G15: khaw-shav’ - esteem, calculate, count, impute

Why was Abram considered righteous?

G15:6 “...he believed in the Lord, and He reckoned (khaw-shav’) it to him as righteousness...”

What did God know before it happened?

G15:13 400 years of Egypt oppression was coming.

Why didn’t He stop it? Did He use it? How much does God know about timelines? Can God see the future the way we see the past? Why doesn’t He stop things we’d prefer to not happen?

Can God decide who gets to live in what land?

G15:18 “...On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates...”

How long does it take for God to fulfill a promise?

G25:7 Abraham lived 175yrs

G34:28 Isaac lived 180yrs

G47:28 Jacob lived 147yrs

G50:26 Joseph lived 110yrs

E12:40 Egyptian Slavery was 400yrs

Has Israel ever possessed the land from the river of Egypt to the river Euphrates?

Does God ever promise more than He delivers?

Is this an ongoing situation?

G16: An Egyptian maid and failure to wait on God.

Was the Hagar initiative a good move?

G16:1-6 Sarai says “the LORD has prevented me from bearing children”

Does God need help? Isn’t it always best to let things unfold God’s way.

What usually happens when we try to birth the future in our own way?

Will what we birth end up warring against God’s best?

ISAAC / ISHMAEL -- PROMISE / PRODUCT of impatience.

What promise did Hagar receive? What was her part?

G16:10 “I will greatly multiply your descendants”

G16:9 “Return to yoiur mistress, and submit ... to her authority”

G16:12 Ismael “will be a wild donkey of a man ... against everyone”

G17: Covenant of Circumcision

What was Abraham’s part in the covenant?

G17:1 “Walk before Me, and be blameless”

G17:11 “you shall be circumcised ... the sign of the covenant”

What was God’s part in the covenant?

G17:6-14? “make nations of you ...”give ... The land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.”

Responses to God’s promises!

G17:17 Abraham “...fell on his face and laughed...”

G18:12 “...Sarah laughed to herself...”

G18:14 The Lord said “...Is anything to difficult for the Lord?...”

Does God accomplish things that are laughable to secular eyes?

What mark do we wear?

G17:23-27 “...all the men ... were circumcised...”

Rev.13:17 Mark of beast, Ez.9:4-6 Mark of God.

Rom. 2:29 “...But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit...”

Can our flesh become forefront in our lives? Must the fleshly desires of our heart be removed for us to live by the Spirit?

G18: Three visitors considering Sodom and Gomorrah.

Did God know about Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin?

G13:13 “...the men of Sodom were wicked exceedingly and sinners...”

G18:20-21 “...And the LORD said, "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. "I will go down and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me...”

G18:22-33 Abraham hoping for enough righteous - 50, 45, 40, 30, 20, 10.

G19: Exceedingly grave sin.

How many in Sodom were intent on abusing visitors?

G19:4 “... the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter;...”

How were the evil villagers controlled by the angels?

G19:11 “...They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway...”

The simplest tasks wear us out when moving contrary God’s purposes!

What was the problem in Sodom?

Ezekiel 16:49 “...Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy...”

Was their sexual sin secondary to their self indulgent, careless life in “the good land”? Fat and sassy. Arrogant and careless - the attitudes that lead to what really grieves God - not helping the poor and needy.

Do adultery (unfaithfulness in marriage), fornication (sex outside of wedlock), and homosexuality all originate from an underlying careless way of life - caring less about God’s ways than our own preferences?

How does the Lord respond to great outcries?

G19:13 “...we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it...”

How was the deliverance less than perfect?

G19:14 His daughters fiancees didn’t take it seriously, didn’t make it.

G19:16 Lot hesitates but “the compassion of the Lord” forces them out.

G19:17-22 Was told to go to the mountains, but got permission to go to Zoar, which actually saved that city from destruction.

G19:26 His wife did a no-no and became a pillar of salt.

G19:31-38 His daughters’ no-nos yield the Moabites and Ammonites.

Lot’s life started out with the best land, but ended up in a cave.

G20: Abraham again claims Sarah as his sister, not his wife.

How did God interact with Abimelech?

G20:3,6 “...But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife...I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her...”

G20:18 “...the LORD had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife...”

How did God insure that all would end well?

G20:14-18 Abimelech enriches Abraham. Abraham prays and wombs are opened.

G21:2 Isaac finally arrives - “...at the appointed time...”.

What did Hagar need to face?

G21:9-13 Sara wants Hagar to go. Abraham is distressed, but God says chill because both Isaac and Ismael are important.

G21:147-21 Hagar sent away to the wilderness and thinks she’s done for. God hears and opens her eyes to see His deliverance.

G22: Abraham’s trust in God is tested.

How did Abraham pass the test?

G22:1,2 “...After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “... Take ... your only son ... offer him ... as a burnt offering...”

G22:8 “...God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together...”

G22:12 “...He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me...”

Do we fear God? Will He provide? Is there anything we would withhold?

Do the blessings of God become idols when we elevate a Promise above God’s current intentions?

What was the result of Abraham passing the test?

G22:18 "...In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice..."

Is the world blessed through God’s obedient people? Hear. Obey. Be a blessing.

G23: Sarah makes it to 127yr.

G23:19,20 Abraham buries Sarah in a cave, in a field, in Machpelah, in Canaan, which Ephron deeded over for 400 shekels of silver.

G24: Finding a wife for Isaac.

How was the Lord involved in the matchmaking process?

G24:1-9 Making sure the wife is from the old country

G24:10-25 Servant asks God for help. Rebekah, a cousin, is chosen.

G24:26-61 The servant worships, meets the family, and the deals done.

G24:62-67 Isaac receives his wife..

