Genesis to Esther Series – LESSON 15

Genesis Chapters 12–50

The Family Of Abraham

Chapters 1 to 5 The family of Adam

Chapters 6 to 11 The family of Noah

Chapters 12 to 50 The family of Abraham

First of all, we are going to look at the Fathers of the family. These are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (whose name became Israel), and the twelve tribes. We are just looking at the fathers within the book of Genesis.

1. The Story of Abram,

Later named Abraham

Genesis 12:1 – The Lord HAD Said

So we start the story of Abraham. It begins in Genesis, chapter 12.

Genesis 12: 1

(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:

Notice that word HAD. This is not the first time that God had spoken to Abram. He had already done it. The twelfth chapter begins long after the Lord had spoken the first time. Now, the significance of that is: Abram lived in the land of Ur. If you have a map, you can look it up. Take time to do this. You should always study the geography with the history. Find the Euphrates River. Go a way down the Euphrates, and on the other side – (that is the eastern side of the Euphrates) and you will find this place called Ur.

It is rather difficult thinking of Abram coming from that area. They are now finding the buildings that were there in the days of Abram. They are reconstructing these buildings that had to do with their worship in Ur, where Abram came from.

So Abram is in the land of Ur. And according to Genesis, he was a prince.

Genesis 12:16

(16) And 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

When you look at that list, he was not a poor man. Abram was a rich prince in the land of Ur.

Genesis 14: 14

I find this most intriguing to read about him.

(14) And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen.

I like to stop there and ask how many servants do you have in your house? Abram had three hundred and eighteen servants that he had brought up in his own house. That’s not the language of some little fellow out in the bush! See what I’m getting at? He was a rich prince, and he is living in Ur. And I have no question, if this man had three hundred and eighteen servants, he lived in a pretty good house don’t you think? It must have been a palace.

When I study this, I always have human sympathy for poor Sarai. Here was Sarai living in a mansion, with servants to do everything for her, and God moved her out, and for the rest of her life she had to live in a tent. It is no wonder she grumbled a bit. Sarai was given to grumbling and complaining a bit.

You know, I did this with my wife. I took her from a city home, and I took her out into a tent that we paid $6.00 a month rent for. If you can imagine what kind of a house it was! I won’t describe it, but it was from a mansion into a tent. Poor Sarai. The only difference between Abram’s Sarai, and my Sarai is: my Sarai hasn’t grumbled one little bit, for which I only praise the Lord.

I think there is something about this prince, who lived in this palace that most of us never think about. I want you to turn to Isaiah. I read about Abraham, and I’m glad it is here, for it blesses my heart. This prince who is living in a palace, but Isaiah writes:

Isaiah 51: 1-2

(1) Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

He is talking to Israel. And He said, “Israel, do you know where you came from? – you came out of a pit.” Do you know where you came from? – you came out of the hole of the pit. Did you ever hear that old chorus:

He took me out of the pit, and from the miry clay

He set my feet on a rock, establishing my way

Most of us forget where we came from. We came out of the pit. Now look at the next verse.

(2) Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

What does that verse tell us? Abraham came out of the hole of the pit. What is He talking about? If we go back to Joshua, we will find out.

Joshua 24: 2-3

(2) And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood (the flooding River Euphrates) in old time,

If you are not careful here, you can be led astray. It is not talking about Noah’s flood. It doesn’t mean that Abraham was reincarnate before and after the flood. You can look up any good concordance; it is talking about the flooding of the Euphrates River.

even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

(3) And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan,

I don’t know whether you got what I read to you, or not. It doesn’t say that merely Terah served idols. It says that his brother served idols, and it says Abraham served idols. Did you get that? What kind of a pit was he in? What kind of a hole was he in? He was in the hole of idolatry.

Whenever I read this, I think back to 1949, when brother Phil Davies, (the missionary) went all over southern Saskatchewan, showing the pictures taken by his brother Martin in the heart of French West Africa, (so it was named at the time). As I saw those pictures of big men bowing down before idols made of wood and stone, and taking chickens, and putting the blood on the stones, and putting the feathers on top of the blood, I would always weep. I couldn’t take it! Because when I’d see them, I would think that if it were not for the Grace of God, that is where I could be. If it were not for the Grace of God, I could be bowing down before idols made with my own hands. Thank God for His Grace!

Now you have to come from there. Isaiah said God took him out of the hole of the pit. What did God take him out of? – Idolatry. Abraham was an idolater. When is the last time you thought of that? You always thought of Abraham as a great man of faith haven’t you? You have always thought of this side of his life – just as you know about Christians.

There are some people you have met, whom you didn’t know before they were saved. You didn’t know them before God called them. You didn’t know where they lived; and if they were to tell you, you would hardly believe it. You think of Abraham as the great man of faith who served God with all of his heart, and had so much to say that it is recorded for our learning. But before Abram ever became the man of faith that he was, he was in the pit of idolatry. Oh the Grace of God. So when you go back to Genesis, you have Grace haven’t you.

Acts 7: 2 – God Appeared To Abram, And Said, “Move”

Acts 7: 1-2

(1) Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

(2) And Stephen stood up and said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran

He was over there in Ur, in a city of idolatry, with idols everywhere. Bowing down one day before his idols, the God of Glory appeared to our father Abraham. Doesn’t that thrill you!

I may have mentioned these, but I have to mention them again. I have talked about the men who have influenced my life. Brother James McNichol was one of those men; God bless his memory. He came out from Scotland, a way back in 1911. And about 1913, he had only been in a tent meeting once or twice.

I don’t remember him as a cursing, swearing individual; I remember him as the best Bible teacher I ever heard. One day he was plowing, and out behind the plow, in the rocks in southern Saskatchewan, James McNichol got under conviction for his sin and he got down behind the plow and accepted Christ as his Savior. The God of Glory appeared to James McNichol out behind the plow. God doesn’t have to have a church in which to meet people. Aren’t you glad for that? He didn’t meet Abram inside of church walls. He met Abram out bowing down before his idols.

If I told you before, let me tell you again - I’m getting an old man now. In those days, when I pastored the little Baptist church at Glidden, Saskatchewan, I have wonderful memories. Old Mr. Malackie would come to the door and say to me, “Elder, have I ever told you my story?” And I would say “tell it again.” And so I am going to do what he did to me dozens of times.

He said “Elder, I was a cursing, swearing man. if I wasn’t an atheist, I was certainly an agnostic. I didn’t believe in God. But one day, in harvest time, I was out in my field and everything was dry as dust. I had a big crop. The wind was blowing from the northwest. It was blowing toward my buildings and all that I possessed. I stopped my combine and a fire started under my combine.”

And by this time, he would weep a bit. And after he had shed a few tears, he would say, “Out there in the field, I got down beside the fire, and I got down beside the combine, and I said, “God, if there is a God, and you ever helped a man, help this man now.” And he would cry and say “Elder, the fire went out.”

I didn’t know Mr. Malackie as an atheist or an agnostic, or an unbeliever. I only knew him as a God-fearing individual, who was a joy. He was a Seventh Day Adventist, as far as his denomination was concerned. That didn’t make any difference. Out there in the field, the God of glory appeared to Mr. Malackie.

Would it not be a dramatic day when Abram is bowing down before his idols – and suddenly, the God of Glory speaks to his heart! Listen, do you know what God said to him? “Abram, you have to move.” He is about seventy-five years old when God spoke to him. I don’t know how old you have to be before you get too old to move, but it was even harder than that, because if you go to the eleventh chapter of Hebrews:

Hebrews 11: 8

(8) By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

That took more faith than some of us have. God comes to him out at his place of worship and God says, “Abram move.” The Lord had said to Abram, Get out of your country and your kindred. Do you see where chapter twelve comes in? The Lord had said “Move.” But the Lord didn’t tell him where he had to go.

I don’t know whether I shared this with you or not. It is wonderful the way the Lord leads. About every morning or two, my wife and I, together in our devotions, raise our Ebenezer – which means – “hither to hath the Lord helped us.” We have come to that place in life where we are quite satisfied -- If the Lord can direct us this far, I guess we don’t have to worry about the rest of the journey.

We were in the city of Regina, pastoring, in the year 1973. We had been there for six and one-half years. And I guess I put my son Jim through an awful experience, because in the spring of the year, I started to say to my children and to my wife, “we are going to have to move. I don’t know why, but we are going to have to move.” My boy would come to the table and say, “Dad, are you going to move?” And I would say “I don’t know.” He would say “I wish you would make up your mind.” And so we would go through that week after week. My heart would say “I’m going to have to move, but I don’t know where I am going to move.”

Sister Storie had been the pastor’s wife for years in Regina, and she would write me a letter every month from Winnipeg, and say “I’m praying that you will never leave Regina.” And I’d get that, and we would send her a little pension cheque from Regina, and so we had this monthly correspondence. And every time I would see her, that dear woman would shake my hand and say “You are never going to leave Regina. You are the man for this place, and you are going to stay here.” She had a heart for it, and felt I should be there.

In July, we are sitting at the table again, and our boy Jim is at the table, and the question is “Dad, are you going to move?” And I said “There is a board meeting coming up on Monday, and if Sister Storie were to die before that board meeting, it would be like God writing it in the clouds “It is time for you to move.”

We are sitting at the table a few days later (The board meeting comes up on Monday, and I think it was either Friday or Saturday) and the phone rings and Alvin Block is on the other end. And Alvin says “Brother Pritchard, will you be prepared to preach at Sister Storie’s funeral on Tuesday?” And I hung up the phone and my boy is there, and I can still hear the echo of his words, “Well Dad, you got your answer.” You know, if I hadn’t moved, he would have never trusted me again.

