Jen begins by saying that the Bible is a book about God but we often read the Bible asking it to tell us about ourselves before we ask it to tell us something that is true about God.
Attributes. If this is who God is, how do I understand myself in the light of that truth. What's true about God?
- Reflect on who God is
- See myself in light of that
- What needs to change?
Genesis 12-15. The question Moses is answering is "how did the Israelites get to Egypt?" Abram's story is 14 chapters. He is significant to who the nation of Israel is and who we are as the people of God, who also inherit these promises, and of who Christ is.
Genesis 12:1-3. God making a lot of "I will" statements. God is setting the agenda for what is going to happen. He initiates a plan. "Now the LORD said to Abram." Creation narrative started with "and God said." Noah "and God said." The answer is "and it was so."
Verse 4. Answers with "so Abram went." When we move into the lives of these people, the "it was so" portion is now enacted by the people of God:
- God speaks
- People act
What does the Lord say to Abram?
- Go from his country
- Go from his kindred
- Go from his father's house
What is the message here? I want you to leave behind everything that is familiar to you.
He went from Ur of the Chaldeans: An ancient city that was very advanced. Large city. Stone houses. Hot and cold running water. Educated people. A modern city for its time.
He's going to a place not like Ur. Hebrews tells us he lived the rest of his life in tents.
Abram vague about where he's going. "The land I will show you" God said. And then the "I will's."
Why do you think God takes Abram out of the familiar? The only way Abram will learn total reliance on God is to be placed in a situation where that's his only option.
What about us? Have we experienced that?
We see here the faithfulness of God. "I will make your name great."
The tower of Babel the people said this "that we might make a great name for ourselves." God is saying "I am the one who makes the name great."
Abram is promised:
- He will have a land
- He will have descendants
- Through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed (the future promise of Christ)
We see this also in Genesis 3:15 - the promise. When God says this to Abram, He is pulling forth that promise.
Verses 4-9. Abram went. Lot also. What do we see Abram doing as he enters into the land of Canaan? He's building altars. He's establishing places of worship. Where does it say he does this?
Verse 6. "To the oak of Moreh." Also, "Canaanites were in the land." Canaanites mentioned here. Why? Moses is talking to the audience of people who had been in the dessert for 40 years, and what are they getting ready to do? Go into the land of Canaan and take it by conquest. He is building their resolve, building their courage, building their trust in a God who calls you in uncertainty to demonstrate His trustworthiness. The oaks of Moreh were used by the Canaanites in places of worship to Pagan gods. Abram was doing this in a place where Pagan practice was done years before.
Another altar is built at Bethel.
Verse 7. "To your offspring I will give this land." Also in Galatians 3:16, Paul wants his hearers to understand that the ultimate fulfillment of this promise is Christ Himself.
First Test of Abram. There was a famine in the land. What do you think Abram expected this land to be like? He left a beautiful country for a famined country. This was unexpected. Have you ever been there? How does Abram respond? He went down to Egypt.
What about Egypt would the original audience understand? "I know there were plagues there, but at least there was good food. Why can't we just go back?" Egypt becomes, in the Bible, an arc-type for self-reliance. Egypt is a place where they have the Nile river which always has food.
Isaiah 31:1 mentions Egypt. Be looking for mentions of Egypt throughout the 39 chapters.
Verses 11-16. He fears for his own safety but is willing to jeopardize hers. God has just told him "I am going to make you a great nation." Abram is jeopardizing God's righteous plan. Abram is here self-reliant, self-preservation. Women in this time period and culture obeyed their husbands. They didn't have the freedom we have today.
Failure to love God properly always results in failure to love others like we should.
Verse 17. Affliction. Great plaques. Notice that Moses always refers to Sarai as "Abram's wife." Pharaoh also "your wife." God protects Sarai when Abram does not. What is Moses doing in the telling of the story?
- Going into Egypt because of a famine
- Plagues upon the Pharaoh
- Leaving Egypt
- Leaving with the wealth of Egypt
Moses is identifying with that audience. He intentionally points them to their own story in this story.
