Genesis Chapter 17

  

This chapter continues the story of Abram and Sarai. It takes place when Abram was 99 years old, approximately 1897 BC. Abram and Sarai have been waiting 24 years for God’s promise. Abram’s story is the Old Testament example of the New Testament believer.

Verses 1-14

God reaffirms his promise to him and promised Abram he would be the father of a multitude of nations and changed his name to Abraham which means “father of many.” God changed his name so he would speak the promise. Abraham began calling himself father before he was. He’s hearing God’s promise and he’s speaking God’s promise. 

Vs 5 for a father of many nations have I made thee. So God had already done His part, now Abraham needed to do his part. (Gods promises are already ours but we speak our circumstances like Abram instead of speaking God’s promises).

God establishes a covenant which is an everlasting Covenant with the Jewish people (according to verse 7)

He would give Abraham’s descendants the land of Canaan (which we know to be the land of Israel) and they were to worship Him as the one true God. This Covenant of the land of Israel (Canaan at that time) is also everlasting.

As a sign of this covenant, Abraham was to circumcise every male who lived in the house. Infants born were to be circumcised when they were 8 days old.

(Seems harsh but definitely a sign that is a constant reminder of the covenant)

Verses 15-21

God changes Sarais name to Sarah because she was going to give birth to a son.

She would be the mother of nations and kings of peoples shall be of her. 

Abraham laughed and expressed his doubts that a nearly 100 year old man and 90 year old woman could conceive a child.

(He even asked God if His promises could be fulfilled through his son Ishmael and God said no)

God blessed Ishmael but the son of Abraham and Sarah would be where God’s everlasting covenant would be established.

Verses 22-27

Abraham does what God said and circumcised all the males and himself. (It continues to be a Jewish tradition to this day).

This story shows us that God uses the least likely people to achieve great things. Abraham and Sarah couldn’t conceive children on their own but God used them to birth a nation of people who were part of His redemption story in the New Testament.

(This pattern is repeated throughout many people in the Bible as we will learn in the chapters and books ahead).

If you accomplish great things for God it will be the result of God’s power working through you and not you. (That should take the pressure off what we can accomplish on our own).

God’s Word works but not every believer is applying what they are learning in the Word or doing what the Word teaches or believing what the Word says.

As Abraham spoke the promise (every time he said his name he was saying I am the father of many before it happened) his faith grew and he thanked God in advance for the answer.

Romans 4:16-25 Yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able to perform.

Romans 10:17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

God’s Word works but not every believer is applying what they are learning in the Word or doing what the Word teaches or believing what the Word says.

Genesis Chapter 16

  

Genesis 16

This chapter continues the story of Abram and his wife Sarai but introduces a new character to their story, Hagar. (Sarai’s Egyptian servant) 

The story of Abram is an example to us how to grow in our own faith. In Romans 4:16 Abraham is called the father of all who believe. He makes mistakes but he does continue to grow spiritually.

Verses 1-6

Sarai’s first recorded words are “the Lord has kept me from having children.” - she speaks her circumstances instead of speaking God’s promises.

Sarai told Abram to take Hagar as his wife and have a child with her. Abram listened to his wife. (Now this is not God’s way of doing things and we are still dealing today with the consequences of that decision).

Hagar had a child and looked down on Sarai and this caused conflict between the two women. 

Vs 5 Sarai is mad at Abram and blames him for the conflict between her and Hagar.

Vs 6 Abrams gave Sarai permission to do what she wanted to Hagar and she dealt harshly with her so Hagar runs away.

Verses 7-16

An Angel found Hagar and asked her where she was going. She told him she was getting away from Sarai.

The Angel told her to return to Sarai her mistress and submit to her because she was pregnant with a son and the Lord was going to make his descendants into a large nation.

Vs 12 She was instructed to name her son Ishmael. The Angel foretold that Ishmael would be a wild man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s against him. In other words, he will live in hostility towards all his brothers. (This is a prophecy given 4,000 years ago that the Jewish people and the Arabs will be in hostility towards each other and that has been going on for 4,000 years).

Hagar called the Lord “the God of seeing” because He looked after her in her time of trouble.

The spring of water where the Angel and Hagar met became known as Beer-lahai-roi.

Hagar the Egyptian believed God’s promise and returns in faith. She comes back obedient to God.

Abram was 86 years old when Ishmael was born.

God has given us these details about Abrams life for us. In some of these stories of Abram he gets it right and in some like this story, he doesn’t. The greatest lesson here is NOT to speak our circumstances but instead speak God’s promises. Speaking circumstances never activates the promises of God.

We can’t rush God by taking matters into our own hands. God had promised to make Abram’s descendants into a great nation in Chapter 12. As they got older the chances of that seemed impossible. Sarai decided to solve things her own way but that ended up causing more problems in their home. This story teaches us that it is better to trust God patiently.

Genesis Chapter 15

  

Genesis 15

This chapter is about God appearing to Abram in a vision. The story of Abram is important because he is called the Father of all who believe in Romans 4:16. He is an example to us of what growing in our faith looks like.

Verses 1-7

He is an example to us of what growing in our faith looks like. This is the first time God says, fear not (Abram had just gone to war and there was probably the thought of retaliation from those he defeated). I am thy shield is the promise of protection.

 Vs 2-3 In this vision God promises to make Abram a great nation. Abram was baffled with this promise because he and Sarai didn’t have any children. Abram thinks this is impossible. Abram spoke the circumstances not the promise which is what we do in life.

God told him not to worry because his descendants would be equal to the number of stars in the heaven. 

Abram believed the Lord. *being right with God doesn’t activate the promise. - Abram had the promise for 24 years and still nothing happened.

Verses 8-21

Abram asked God how he could be sure his children would inherit the land of Canaan.

God told him to take a heifer, a female goat, a ram, a turtle dove, and a pigeon and cut them in half, except for the pigeon.

Abram did and that night God caused him to fall asleep and experience a “dreadful and great darkness.”

Abraham was told his offspring would be strangers in another land that did not belong to them and they would suffer there 400 years.

After 400 years they would leave with great possessions.

God was going to delay the inheritance of Canaan for 400+ years because the Amorites who lived there were not yet wicked enough to cast out.

God caused a fire pot and a flaming torch to pass through the divided animals.

He made a covenant with Abram to give his children the land from the River of Egypt to the great River. (Euphrates)

Let’s not speak our circumstances but instead let’s speak God’s promises. Just like Abram we have God’s Word that gives us hope for not just a future but for a great future. Our future looks just as bright and just as big. Greater than the stars in the sky. Look up in the sky and when you see all the stars shine above let it be a reminder of the promises of God. It only takes one scripture to overcome the enemy in our life. That is why reading and understanding of God’s Word can change our circumstances completely. God gave us the tools for life in this book and it is up to us what we do with this wonderful gift called the Bible.