I went to the board meeting, and I handed in my resignation, but the wonderful thing about it was I didn’t have a place to go. And God is my witness, I have never been so happy in my life, as when I put in that resignation. I knew I had to move, and the reason now, I can feel with Abram. I wasn’t quite as old as he was, but when he was 75 – God said –“Move out of your palace,” and He didn’t tell him where he was going to go.

God had said to me –“Move,” and I didn’t know where I was going to go. Two weeks later, a phone call came from here (Vancouver) at four o’clock in the morning – six o’clock Regina time. In the month of September 1973, brother Breen, who was pastoring People’s Full Gospel Church, got on the phone at four o’clock;– (of all times for a preacher to phone), and said “Brother Lorne, I’m so bogged down with work, will you come and help me?” And that is how come I got out here to the west coast. I said “Give me time to pray about it.” I had no other place to go, and God opened the door in the middle of the morning. And so I took it as the call of God. God said “Move,” and we moved. And if God says “Move again,” I hope my roots are never down so deep that when God says “Move,” I don’t move.

Abram, I want you to move.

Acts 7: 3-4 – Abraham Moved To HaranWith His Father Terah And His Nephew Lot.

Acts 7: 3-4

(God said to Abraham)

(3) And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall show thee. (God said, I WILL show you)

(4) Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

Genesis 12: 4-6 ---- Abram Is Now 75 Years Old

That key word in Genesis 12:1 must be observed. The Lord HAD said to Abraham. What happened when the Lord called Abram the first time?

Genesis 11: 28-32

(28) And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

(29) And Abram and Nahor took them wives:

(30) But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

(31) And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran and dwelt there.

(32) And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

Here is the only way I can explain what must have happened:

One day, God appeared to Abram and said “Abram, move.” And did you notice what He also said? “Don’t take your relatives with you.” Did you see that? – “Leave your family, and you move out. Leave your relatives behind.”

I am using my imagination, but it must have been this way: Abram went home, and he said “Terah, God said I’ve got to move.” And Terah said, “Now my boy, do you really mean it was God who said it to you?” “Yes.” “Well, if you are going to go, I guess I better go with you.” And so Terah packed up his gear, and he went along.

And they were just about ready to leave, and I think it would be Terah who said, “But Abram, we’ve got heart, how can we leave our nephew behind? His father is dead, and he is still young. We can’t leave Lot behind.” And so Terah and Lot and Terah’s wife, and Lot’s wife and Abram’s wife leave Ur. And they get to Haran, and the old gentleman says “I’m too old to go any farther.” And so they stopped until he dies. Did you see that point in there?

And when Terah died, then the Lord appeared to Abram the second time. The Lord had said, “Get out.” But the tragedy of this story is: Abram was only partially obedient to the will of God. And partial obedience always gets us into trouble. You go on reading in Genesis – Who caused Abram more trouble than Lot? God had told him to leave that fellow behind. God had not told him to bring Lot with him. Abram brought Lot in disobedience, and so now he gets into trouble later on. So don’t forget that principle. Some times we wonder why we get into trouble down the line. Maybe it is because of some disobedience back along the line some place.

Genesis 12: 1-6,

(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:

(2) And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

(3) And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Now in that statement, you can see that Abram is promised a seed, and he is promised a land—two things. And often I put in the L’s so I can remember: “a lad, and a land.” So from here on, don’t forget, God has promised a land to Abram, if he would leave his country. And God has promised him a son.

(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.

And don’t forget that Sarai is sixty-five. And it is pretty hard to start moving into a land you don’t know where you are going, when you are sixty-five and seventy-five years of age.

(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.

Literally, the land of the Canaanites.

(6) And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.

Notice, over and over again, the word LAND.

Genesis 12: 7-9 Abram Is Promised A LAND

Genesis 12: 7-9

(7) And 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.

(8) And 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.

(9) And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.

Genesis 12: 10-20 -- Because Of A Famine, Abram Moved To Egypt.

Because there was a famine in the land, Abram moved to Egypt, and trouble was the result. This was a test of faith.

Genesis 12: 10-20

(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.

Before he left Ur, he had been promised a son – a seed. In Genesis 12: 10-20, because of the famine (which was a test of faith,) Abram moved into Egypt. But when he got down there, he got into trouble. God sends trials to test us, and when we get out of the will of God, then we get into trouble. He went down into Egypt, but look at the Grace of God. What was the trouble? I am amused when I read this:

(11) And 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:

If you look at the last two words in verse 14, it says she was very fair. Now please remember, she is a young thing of 65! Isn’t that interesting? She is only 65 years old, but Abram says, Sarai you are such a good looking woman, you are going to get me in trouble when I get down there with those Egyptians. He knew what was ahead of him, but he went anyway.

(12) Therefore 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.

(13) Say, 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.

Notice Abram had to tell a lie. When he got out of the will of God, in order to protect himself, he starts telling lies – this great man of faith! And of course, that is exactly what happened.

(14) And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

The Egyptians took her and then they got into trouble.

(15) The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

(16) And 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.

(17) And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.

(18) And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? Why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?

(19) Why saidst thou, She is my sister? So I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.

(20) And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.

Genesis 13:1-18 Abram Separates From Lot

Now, after the trouble: Abram goes “up” with all that he had. He separates from Lot, the Lord appears, – and Abram builds an altar.

Genesis 13: 1-18

(1) And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.

(2) And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

There is the Grace of God. Abram went out of the land of Canaan, out of the will of God, and when he got down into Egypt, He increased his cattle and his riches and his gold. Now listen, never equate dollars and cents with spirituality. But the wonder of this is, Abram went up and he didn’t lose a thing. He took everything back. Now, that doesn’t always happen. When a man backslides, he doesn’t always come back to where he was, but Abram did!

(3) And he went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai:

(4) Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord.

(5) And Lot also, which went with Abram had flocks, and herds, and tents.

(6) And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

(7) And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle and the the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

(8) And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.

(9) Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

(10) And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

(11) Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

(12) Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

(13) But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly.

(14) And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

(15) For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

(16) And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

(17) Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

(18) Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.

Genesis 14:1-24 Lot Gets Into Trouble; Abram Rescues Lot

Genesis 14 tells you there is strife between Abram and Lot. And it also tells us about Lot getting into trouble. When Lot gets into trouble and he is taken captive, Abram rescues Lot. He goes out and fights a battle, and at the end of the battle he meets Melchizedek. I don’t want to introduce Melchizedek into this story at this particular time. We will leave that until later.

Genesis 14: 8-16

Remember, Lot had left Abram and settled in the city of Sodom.

(8) And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar,) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;

(9) With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.

(10) And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

(11) And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

(12) And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

(13) And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner and these were confederate with Abram.

(14) And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

(15) And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

(16) And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

Did you get the picture? Abram went down into Egypt. He came out of Egypt and he has gold and silver and riches. And at this time he has been a sojourner in the land of Canaan. He hasn’t bothered anybody. He hasn’t troubled anybody. But now Lot has gotten into trouble, and Abram has had to go out and fight. And now he is in trouble.

Genesis 15:1 Abram Fears

Genesis 15: 1

(1) After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

The term “after these things”-- ten years have lapsed. Back in chapter twelve when he left Haran he was seventy-five. And now it is ten years later and he is eighty-five years old. And Abram had a vision saying, “Fear not.” Did you know that is the first mention of FEAR in the Bible? What does this tell you about Abram? Abram must have been fearing, or God would not have said “Fear not.” Doesn’t that make sense? The only reason God said “fear not” was because he was fearing.

But I thought he was a man of faith! I thought he was a great man of faith. And yet here I am reading about a man of faith who was filled with fear. Don’t forget, the Bible is crystal clear, these men of whom we read are men of like passions as we are. Does that help you out any? Have you had your days of fear? So did they. Did they have their days of unbelief? Do you have your days of unbelief? So did they. Did you have your days when you were “up’? So did they. Did you have your days when you were “down”? So did they.

I had an interesting question at school the other day. Students are really so honest. God bless them. This student looked at me at the end of the class, and he said “I am going to ask you a very personal question.” He said, “I have listened to you now for a long while – Are you “up” all the time? Are you “on top” all the time?”

He had the wrong impression I think. I thank the Lord that I can honestly say, and say to him: Number one, I am still a sinner, but I am saved by Grace. And I’m still a sinner, but I have been disciplined a long time by Grace. And I think it is right to say that as time has gone on, I’m getting more level than I was before. And I’m living more on the level I trust all the time, but I still have “my days” when I feel “down,” and the strange thing is, I don’t know why I do. Nothing is wrong. I can’t put my finger on it. No financial troubles. It is not sickness, but I just suddenly find myself having a “down” experience within. Do any of you people know anything of what I am talking about?

And so we come along and my wife and I agree that it must be the devil. That is where I see the devil working in a Christian’s life. But on the other hand, I start rejoicing. After I have had a spell of that, I start coming home singing, and singing down the hall, and I suddenly waken up to the fact that when I get “down,” I can’t lift myself up. And when you get down, you can’t lift yourself up. And when you are full of fear, you can’t dispel your fear. And maybe I’ve said it to you in your hearing before, - somebody comes along when you are down (as brother McLean says – so low you can’t get your nose up on the curb) and slaps you on the back and says “Sister cheer up,” “Brother cheer up.” --- Oh man, brother, sister, if I could have cheered up I would have cheered up, but I couldn’t cheer up. If I could have done it, I would have done it, but I couldn’t do it. You know where I sit. Do you understand me?

