Genesis Chapter 12

1. Genesis Chapter 12 Union Church Bible Study

2. Galatians 3:6-7 6Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

7. Terah Haran Abram Nachor Sarai Melcha Lot Milcha Sarai Abram married his brother Haran’s daughter Sarai Nachor married his brother Haran’s daughter Milcha Lot was the son of Haran, and was Abram’s nephew

8. Terah Abraham Nahor Haran Bethuel Ishmael Milcha Isaac Rebekah Sarah Laban Esau Lot Jacob Leah Moab Rachel Ammon 12 Tribes

9. Genesis 12: Covenant

10. What is a Covenant? • Covenant is the means God used to • establish His set-Apart People • Webster’s defines a covenant as an • agreement among church members to • defend a doctrine. Also, as a contact. • Webster’s definition is not the Bible • definition of a covenant! • A Biblical covenant was sacred

11. 8 Covenants: • Edenic Covenant Gen 2 • Adomic covenant Gen 3 • Noahic Covenant Gen 9 • Abrahamic Covenant Gen 12 • Mosaic covenant Exod 19 • Palestinian Covenant Deut 30 • Davidic Covenant 2 Sam • New covenant Jer 31, Heb 8

12. Covenants among men used to sell land, make treaties, • allow use of a water well … • Mutual agreement … Both parties had obligations • One party … Covenant imposed upon someone • We tend to think of Covenant in terms of a promise of a • contract • Contracts and promises can be broken, usually with • only small penalties • This is not possible with a Biblical Covenant!

13. In Hebrew, Covenant is B’rit (Berit) • Hebrew Barah = cut of divide • In Greek, word used in N.T. is diatheke • Diatheke misses the mark substantially • Language and culture are a package • Cultures and their languages have unique concepts • not present in other cultures • Some Hebrew concepts, like B’rit, Shalom, or Messiah • have no parallel in other languages • when a concept doesn’t exist in a culture, neither does • a word for that concept exist in their language!

14. Understanding The Culture Is Key • Bible translation problems • are primarily because the • translator has no in-depth • knowledge of the culture • Christians have believed • that a “will” or “testament” • is the modern day equivalent • for a covenant … Not True • A Biblical covenant is • Permanent unless it is • conditional • A permanent covenant • cannot be retracted • Death was the penalty for • breaking a covenant!

15. A God-Made Covenant Becomes a Physical Law of the Universe • B’rit is also used to mean • “laws of nature” • A God-Covenant is woven • into the fabric of the • Universe • The spiritual realm is the • Source of a God-Covenant

16. In The Beginning There Was No Death • Laws of nature were • designed for things to • exist forever • At some time it changed • When did death and • decay enter the • Universe? • Two separate events: • The fall of Satan • The fall of Man

21. Unconditional CovenantGenesis 12 A divinely ordered ritual: barath,“To cut a covenant”(Participants would divide a sacrifice, and together, in a figure “8,” would repeat the terms of the covenant) Here God goes it alone; It is unconditional.

25. Abraham: The First “Patriarch” • Noah not a • “patriarch” • 3 Patriarchs • Abraham > • Isaac > • Jacob • Father, son, and • grandson

26. Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee:

27. Genesis 12:1 “from thy father’s house”

31. Genesis 12:2-3 2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

32. Covenant • Abraham will become a great nation. • Abraham will be blessed, and will be a blessing. • God will bless those who bless Abraham. • God will curse those who curse Abraham. • Abraham’s name (reputation) will become great. • God will use Abraham to bless all families.

35. Genesis 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

37. Separation Was Key It Must Occur in Some Form

38. Separation Was Key • Abraham just as pagan as everybody else • Not given any special merit as was Noach • Abraham had to separate himself from his pagan • background • Dividing, Electing, Separating • Man hates letting go of things • The familiar present always more attractive than the • uncertain future • Could separation be from family, dear friends, or even • your church? YES! Abraham’s story verifies this.

39. Concept of Separation Is Central To Christ’s Teaching If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26

40. Concept of Separation Is Central To Christ’s Teaching Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:34

41. Separation Must Occur in One Form or Another to Serve Yahweh And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. Matthew 19:29 • Bible uses words like Set-Apart, Sanctified, • Distinction, to indicate separation. • Holy = set-apart, sanctified, distinct, separated

42. Genesis 12:5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

43. Genesis 12:6-7 6And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 7And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

44. Abraham in Canaan • By means of separation • Abraham ratified the • covenant • This is a Permanent • Covenant • 1975 – 2000 BC • 350 Years since flood • Sarai and Lot go with • Abraham • Canaanites consisted of • many tribes from the line • of Ham and his son, • Canaan • 1st Stop; was Shechem • (Today called Nablus)

46. Genesis 12:8-9 8And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD. 9And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.

47. Abraham Goes To Egypt • Goes to Egypt to • seek relief from a • famine • It was typical for • tribes in that area • of Middle East to • go to Egypt for • food • People traveled • readily, over well- • marked routes

48. Genesis 12:10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

49. Genesis 12:11-13 11And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: 12Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. 13Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

50. Genesis 12:14-16 14And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. 15The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.