

• Isaac is born and is circumcised, Gen.21:1-8.

• Sends Hagar and Ishmael away, Gen.21:9-21.

• Makes a covenant with Abimelech, Gen.21:22-34.

• Testing of Abraham in the offering of Isaac, Gen.22:1-19.

• Receives news about Nahor, Gen.22:20-24.

• Buys a burial place for Sarah, Gen.23:1-20.

• Secures a wife for Isaac, Gen.24:1-67.

• Married Keturah; has other children; dies, Gen.25:1-10.

Characteristics of Abraham:

• Friend of God, 2Chr.20:7.

• Obedient, Gen.22:1-18.

• Tithed,Gen.14:20; Heb.7:1-4.

• Generous, Gen.13:8-9.

• Courageous, Gen.14:13-16.

• Independent, Gen.14:21-23.

• Man of prayer, Gen.18:23-33.

• Man of faith, Gen.15:6.

• Rich man, Gen.13:2.

• Mighty prince, Gen.23:5-6.

• Good provider, Gen.25:5-6.

References to Abraham in the New Testament:

• In the line of faith, Heb.11:8-10, 17-19; Acts 7:2-8. Abraham followed God’s leading into an unknown territory – the promised land.

• Christ, the true seed of Abraham, Mat.1:1,2,17; Lu.3:23-24. Jesus Christ was human; born in the line of Abraham, the father of the nation through which the world would be blessed.

• The father of the Jewish nation, Mat.3:9; Lu.3:8; Acts 13:26; Rom.4:1;11:1; 2Cor.11:22;Heb.6:13-14. God established a nation to tell the world about Him. He began with an old childless man of faith and did the impossible through him.

• Foresees Christ’s day, Jn.8:56.

• Hears the Gospel preached, Gal.3:8.

• Justified by faith, Rom.4:1-12; Gal.3:6-9, 14-29; Heb.11:8,17-19; Jas.2:21-24. Abraham showed faith in times of testing and disappointment. God called him His “friend” because of his faith.

• Faith of Abraham seen in his works, Jas.2:21-23.

• Faith of true believers exemplified in Abraham, Mat.8:11; Rom.4:11-25

• Abraham sees the eternal city, Heb.11:8-10, 13-16.

• God’s covenant with Abraham still valid, Lu.1:55,72,73; Acts 3:25; Mat.22:32; Mk.12:26; Lu.20:37; Acts 7:17-18,32; Rom.9:6-8; Gal.3:6,14-16; Heb.6:13-15. Those who like Abraham, choose the life of faith, are alive with God. We can always trust the promises of God even though they seem too incredible to believe. Abraham is the father of all those who come to God by faith.

• Sons of Abraham illustrate law and grace, Gal.4:22-31.

• The tithes of Abraham have a deeper meaning than just the giving of money, Heb.7:9-10.

• The headship of Abraham in his marriage, 1Pe.3:6-7.

• Eternal home of Abraham is in heaven, Lu.16:19-25;13:29; Mat.8:11. Because of his faith, Abraham is now enjoying his reward in the kingdom of God.

Contrasts:

• Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with Lot, Ishmael and Esau.

• The first three “died in faith, confessing that they were strangers and pilgrims upon the earth.”

• “Just Lot” – “faithful Abraham”; “righteous Lot” – “Abraham, the friend of God.”

• Their wives: Sarah, “judged Him faithful that promised” ; Lot’s wife: “remember Lot’s wife.” Sarah, A figure of the New Covenant, the heavenly Jerusalem – Lot’s wife, a beacon to all who “put their hand to the plow and look back” and are unfit for the kingdom of God.

• Abram felt it was important that God’s family live in peace. The “Canaanite and Perizzite” must not see discord between brethren. Lot saw the well watered plain of Jordan

• Abram dwelt in the safety of the high ground. The low ground was open to attack, even in walled cities.

• Even after captivity, Lot went back to the city while Abram maintain his pilgrim character.

• Lot ends up hiding in a cave. Abraham in is old age is a prince of God among the people.

• Lot never did rejoin Abraham once he left. He forsook the altar that was always by Abraham’s tent. He lost his family; he lost the respect of men. Abraham looked for a city, which hath foundations, whose builder and make is God.

Lessons:

• We are blessed because of the faith of those who have gone before us.

• We can trust God to do, what is impossible to us and for us.

• We have a promised eternity with God because of faith in Christ.

• Even though God’s promises may seem too incredible to believe, we can trust God to keep all He has promised.

• Those who follow God even when we don’t know what is ahead, will never be disappointed.

• We are accepted by God on the basis of faith alone, not faith and something else.

• The promises God made to Abraham in regards to righteousness, are the same to us. We are made righteous by God because of faith in Him.