But then the Lord comes along, and suddenly I waken up to the wonder of it. The Lord let me get “down” so I could experience the experience of being cheered up. The Lord let me get “down” so I could experience the experience of being lifted up. And the Lord lets me get into trouble so that the enemies come in and carry somebody off captive, and I have to get into a fight and I start fearing. And that is when the Lord comes and tenderly says:

Genesis 15: 1

(1) Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Isn’t it wonderful to have the Lord as your protector! And that is what the Lord tells Abram – this man of faith. Another thing in this: – he was eighty-five when that happened to him. So don’t think that by age you get out of these kind of things. Age doesn’t help one little bit. You still need the Lord when you get old.

Recap

I brought along the book I had mentioned, called THE TWO BABYLONS. It has to do with the beginning of Babylon in Genesis, chapters 9, 10, and 11. We have been looking at the man Abraham who is the first father of the children of Israel. We noted that when he was in the city of Ur, in the land of Mesopotamia (located on the east side of the Euphrates River) the God of Glory appears to Abraham and said “Get out from your country and from your kindred into a land that I will show thee.”

God also promised, before he left, he would give him a seed or a son. And the record goes on to tell us that apparently Abram told his father Terah that God had asked him to move and Terah moved with Abraham. And we find in the eleventh chapter, he took Lot with them. God said “Leave your kindred,” but he took his father and he took his brother’s son Lot, and they came to the place called Haran.

Apparently, they waited there until Terah died. And after the death of Terah, (Genesis 11: 31-33) when Abram was 75 years old and Sarah was 65, they left their home in Haran and they came into the land of Canaan.

Now we pick up the story in Genesis 15:1. The story begins ten years later. Now, where do we get that?

Genesis 16:3

It gives you the time element

(3) And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan,

So with that information, he was 75 when he left the land of Haran, and it is ten years later.

Genesis 15: 1

(1) After these things (after ten years) the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying. Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

Now, what was causing the fear? Abram is in the land and he is 85 years old, and Sarai is 75, and to this point they don’t have any children. God had promised a son and he has kept them waiting for over ten years and nothing happens yet. I think if you were 75, and God had promised you a son, you would think it was time for it to arrive!

Genesis 15: 2

I think this is the key to his fear:

(2) And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?

He had been promised a child, but a child hasn’t come, and so Abram seems to argue “Lord did I make a mistake? I thought you said that Sarai and I were going to have a child, but perhaps you intended Eliezer my servant.” If you know the story, Eliezer was the chief servant in Abram’s house, and was much younger than Abram. And so Abram argues and says “Is Eliezer, this one of Damascus, the one who is going to have the seed?”

(3) And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.

Abram is beginning to waiver. He thought he was going to have a son, and now he is thinking “I am too old. I’m 85 and Sarai is 75.” That’s getting too late in life for this to happen, so I guess the Lord intended that Eliezer, my servant, would bear a child and that would be the seed. Well, about then, God said “It’s time to take Abram out for a walk.” I like to put it that way. There come times in our life when the Lord doesn’t maybe take us out to the wood shed, but He takes us out for a walk. And “Abram, It’s time for you to go walking with Me.”

Genesis 15:4-6

(4) And behold the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

(5) And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

He doesn’t even have one child, and God took him out and said: “Look at the stars. I’m going to give you a seed as numerous as the stars.” Now the wonderful thing is in the next verse.

(6) And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

We will come back to this later.

Then God put Abram to sleep and God gave Abram a covenant. I want to fill in the story before we go ahead and look at this 15^th chapter. In the 15^th chapter, God gives him a promise and He makes a covenant. And then in chapter 16:

Genesis 16: 1

(1) Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

Can you imagine what Abram was like when this young fellow of 85 went home after the Lord had given him this vision, and this promise? God said “You are going to have a land and a son?” Abram went bouncing home, and I’m sure he said “Sarai, we are going to have a baby.” Shock number one for her. She is only 75. And somebody visualized Sarai to start knitting!

Genesis 16: 2

(2) And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

I think Sarai said this with tears in her eyes: “I haven’t got any children, and I’ve been trying to figure out for all of these years why we brought Hagar back from Egypt.”

You see, we got the story last time that Abram and Sarai went down to Egypt because of the famine, and we weren’t told this earlier, but while they were down in Egypt, they brought back a beautiful young Egyptian girl to be their maid. And Sarai says “I’m too old to have a baby, and now I understand why Hagar is in the house.

There is really nothing immoral in this part of the story. And I think this must have been what happened: When Abram came home and said “Sarai, we are going to have a baby,” Sarai said, “Did the Lord say we, or did the Lord say thee?” And I guess Abram said “Oh, the Lord said I was going to have the child.” “ Did He mention my name?” “No, He didn’t mention your name Sarai.” “Well I have it figured out. The Lord doesn’t intend me to have a baby when I am 85. That is why this young girl is here. So Abram, you go in and conceive seed by this girl, and we will help God fulfill His Word.”

You know, whenever we try and help God fulfill His Word, we get into trouble. Do you know who was born into Abram’s house? – Ishmael. Do you know what Ishmael was? – a troublesome boy. He caused trouble from there on, because it was a lapse of faith. God had promised that Abram and Sarai would have a son, and now they try and help God out, and Ishmael is born.

Let’s move on from there

Genesis 17: 1-8 -- The Lord Appears To Abram Again

The next part of the story, we go on and read in chapter 17:1-8 where you can see that another period of time has passed. When Abram was 99 years old. Don’t miss it! It is 24 years. That is a long time when you are getting this age. And it is 24 years since he left Haran. And he is 99 years old, and the Lord appeared to Abram again.

Genesis 17: 1-8

(1) And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God;

It is not my purpose to give all the details of Genesis, but that is the term --

EL-SHADDAI – God Almighty, the giver of fruitfulness.

I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

(2) And I make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

(3) And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,

How wonderful, the God of Glory appeared to him 25 years before this. And now the God of Glory is talking to Abram again.

God Makes A Covenant With Abram; And God Gives Abram And Sarai New Names:

Abraham and Sarah

Genesis 17: 4-9

(4) As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee,

Now we are going to talk about that. The reason I haven’t read the rest of the 15^th chapter, I want to take this fact of the covenant separately.

And thou shalt be a father of many nations.

Before he was Abraham, he was Abram. Did you notice the difference? Do you know what Abram means? – father. It means daddy. But Abraham means big daddy. Did you get the difference? He was daddy when he left the land of Ur. And now God says, I am not only going to make you a father of one, I am going to make you a father of many nations. Did you get that? Abraham is not the father of one nation, Abraham is the father of many nations.

(5) Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram (daddy), but thy name shall be Abraham (big daddy) for a father of many nations have I made thee.

The wonder of all this is that Abraham doesn’t even have one baby yet. And yet God is calling him big daddy, before he has any children.

(6) And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

(7) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

(8) And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

All of this is the promise of God Almighty

(9) And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

And then He gives to them the responsibility of circumcision.

God Gives Abraham The Responsibility Of Circumcision

Genesis 17: 10-14

(10) This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

(11) And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

(12) And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

(13) He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

(14) And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

Genesis 17: 15

(15) And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

(16) And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her; yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

(17) Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? And shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

(18) And then Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

(19) And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

These are some of the most important verses I can read in the Bible.

Why did God make Abraham wait so long in order for them to have a child? He made them wait until Sarah was as good as dead. Can you imagine a dead woman having a baby? Why did He make him wait 25 years? Because when Ishmael was born, the old man was still alive. Did you get that? Ishmael was fathered by Abraham.

Romans 4: 19

(19) And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:

What am I telling you? Sarah could not have a child – her body was past having a child. And now God waits until Abraham is dead. He can’t have a baby! Did you ever see two corpses have a baby? But that is what you are reading about back in Genesis. Sarah’s womb is dead, and Abraham’s body is dead, and yet Isaac is born miraculously.

I think I told you once before, someone has a problem with the virgin birth. There is no problem – at least you have one live person. Mary was young and alive when Christ was born. But when Isaac was born, Sarah was dead and Abraham was dead. Two corpses had a baby. That was a miracle above miracles wasn’t it!

Well, what happened to Abraham when God said that Sarah was going to have a baby? He laughed.

Genesis 18: 1-2

(1) And the Lord appeared unto him (Abraham) in the plains of Mamre:

If you want your geography, that is down at Hebron in the vicinity of Beersheba, in the southern part of the land. And Abraham is sitting by the door of the tent when the Lord appeared.

And he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

(2) And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him;

(There is a visitation of three)

And it goes on to the 19^th chapter and it tells you that two of those three were angels.

Genesis 19: 1

(1) And there came two angels to Sodom at even.

Now go back and read in verse 9 of chapter 18.

Genesis 18: 9-15

(9) And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

Two were angels, and the one was the Lord, and He appeared as a man in this case.

(10) And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

(11) Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

(12) Therefore Sarah laughed within herself,

Did you get that? When God said it to Abraham, Abraham laughed. And now, when Sarah hears it, she laughs.

(13) And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

This wonderful statement:

(14) Is any thing too hard for the Lord?

Who is involved in this anyway? --The Lord is!

At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

(15) Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

We know that she laughed. And the Lord said it twice, regarding her laugh. The rest of it has to do with Abraham talking to the Lord.

