A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
GENESIS 12:11-20
Lesson #25
MARITAL RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST
- Memory verse: Eph 5:33
- Read Gen 12:11-20
- Abraham fails the test of faith (12:10) by going to Egypt.
- Notice Abraham was already headed for Egypt before the famine came. (Gen 12:6,9)
- Egypt symbolizes a reliance upon worldliness.
- Abraham did not seek God’s counsel or direction before going to Egypt.
- Abraham’s lack of faith produced consequences in his family.
- Abraham’s lie to Pharaoh regarding Sarah:
- One sin leads to another, one failure leads to another.
- Abraham’s lack of faith caused him to be outside the perfect will of God.
- Instead he was in God’s permissive will in Egypt.
- God’s permissive will means he was not trusting God completely.
- Instead he relied on his own faulty wisdom.
- Sarah and Abraham were related. She was his half sister (Gen 20:12)
- To protect himself, Abraham lied to Pharaoh.
- Abraham’s and Sarah’s marital relationship (a relationship where both are believers in God):
- Read Eph 5:22-33:
- Discussion: in light of Eph 5, what did Abraham and Sarah do right? What did they do wrong?
- Eph 5:22 Sarah was to submit to Abraham. She did.
- Eph 5:23 Abraham was supposed to be her protector and savior but he failed to do it God’s way.
- Eph 5:25 Abraham was supposed to sacrifice himself for his wife if necessary, but he failed.
- Eph 5:26-27 Abraham was to do all he could to keep Sarah pure and to preserve her relationship to the Lord. He failed.
- Eph 5:29 Abraham was to provide for Sarah. This he did.
- Eph 5:31 The two were to be in agreement as one flesh. If she didn’t agree, she should have appealed to Abraham.
- Eph 5:33 Sarah was to “reverence” Abraham. “Reverence” means = to defer, prefer, notice, honor, treat as a priceless treasure, venerate, love, admire, praise exceedingly, to regard.
- One sin leads to another, one failure leads to another.
- Abraham fails the test of faith (12:10) by going to Egypt.
Husband (Christ) and Wife (Church) relationships
Eph 5:22-33
Christ and the Church are the model for husband and wife relationships
| Husband’s role
(Christ’s role) |
Wife’s role
(Church’s role) |
|
| <== | Submit | |
| Head (authority) | ==> | |
| Savior | ==> | |
| <== | Subject | |
| Love | ==> | |
| Give himself | ==> | |
| Love | ==> | |
| Nourish | ==> | |
| Cherish (appreciate) | ==> | |
| Leave his parents | ==> | |
| Be joined to her | ==> | |
| Love | ==> | |
| <== |
Reverence |
|
| The purpose: | ==> | The results: |
| To sanctify her | ||
| To cleanse her by the word | -no spot or wrinkle
-holy and without blemish |
-
-
- Notice that more is said to the husband than to the wife.
- Notice that the husband is commanded three times to love his wife. Why?
- Because it is not the natural thing to do.
- He must do it with God’s help.
- Notice that the wife is commanded to submit to, to subject herself to, and to reverence her husband.
- These are not natural for her to do.
- She must do them with God’s help.
- Read 1Pet 3:1-7
- How far must submission go?
- Discussion: If you were in Sarah’s shoes, what would your actions be?
-
- The Balance of Obedience and Appeal
- Obedience requires that we know the wishes and goals of our authority, and we desire to fill them.
- Appeal requires that we know the standards of God, and that we determine not to violate them whatever the consequences.
- How to appeal to authority:
- You must be in right standing with a submissive attitude.
- You must have a right basis for appeal.
- You appeal according to his reputation.
- You appeal recognizing his rightful authority.
- You appeal to conform to his ultimate goals.
- You must appeal at the right time.
- You appeal when your expectations are balanced.
- You appeal when the person in authority can concentrate on it.
- You appeal when you are still willing to sacrifice for it.
- You must give accurate information.
- You must have right attitudes.
- The proper attitudes are genuine love, loyalty, and a servant’s spirit.
- You must use right words.
- You must display a right response to your appeal if it’s rejected.
- The bottom line is one of faith.
- You fulfill your role to the best of your ability based on the direction God gives you.
- Then you trust God for the outcome.
- How did God honor Sarah’s obedience? In Gen 12:17 He plagued the Egyptians so as to preserve the fidelity of Sarah’s marriage and keep pure the blood line to Christ.
- The consequences of Abraham’s lie and his lack of faith:
- He lost time in his walk with the Lord in Egypt.
- He did not learn from it, as we will see him repeat the lie in Gen 20.
- He established the pattern of deception and lying in his family that was carried on by his children and grandchildren. (Gen 26:7 Exo 34:7)
- Abraham left Egypt with a great deal of wealth which posed another test for him later, which he passed.
- Abraham left Egypt with Hagar, a maid to Sarah that posed another test for him later, which he failed.
- Despite Abraham’s failure at faith many times along the way, God is merciful and gracious to Abraham, just as God is merciful and gracious to us when we fail.
- Remember, Abraham is the father of faith.
- Remember, God considered him righteous despite his failures.
- Application:
- We have seen Abraham stumble in his faith, yet God was faithful.
- We have seen that the New Testament considers Abraham’s faith perfect even though we see in Genesis that it was not always so.
- God sees our faith potential in the same way he saw Abraham’s faith potential.
- Even though we stumble and fall, and even though our faith is sometimes weak, God is patient to work with us.
Homework
Gen 13:1-18
- Application of Gen 12:11-20
- If you are married, examine your marital relationship in light of Abraham and Sarah, Eph 5:22-33, and 1Pet 3:1-7
- What changes in attitude do you need to make?
- What actions do you need to take?
- Where do you need to trust God more in your relationship?
- If you are not married, where in your life do you need to trust God more?
- If you are married, examine your marital relationship in light of Abraham and Sarah, Eph 5:22-33, and 1Pet 3:1-7
- Preparation for Gen 13:1-18
- Read Gen 13:1-4
- Abraham returns to Bethel. Review your notes on Bethel from Gen 12:8 and comment about the importance of this step in his faith walk.
- How does one do his first works over again? Rev 2:4-5
- Read Gen 13:5-9
- Chart the differences between Abraham’s and Lot’s attitudes.
- Read Gen 13:10-13
- What important things do you notice about Lot’s decision and his relationship to the Lord?
- Read Gen 13:14-18
- What was God’s attitude toward Abraham’s decision? How did God express it to Abraham?
- Read Gen 13:1-4
- Memory verse: Philippians 4:19