G25: More descendants.

Did God keep the promise He made to Hagar (G16:10,12)?

G25:1-6 Abraham has other descendants he sends to eastward.

G25:7-11 Abraham makes it to 175yrs, old and satisfied.

G25:12-18 Ismael has 12 sons, 12 princes.

How did Isaac finally have sons?

G25:19-23 Isaac prayed for a barren wife, and “...the children struggled together within her...” The Lord informs Rebekah that “...the older shall serve the younger...”

G25:28 Isaac loved hunter Esau. Rebekah loved peaceful Jacob.

G25:34 Esau sells his birthright for ”... bread and lentil stew...”

G26: Like father like son!

G26:1-11 Isaac goes to Abimelech in Gerar and calls his wife his sister.

G26:26-31 Abimelech recognizes that God is with Isaac and makes a ‘do no harm’ agreement with him.

G26:34,35 Esau disappoints his parents by marrying Hittite women.

G27: More deception!

How will Esau deal with the “sin crouching at the door”?

G27:1-29 Rebekah and Jacob deceive Isaac to steal the blessing.

G27:30-41 Esau “...bore a grudge against Jacob...” and started plotting to “...kill my brother...”

G27:42-46 Rebekah tells Jacob to go back to her brother in Haran.

G28: Marry cousins and promise a tenth to God (28:22)

What do you think of Jacob and Esau?

G28:1-5 Isaac sends Jacob, with his blessing, to Laban, so he would not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. *G9:24,25 Was Canaan cursed?

G28:6-9 Esau decides to marry a daughter of his uncle.

Have you ever bargained with God?

G28:10-17 Sleeping with a stone as his pillow, Jacob sees a ladder, angels, and is talked to by God.

G28:20-21 “...If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear, and I return to my father's house in safety, then the LORD will be my God...”

G29: a well, sheep, Laban’s daughter, a kiss, and a good cry.

How did Jacob reap what he had sown?

G29:1-14 Jacob meets Rachel and stays with Laban for a month.

G29:15-20 He agrees to work for Laban for 7 years for his daughter.

G29:21-30 Jacob ends up with Leah and another 7 year commitment.

G29:31-35 Leah has 4 sons with hope that she would be cherished: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah

G30: more sons for Jacob

G30:1-8 By Rachel’s maid: Bilhah: Dan, Naphtali.

G30:9-13 By Leah’s maid: Zilpah: Gad, Asher.

G30:14-21 By Leah: Issachar, Zebulun.

G30:22- By Rachel: Joseph

Was Jacob still a man of guile?

G30:25-43 Striped, Speckled, Spotted, and Black. Difficult to really understand the science, but Jacob “...became exceedingly prosperous...”

G31: back to Canaan

Why was it time to leave?

G31:1-3 “...Jacob saw the attitude of Laban ... not friendly toward him... the Lord said ...Return to the land of your fathers ... I will be with you...”

G31:14-16 “...Rachel and Leah said to him ... do whatever God has said...”

How were both Rachel and Jacob deceivers?

G31:17-21 “...Rachel stole the household idols ... Jacob ... by not telling him that he was fleeing ...”

G31:34-35 “...put them (idols) in the camel’s saddle, and she sat on them...I cannot rise ...”

How did God protect Jacob?

G31:24 “...God came to Laban ... in a dream ... and said to him, Be careful that you do not speak to Jacob either good or bad...”

What covenant agreement did Jacob and Laban make?

G31:52 “... I will not pass by this heap to you for harm, and you will not pass by this heap and this pillar to me, for harm...”

G31:49 “...May the Lord watch between you and me when we are absent one from the other...”

G32

G32:1 the angels of God met Jacob. G32:3 messengers sent to Esau.

G32:6,7 brother Esau is coming. Jacob was greatly afraid.

Did an encounter with God affect Jacob’s character?

G32:10 Humility: “...I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant...”

G32:24,26 Persistence: “...Then Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak ... I will not let you go unless you bless me...”

G33:3 Jacob leads his family and reconciles with Esau.

How does God empower people to move from fear to faith?

Rom.4:17 “...calls into being that which does not exist...”

Why does God use deceivers like Jacob?

G34: Story of Leah’s daughter Dinah (rape, deceit, greed, murder)

A true hollywood story?

G34:2-4 Shechem rapes her, then wants to marry her.

G34:13-17 They deceive all males into circumcision.

How could they be talked into such a thing?

G34:23 Greed. "...Will not their livestock and their property and all their animals be ours? Only let us consent to them, and they will live with us..."

What do you think God thought about mass murder?

G34:25 All the males are murdered by Simeon and Levi.

G34:7 “...for such a thing ought not to be done...” apply to all 4 scenes?.

How did God address the problem of personal revenge?

Ex.21:24? “...eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,...”

What does God think about our litiginous society?

G35: Pre-Sinai instructions and covenant repeat G35:11,12

What did God initiate with Jacob on the move?

G35:1 “...make an altar to God...”

G35:2 “...So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves...”

G35:5 “...great terror upon the cities which were around them...”

G35:10 “...Israel shall be your name...”

How do foreign gods become a part of families?

Fallen angel - deceived into embracing OTHER.

Fallen culture - what’s the big deal, it’s normal.

Fallen self - personal preference.

If we’re not convicted, we’re probably not listening.

G35:16-19 Benjamin is born, Rachel dies.

G35:28,29 Isaac dies at 180.

G36:

What is lost when ‘preference and pleasure’ are more important than ‘promise’?

G25:34 Esau loses his birthright.

G27:36 Esau loses the blessing.

G36:6 Esau leaves Canaan when Jacob returns..

G36:8 Esau is Edom. G36:9-43 Lots of descendants.