I want to skip over now to the 21^st chapter.

Genesis 21: 1-2

(1) And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said,

You have the background. Abraham is 99, and Sarah is 89

And the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

(2) For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

(3) And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

Isaac means: laughter. And every time I think of that, I think I have something to smile about. You can’t fool around with God and get away with it. Abraham laughed at the Lord, and Sarah laughed at the Lord; and now a little baby comes along, and they call him laughter.

So may I put it this way: When he starts to walk around a little bit, and he gets a dirty face, Sarah says “Laughter come here.” And when it is time for dinner, “Laughter come to the table.” When it is time for bed “Laughter come on, it’s time for bed.” All the rest of her days Sarah had to be reminded of the fact that she laughed at God. So don’t laugh at God. He will have the last laugh. He might give you an Isaac, and then He will have the last laugh. That’s a little of the background of this story.

2. Facts About Abraham

Now we are going to look at some of the facts about Abraham.

Abraham Was Called A Hebrew – He Was Not An Israelite

Genesis 14: 13

I show you another word that appears for the first time in the Bible. And firsts are always important.

(13) And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

There is the first mention of the word HEBREW. In it’s original name, it was a nick name. He was called a Hebrew by the people of Canaan. Did you know what Hebrew means? – It means: “The man from the other side.” Where did Abram come from? He came from the other side of the Euphrates River. And now, in Canaan, because he came from the other side of the River, they are talking about “the man from the other side.”

Romans 11: 15-16

(15) For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

(16) For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

These verses tells us that this man from the other side, is the root of something that is going to happen later on. There are two words in verse sixteen we should pay attention to:

* Firstfruit

* Root

In the context, it is talking about Abraham being the firstfruit of Israel. Abraham is the root of Israel, and he becomes the father of many nations. Abraham and Isaac may rightly be called “Hebrews,” but never “Israelites.” Did it ever dawn on you that Abram was not an Israelite? I’m going to show you in our next lesson that the first Israelite was Jacob. There weren’t any Israelites before Jacob. All of these Bible characters before this, cannot be called Israelites. You could call these two Hebrews, but never Israelites.

Abraham Was A Prophet – A Man Of God

Abraham is called the “Hebrew” – “the man from the other side.” And in that, he certainly typifies the Lord Jesus, who was really “the man from the other side of the river.”

Now, another statement regarding Abraham.

Genesis 20: 7

(7) Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live:

Abraham is called a Hebrew. And here, in this passage, he is a prophet. This always means (I’m talking about a true prophet) “a man of God.”

1 Kings 13: 1-6

His name is not given. All of the names of the men of God’s are not given in the Bible. And here is an example. That is why I have chosen it.

(1) And, behold, there came a man of God (What was he? He was a prophet.) out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.

(2) And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name;

Incidentally, if you are interested in these little kind of details, that was 300 years before he was born. Three-hundred years before Josiah was born, he is named in the Bible by this man of God.

And upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.

(3) And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the Lord hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out.

(4) And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Beth-el, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him.

(5) The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord.

(6) And the king answered and said unto the man of God , Entreat now the face of the Lord thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.

What did it say way back in Genesis? – Abraham is a prophet, he will pray for thee. Did you get that? And here is a man of God and he is going to pray for Jeroboam. So a man of God and a prophet are one and the same thing.

Abraham Was A Friend Of God

Abraham the Hebrew was a prophet and:

2 Chronicles 20: 7

(7) Art not thou our God who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?

Abraham --- God’s friend! He was not only a Hebrew, he was also a prophet, but he was a friend of God.

Abraham, “a friend of God.” What does that mean?

Proverbs 17: 17

(17) A friend loveth at all times,

So what do you learn from this fact? Abraham the Hebrew, Abraham the Prophet was a great lover of God.

John 15: 14

(14) Jesus said: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Abraham was not only a lover of God, but Abraham did his best to obey God.

Abraham Is Called “A Father”

Genesis 17: 5

(5) Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

This is important for the understanding of your Bible hereafter. The seed of Abraham is three-fold.

1. Isaiah 41: 8 – The Seed of Abraham is the Jewish People; The Earthly children of Jacob

Isaiah 41: 8

(8) But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

Some people spiritualize Israel, but you can’t spiritualize Jacob. Did you get the difference? Jacob is the name after the flesh, and there is a seed out from Jacob that is the seed of Abraham.

You are constantly hearing in the news about the children of Israel. And you are hearing about the land of Israel. Where did these people come from? They are the seed of Abraham through Isaac, through Jacob.

Psalm 105: 6

(6) O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.

The children of Jacob (people after the flesh) are called the seed of Abraham. Have you got that?

2. Galatians 3: 16 – The Seed Of Abraham Is Christ

When the Bible talks about the seed of Abraham, who is it talking about?

Galatians 3: 16

(16) Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

When the Bible talks about the seed of Abraham, it is talking about the people of Israel. And the seed of Abraham Christ.

3. Galatians 3: 29 – The Seed Of Abraham Is All Believers

Galatians 3: 29

(29) And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

So, if you keep that straight, reading the Bible, it is going to help you out. Is Christ Abraham’s seed? - YES. Are we Abraham’s seed? – YES. Are the children of Israel Abraham’s seed? – YES. There are three branches of that seed.

Because we, the Church are Abraham’s seed that does not mean that we have replaced Israel. Because we are here, that does not mean we have erased Israel. We are only additional seed. As Christ is additional seed, so we are additional seed. More about that later on.

Abraham’s Two Sons

Abraham had two children – Ishmael and Isaac. Now, it is true that Isaac was the true son. But still there were two sons.

1. Ishmael

Genesis 16: 2, 11

(2) And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

(11) And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.

Who was his mother? – Hagar. Who was Hagar? – she was an Egyptian. What I am going to show you here is how the middle east is all tied up. They are all relatives. And what do you know about the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s? – they fight. Relatives get into family feuds. And so the middle east has always been in family feuds because they are all interwoven.

Hagar is an Egyptian, and so Ishmael, although he is Abraham’s son, he is an Egyptian son.

In these days, it used to be that you could almost say anything and get away with it! I think we used to be in a free country, but we are not quite in a free country any more. You have to verify and qualify, and you have to be careful about everything you say. But here before Ishmael was born, it was said:

Genesis 16: 12

(12) And he will be a wild man

God said he was going to be a wild man.

I am going to show you that Ishmael is the progenitor of what are now called the present Arab nations of the middle east. Where do the Arab’s come from? They came from Ishmael and Esau. Before their father was born, God said they were going to be wild men.

I have been to the middle east, and I am not trying to discriminate here, that’s not the point. I’ve got a point in the Bible that is absolutely true. There are wonderful people in the middle east, as long as you don’t cross them. But when you cross one of these fiery-eyed fellows, they can really turn from a friend to an enemy in a moment.

I don’t know if I ever told you about the time I felt I held hands with the devil. I was sitting in a Hotel in Jerusalem. This goes back to before Jerusalem was in the hand of the Jews. When I went to Israel the first time, Jerusalem was divided in half. The western side was Jerusalem – Israel. The eastern side was Jerusalem – Jordan. It was that way until 1967. So before I went to Jerusalem – Israel, I was first in Jerusalem-Jordan.

I am in a Hotel in Jerusalem-Jordan. After we had been touring all through the land throughout the day, we sat around in a circle. We talked from the Bible, and we asked questions and had them answered. Well, sitting back from our circle, was a minister of Agriculture in the Trans-Jordan Government – an Arab. He was a very intelligent individual, and he was sitting back there and listening to us. At the end of our conversation, he was asked a question. One of the brothers whose name was Green, said to this man who entered into our conversation, -- “What do you think about the fact that the Jews, after 2500 years have now come home to Israel?” And boy, you should have seen our friend turn color! The moment that statement was made, he was no longer our friend.

I walked a little further into the hall of the hotel, and a fellow came up and said “May I take your hand, I’d like to read your palm.” And I laughed at him, and when I laughed at him, he changed from an angel to a devil right there. And that’s when I felt I was holding hands with the devil -- when I saw those wild eyes.

I could go on and tell you more about what happened. When you go to the middle east, be sure you befriend the Arab, because God says they are wild men. They can’t help it, God made them that way. And here we have it in the Bible.

Genesis 21: 21

(21) And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

Ishmael married an Egyptian. His mother is an Egyptian, and he married an Egyptian. And after he gets married, he has 12 princes. We don’t ever hear anything about them. Where did all those Arab nations come from? – There were 12 princes that came out of this marriage. Rebecca turns out to be an Assyrian, and Hagar is an Egyptian, and Ishmael is fathered by Abraham. All of those people in the middle east are first cousins. And that is why they are having so many struggles.

2. Isaac

His birth is given in Genesis, chapter 21. We are going to consider him separately.

3. References About Abraham In The New Testament

So we go back to the story of Abraham, and look at some of the references that we find in the New Testament. Abraham is not only mentioned in the Old Testament, he is mentioned often in the New. It is this kind of thing that ties the Bible together. And as one begins to observe this, then you start seeing that it is indeed one Book.

a. Abraham – The Third Name Mentioned In The New Testament

The references that we are going to look at, we look at for the one reason only, to show you that when you come to the New Testament, you do not write off the Old Testament; because Abraham who is mentioned everywhere in the Old Testament is here in the New Testament.

