Abraham: The Friend of God
Video Link
Power Point Link
Believing Friend Genesis 12:1-9
How did Abram (Abraham) show belief in God?
He obeyed God and left his own country to go where God
directed.
Vs. 2 What was God’s promise to Abraham?
(I will make of thee a great nation, will bless thee, make
thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: I will bless them that bless
thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the
earth be blessed.)
(A great nation-
Israel
Make thy name great
– Father of Jews, Muslims and Christians
In thee shall all
families be blessed – Jesus would come through Abraham’s lineage and Jesus
would bless all people.)
Vs. 7 What did God
add to the promises already given to Abraham?
(He promised
Abraham the land of Canaan he was journeying through.)
Fallible Friend Genesis 12:10- 13:4
Vs 10 Why did Abraham continue on to the South?
(Because of a famine in the land.)
Vs. 12-13 How does asking Sarai (Sarah) to lie show
Abraham’s immature faith?
(He does not yet fully trust God to protect him in Egypt nor
provide for him in the promised land.)
Vs. 14-20 Why did God
still protect Abraham in spite of his lie?
(Because of the covenant he had established with Abraham.)
Vs. 1-4 Abraham left
the south and went back to Bethel. What
does this action on his part show?
(A return to fully trusting on the Lord to provide and
protect him.)
Why did God not punish Abraham?
(Abraham responded to God’s rebuke through Pharaoh and
returned to Bethel and repented.)
Generous Friend Genesis 13:5-18
What quality of character is shown by Abraham letting Lot
choose?
(Putting others first, especially your family. ie. Philippians
2:3.)
What negative quality does Lot exhibit?
(Selfishness, looking out for no. 1)
Vs. 14- 18 What was the result of these two opposite
actions?
(Abraham was again blessed, while Lot was captured by
invading kings and lost everything.)
Is the result of Abraham and Lot’s action just a coincidence
or a principle of God’s will?
(It is a direct result of being in God’s will? ie. Luke 6:38; Gal. 6:7)
Loyal and Brave Friend 14:1-24
Why would Abraham rescue Lot after Lot had “set his tent
toward Sodom?”
(Abraham knew forgiveness and he understood loyalty to
family.)
Who was Melchizedek (King of Righteousness)?
(A King of Salem (Jerusalem) who was “the” priest of Jehovah
God. Some speculate that Melchizedek was
Shem the son of Noah, but this seems pretty unlikely though he could still have
been alive.)
Why did Abraham refuse the King of Sodom’s gift of the
spoil?
(It would have put him in debt to the King of Sodom and
weakened his reliance upon God.)
Covenanted Friend 15-17
The Covenant Amplified Chap. 15
What was added to this reconfirming of the covenant?
Exact boundaries of the land. Vs. 18-21 and proof of God’s
keeping the covenant alone.
How did God show that He and not Abraham would keep this
covenant?
God in the form of a smoking furnace and a burning lamp
passed between the animal pieces.
The Covenants of God
Definition: "A covenant is a sovereign pronouncement of
God by which He establishes a relationship of responsibility
between himself and an individual,
between Himself and mankind in general,
between Himself and a nation, or
between Himself and a specific human family.
A covenant in one category may overlap others...The
covenants are normally unconditional in the sense that God obligates Himself in
grace, by the unrestricted declaration, 'I will' to accomplish certain
announced purposes, despite any failure on the part of the person or people
with whom He covenants. The human response to the divinely announced purpose is
always important, leading as it does to blessing for obedience and discipline
for disobedience. But human failure is never permitted to abrogate the covenant
or block its ultimate fulfillment." (C.I. Scofield)
The Edenic Covenant – Gen. 1:28-30; 2:16-17
Man is charged with responsibility for propagating the race,
subduing the earth,
exercising dominion over the animals,
caring for the garden in Eden,
and refraining from eating of the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil.
The Adamic Covenant Genesis 3
Consequences of man's fall necessitated a changed
relationship between man and God including the following elements:
A curse on the serpent: Gen 3:14
The first promise of a redeemer (the proto-evangelium).
A changed state of woman including bondage and subservience
to man's headship, and suffering and pain in motherhood.
Loss of the garden in Eden as a dwelling place and light
occupation changed to heavy burden of work because of a cursed earth.
Inevitable sorrow and disappointment in life.
Shortened life span and tragedy of death.
