VIII

Quick review----------We've seen the faithfulness of Abraham and the foolishness of Lot. We'll see the continued foolishness of Lot and how Abraham will have to continue to deal with it. Sound familiar? Seems like foolish people constantly take our attention away from other things in order to deal with the problems they cause. I've always exercised a lot of patience for people with a lack of intellegence, but struggle with people who are foolish. I don't see anywhere mentioned about Lot's pursuit of spiritual things. Instead, he always seemed to chase the material things. This always causes problems.------------------- Still in chapter 14 (I realize this seems very slow-moving, but I am at a loss as to how to speed this up without compromising the entire study. Everything seems sooooooo important. Things will go faster in the upcoming books) I failed to mention that another name is introduced for God. Vs 18 - God Most High. This is the name that Melchizedek used for God. Means Creator and Lord (Ruler) without equal.------------------ Vss 21 - The king of Sodom was appreciative of Abram defeating the enemy that defeated that king, and offered to Abram all the possessions that were captured. Abram turned him down and I love his reason. This is the first account of a man protecting his reputation. Abram did not want it to be said that he was made wealthy by that king or anyone else besides God. Protecting one's name is so very important. We're are losing sight of the value of this in this society and I think a large price is being paid. ---------------------- Look at the last verse in Ch.14. Who's name is not included in those leaving with Abram?------------------- Chapter 15----------The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. God speaking in the form a vision happened quite a bit, as I have mentioned earlier. I think John the Beloved wrote Revelation based on visions from God. There are countless other occurances of this.-------------Having no heir bothered Abram and he shares his thought with God. Abram told God that an honored servant Eliezer would end up with all of Abram's estate. God had other plans. Vs.6 says Abram believed the Lord, and God considered Abram a rightious man. Think about that: Abram BELIEVED God. Faith is so important in our walk with God. I have been extremely weak in my life. Abraham is the standard when it comes to faith.--------------- Vs 9 is the first of God stating some requirements of worship through sacrifice. This gets very detailed and tedious to learn in upcoming books. Nothing needs memorized, but it is important that we, through the studying of these requirements, gain an understanding of God. Remember, Jesus will replace all of this when He offers Himself as a sacrifice to atone for all sins past, present, and future. Much more on that later.---------- Genesis 15.12-21---------God tells Abram some of the future. He is talking about when Israel will be in Egypt as slaves and how they will come back to the promised land a free and (hopefully) a godly nation. The "vision" this time came in the form of a dream. God spoke through dreams often. I believe He still does.-------------------- Cahpter 16----------I stated earlier that Abram would be the father of two nations. We'll see that in this chapter. ---------------Sarai Abram's wife knew how important an heir to Abram was, so she proposed a solution. This is not to be considered a shining moment in Abram and Sarai's lives. Their faith has been weakened and they take matters into their own hands. Many of the world's problems to this day are a result of this decision. I wrote earlier that a full understanding of the Book of Genesis is necessary to gain an understanding of the "whole picture".-------------- Sarai's proposed solution was that Abram impregnate her slave Hagar, creating a bloodline of Abram's descendants. Probably the WORST part of this was that Hagar was not even in the royal bloodline (more on that later). -------------- Allow me to comment on the "slave" situation. Back then people attached themselve to wealthy land-owners with many possessions and went to work for them. They were actually employees, paid in the form of "room and board". This was a very good system. Remember, money wasn't even invented yet. Whole families would come into servitude to these kinships in order to be provided for. Naturally, the offspring of these people would stay with the kinships because serving that estate is the only thing they knew. The term used for these people who joined the families but who were not of the bloodline was "slaves". I thought this worthy of mention because Abram is not to be viewed as an evil slave-owner that our minds would picture today.----------------- Abram went along with this bad idea and Hagar was a willing participant. So Hagar conceived as planned. This cozy little relationship didn't take long to go sour. Because Hagar was carrying Abram's child and the heir to an entire nation, Hagar started disrespecting Sarai by placing herself in a higher place of importance. I can imagine the attitude change. Hagar probably acted arrogant. This of course upset Sarai. Vs 5 Sarai blames Abram (her idea to start with. I think its funny the way people never change throughout the centuries. Reminds me when Adam reminded God that it was the fault of the woman that YOU gave me, so it's YOUR fault. Not mine. Surely I'm not the only human being that gets a chuckle out of things like this). Anyway Abram's response is to put it back on Sarai. He told her that "Hagar is your slave. Do with her whatever you want". Then Sarai treated Hagar so badly that Hagar ran away. (these stories are great, aren't they?) Hagar running away probably suited Sarai just fine, but let's not forget that Abram's child is in her. This is no small matter.------------- Another way God speaks to us is mentioned starting in vs 7. An angel appears to Hagar. The angel instructs Hagar to go back and do as Sarai says. The angel smooths this bitter pill of a demand with a promise to Hagar about the great nation that will come out of her womb. Look at Chapter 16.11,12: Ishmael (name means God hears) her son will father a great nation, but then the angel goes on to describe this nation in vs 12: He'll be a donkey of a man (untamable). He'll contend with everybody, and everybody will contend with him. He'll even fight against himself. He'll be a thorn in the sides of all peoples throughout the generations. He'll live in hostility. If you haven't guessed by now, you should have. Hagar's son Ishmael will be the father of the Arab nation. The modern-day Arab-Muslims, constantly fighting with Israel and everybody else. If there is any group of people they have not fought with yet, they will.-------------- Chapter 17 -- The Covenant of Circumcision------------------Note in vs 1 that God refers to Himself as "God Almighty". In Hebrew that is pronounced "El Shaddai". God announces to Abram that there will be a conenant between them, and that Abram will be the father of many nations. God then changed Abram's name to Abraham, which means "father of many". A certain measure of faith was required for Abram to change his name. Changing a given name back then was no small deal.---------------- Abraham's part of the covenant was that all males in Abraham's family and all males even distantly associated with Abraham's household were to be circumsized. Any uncircumsized males would be cut off from all association with Abraham's people, which were many, and even more of a multitude to come. Can you imagine the level of obedience to Abraham for him to accomplish this. It says he did this immediately.----------------Then God shocks Abraham in vs.15 and following: God changes Sarai's name to Sarah. Sarai means "princess". Sarah means "mother of nations". Vs 16 God says Sarah will give birth to Abraham's son. Upon hearing this, Abraham laughed because he and Sarah were considered sterile plus now they were both beyond child-bearing age. Abraham was laughing at what God said. God took this amazingly well, don't you think? Abraham in vs 18 appealed to God to make the nations out of Ishmael. Then God repeats Himself in vs 19. I don't think God enjoys repeating Himself. God said again that Sarah will bear a son and that son shall be called Isaac. (Isaac in Hebrew means "he laughs" This name is to serve as a constant reminder to Abraham and Sarah that God says what He means and means what He says.) God goes on to assure Abraham that Ishmael will become a great nation just as God had earlier promised, but the royal blood line will flow through Isaac.----------------- Next post will begin with Chapter 18