Matthew 1:1

(1) The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

That first book in the New Testament takes you right back to Genesis, chapter twelve, where you are introduced to this man Abraham, and he is the third name named in the New Testament.

b. Abraham – Your Father

These people who were of the seed of Abraham, according to the flesh, loved to boast about it. I trust if the Lord gives us opportunity, before we are finished going through these lessons, we will get it straight as to where the Jews came from, and where the Israelites came from, and who they are today. But there were certainly Jews around when Jesus was here two-thousand years ago.

John 8: 52-58

(52) Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.

(53) Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead?

They looked upon themselves as being of the seed of Abraham. They were anti-Christ in their spirit. These Pharisees who are here contending with Him, haven’t accepted Him, but they said, “We are of our father Abraham. And are you greater than him? And are you greater than the prophets?

And the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

(54) Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:

(55) Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not then I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

We talk about Jesus, meek and mild. Don’t miss some of these things that He says in the Gospel of John. He called the Pharisees liars right to their face. And He said, “If I acted like you, I’d be a liar like you.”

(56) Your father Abraham

Did Jesus acknowledge the national, natural connection of these people with Abraham? Did you see it? “Your father Abraham.” He is not talking about a spiritual relationship, for these people are not saved. They have no spiritual relationship. And yet, Jesus said “Your father Abraham.” Now let me stop for one minute. Did Jesus believe the Old Testament history? If you are going to believe Jesus, you have to believe the history of Abraham. Yes you do!

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

(57) Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty ears old, and hast you seen Abraham?

Abraham was on the scene 2000 years ago!

(58) Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

Jesus stated who He was. But I want you to notice the connection in there – the fact of Abraham. If you are going to believe the words of Jesus Christ in John 8, you are going to have to believe the record of Abraham.

c. Long After Abraham’s Death

Let’s go from there to that intriguing story that we took under the Doctrine of Salvation. I want to go back and read it from the standpoint of history. I want to read it from the standpoint of looking at the Bible as a whole.

Luke 16: 22-31

(22) And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom:

Why is it called that? Because Abraham is the father of all who believe. And if you die you are going to find yourself in Abraham’s bosom too. You are going to be with the household of faith.

The rich man also died, and was buried;

(23) And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Do you believe what you are reading? Abraham has been dead for 2000 years, and Jesus is telling us a story relating to his time of life. Two-thousand years, and Abraham is dead and the rich man dies and he sees Abraham. Is it possible to see after death? If you are going to believe your Bible, it is. It challenges your faith doesn’t it. It takes away a lot of the spookiness out of life when you start reading your Bible. The rich man died and he saw Abraham, and he saw Lazarus.

(24) And he cried and said, Father Abraham,

Why did he say that? That is proof positive that the rich man was a Jew. The Gentiles didn’t call Abraham their father. But this man, after he dies, he sees Abraham, and he said “Father Abraham have mercy on me.”

Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

(25) But Abraham said, Son,

Abraham is talking long after he is dead.

Remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

(26) And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

(27) Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:

(28) For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

(29) Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

(30) And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

(31) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

I do not know whether we have the capacity to really enter into the fact of what we have just done. We have just read the conversation of two men, 2000 years after they have died. They are dead for 2000 years, and they are still talking. And we are reading it 2000 years later. So what you are reading here (the words of Abraham) he has been dead for 4000 years. And here we have a record of this man still talking. I guess when the dead die, that’s not the end of them.

d. A True Son Of Abraham Is A Man Of Faith

Luke 19: 9

(9) And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

e. Abraham Believed God

I have not, by any means, taken all the passages that deal with this man Abraham. Here are some of the most important ones:

Romans 4: 1-3

(1) What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?

Now will you notice that? Who is Paul? – He is a Jew. And he is talking about Abraham, his father in the flesh. A Jew with a Jew.

(2) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

(3) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

That is a direct quotation from Genesis 15: 6. And so, here the New Testament is building a doctrine on the fact of Abraham.

f. Bible Directions Begin At Jerusalem.

Matthew 8: 11

(11) And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham,

Bible directions begin at Jerusalem. When the Bible says “north,” it doesn’t mean north of Vancouver. When the Bible says “south,” it doesn’t mean south of Texas. When the Bible says “north” it is north in relationship to Jerusalem. When the Bible says “south,” it is south. When it says “east,” it is east of Jerusalem. Why did I say that? If all Bible directions are from Jerusalem, and many are coming from the west and the east, where are they going to meet? They are going to meet in Jerusalem.

Many shall come from the east and the west, and do what? – Sit down with Abraham. Jesus said the day is going to come, when people from the east and the people from the west are going to meet in the city of Jerusalem and sit down with Abraham. East and west is not the language of Heaven. East and west is the language of earth. And so it is not talking about Heaven, so I only have one conclusion. Do you know what that verse teaches? – Abraham is going to come back again. If people are going to come from the east, and they are going to come from the west, and they are going to sit down with Abraham, well then Abraham has to be resurrected, and Abraham has to be brought back. And that is exactly what I believe!

g. Abraham Died NOT Having Received The Promises

Hebrews 11: 8-13

(8) By faith Abraham

(9) By faith he sojourned

(10) For he looked for a city

(11) Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed,

(13) These all died

Would you concede with me that the word “these” include Abraham? I am talking about Abraham, so I am zeroing in on that man. So when it says “these,” in the context it certainly includes Abraham.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises,

When Abraham died, God had not fulfilled His promises to him.

Genesis 13: 14-15

(14) And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

Abraham is standing at a point, and God said, You look in every direction. Was Abraham on earth, or was he in Heaven? Silly question! He is still on earth. And he is not standing on Heavenly ground, he is standing on earthly ground.

(15) For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

Look as far west as you can. Look as far east as you can. Look as far north and as far south as you can. Abraham, all the land which thou seest will I give it, and I am going to give it to thy seed for ever.

(16) And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

(17) Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

Stop and think for a minute. When Abraham died, and when his wife died, he didn’t possess a foot of land. He was a sojourner and a pilgrim. He didn’t have any land. In fact, when he went to bury his wife, he had to buy a plot of ground. Abraham bought a plot to bury his wife in, and for him to be buried in. What did Hebrews say? Abraham received some promises, and he died not having received the promise.

What has to happen? What is going to happen? I’ll tell you what is going to happen – God has to resurrect Abraham and God has to bring Abraham back to this earth to fulfill the promise He made to him -- because Abraham is going to get the title to all that land when God brings him back again. He had it given to him by promise, but he is going to possess it

When I start teaching this way, there are a certain element of Christians who will say: “He is too earthbound and too earthly minded.” Well, I don’t feel that way. I can become Heavenly minded because I can see these earthly things.

Romans 4: 13

(13) For the promise,

It is talking in the context of verse 12 – talking about Abraham.

For the promise,

Not in this case, but there is a difference in the Bible, and you have to watch it, when it says promise, or promises. In this case, it is not talking about the promises, but one promise.

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world (the earth) was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Listen, if God is going to be righteous, he has to keep the promise that He gave to Abraham!

Matthew 5: 5

(5) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Jesus said, in the Sermon on the Mount, that the meek shall inherit the earth. We read that, and we have all kinds of ideas about it. Jesus confirmed that fact, that the men of faith and the meek are going to inherit the earth. Won’t it be a great time when the meek do inherit the earth! Won’t it be great when Abraham comes back and takes his possession?

We believe that this promise will be literal in fulfillment. There is where we cross swords with some – that we believe in a literal resurrection, and we believe in a literal bodily resurrection. We believe that God is going to resurrect people for the specific reason of bringing them back to this earth. There is really no need for a resurrection if He is not going to do that. We wouldn’t need our resurrected bodies if God didn’t ordain that we are going to come back to earth again. He is going to resurrect Abraham. He is going to bring him back. We believe this promise will be literal.

Colossians 1: 15-19

(15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

(16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

(17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

(18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

(19) For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;

In that passage, it lets you know that He is the heir of everything.

Romans 8: 17

(17) And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;

Look at that wonderful statement. We are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. We are heirs, as is Abraham. Don’t miss that! Abraham is a man of faith, and he is an heir of God.

1 Corinthians 3: 21-23

(21) Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;

Isn’t that quite a statement. All is ours.

(22) Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;

(23) And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

Why is all ours? All is ours because we are related to the heir of everything. Jesus is the heir of everything, and we are going to enter into it with Him, but don’t try to take possession yet. Everything belongs to you, and everything belongs to Abraham, and Abraham is going to come back and possess his possession.

3. Summary Of:

Lessons From The Story Of Abraham

a. The Bible Is ONE Book

The Bible is ONE Book. I am trying to emphasize that, all throughout my lessons. We must consider each subject in the light of all the Bible. Heresies are often truths taken out of context, and more often out of the context of the Bible as a whole – or as ONE Book. If you study things in light of the whole Bible, you will not be led astray.

b. What We Read About In The Old Testament,

Is Often Referred To In The New Testament.

Adam – Abraham

Isaac – Jacob-Israel

Egypt – Jerusalem

Passover – Canaan

Firstborn – Firstfruits

c. The Meaning Of These Words Is Well-Established

In The Old Testament

The meaning of these words is well-established in the Old Testament. And, if all the Bible is to make sense, we must never change the original meaning of these words from Genesis to Revelation. There is where I argue with a lot of Bible teachers. They change the meaning of words. Persons and places may be types, but that does not change the Old Testament original meaning.

EXAMPLE

Adam is used in the New Testament as a type of Christ, but he is never Christ.

