Bell-Work - Enter and work alone and in silence -Have your homework out to be checked - Think about someone who has been an example of faith in your life - JOURNAL about the following: - What does this person do or say that makes them faithful in your eyes? - What would you say faith IS in light of this person? - How has this person encouraged you to be faithful? - What could you do to be more like this person?
A World for the Sake of the Chruch God Preparing the Way for His Church in the Old Testament
Objectives Original Sin and the Protoevangelium The second covenant with Noah God s promises to Abraham 3 covenants with Abraham Abraham as Father of Faith and Father of Church
The First Gospel: Protoevangelium God then addresses the serpent Gn 3:15 Why might this be called the protoevangelium? The serpent will wound the Redeemer, but not seriously (heel). The Redeemer will issue the final blow to he serpent (head).
Evil: Cain and Abel - Once evil entered the world, it firmly took root - The story of Cain and Able shows how all future generations will be affected by sin - Deprived of intimate knowledge of God s love and the moral law, the decedents of Adam and Eve are blind to their own wicked ways and ruled by their passions
Rising of a New Son: Noah God allows the world to return to tohu wabohu - Compare Gn 1:2 with Gn 8:1 Should be understood as act of mercy and love God then makes a covenant with Noah that despite the sinfulness of humanity, God will not again destroy the world
God Makes the New Covenant God chooses a new mediator : Chaldean named Abram: Genesis 12: 1-3
The Family Restored Not chosen for his own sake Vs. 2 you will be a blessing Vs. 3 in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed Reference to Gn 10 when 70 ethnic families are listed Abram chosen to BRING BLESSING TO EVERYONE Gn. 10: List of Families Gn. 11: How they fell away from God Gn. 12: How they will be restored: In you Abram, all the families of the earth will be blessed.
Three Blessings to Abram 3 Blessings Mentioned in God s Call (Gn 12: 1-3) 1. A great nation 2. A great name 3. A blessing to everyone
From Promise to Covenant The blessings begin as promises strong hope, firm intention Transformed into covenants Unbreakable commitment Will be done 3 times 1 for each promise
Abram s 1 st Covenant God Promises: Gn 15: 4-5 Lots of Descendants Gn 15: 18-21 Lots of Land These are the ingredients for a great family: A GREAT NATION (1 ST Blessing mentioned in Abram s call)
The Fall of Abram Gn 16 Abram and Sarah doubt God s plan to bless them with children Abram listens to his wife s bad idea (like Adam) Takes Sarah s maid Hagar as a 2 nd wife to bear him a son This works when Ishmael is born Results though in fighting, arguing, envy, unhappiness A broken family.
The Covenant Renewed Gn. 12: Call of Abram Gn. 15: Abram s 1 st Covenant Gn. 16: Fall of Abram (birth of Ishmael) Gn. 17: The Covenant Renewed - I am God Almighty, walk before me and be blameless
The Covenant Renewed Gn. 17 God here repeats the promise of great nationhood Also ADDS now two promises: that KINGS will come from Abram that Abram will be the father of MANY nations These two additional promises will add up too blessing number 2: A GREAT NAME
The Covenant Renewed A Great Name: Kings were the ones with great names Kings were known as fathers of their countries Emperors were fathers of many nations Therefore: Abram being the father of kings and the father of many nations means he would have, A GREAT NAME
The Covenant Renewed To highlight Abram s great name, God gives him a new name: Gn 17:5 ABRAHAM
The Covenant Renewed With the 2nd covenant, God gives Abraham a new covenant duty, know what it is?
The Covenant Renewed Circumcision: Why 1. Connected to Abram s fall: symbolic rebuke of the part of the body he used when he messed up 2. Like other covenants: used to say if I don t keep my covenant duties, may I be cut off like this flesh! - In Hebrew, you don t make a covenant you cut one. - The blood shed has a double-meaning 1. The parties involved now shared one blood- they re family 2. Also, if the covenant is broken, then blood will be shed again
The Final Covenant with Abraham Great Nation and Great Name promises have been made into covenants. There is still something missing Gn 22: The Testing of Abraham Lets read the story.
The Final Covenant with Abraham Some things to note about this story: 1. Isaac carries the wood: he s the stronger of the two and so WILLINGLY COOPERATES 2. The Calvary of the Old Testament : - A TYPE OF CHRIST - Isaac is the only begotten son of Abraham (Gn 22: 2,12,16) - Jesus is the only begotten son of God (Jn 3:16) - Abraham answers Isaac's question about the lamb: God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering
The Final Covenant with Abraham Abraham (& Isaac) as the type of Christ: Son of God: Chosen and Called King: Father of a Great Nation Priest: Offers Sacrifice Prophet: Gn 20:7- points on to Christ! Location: - Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount - Calvary will be one hill over
The Final Covenant with Abraham This near-sacrifice of Isaac will become the basis for the power of later Jewish animal sacrifices. The OT says its not the blood of animals that God wants (Is 1:11, 66:3; Ps 50:8-13) Yet, Abraham's willingness and Isaac's obedience and love DID have power in God s eyes Since the Temple will be on the same mountain, some rabbis taught that later sacrifices there were a re-presentation of this one This is just like our CATHOLIC MASS!
The Final Covenant with Abraham God is so moved by Abraham s willingness, God swears an oath to him: Gn 22:15-18 by your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed - in the people of Israel -in the person of Christ - in the BODY OF CHRIST, the Church
Abraham, Father of Faith Abraham is known as the Father of Faith - trust in God s commands - faithfulness to God in prayer - willing obedience to God - Source of blessings as a result
Homework Study for a quiz on the Church in Genesis Read Exodus 1:1 4:9 on the oppression of the Jews and Moses early years - OUTLINE the major elements of this story