A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
GENESIS 12:1-10
Lesson #24
THE GRADUAL GROWTH OF FAITH
- Memory verse: Galatians 3:9
- Read Genesis 12:1-10
- Who was Abraham?
- Abraham is the first so-called “patriarch” mentioned in the Bible. The word “patriarch” means = “a father who rules”.
- Abraham is also the first person in the Bible to be called a “Hebrew”. (Gen 14:13)
- Abraham is also called a prophet (Gen 20:7) meaning he was “called by God” for a specific purpose.
- Abraham is called the father of many nations. (Gen 17:4)
- By Christians, Abraham is called the father of faith (Rom 4:11 Heb 11:8-10)
- God’s second call to Abraham in Haran
- Because Abraham did not fully obey God’s first call in Ur. God spoke to Abraham, calling him a second time.
- God begins to give Abraham a covenant little by little.
- Abraham obeyed, taking Sarah and Lot, and numerous household servants and slaves.
- God reveals the destination. It is called Canaan. (5)
- God reveals his plan to Abraham step by step, but only after Abraham has obeyed the first step does God reveal the next step. Faith is a constant reliance and a faithful obedience.
- Abraham goes through the city of Damascus (in Syria) where he adds a man by the name of Eliezer to his household. (Gen 15:2)
- The city of Shechem
- Abraham stops in Shechem. God appears to him there and begins to give him a covenant. (6-7)
- This is the second appearance of God to Abraham.
- Remember that God appeared to Abraham in Ur. (Act 7:2)
- Abraham saw the “God of glory” (Jesus Christ as King of kings at the second coming) (see also Joh 8:56).
- Abraham builds an altar to God (6-7)
- Abraham often builds an altar to God in places where he had an unusual spiritual experience.
- The city had a long history of being the center of Canaanite worship of other gods.
- Shechem means = “shoulder”, the place of strength under the oak of Moreh, which means = “instruction”.
- The significance:
- It is when we separate ourselves from the world and walk in the path God has marked out for us that we reach the place where we find strength.
- We place our trust on His shoulders.
- God appears to Abraham here and adds to the covenant he began to give him in Haran.
- In many instances in the Bible the city of Shechem was a place of decision between following God and following false religion, choosing the true or the false.
- Some examples:
- Joshua renewed the covenant with God twice here. (Jos 8:30-35 Jos 24)
- In the time of kings, Israel rejected the rightful king to succeed Solomon and split the kingdom of Israel in two. (1Ki 12:1-19 2Chr 10:1-11)
- Jesus met the woman at the well here, instructing her to choose the true worship of God. (Joh 4)
- The enemy in the land (6)
- The descendants from the line of Cain possessed the land. They were ungodly people.
- The city of Bethel (8)
- Bethel means = “house of God” while Hai means = “a heap of ruin”
- Abraham pitches his tent between the two.
- The significance:
- The believer dwells constantly between two choices, choosing God which leads to worship or choosing the world which leads to ruin.
- Abraham continued to choose God for he built another altar and worshipped God here.
- In many instances in the Bible, the city of Bethel is a starting point of the realization of who God is. It is a place of re-dedication to God where one does his first works over again. (Rev 2:5)
- Some examples:
- Abraham returned here after wandering from God in Egypt. (Gen 13:3)
- This is where God appears to Jacob, returning from his wanderings back to the Promised Land. (Gen 31:13, 35:7)
- Abraham’s failure at faith
- Remember that God first called Abraham in Ur.
- Abraham is told of a land that God will show him.
- Five years later, God calls him again in Haran and reveals to him that the land of Canaan is his destiny.
- Despite Abraham’s obedience and initial commitment, he soon falters in his faith.
- Verses 6 and 9 says Abraham passed “through” the land heading for the Negev.
- Verse 10 says there was a famine in the land, so he went to Egypt, completely leaving the Promised Land.
- Egypt in the Bible is always a symbol of worldliness.
- Remember that whenever God gives a covenant, there is always a test to follow. The test given to Abraham was the famine in the land.
- Remember that God first called Abraham in Ur.
- Who was Abraham?
- The Fourth Dispensation: The Age of Promise
- The Fourth Covenant: The Abrahamic Covenant
- This is a dispensation of grace.
- The covenant is unconditional and unilateral.
- God will fulfill his part regardless of man fulfilling his part.
The Abrahamic Covenant
Gen 12:2-3, 7 Gen 13:15-17 Gen 15:1, 5-6
Gen 17:1-11 Gen 22:17-18
| God’s Promises | Man’s Responsibilities |
| Material blessings:
-a great nation -a land -physical descendants -a king (Jesus) |
Faith (Heb 11:1 Rom 10:7 Jam 1:6-7 Heb 12:2) |
| Spiritual blessings:
-a reward -a personal relationship with a personal God -a mission and a ministry (Jesus) -through Abraham, all families Of the earth will be blessed with spiritual descendants He will possess the gate of his enemies (authority over Satan) |
Walk before God |
| Physical blessings:
God will be shield of protection -blessings and curses: -blessing to Abraham -blessing to those who bless him -curse to those who curse him -healing |
Be perfect (mature, without blemish) |
| God will set Abraham apart
-a famous name -a new name
|
Circumcision (col 2:11) |
| Obedience |
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- The sign of the covenant: Circumcision
- The life span during this dispensation: 100-200 yrs.
- Covenant duration: Throughout all time and eternity
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- Read Gen 12:2-3, 7 Gen 13:15-17 Gen 15:1, 5-6 Gen 17:1-11 Gen 22:17-18
- Notice in Gen 12:7, God says “unto thy seed“. Remember that the first promise to human “seed” was to Adam and Eve in Gen 3:15.
- Now the “seed” of the woman in Gen 3:15 is carried in the “seed” of Abraham.
- The relationship between the Abrahamic Covenant and the New Testament believer:
- Read Rom 4:1-5, 9-13, 23-25
- Main points:
- Abraham was saved by faith in God, not by keeping the Law of Moses.
- Abraham was saved before he was circumcised.
- Circumcision was a seal of the covenant not a means of salvation.
- Abraham, therefore, is the father of all who are believers even if they are not circumcised.
- The Abrahamic Covenant spoken to Abraham was to be fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
- Read Gal 3:6-9,16,26-29
- Main points:
- Abraham was saved by faith in God.
- Those who have faith are children of Abraham.
- Those who have faith are blessed by the promises given to Abraham.
- The promises were made to Abraham and Abraham’s seed.
- The seed of Abraham is Christ, so the promises were made to Jesus Christ.
- If we belong to Jesus Christ, then we are heirs of the promises given to Abraham.
Homework
Gen 12:11-20
- Application of Gen 12:1-10
- We learned the promises that God gave to Abraham.
- We learned that believers in Jesus Christ inherit these promises by faith.
- How does this information change your life?
- Which of the promises given to Abraham would fulfill a specific need in your life right now?
- How can you begin to trust God by faith for the answer to your specific need?
- Preparation of Gen 12:11-20
- Read Gen 12:11-20
- Consider Abraham’s and Sarah’s marital relationship (a relationship where both are believers in God).
- Evaluate it according to Eph 5:22-33.
- If you were in Sarah’s shoes, what would your actions be? Be specific!
- Consider Abraham’s and Sarah’s marital relationship (a relationship where both are believers in God).
- Read Gen 12:11-20
- Memory verse: Eph 5:33
