step by step: old testament lesson 4: god and the patriarchs

Step By Step: Old TestamentLesson 4: God and The Patriarchs

Rev. Christopher J. RespassAntioch Bible Institute

Fall 2012

Partial Review: Lesson 3

I. Impact of Sin1. First Murder: Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:1-8)2. A cold-hearted society: Lamech murders for simply being touched (Gen. 4:23-24).3. The Fulfillment of God's word: People began to die (Gen. 5, “…and then he died.”)

Partial Review: Lesson 3

II. Beginning Again A. The Flood (Gen. 6)1. Wicked people with wicked thoughts.2. Noah as a righteous person3. Noah and building the Ark

B. The Tower of Babel (Gen. 11)1. Rebellion against God (see, Gen. 11:4)2. Confusing the languages (Gen. 11:7-9).

God and the Patriarchs: Abraham

I. AbrahamA. Name changed from Abram in Gen. 17:5. Sarah’s name was changed from Sarai in Gen 17:15.B. Dad was Terah from Ur of the Chaldeans (in Modern day Iraq). Haran was situated in modern day Syria.


II. The Call of Abraham (Gen 12:1-9)A. Following The Flood, the table of nations mentioned in Genesis 10 excludes one notable country/people: Israel.

B. God brought Israel into existence by calling men and women of faith. This journey starts with Abraham.


C. The Specifics of the call (Gen. 12:1-5)1. Leave your homeland.2. Leave your family.3. Go to a land I will show you…

eventually.4. I promise to show you my favor.


D. Specifics of God’s Promise1. Make you a great nation.2. Bless you & make your name great.3. You will be a blessing (to others).4. God will bless those who bless you.5. God will curse those who dishonor you.

Q: Why would God make such a rich promise?

Abraham’sFaith in Action


E. Faith in Action (Gen. 12:4)1. Abraham 75 yrs old, Sarah 65 yrs old.2. Moved from Ur to Haran to Canaan. That’s approximately 1500 miles.

Q: What potential risks and dangers could this journey present?


II. Abraham in Egypt (Gen. 12:10-20)A. Famine arises in the land.B. Abraham decides to go to Egypt to sit out the famine.C. Before he goes to Egypt, he tells Sarah to lie and say she is his sister.

Q: Anything peculiar about this journey compared to the one from Ur to Canaan?


D. Consequences of Acting in the Flesh1. Married couple separated.2. Arguably innocent man unknowingly brought into a potentially adulterous situation.3. Pharaoh’s household given a plague.4. Who knows how Sarah really felt?

Q: See our potential when we exclude God?


III. Abraham and Lot (Gen. 13)A. Abraham and Lot had great possessions (Gen. 13:2-6).

B. The land could not sustain all the livestock, so strife resulted (v.7).

C. Abram and Lot separated (v.8-12).1. How did Lot choose the land? (v.10-11).2. How did Abraham humble himself? (v.9, 12)


D. God’s Promise to Abraham1. Give you all the land you see to your offspring forever (Gen. 13:14-15).

(note: could this have something to do with the current strife in the Middle East?)

2. Make your offspring as the dust of the earth (i.e., innumerable).


IV. Abraham and Hagar (Gen. 16).A. God’s Promise in Gen. 13:16

“I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.”


B. Abraham and Sarah lack the faith to wait!1. Old: Abraham is approx. 85 and Sarah is approx. 75. (see, Gen. 16:16, Gen. 17:17)2. No children… yet.3. Hagar is able to bear children.

C. Hagar gives birth to Ishmael, the father of the Arabs.


D. Tension between Sarah and Hagar (v.4-6).

E. Hagar and her son flee the abusive household…temporarily.

(Note: God is El Roi (“the God who sees”) for Hagar the handmaiden.)

step by step: old testament lesson 4: god and the patriarchs

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