The Noahic Covenant. - Gen. 8:21-9:17
This unconditional covenant with Noah (which affects all
mankind) establishes principles for all government, and includes the following:
(1) Sanctity of all human life established. Man, responsible
to protect life, even by the use of capital punishment.
(2) A Promise that another universal flood will not occur,
and the ground will not be cursed further.
(3) Man's relationship to the animals and to nature is
confirmed.
The Abrahamic Covenant - Gen. 13:14-17; 15:1-21; 22:15-18
This was an unconditional covenant.
(1) God gave Abraham the promise of a great nation---
Primarily Israel, but also includes those in the line of
Ishmael and other sons.
Two peoples descended from Abraham are named specially. They
are an earthly group (Israel) "as numerous as the grains of sand on the
seashore," and a heavenly group (the true church) "as numerous as the
stars in the heavens."
(2) Abraham was to be the father of many, to be blessed, to
be honored, to be a channel of blessing to others.
(3) Those who bless Abraham are to be blessed and those who
curse him will be cursed.
(4) Reaffirmation of the promise of a Messiah.
The Mosaic Covenant - Exodus 19:3-6
A Conditional Covenant.
It was a Kingdom Agreement
The history of Israel has been a series of failures to keep
their part of the agreement.
Due to their failure they have never enjoyed the full
blessings of God as their king.
It was a National Constitution
The Covenant contained 613 moral, civil and ceremonial laws.
All are summarized in Deut. 6:5
It provided a Guide to Christ
The Law established by the Mosaic Covenant showed our need
for a savior – Galatians 3:24
The Palestinian Covenant - Deut. 30, Amos 9:9-15
An unconditional covenant
(1) Dispersion of the Jews was to be a consequence of
disobedience.
(2) Future repentance will be accomplished by God.
(3) God will regather his scattered people and restore them
to the land.
(4) The people of Israel will be brought to the Lord as a
nation.
(5) The enemies and oppressors of Israel will be punished.
(6) Future national prosperity and preeminence is
guaranteed. See also Deut. 28, 29. Because of this covenant, the right of the
Jews to live in the land is conditional upon their behavior.
The Davidic Covenant - 2 Sam. 7:8-16; Psalm 89:1-4, 19-37;
Jer 23:5
This unconditional covenant promises
(1) A temple in Israel built by David’s son,
(2) A kingdom given to the sons of David forever,
(3) chastisement on the sons if they disobey.
(4) The Messiah would be of the line of David.
Luke 23:5 - Fulfilled in Jesus birth
Zech 14:3-4, 9 - And one day in His return
The New Covenant - Jer. 31:31 - Heb. 8:8-13
An everlasting,
unconditional covenant between God the Father and God the Son (Heb. 13:20-21)
imparting a renewed mind and heart to the recipients.
Restored favor and
blessing for Israel.
Complete and final
forgiveness and removal of sins.
Indwelling of the
Holy Spirit.
A rebuilt temple in
Israel (Ezek. 37:26,27a).
Cessation of war and
institution of world peace.
The Covenant with Abraham Rushed Chap 16
Why mistake did Abram make in taking Haggai as his wife and
having children by her?
He hearkened to his wife instead of to the word of His
God. As more and more time passed it
become more and more difficult to fully trust God.
What was the result of Abram and Sarai trying to keep God’s
covenant through their own ability?
Their family happiness was disrupted. Hagar was thrown out.
Applications:
What are some areas in our life today in which we try to
rush the promises of God?
His provision, healing, power over sin, even salvation.
What can we learn from Abraham and Sarah about rushing God
by using our own means and abilities?
It will always result in failure and problems. Our relationship with God and with others
will be harmed.
In Genesis 16:7, Who is the angel of the Lord?
God the Son acting as a messenger for His Father. (See Exodus 3:2-4 and John 1:18, 1 John 4:12)
What promise is given to Hagar?
That Ishmael her son would live and be a great man.
Conclusion
In Abraham we see the first glimpse of God’s ideal for all
mankind, that we would have a relationship with Him, that we like Adam would be
“friends” with our Heavenly Father.
Through the covenant with Abraham the foundation was laid
that would, through grace, result in that relationship being a reality. It cost
the Father His Own Son but that sacrifice result in salvation and relationship
to us all.
May we never take it for granted, but cherish it as the great
and costly gift that it is.
No comments:
Post a Comment