Posted in Family on 28. Jul, 2010
This chapter deals with the death of Abraham’s wife Sarah and the process which Abraham took to acquire property for her burial. Sarah lived for 127 years before she died. Abraham appeared shaken up by Sarah’s death and wanted to bury her “out of his sight”. I can understand that he did not want his wife’s grave too close. So Abraham talked to the sons of Heth to get a cave to use as a burial site. (cave of Machpelah)
Now this cave was at the end of the field, and Abraham only wanted the part of the land with the cave to bury his wife. Ephron, (owner of the field) wanted to give Abraham the entire field and not separate the property. Based on the scripture, Abraham paid the “commercial standard” which I believe is full price for the land. Abraham had the land deeded over to him and he buried his wife.
In this chapter, the people had a reverence for Abraham. They called him a “mighty prince among us” and they offered him the best burial sites. Abraham was also respectful in offering to pay full price for only using part of the field. Even as a commercial real estate broker, I liked the fact that Abraham did not “wheel and deal” for the property. The commentary states that Abraham was taken advantage us in this deal because the purchase price (400 shekels of silver) was an exorbitant amount of money. The way I see it, Abraham wanted the land to honor his wife and God gave him the means to acquire it. Abraham acquired his wealth through God’s blessings, it’s all HIS money anyway!
Posted in Family on 27. Jul, 2010
This chapter is all about fear, obedience, and sacrifice. Right of the bat, God calls Abraham to take his son Isaac to the land of Moriah and offer him as a burt offering. Abraham got up early, saddled up with his son Isaac and two men, prepared the wood for the offering, and went to the place God told Abraham to go. Abraham found the spot God wanted to build an alter so he built one, bound Isaac to it, and prepared to sacrifice him. The angel of the LORD came down telling Abraham that he knows that Abraham fears God and that he will be blessed. Abraham names this place The LORD Will Provide.
Abraham’s actions tell me that he was an eager servant of God. When God called out for him at the beginning of the chapter, he answered back “here I am”. When God gave him instructions to sacrifice his only son he woke up early the next morning to get going! When his son Isaac asked about where the sacrifice was going to come from, he told him that the LORD would provide the sacrifice.
In the scripture, Abraham’s obedience to God’s command showed him to fear God.
Genesis 22:12 “He said, Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
The LORD was pleased with this act and it said in the scripture that Abraham was to be greatly blessed.
Genesis 22:17 “indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
The word “indeed” in verse 17 appears to re-iterate the LORD’s approval of Abraham and his actions. Abraham sought God’s approval. God was at the center of his heart. He feared God and was obedient to his word.
LORD, we ask that you guide our steps and show us your truth. Forgive us for our disobedience and give us the strength to follow you with an eager heart. In your son Jesus name we pray, AMEN!
Posted in Family on 26. Jul, 2010
Isaac was born with Sarah and Abraham being the mother and father. This appeared to be God’s plan all along when he prophesied for Abraham to be the father of many nations. Before Isaac’s birth and under Sarah’s advisement (not God’s) Abraham took Hagar, his servant in an attempt to fulfill God’s prophecy. Sarah never seemed to like Hagar, and once Hagar made the mistake of mocking Sarah’s son Isaac, Sarah forced Hagar out of the house. Abraham was of course troubled by this, but look at what God says to him.
Genesis 21:12 “But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named.”
God told Abraham to listen to his wife. Last time when Sarah treated Hagar so harshly that she fled, God spoke to Hagar and told her to return and to submit to Sarah.
Genesis 16:9 “Then the angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.”
Repeatedly, you see here how God honors marriage and works through the marriage relationship to fulfill his prophecy. God protected Sarah when kings “sent” for her to, God worked with Abraham’s emotional conflict which came from having a son by Hagar, and God even told Abraham to listen to “whatever Sarah tells you.”
That’s what I call an empowered woman! Sarah told Abraham to push Hagar and her son Ishmael out of the camp, so Abraham gave Hagar and her son supplies and sent them on their way. The scripture says that he gave them “bread and a skin of water”. They wandered in the wilderness, it appears to me that they had no idea what to do, where to go, and had a limited amount of supplies. Hagar was at the breaking point, ready to give up and die (her and her son). It was at this point when she cried out, that God came and shared HIS plans with her. The scripture says that God was with Ishmael as well.
