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Post by arthurpare on Sept 9, 2012 21:29:09 GMT -5
Chapter 2 in The Story: Genesis 12-22, 28, 32-35 The account of Terah, Abram, Sarai, and Lot, Pharaoh, Abimelech, Hagar, Ismael, Isaac, Easu, Jacob.
This is the story of a promise made and kept by God. We see Abraham as a good man, but with imperfections and faults a mile wide. He is not perfect. God did not "owe him" anything. God made his promise and kept it. God made it obvious that he provided the heir and he alone is in control.
Abraham did honor and obey God, and really showed a great level of trust, even though we sometimes look at his failures.
And the death and burial of Sarah and Abraham punctuate the promised land narrative, buying a cave to be buried in because as nomads they had no part of the promised land - yet!
Whole volumes have been written about this biblical narrative and three major human religions find their roots contained within this section. What thoughts and questions do you have?
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Post by arthurpare on Sept 11, 2012 8:33:59 GMT -5
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
Perfectly beautiful promise - and then 10 verses later we have Abraham lying, causing his wife to lie, risking the promise of the Lord God, going to Egypt and worrying when God had promised to bless him.
Take heart that Abraham was imperfect. Praise God for his unmerited grace.
We have hundreds of promises from God. How confident are we? How much do we 'lean on our own understanding' instead of relying on God? When should we take things into our own hands and when should we allow God to be God?
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Post by arthurpare on Sept 13, 2012 23:00:42 GMT -5
Bob Bailey's comment to his class: Greetings! We ended last week with mankind cast out of the Garden - separated from God by their sin - to live in a broken world. Though God's relationship with mankind had changed, God did not. At this point, God begins to work out his plan to redeem mankind and return us to relationship with Him. Did you remember the "application assignment"? Did you encounter a situation this week that re-enforced the concept that we are created beings in search of a Creator? This week we will look at how God begins to create a nation through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We are in Chapter 2 of "The Story". Scriptures we will be covering: www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2012-22&version=NIV (Genesis 12-22) www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2028&version=NIV (Genesis 28) www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2032-35&version=NIV (Genesis 32-35) A few things to think about as you read: Pay close attention to Genesis 12, the events of this chapter are key to everything that comes after it. How does God work in the lives of His people? What is God really asking His people to do? How does God respond when His people fail? What is similar about the ways we see God's people respond to God? See you Sunday, Bob Bailey
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Post by arthurpare on Sept 18, 2012 22:13:12 GMT -5
Well done Lyn, bringing out the foreshadowing of 'the lamb of God' in the elements of the binding of Isaac. That is the kind of interrelatedness that makes us aware of the miracle of the Bible.
Also discussed the theme of Rescue and Mercy.
Let me know what you remember of his lesson.
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