Israel becomes a type of the Church, but never becomes the Church.

d. One Cannot Really Believe Or Understand

The New Testament, Without Believing The Old Testament

Matthew 22: 29

(29) Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

John 5: 46-47

(46) For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

(47) But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

e. The Covenant With Abraham Is A Major Subject Regarding This Man

In this Covenant, God made some specific promises.

Genesis 12: 2

(2) And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

In that verse of Scripture, God has made a covenant that He is going to make a great nation out of Abraham.

Genesis 13: 16

(16) And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth:

The implication of that is really tremendous. I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth.

Genesis 15: 7-10

(7) And he said unto him, I am the Lord that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

(8) And he said, Lord God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

Verse 13 says: Know. He asked a question, “How can I know?” and in verse 13, God said: KNOW. On what basis?

(9) And he said unto him, Take ME an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

(10) And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not,

You can imagine; He takes the heifer and the goat and the ram and divides them in half. He places one piece of the animal to the left, and the other piece of the animal, he places to the right. He does this with each animal, making an alley way between these carcasses. That is the way they made covenant in those days.

Do you know why they cut these pieces in half? Because when two men made the covenant, the one man would walk through, and then the other man would walk through; and they would say to each other “If you don’t keep your word, it is going to happen to you like it happened to those carcasses. We are going to cut you in half.” And so, it was kind of a sure covenant. So God used the order of the day. Abram, you take a heifer and cut it in half, take a ram and cut it in half, take a goat and cut it in half.

Genesis 15: 12-18

(12) And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram;

I like that! Twice in the Bible to this point we read about a deep sleep. The first time, Adam was put into a deep sleep. And now the Lord puts Abram into a deep sleep. And I don’t think he walked in his sleep! That is why God put him into a DEEP sleep. Why?

(13) And he said unto Abram (He talked to Abram while he was sleeping)

Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four-hundred years;

(14) And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

(15) And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

(16) But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

(17) And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.

(18) In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram,

Have you got the picture? Where is Abraham? He is asleep. What is happening? The fire of the presence of God moves between the pieces. God alone moves between the pieces. This is not a conditional covenant. This is an unconditional covenant. Abram is asleep, and God is making the covenant with Abram while he is sleeping. That is why the fire goes in-between the pieces.

What is the covenant?

(18) In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given

This is not a contradiction. We are going to read it later on. First God said: Will I give, a promise. Now, when He made the covenant, He didn’t promise it to Abraham, He said: I am going to give it to your seed.

Unto thy seed have I given. It is very specific

Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

Here is a good exercise. Take a map and look it up. Find the river of Egypt which is not the Nile River. There is a river down there that flows straight south, and you can find it on an old map. Find the river of Egypt. That is where it starts.

From the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

This is not talking about Heaven is it? I don’t expect that the Euphrates is going to flow in Heaven. The Euphrates is still flowing over there in what we call “the middle east.” Look at the borders. You have, a way over to the east side, and you have to the west side over there to the river of Egypt and a way over to the Euphrates. And God says, while Abraham is asleep – The border is going to be the Euphrates and:

(19) The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,

(20) And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

And I usually say: “and all the other parasites.” All that is listed, and it is very specific. If you can find where all those nations were, you will get the north and south border. The children of Israel, to this day, have never possessed that land.

When it comes to Ezekiel, it says that they are going to possess two-hundred miles north of Damascus. You have all heard of Damascus. And you know it is on the map in Syria. And so all of Syria, two-hundred miles north of Damascus, to a way down south, a hundred miles south of Beersheba, right over to the Mediterranean, right over to the Euphrates, God said to Abram: I’m going to give this land to your natural seed.

They have never had it, so I guess God has to do something for them in the future. And so, I believe there is a future on the basis of the promise. Can you see that it is very specific? God draws out the land, and God says, “I am going to give them this land.”

Genesis 17: 7

(7) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

I have arguments with some people, who, when they come to the New Testament, they read John 3:16, and the like, and they talk about our everlasting life. If we have everlasting life, that means everlasting life. Then you have to give the same thing to Abram; because God has promised an everlasting promise to Abraham. I guess it is not going to have an end. And so, God has to do a few things yet, that we don’t perceive, or don’t see.

4. Isaac – Another Father Of The Family

a. The Great Type

Genesis 21: 1-2

(1) And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

(2) For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in is old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

In Genesis 21, you have the birth of Isaac.

Galatians 4: 4

(4) But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.

I am suggesting to you, that the birth of Isaac is a picture of the birth of Christ. I am not going to deal with that, but Isaac becomes one of those great pictures of the Lord Jesus. And Isaac’s birth was a miracle birth, as was that of Christ.

Genesis 22: 1-2

(1) And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

(2) And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest

That is the first mention of love in the Bible.

And get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

I’m not going to read the rest of the story. Do you know what this pictures? Abraham takes his son, builds an altar, ties his son, and in a figure, Isaac dies and rises again. So what is chapter 22? – It is a type of the death and resurrection of Christ. In chapter 21, the birth of Christ. Chapter 22, the death and resurrection of Christ in type.

Genesis 23:1-2

(1) And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

(2) And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

Who was Sarah? Sarah was the channel through which Isaac came into the world. What did the 23^rd chapter typify? The setting aside of Israel. Sarah typifies Israel.

Chapter 21, you have the birth of Christ in type. Chapter 22, you have the death of Christ in a picture. Chapter 23, you have the setting aside of the channel that brought Israel’s Christ into the world.

Genesis 24: 1-3

The greatest love story in all the Bible

(1) And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

(2) And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

(3) And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

Are you all with me? What is the 24^th chapter of Genesis in a type? The 24^th chapter, is the picture of the Church being brought in. Israel is set aside, Sarah dies, and now Rebekah comes into Isaac’s tent. Have you got any view of typology? And then what happens in chapter 25?

Genesis 25:1

(1) Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

Abraham got married again. You see, a type is never perfect. It never stands on four legs – only three. You see, if the type had been perfect, Sarah would have been resurrected again. But Sarah isn’t resurrected. After Rebekah is safely home in Isaac’s tent, Abraham turns aside and brings back another woman – the restoration of Israel.

Here is the plan of God. Jesus came into the world, and by his death, Israel was set aside, and by Israel being set aside, we Gentiles (like Rebekah) have been brought in – haven’t we? And when God gets us safely home, He is going to restore Israel again into Abraham’s tent. I think only God could put something like that together.

We have been considering the fathers of Israel. The first father Abraham, and then followed by Isaac, Abraham’s only begotten son. Now, that phrase “only begotten son” The reason it is so interesting, it bears on how we interpret the phrase elsewhere in the Bible.

Hebrews 11:17 Speaking of Abraham and Isaac

(17) By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

John 3:16

(16) God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.

Now what does that phrase mean? I repeat, Isaac is called the “only begotten son.” We have learned from our study, and we know from the history, in point of fact, Abraham at this time, had two sons. Ishmael was his firstborn son. And yet Isaac is called his “only begotten son.” What is the significance?

“Firstborn,” and “Only Begotten” are interchangeable terms in the Scripture. And both of them refer to the fact that the one that is called the “Only Begotton” or “Firstborn,” is the heir of his father. Did you get that? He is the heir. Ishmael was not Abraham’s heir – Isaac was. And when it speaks of Jesus Christ as being the Only Begotten, it has nothing to do with generation, but it has to do with position. Jesus Christ is the heir of all the Heaven affords. And so we learn that little lesson as we look at this history.

We read about the birth of Isaac, back in Genesis 21. In our last lesson, we put together and brought to your attention Genesis, chapters 21 to 25. In chapter 21, we have the birth of Isaac who is typical of the birth of Christ. And then in Genesis 22, Abraham takes Isaac to Mount Moriah.

Genesis 22: 1-2

(1) And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt (test) Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

(2) And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac,

He already had Ishmael. But his only begotten is Isaac.

Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest

I remind you, that is the first mention of love in the Bible. Firsts are always important. The first mention of love is the love of the father for the son. Isn’t that significant?

And get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there

Notice the location – the land of Moriah – elsewhere in the Bible, called Mount Moriah.

In the city of Jerusalem, there are two significant mountains. On the one side, the east side, is Mount Moriah. And over on the west side is Mount Zion. They are both within the city of Jerusalem. If you are going to go to Mount Moriah, you have to go to Jerusalem. If you are going to go to Mount Zion, you go to Jerusalem. Zion is a mountain within the circumference of the city of Jerusalem. And I want to point out a little significance of these two places.

First of all, in Genesis, it was on Mount Moriah that Abraham in a figure, offered up his son Isaac. You know he didn’t actually offer him, but the Bible says, in a figure he offered him on Mount Moriah.

2 Samuel 24: 16

Here we read another story, relative to this same location?

(16) And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it,

Notice where we are, generally speaking – over the city of Jerusalem.

The Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing place of Araunah the Jebusite.

(17) And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? Let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.

(18) And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.

(19) And David, according to the saying of Gad (the prophet), went up as the Lord commanded.

And if you skip down, they had a bargain regarding the spot.

2 Samuel 24: 24

(24) And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

(25) And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

2 Chronicles 3: 1

This verse ties the story together

(1) Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah,

Have you got it? Solomon began to build the temple at Jerusalem in Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David (his father) In the place where David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.

Let’s put it all together. Abraham went to Mount Moriah to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. In the same spot, almost a thousand years later – (for between Abraham and David there is a thousand years) Abraham offered his son. David built an altar and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord. And, in the same spot a few years later, the son of David built the temple.