Posted in Family on 23. Jul, 2010
God is perfect. God’s children are made in HIS image, but are born into sin. This chapter shows God’s consistent grace toward Abraham and the hedge of protection that he places around him and his family. This chapter also explains in more detail on why Abraham would say that he and his wife Sarah were brother and sister (they were married) to save his life from the Egyptian pharaoh, and now Abimelech.
This chapter begins with Abraham settling between Kadesh and Shur. In Chapter 12 we read about Sarah’s (Sarai’s) beauty. Abraham told Sarah to say that they were brother and sister when King Abimelech sent for and took Sarah. God appeared to Abimelech in a dream and was not having any of that! He told the king to not touch her, give her back to Abraham, and Abraham would pray for his Abimelech and he would live. God called Abraham a prophet as well in this chapter.
Abimelech was upset by all this, after all he didn’t know that Abraham and Sarah were married when he sent for her. (This happened in Egypt when the Pharoah received plageues to taking Sarah as his wife) Abimelech, confronted Abraham and asked why he would do this?
Genesis 20:9 “Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.”
Abraham responded..
Genesis 20:11 “Abraham said, “Because I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.12 Besides, she actually is my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife;13 and it came about, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said to her, “This is the kindness which you will show to me: everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother”
To make amends, Abimelech gave Abraham riches, Abraham prayed and saved the life of this king as well as healed the people. (The wombs of the women of the kings household were shut because of Sarah being taken).
After reading this, I understand the Chapter title “Abraham’s treachery”. Abraham lied to save his life. God still protected him, and blessed him and his family even though he was not perfect. What I got from this Chapter is that God had mercy on Abimelech and appeared to judge him on his heart. God spoke to Abimelech in a dream before he had a chance to touch Sarah, to save his life. I don’t believe that Abraham wanted to give his wife up at all! Imagine how he must have felt when God told him to travel, knowing that he could lose his wife or his own life? Would we be willing to lose a loved one to follow God’s will? Would we be willing to enter into unpredictable situations where we don’t know the outcome? When God called, Abraham did not seem to even hesitate. He is not a perfect man, none of us are. I pray that God give all of us the strength to be obedient when we are called to walk and the faith to trust him to take care of us no matter what comes our way. Even if we make mistakes, we are children of God and he will take care of us like he took care of Abraham.
Posted in Family on 22. Jul, 2010
In the last chapter, the two angels left Abraham and Abraham was talking to the LORD. In this chapter, those two angels went to Lot to see for themselves just how wicked Sodom had become. How bad was Sodom you ask? Sodom was so bad that when the townsfolk saw these two angels they wanted to rape them. In no time, the men of the City of Sodom had surrounded the house. Not just one or two men, this wickedness was widespread, the scriptures describes the composition of the mob as “…all the people from every quarter.” Genesis 19:4
Lot pleaded with the men to not act “wickedly” and offered his two daughters to the men instead. This only emboldened the mob.
Genesis 19:9 “But they said, “Stand aside.” Further-more, they said, “This one came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them.” So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door.”
I believe that this group of men was truly wicked. Why did so many men want to “have relations” with the angles? Why did they get even angrier when Lot offered up his daughters? Was this just lust? Seemed like more than lust to me. A former adult film (porn) director stated that he was troubled by how he had to “take it up a knotch” to satiate their viewers every time they created a new film. In fact, his productions got so radical and perverse that it made him sick to view them. Do I think that people can get this sick from sin? Absolutely. Sex outside of marriage is a break from God’s design. It is a perversion. Indulging in will absolutely corrupt your thoughts and life over time. I have yet to meet a person that has not had regrets for having sex outside of marriage.
Thank God the angles stepped in to stop Lot from giving his daughters up to them. Horrible things probably would have happened to them. The angels blinded the men at Lot’s house and told Lot and his family to get out of town. God was merciful to them and would spare their lives, but Sodom was going down!
