Lesson 8 19 March, Abram the Awakening of Faith

Transcription

1 Lesson 8 19 March, 2017 Abram the Awakening of Faith Lesson Scope: Genesis 11:27 to 13:4 Unless otherwise noted references in brackets refer to Genesis 11 to 13 Lesson Focus This lesson opens in the context of a genealogy tracing the family line that would lead, in the fullness of time, to Christ and redemption. God had a plan; He was moving toward a goal. He was now calling a man (Abram), who would beget a family, who would grow into a mighty nation (Israel), through whom the Saviour would come. Abraham is known as the father of the faithful, venerated by Jews and Christians the world over. The tests that God brought into his life helped to refine and perfect his faith. Looking into the future, Abraham saw Jesus' day and rejoiced (John 8:56). God Himself referred to Abraham as "my friend" (Isaiah 41:8). God calls men out of the world to a life of faith. As men obey His call, God blesses them and makes them channels of blessing to the world. Abram lived in Old Testament times and before Moses. God did not hold him to the Law or to New Testament standards. The Bible nowhere condemns him for going into Egypt nor for lying about his wife. Therefore we need to be careful in our judgment of him as well. Lesson Aim: To give practical instruction on living by faith. Theme Verse: Hebrews 11:8. By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Lesson Text "Into the Land of Canaan" Genesis 11: And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. 32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

2 Genesis 12:1-8 1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. 5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. 6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. "Down Into Egypt" Genesis 12: And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land. 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: 12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. 13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. 14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. 15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house. 16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels. 17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife. 18 And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? 19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and

3 go thy way. 20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had. "Unto the Place of the Altar" Genesis 13:1-4 1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; 4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. Questions for Study "Into the Land of Canaan" 1. How much did Abram need to give up in order to follow God's call? 2. Why may God have wanted Abram to separate himself? 3. Why is obedience an essential part of faith? 4. How does worship strengthen our faith? "Down Into Egypt" 5. What lessons may Abram have learned in his sojourn in Egypt? 6. How should we respond when the way of faith is unclear to us? "Unto the Place of the Altar" 7. What may be the significance of Abram returning to where he had left off? 8. In what ways can we renew our commitment to God? Analyzing the Passage According to Stephen's account in Acts 7:2-4, God's call to Abram in 12:1 came prior to the move in 11:31. This seems to indicate that the call in 12:1 was a second call after the death of Abram's father, Terah, who was an idolater. This call stipulated that Abram separate himself from his father's house. The name Beth-el (13:3) means "house of God" and is often connected with worship. In today's lesson, Abram called on the name of the Lord twice at Bethel. Bethel was actually named later by Jacob after his dream (28:19). Principles and Application "Into the Land of Canaan" 1. Living by faith requires separating from earthly securities and jour-

4 neying into the unknown (11:31; 12:1). Separation is the only way to live by faith, for if we cling to earthly securities, we will not be willing to heed God's call. We do not always know how things will work out, but we need to be willing to proceed in faith anyway. 2. Faith rests in the security of God's promises (12:2-3). God is faithful. He will do what He has promised to do. If we question God's faithfulness, we will not have the courage to move ahead with Him. Abram simply rested in God's promises and obeyed. 3. Those who live by faith leave a legacy of blessing to their posterity (12:3, 7). Because of Abram's faithfulness, all the families of the earth could be blessed. Everyone has an impact on the rising generation. Those who follow the way of faith will be a blessing to their descendants. 4. Living by faith motivates explicit obedience (12:4). Because Abram believed God, he did exactly what God told him to do. Sometimes obeying God may seem foolish to the human mind. Many cannot understand why we do not go to war or why our sisters wear the headship covering. But those who have faith will do exactly as God commands. 5. The faithful give priority to worship (12:7-8). Abram built many altars in his lifetime. Worship is a direct response to God's work in our lives. It is an outpouring of our thankfulness and praise for His leading in our lives. It is an indication of our belief in God. Personal devotions must not be neglected. Family worship must be regular and church attendance a priority. "Down Into Egypt" 6. Because of the circumstances of life, the way of faith is not always clear (12:10-13). But God knows, and we need to seek His direction and blessing. We can also seek the advice and counsel of godly brethren. We dare never compromise Biblical principles just because the way is not clear. 7. Although man does not always seek the way of faith, God can still fulfill His purposes (12:17-20). God chose to spare Abram and his wife even though the Bible does not record that they sought His direction. This does not mean that we should presume on God's mercy, but God's work will go on in spite of the times when we do not seek His will as we should have. "Unto the Place of the Altar" 8. The way of faith is found by returning to where one left off (13:1-4). When we find ourselves floundering because of our own reasoning, we must seek the path of faith again. We must remember our past commitment to serve God. The man of faith returns often to "Bethel."

5 9. Those who live by faith sense their ongoing dependence on God (13:4). We never outgrow that dependence. When we begin to walk by sight and trust the flesh, we are bound to fall. We should thank God that He keeps just enough uncertainty in our lives to keep us from trusting in ourselves. Important Teachings 1. Living by faith requires separating from earthly securities and journeying into the unknown (11:31; 12:1). 2. Faith rests in the security of God's promises (12:2-3). 3. Those who live by faith leave a legacy of blessing to their posterity (12:3, 7). 4. Living by faith motivates explicit obedience (12:4). 5. The faithful give priority to worship (12:7-8). 6. Because of the circumstances of life, the way of faith is not always clear (12:10-13). 7. Although man does not always seek the way of faith, God can still fulfill His purposes (12:17-20). 8. The way of faith is found by returning to where one left off (13:14). 9. Those who live by faith sense their ongoing dependence on God (13:4). Answers to Questions 1. How much did Abram need to give up in order to follow God's call? Abram needed to give up his country and his family. He had to give up his earthly security and stability for a life of sojourning in tents. 2. Why may God have wanted Abram to separate himself? God may have called Abram to separate himself to avoid being defiled by an ungodly society. When Abram was separated, there were fewer distractions to take his mind off God. Separation made it easier to pass on the faith to the following generations. 3. Why is obedience an essential part of faith? Obedience is an essential part of faith because faith can only be proven by obedience. Also, our faith can grow only as we exercise it in obedience. 4. How does worship strengthen our faith? Worship strengthens our faith by drawing our hearts closer to God. During worship we learn more about God and His Word, giving us the ability to know what the way of faith is. 5. What lessons may Abram have learned in his sojourn in Egypt? Perhaps he learned that "man shall not live by bread alone," but by God's blessing and protection. He may have learned to seek God's leading rather

6 than trust his own judgment. 6. How should we respond when the way of faith is unclear to us? When the way of faith is unclear to us, we should cry out to God for direction. We should follow God's way even when it seems humanly absurd or impossible. We should never compromise Biblical standards of right and wrong. 7. What may be the significance of Abram returning to where he had left off? The fact that Abram returned to where he had left off is significant because that is where he knew he could find God. 8. In what ways can we renew our commitment to God? We can renew our commitment to God by remembering our decision to follow Him and our baptismal vow of faithfulness until death. We can search His Word, seek the help of others, and fast and pray. Summarizing the Lesson To begin a life of faith, we take the first step when we move in obedience to God's call. Like Abram, we start the journey without the benefit of a detailed itinerary listing all the experiences we will meet. We need only be assured that God leads the way and that He rewards simple obedience. Research Guide 1. Look up "Ur of the Chaldees" and "Haran, City of" in Unger's Bible Dictionary. 2. Study the connection in Scripture between Bethel and worship. See Genesis 13:3, 4; 28:19-22; 35:1-7; 1 Kings 12:28, 29; Amos 3:14.