Chapter 13. He's heading back to Canaan where he should have been. "Tent had been at the beginning." "At the first" - get back to where you are supposed to be.
Verse 4. "Abram called upon the name of the LORD." Finally doing what he should have done.
Verse 5-7. Again mentions the Canaanites and now adds the Perizzites dwelling in the land. What have we seen so far in the story? Famine and strife. What is causing strife now? Having plenty.
Verse 8-10. Tension is growing.
Verse 11. What do we see? Lot wants the land like Egypt. Egypt was a lot like Ur of the Chaldeans. When things were uncertain, he ran for the familiar (Abram and Lot). Lot settles outside the land of promise.
Verse 12. Abram settles in the land of Canaan. Jen asks a question "why did Abram give lot a choice? What if he chose Canaan instead? Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom.
For us. "I'm not in Sodom. I'm just pitching my tent toward Sodom." Lot is slowly moving closer to a line.
Verse 13. Great sinners. Against the Lord.
Verse 14. The Lord said to Abram not to lot "lift up your eyes and look." But lot "lifted up his eyes" in verse 10. Abram was directed sovereignly by the Lord. Covenant again mentioned to Abram in verses 15-17. He builds another altar to the Lord at Hebron.
- A reiteration of the Covenant
- Lot who walks by sight
- Abram who walks by faith
Chapter 14. A battle of the Kings. In the midst of the battle, Lot is taken captive. Abram must bail Lot out of trouble. Why does Lot get captured? It tells us in verse 12. He now was dwelling in Sodom with his possessions.
Verses 14-16. Kinsmen. Abram is the original kinsmen redeemer in scripture. Does Lot deserve to be ransomed back? No (and neither do we). Melchizadek mentioned here also tells us something that is true about Christ. There are several ways he is a reflection of Christ:
- His name means "King of Righteousness"
- He is the King of Salem - meaning "peace" - the King of Peace
- He fulfills the role of both priest and King (like Christ)
- He brings bread and wine when he comes out to meet Abram
- He blesses Abram - meaning he is the greater and Abram the lesser
- Abram gave him a tithe - a tenth of everything that he had
Jesus is the fulfillment of the type Melchizadek gives us.
Verses 21-24. God blesses those who bless Abram by them receiving a part of the spoils which Abram says he wants none.
Chapter 15. God has something specific to say to Abram on the other side of this battle.
Verse 1. Abram needs to hear this because by fighting these kings in this valley, he has just announced his presence as hostile. He will be seen as an enemy. God will protect him. God will provide for him. This assurance is given.
Verse 2. Abram will reveal his greater fear: no heir. Eliezer will inherit.
Verse 6. Amazing verse. It's so important for us to understand that salvation whether OT or NT, is always by grace through faith. Abram has faith looking forward to the cross. We have faith looking back at the cross. Abram's faith is rooted in the promises of God just as ours is.
Verses 7-8. First a question about the offspring; now a question about the land.
Verses 9-10. Moses is setting up a ritual known to the original audience. This was how a covenant was ratified. A covenant is a promise. God's covenants are unilateral. He commits to doing something for us whether we show up or not. Abram is out cold for the whole ceremony.
Verses 12-16. Abram is not even conscious for the speech the Lord gives to Abram. What's happening? For the original audience who is wondering "is God's hand in all of the things we have seen?" What is Moses telling them? "These words were spoken by God before you even went into captivity."
The plan was already in place. A picture of our salvation:
- Divided flesh
- God Himself passing
- Us as good as dead
Verse 17. Why a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch? Think about the original audience and how this would have spoken to them. Wandering for 40 years what has the manifest presence of God looked like to them? A pillar of cloud by day a fire by night. Familiar images passing through the divided flesh demonstrating that God Himself ratifies the covenant.
Verses 18-21. God is fully aware of their fears and what is at risk.
This completes chapters 12-15 of Session 2
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