Most of us know about Lot’s wife looking back and turning into a pillar of salt right? What I did not know is that both of Lot’s daughters got their father drunk on different nights, lay with him to preserve their family. Moab and Ben-ammi, the fathers of the Moabites and the sons of Ammon were conceived this way. When I read this part of the scripture at the end of chapter 19, it surprised me. I was judging Lot for attempting to give up his daughters as well as judging his daughters for sleeping with their father. I believe that the spirit is telling me that God’s word is truth. There are soooo many examples of God’s people doing things that I don’t agree with. But then I remember that it is not them that is perfect, but God himself and his word. We all make mistakes. Think of how your “book” would read if someone were to accurately account for your activities throughout the course of your life? Noah getting drunk isn’t looking so bad now is it?
Posted in Family on 20. Jul, 2010
How do you talk to God? Imagine having a discussion with the LORD and his angels as they overlook a city and determine that city’s fate! God really seemed to like Abraham and this chapter reinforces this in my mind. The Lord came down with two angels and had a conversation with Abraham about his future and the future of a city (Sodom). Abraham not only listened, but God listened to Abraham. What an awesome exchange!
In the heat of the day, Abraham saw three men. (I believe these three men where the LORD and two angels) After preparing a meal with the best that Abraham had to offer and having his visitors feet washed, they had asked Abraham the whereabouts of Sarah (Abraham’s wife). They told him that in about a year Sarah would have a son. Sarah, overhearing this doubted what she heard. Sarah was past child bearing age, so she did not believe what she was hearing but the LORD confronted her and asked, “Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14)
At this point, the LORD let Abraham know of his intentions to judge the city of Sodom. Abraham approached the LORD and plead for his mercy on the city. When you have a second, take a chance to read Genesis Chapter 18:24-33 to see Abraham’s request and God’s merciful answer! Part of my can’t help but try to figure out what made Abraham so special. I want to make it complicated and analyze his behavior, but I am finding out that it is much simpler than that. Abraham loved God, was obedient, and most importantly God choose him. I pray that we all have a strong heart for the LORD and stay within his will!
Posted in Family on 19. Jul, 2010
This chapter of Genesis is all about a covenant with God and Abram (now called Abraham). Abraham may have jumped the gun a little bit with Hagar in the last chapter! God told Abraham that Sarai (now Sarah) would have a son (Issac) and that his covenant would be established through Issac. At 99 years of age, God comes down and tell Abraham that he has a new name, he will be the father of many nations, and he will receive all the land of Canaan (forever), and told Abraham that all the males must be circumcised.
In the scripture, God instructed the males to be circumcised when they were about 8 days old. I am not sure how old I was when I was circumcised, but I am glad that it was too early to remember anything! A servant of Abraham’s house was also to be circumcised. This was a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham. If someone was not circumcised, they broke the covenant and was to be “cut off” from his people.
God also renamed Sarai (Sarah is her name, both Sarai and Sarah mean princess) and told spoke of her having a son and being the mother of nations. Abraham desired for his first son Ishmael to have a heart for God, so God blessed Ishmael as well. Ishmael was to become the “father of twelve princes”.
One of the key points that I got from this chapter as well as the last is that Abraham had a heart to serve God. God had mercy on Abraham on numerous occasions, one example being that God blessed both of Abraham’s sons. Abraham did not ask for God to “bless” Ishmeal, rather he asked God for Ishmael to have a have a heart for God as well!
Genesis 17:18 “And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”"
That was Abraham’s response when he heard of all that Issac (Abraham’s son by Sarah) was due to receive through the covenant. Just another example of the intense focus of Abraham in doing God’s will and trying to please God.
Posted in Family on 16. Jul, 2010
In this chapter, Abram’s wife Sarai presents him with a suggestion to fufill God’s promise to Abram. God told Abram that he would have children. It’s been about 10 years since God spoke to Abram, Abram is now about 85 years old, and Sarai believes that God is not allowing her to have children.