You can’t say that the hand of God is not in all of this! Where is it? It is in Jerusalem on the east side, and it is called Mount Moriah. And where the temple was built, they offered hundreds and thousands of sacrifices. Why? We have no difficulty. The sacrifices offered on the altar in the temple pointed forward to the sacrifice of Christ. The altar that David had built pointed forward to the altar that God was going to build.

And back in Genesis 22, and how wonderful, it was the father and the son together, who went up Mount Moriah to offer a sacrifice. That, to me, is tremendous. Where that temple stood, and where David stood, and where Abraham stood --- today there stands the dome of the rock.

Have you seen pictures of Jerusalem? Have you seen pictures of inside the wall where they have that golden dome that was built about seven hundred ago? I’ve had the privilege of going inside, on a number of occasions. Sometimes you can go, and other times you can’t. It depends on what people have done. The last time I was there, I couldn’t go where I had gone before because of some fanatical people.

Under that Dome is a large rock. And in that rock, there is a hole that would measure at least eighteen inches across. I have gone down underneath, I’ve looked up through the hole, and then I have been told by my guide, that hole was drilled through the rock, and over it stood the Brazen Altar in Solomon’s temple. When they slew the animals, there had to be a place for the blood and the water to drain for the sacrifice. And so, through this hole that is in the rock, the water and blood would flow out into the Valley of Kidron – out from the temple area.

This is tremendous in all of its implications: I was standing in the city of Jerusalem, not too long ago, near Herod’s Gate. I wish I could take time to explain all of the geography. But as I was standing there, I looked over to the left of me, and I could see the top of the Dome of the Rock. And then I looked over to the right of me, and on a hill outside of Jerusalem, there is what is called Gordon’s Calvary.

As I stood looking, I could see that the street that is there now, has cut right between the Temple area of Mount Moriah, and Calvary. And I suddenly realized that Mount Moriah is the bottom slope of the hill we call Calvary. On Calvary’s brow, two thousand years ago, God built an altar. It was an altar that outstripped what they had done in the Temple, and it outstripped what David had done. And it outstripped what Abraham had done. And, it is all the same mountain. And so we sing: On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross.

When God was depicting the type of the cross, He put it at the bottom of the mountain. But when Christ came, and God built the altar, it was at the top of the mountain. Don’t you think it is the way it ought to be? When Jesus died on Calvary, He fulfilled all those types and shadows of Mount Moriah. So you can see the significance when we go back further and look a little bit more there at Genesis 22.

Let’s go back and look at it. Everything about it portrays, depicts, the events of the first coming of Jesus Christ.

Genesis 22: 2

(2) And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

(3) And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

That word is so important “in this place.”

(4) Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

(9) And they came to the place

According to the plan of God, there was only ONE place where Jesus could die for our sins. It was in the place of God’s choosing.

Back to verse four

(4) Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

(5) And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

By this time, Isaac is about twenty years old. Don’t think of him as a little boy. He is a full-grown man. But if you think that Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born, you can understand him calling Isaac a lad can’t you! He was a hundred years old when this boy was born, and now he says: you stay here and I and the lad will go yonder. If ever there is a verse of faith, it is this one.

I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

Isn’t that beautiful! Abraham is going to offer his son. God said: Take him to a certain place and you offer him up. And Abraham does not look upon this as some duty to perform. When Abraham goes to offer his son, it is an act of worship.

Do you know what every act of yours should be? – that you do for the Lord. I care not how great or small it is – every act should be looked upon as an act of worship. Abraham said: “We are going to go and worship.” God said, “Take your son and slay him.” Abraham is going for three days. Wouldn’t they be an awful three days! He has been told as a human being – You are going to slay your boy. And I guess Abraham was reckoning as he went along, thinking about what God had said. And suddenly faith arose in his heart. What is faith? I told you earlier, faith is the ability to believe what God says.

God had promised that in Isaac, Abraham was going to have a seed. And at this point, Isaac isn’t even married yet. Isaac hasn’t any children. And so for three days, as Abraham makes his way to Mount Moriah, he is having a conflict of faith. And Abraham finally came to this conclusion:” I’m going to take my son, and I am going to slay him, and God has to raise him from the dead. The reason God has to raise him from the dead is because God has promised that this boy is going to have a seed. He hasn’t got a seed yet, so I’ll take him up, and I’ll slay him, and I’ll bring him back again. God will raise him from the dead.”

That is why Abraham is the father of the faithful, because Abraham was the first man in the Bible to believe in bodily resurrection of those who die. Abraham believed that God was going to raise Isaac from the dead. He believed that God could not lie. And if God could not lie, then Isaac had to come back again. That is why he said: Young men, you stay here. We are going to go worship, and then we are going to come again. That is faith.

There is another beautiful type in here

Genesis 22: 6

(6) And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son:

There is a side to the cross that is tremendous. When Jesus went up Calvary, who carried the wood? Who carried the cross? Jesus did. Who is carrying the wood here? Isaac, the son. The father and the son are going up Mt. Calvary together, and the wood is laid on the back of Isaac.

And he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

(7) And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

Abraham knew, but Isaac didn’t. Isaac asks where is the lamb? And then faith arises again.

(8) And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:

I want to say this: If the provision is made by God Himself, it has to be good enough to be acceptable to God doesn’t it? God provided the sacrifice, and therefore, it is acceptable.

(9) And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there,

I think, too often, we see the human side of the cross. By not seeing the type, we don’t see the Divine side of it. You go to the book of Isaiah and read about the cross. It says it pleased the Lord to bruise Him. We think the Romans did it. Listen, if God had not been behind the bruising, the Romans could have done nothing. It was the Lord who took His Son.

And Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

Isaac goes to the place of death without a word of complaint,

“As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.”

Can you see the parallel? Isaac doesn’t complain. There is not one word against his father. He is one-hundred percent in obedience to the will of his father. And Jesus said, when he was here on earth,

“I didn’t come to do my own will. I came to do the will of Him who sent me.”

(10) And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

Abraham intended to slay Isaac.

(11) And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

(12) And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

You see, Abraham had come to the place (and now I speak of him as the double type). He is the type of God the Father, but he is also the type of every believer. He came to the place of complete obedience to the will of God. What a wonderful thing!

(13) And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

(14) And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

And so you can see a tremendous type involved in that chapter.

Now I repeat, chapter 21 in type is the birth of Christ in the birth of Isaac.

Chapter 22 in type is the death of Christ in Isaac and Abraham going up in the mountain.

Genesis 23: 2

(2) And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

I told you what that typifies:

Chapter 21 – the type of the birth of Christ.

Chapter 22 – the type of the death of Christ.

Chapter 23 – the type of the setting aside of the nation of Israel.

Israel was the nation through whom Christ came into the world. Sarah was the channel through which Isaac came into the world. And now, God in His Sovereignty, sets Sarah aside. And why that? So the 24^th chapter. What a sweet chapter this is.

Genesis 24: 1-21

(1) And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age:

Do I have to remind you, of a fact that is everywhere about you, and it is all through the Bible – if you are going to live long enough, you have to get old. Don’t ever forget that one. There is no choice in the matter. That is all that happens to people who live long enough – they get old.

Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

That’s a text that could be preached on. The Lord had blessed him spiritually. The Lord had blessed him emotionally. The Lord had blessed him financially. In every way Abraham had been blessed.

(2) And Abraham said unto his eldest servant

His name is given, and I will refer to him by name. His name was Eliezer.

And Abraham said unto Eliezer, his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

(3) And I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

(4) But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

Now the wonderful typology. Look back again. Isaac is born, and in a type he dies, and Sarah is set aside, and the next story is the sending out of a servant to bring home a bride for Isaac. Who would the servant typify? – The Holy Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord has been sent into the world to find, and to win, and to woo a bride for the greater Isaac. The Spirit of God is the servant of God in the world today, finding, wooing and winning a Bride for Christ.

You will notice the word servant in verse 5.

(5) And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

(6) And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.

(7) The Lord God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.

(8) And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.

(9) And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

(10) And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master,.

Will you please notice this little fact. Nothing from here on is that which belongs to the servant. It all belongs to Isaac. Did you get that? It is Abraham’s first, but Abraham gives all that he has to Isaac. And so, when he takes the camels, they belong to his master.

And departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

(11) And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.

(12) And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.

(13) Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

(14) And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shown kindness unto my master.,

(15) And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

(16) And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

(17) And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

(18) And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

(19) And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

(20) And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

(21) And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not.

The man, from the human side -- this is one thing to remember, types are never perfect. And when God uses a human, you will find human failure in there. This man wondered at the works of the Lord. He had prayed a specific prayer, and then God answered his prayer, and the moment his prayer was answered, he stood and wondered. Doesn’t that sound like all of us?

I think of the story in Acts, chapter twelve. It is one of those stories about an early church prayer meeting. If you haven’t read it recently, read about it. Peter was in prison, and the whole church was praying for Peter to get out. They are all praying that the Lord will somehow get him out of prison. And you know what happened – the prayer meeting is going on and the Lord sends an angel, takes Peter out of prison, and when Peter came to himself, he went to the prayer meeting. Isn’t that interesting!

When Peter got to the door, he knocked, and he said “I’m Peter” and Rhoda went running back and she forgot to open the door, she was so excited. She went back in and said “Peter is at the door.” And the whole prayer meeting said “It can’t be. Why that man is in prison.” Here he is at the door. They had been praying for Peter to get out, and when he got out, they didn’t believe.