Now Sarai suggest that Abram use Sarai’s maidservant Hagar to have children. Abram accepts Sarai’s proposal and conceives a child with Hagar. Now Sarai flips out because Hagar is pregnant and told Abram the following:
Genesis 16:5 “And Sarai said to Abram, May the wrong done me be upon you. I gave my maid in to your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight. May the LORD judge between you and me.”
At this point Abram seemed to not want to be part of the conflict and reminded Sarai that Hagar was her servant and to “do to her what is good in your sight.” (Genesis 16:6) Needless to say that Sarai treated Hagar bad enough to drive from the home. However, God was not finished with Hagar or Abram’s child..
An angel came to Hagar while she was fleeing and told her to submit to Sarai’s authority, go back, and that her descendants would be too many to count.
Genesis 16:1-12 “Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction. 12 He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone’s hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers.”
Hagar went back to Sarai, bore a son and Abram called him Ishmael.
This chapter is screaming consequences to me. Abram appears to have made a decision that he was going to “help” God fufill the prophecy by having children through Hagar (Sarai’s maidservant). God did not tell him to do this! What complicated things further is that his wife suggested this course of action and it doesn’t seem as if Abram had given his decision much thought.
This is the second time that Abram took a slight detour from God’s will. The first time I recall is when he told Sarai to tell the Egyptians that he was her sister so that his life would be spared. The result? God caused the Pharoah to experience plagues because he took Sarai as his wife when she was Abram’s wife. God still sparred Abram, even blessed him with increased wealth (can we say grace) but we may never know how God would have worked things out if Abram has chosen to go another route. The second time we see Abram starting his line of descendants with Hagar instead of his wife Sarai.
Posted in Family on 15. Jul, 2010
At the beginning of this chapter, the scripture says that the LORD came to Abram in a vision.
Genesis 15:2 “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”
I think that God challenges our rational though because it forces us to rely on HIM. In this chapter Abram asked what kind of reward God would give him and God told him that he bless Abram with children. So many in fact that they would be as numerous as the stars in the sky!
Abram was childless and it seemed as though he had given up on having children altogether! I know this because Abram named an heir already from his house in the scripture. God showed Abram that he had a different plan in mind. God went into detail with Abram on what was going to happen with his descendants for generations. God even told Abram that he would live to a good old age before passing away.
As we work through the story of Abram, it is clear to me that Abram is not in control. Abram may be rich, wealthy, in command of hundreds of servants, soldiers, ect. but he is not in control! It is so good to trust in God! In modern times, Abram could have written a few best sellers because of his “accomplishments” right? The world today would praise Abram for his wealth and think him important, smart, or better than most… But I think Abram’s best quality was constantly seeking God’s approval and God’s favor in EVERYTHING he did.
Look at his travels, he was building alters and making sacrifices all the time for God! When God gave him great victories he vowed to not indulge in the spoils so that others would not even THINK that he was wealthy by anyone else’s hand but God!
LORD, forgive us for our sins and disobedience in our lives. May we cling to your every word and follow you wherever you lead us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Posted in Family on 14. Jul, 2010
At this point in the scripture, there were several kingdoms in or near the land of Abram and Lot that were fighting for years now. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah had dispersed and fled into hill county due to the fighting and Lot was caught up in the mayhem as well. (This was the land that he choose in the last chapter)
Once Abram hear about Lot’s plight, he sent out 318 “trained men”, defeated the enemy forces, brought back all the goods, possessions, people, and of course Lot. After the enemy’s defeat (there were several kings representing the defeated forces) Abram gave a tenth of the spoils for God.
Genesis 14:21 “The King of Sodom said to Abram, “Give the people to me and take the goods for yourself.” 22 Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the LORD God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will not take a thread or a sandal thong or anything that is yours, for fear you would say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’
What I get out of this scripture is how Abram is putting God first. Abram recognizes that everything that he has comes from God, his trained men, his riches, his family, even his victories! Abram does not want to even give the appearance that he was blessed by anything or anyone else than our God!
I will pray that everyone that reads this will put God first in all that they do and give God the glory for all that is accomplished that is good.
My name is James and this is my blog. It's a glimpse into the life of a Christian, Father, Husband, Business Owner...and cool nerd.
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