There was only one in that prayer meeting who had any faith, and that was that little girl, Rhoda. She had faith, and she believed that Peter would be there. And when she heard his voice, that was enough to put her into a Hallelujah spout. She didn’t have to open the door to see for sure, she knew it was Peter, because that little girl had faith when she was praying.

Back to the servant. Here is the servant of the Lord. He prayed a specific prayer, and he said Lord, I want you to do it this way. And when the Lord did it that way, he stood back and wondered for a while. If that hasn’t happened to you, you haven’t lived long enough. It is going to happen some day. You will make a specific prayer and God will give you a specific answer, and you will stand back and wonder “Did that really come from the hand of the Lord or not?”

Genesis 24: 22-36

(22) And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;

Who did all of this stuff belong to? It belonged to Isaac. And who is the steward of it? Eliezer. And what is Eliezer doing? He has found a girl and he starts to woo her, by displaying to her the wealth of his master. And so he gives these things to her. Then you will notice the change in verse 26.

(23) And said, Whose daughter art thou? Tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father’s house for us to lodge in?

(24) And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.

(25) She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.

(26) And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.

He had been led of the Lord and now he knows it.

(27) And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.

(28) And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother’s house these things.

(29) And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.

(30) And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.

(31) And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord;

There is the first record of the background of the Jewish people. And I say that a little humorously. But you see, it was the gold and the silver, and the bracelets that attracted Laban. You will find out a little later on, that Jacob and Laban have quite a time together. And you have the first original Jews making bargains about everything.

Laban saw the gifts and said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? For I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.

(32) And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men’s feet that were with him.

(33) And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.

(34) And he said, I am Abraham’s servant.

(35) And the Lord hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.

(36) And Sarah my master’s wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath Abraham given all that he hath.

Isaac is his only begotten son. And Abraham has given all of his wealth to Isaac.

Genesis 24: 45-67

(45) And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder,

(48) And I bowed down my head and worshipped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master’s brother’s daughter unto his son.

(49) And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.

(50) Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.

(51) Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master’s son’s wife, as the Lord hath spoken.

(52) And it came to pass, that, when Abraham’s servant heard their words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth.

(53) And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment

Can you not imagine that when he was giving these things, he would be saying: “these belong to my master’s son.”

(58) And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

What a wonderful text of Scripture! “Will you go?” “I will go.”

(59) And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant, and his men.

(60) And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

Here is Rebekah who has said she will go to be with Isaac. She has made her commitment, and she has been decked with precious jewels and gifts, and now what happens? She loads herself on a camel for a rough ride. If you ever rode a camel, it is a rough ride. And through the dust of the journey, she makes her way.

(62) And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.

(63) And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and behold, the camels were coming.

(64) And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.

(66) And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.

(67) And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her:

The second mention of love in the Bible. Isaac loved Rebekah. Have you got any picture for typology? Do you know where you are today? Have you said “I Will” to the Lord? If you are saved, you have. And the moment you say “I Will” to the Lord, you start the camel ride. You have a few gifts to remind you who is at the end of the road. At the end of the journey, Isaac came out to meet Rebekah. She didn’t go all the way home, he came out.

One of these days, our Lord is going to come out to the air, just like Isaac came out. And when he came out to meet Rebekah, the moment their eyes met, Rebekah slid off the camel. Her rough ride was over for ever. Praise God, one of these days, our rough ride is going to be over for ever when we meet our Isaac.

You can see how it all goes together. The death of Christ. The setting aside of Israel. And then, the bringing in of the Church. That’s where we are now. Really, we are in the twenty-fourth of Genesis, because the Church isn’t home yet. The greatest love – the love of the father for the son, and then the love of the son for his wife.

Two Sons Are Born To Isaac

Isaac had two sons. Later on we are going to read the portion. But there is something that comes out of this that I want to bring to your attention. Two sons are born.

Genesis 3:15 the first prophecy in the Bible – two seeds are promised. The seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent. Two seeds. And from the very beginning, God said there would be conflict.

Genesis 3: 15

(15) And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Abraham has two sons. The first one is Ishmael, and he is the son of Hagar, the Egyptian.

Genesis 16: 15

(15) And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.

Genesis 17: 20

(20) And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

So Ishmael produced a nation of twelve sons.

Then Isaac the son of Sarah.

Genesis 17: 19

(19) And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

Out of the seed of Sarah and the seed of Isaac, the seed Christ is going to come.

Genesis 25: 23

(23) And the Lord said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the older shall serve the younger.

When Isaac marries Rebekah they have two sons. And this becomes very important in current Bible consideration.

Genesis 28: 9

(9) Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had

Esau marries an Ishmaelite.

Genesis 36: 1

(1) Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.

He produced the nation of Edom. Thus Ishmael and Esau produced today’s Arabs.

Then Jacob had twelve sons that became the twelve tribes of Israel. The Israel of today is from this man Jacob. And so to understand the present day, we have to know this history.

The Arabs Have Produced:

Just look at these facts: These Arabs have produced, over the years:

A prophet by the name of MOHAMMED.

They have produced a book called THE KORAN.

And they have produced a religion which is (a way) ISLAM.

Now, a few things out of the paper that I have here entitled:

A BORN AGAIN MOSLEM. It has to do with this religion. Here is a man who went to the University in Toronto. He is from Brantford Ontario. He said he met a young man, and this young man started to talk to him about God.

“I was looking for work, and so he gave me a car, while he went on the bus.” That’s the first thing. “And then he visited me every day, and he told me how grateful he was to God, for giving me the chance to help him. And he led me into the way of the Moslems.”

Did you see the background? He showed kindness to one in need. And he got him on the right track.

“I work in a factory in Brantford Ontario, although I am not rich in mind or in money, and sometimes do not live up to the high ideals of Islam” (and here is what I want to bring to your attention) “I try, I try, I try.”

Islam is a religion in which everybody tries to do his best. Christianity is not that! Christianity is not trying, but trusting. That’s the first point.

He said, “It makes strong demands. It forbids gambling. It forbids sexual infidelity. The family is most precious. If a man or woman are found committing adultery, under this religion, they are stoned. I try to understand its severity, for it is a means to protect the family.”

Then he goes on to say “A true Moslem has one great dream – to make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in his lifetime. In fact, it is his duty.”

But here is the thing I want you to notice: The twentieth century was announced to be the Christian Century. Missionary Societies predicted the winning of the entire world to Christ by the year 2000. But the recurrence of militant Islam has radically smashed this dream.

One fifth of the earth’s population today is Islam. They claim 939,176,000 followers When they talk about Christians, in this kind of thing, that includes everybody who calls himself Christian – 947,500,000 Christians. In fact they are only ten million behind us in the world population. About forty countries of the world are now predominantly Moslem. Another thirty have large populations of Moslem. In Canada, there are now 200,000 Moslems. And I don’t suppose anybody in Vancouver is ignorant of the fact that they are increasing here very rapidly.

And so, going back and looking at what we have here, Two seeds are going to have great conflict. The Moslems, or the Arabs have produced Mohammed. A book called the Koran, a religion called Islam.

The Israelites Have Produced:

While, on the other hand, the Israelites have produced:

The prophet JESUS CHRIST.

They have produced a book – THE BIBLE.

And they have produced (the way) – CHRISTIANITY.

Thus, the reason I bring this to your attention – the struggle in the Middle East is not only historical, it is very Spiritual. There is a struggle going on that we are going to see increase as the days go on.

Isaac Became Very Great

Genesis 26: 23-24

(23) And Isaac went up from thence to Beersheba.

(34) And the Lord appeared unto Isaac the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.

But when he was old, he was blind.

Genesis 27: 1-4

(1) And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see

Genesis 35: 28-29

His death is recorded

(28) And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.

(29) And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Hebrews 11: 20

Just one thing regarding the death of Isaac; I won’t look at all of his greatness, we will leave that part out. But he is one of the links in the chain of Israel’s history.

(20) By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

That’s all he talks about before his death. He blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

Hebrews 12: 16-17

(16) Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

(17) For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Genesis 27: 32-41

I take it for granted that you know the story of Esau going out to get savory meat for his father.

(32) And Isaac his father said unto Esau, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.

(33) And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? Where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? Yea, and he shall be blessed.

(34) And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father,.

(35) And he said, Thy brother came with subtlety, and hath taken away thy blessing.

(36) And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? For he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me?

(37) And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?

(38) And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

(39) And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above;

(40) And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

(41) And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

The part of the story that I want to leave with you is this: When you read in the book of Hebrews that Esau sought for repentance with tears, what is it talking about? I think it is this: When Esau came in to be blessed, and he found out what Isaac, his father, had done, he got down on his knees, and he said “Dad repent.” “Turn it around. You take away the blessing that you gave to my brother, and give it to me.”

But Isaac trembled because he almost missed the Will of God. Isaac found out afterwards it was God’s Will that Jacob be the one through whom the seed should come. And he almost made the biggest blunder of his life just before he died. But God intervened. We look at all that goes with the story, and we think about all that conniving, but listen, God used it all, because it was God’s Will not that Esau be blessed, but that Jacob be blessed.

Concluding Note

This is something I am going to say over and over again: We cannot state this fact too often. Abraham is Abraham from Genesis to Revelation. Isaac remains Isaac from Genesis to Revelation. The original meaning is never changed. Please remember that, because when we get to the next subject, it becomes very important. The original meaning is never changed. This simple fact will have a bearing on how we will continue to interpret the Bible. You may not see the value of it now, but I trust we will before we are finished.