Bible Study Notes on Genesis 11:32 - 15:21

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bram's World (Background) Abram was called approximately 275 years after the Tower of Babel. After the dispersion conquest to reunite tribes took place immediately. The three nations dominant in Abram's time were Sumeria, Akkadia, and Egypt. Sumeria was in southern Iraq (Babylon) and its capital was Ur of the Chaldean (Semitic) people. Akkadia to the north ruled over Haran, located in southern Turkey, just north of Canaan. Canaan itself was still made up of many city-states unified only by many people's worship of Molech, a barbarous "god" who required the sacrifice of every first born male son. However, they were probably under the suzerain protection of Egypt as a territory of Egypt, but not an actual satellite state. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Abram's Call Abram and his family were living in the most civilized country in the world at the time, in Ur of the Chaldeans of the Sumerian (Babylonian) empire. When Abram first received his the entire family traveled along the caravan routes where they would be safe but stopped in Haran (11:31), apparently because of his father's failing health. Whatever the reason, he resumed his journey at 75 years of age in 1877 B.C. (some say 2091 B.C.). He then journey on through Canaan down to the south, near Egypt. Note that Abram left a life of luxury and wealth in Ur to move to a land near anarchy, ruled by city-states who practiced human sacrifice. Abram's choice was not easy. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Application Questions : Have you left something secure and prosperous for a vague promise? Would you? Genesis 12:10-20 Abram and Sarai in Egypt Sarai and the Pharaoh Sarai was 65 years old at this time. At this time, the average lifespan of man was decreasing to the current average, but men this did not happen instantaneously. Terah, Abram's father, lived to 205 years of age, so Sarai probably still looked like a woman in her mid-forties. Abram's Faith Abram lied about his wife because he was afraid. He was willing to see his wife with another man because he feared being killed himself. Nevertheless, God protected Sarai and sent plagues to the Pharaoh. Note that Pharaoh had given Abram sheep, oxen, donkeys, and slaves as a dowry. God protected him even when he was not completely faithful. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Application Questions : Has God ever protected you, even when you didn't deserve it? Genesis 13:1-18 Abram and Lot Separate The Separation Abram and Lot had become very wealthy, but they were both still sheep herders and the land could only support so many sheep. They were wealthy in terms of farmers, not urban kings. Note that Abram gave the choice to Lot. He could have chosen for himself. As the inheritor of the promise he could easily have chosen the greener lands, but left that choice to Lot who chose the green pastures of Jordan, near Sodom. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Application Questions : Have you ever chosen the easy way? Did something which looked prosperous or enticing ever turn into a curse for you? Genesis 14:1-16 Abram Rescue Lot The Coalition Against Sodom and Gomorrah The land was still predominately small city-states. Canaan was not officially a part of Sumeria, Akkadia, or even Egypt (despite its treaty with Egypt), so it was common for the different "kings" of the cities to war with one another. Five kings from cities east of Jordan (some were under Sumerian suzerainty) wages war against Sodom, Gomorrah, and two of its allies. Because these were small city-states it likely that each city's armies were comprised of under a hundred men (75 to 100), making a total army of under 500. Abram's Sortie After Lot and his people were taken captive (for slavery) by the kings of the east, Abram allied with Mamre and his brothers. The total army for Abram came to 318 men. Note that Lot thought he had chosen the best land, but that land also made it prey. Lot was already paying the price for choosing value over faith. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Application Questions : When was the last time what you thought was a good choice led to bad consequences? Genesis 14:17-24 Melchizedek Who Was Melchizedek? Melchizedek literally means King of Righteousness. Melch comes from Melech meaning "king." Zedek is "righteousness." He was told that he was the King of Salem (which would later be called Jerusalem). Tradition also claims that Salam was once called "Zedek" hence Melchizedek would actually be a title for the "King of Zedek." Nevertheless, the Bible calls the city Salem, not Zedek. The Zedek argument is often used to justify the notion that Melchizedek was actually Shem. This Jewish tradition, associating Melchizedek with Shem, the forefather of Abraham, is suspect for several reasons. First, why would Shem "be a king among the cursed race of Ham.” Second, “why should his name be changed? And how came he to settle in Canaan?” Additionally it is questioned whether or not this theory is compatible with Hebrews 7:3 where Melchizedek is said to be without father or mother, when Shem’s father was clearly Noah. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ This leads to the theory that Melchizedek is none other than a preincarnate visitation of Jesus Christ based on Hebrews 7:3 where Melchizedek is said to be "without father, without mother, without genealogy." Nevertheless, there is a fatal flaw with this view. Namely, Jesus “is manifestly distinguished from him in Heb. vii 3.” Hebrews 7 clearly is comparing the priesthood of Melchizedek to that of Jesus. One does not compare Jesus to Jesus, nor Moses to Moses. It makes no sense to say, “that President Ronald Reagan sure was a lot like Ronald Reagan. Why Reagan talked like Reagan, and he even acted like Reagan.” Why not? Because he is Reagan! Hebrews 7:3 explicitly says that Melchizedek was “made like the Son of God”, not “he was the Son of God.” The statement that he was "without father, without mother, without genealogy" appears to be in the context of the story, for even Jesus had a mother and father! It is by way of comparison. For this reason some have argued that Melchizedek was an angel rather than Christ, but how would an angel become a king of Salem? Neither Jesus nor an angel would have ruled as a king in ancient Canaan. Clearly Melchizedek was a man; he was a prototype of Jesus in Hebrews, but nothing more. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ How was he a prototype? Both Jewish tradition and the Bible (Psalms 110:4 as well as Hebrews) call Melchizedek a High Priest, but of what religion? Most of the Canaanites worshipped the brutal "god" Molech. However, not all did. Abram's allies, Mamre for one, continued to worship the God of Noah. In Jewish tradition and Hebrews Melchizedek is considered one of the last of the monotheist priests. Abram was not alone in remembering the God of Noah, but few remained. This fact alone makes Melchizedek righteous, for he served as a priestly king in a culture that virulently against God. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ How Did Polytheism Arise? If Melchizedek was the last of the monotheists, then we might ask how polytheism arose. After men spread out from Babel, they took and perverted God into their own views. Because of the different languages, their understanding and perversions of God also differed so that eventually no one could tell the god of one city was originally the same god of another city. After military conquests sought to reunify the world, religious differences became a problem. They found that it was easiest to acknowledge other religions under the umbrella of polytheism in the west and pantheism in the east. Thus, monotheism was dying out, and considered "intolerant." Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Is Tithing Biblical? Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything he had to honor him. From this Jewish law eventually came to require a tax, or tithe, of 10%. Hebrews 7:1-10 also speaks of tithing. Certainly tithing was a part of Jewish culture from antiquity and is found in the Law of Moses, but is tithing as taught today truly Biblical? First, note that Abraham gave him a tenth of everything once. There is no indication that he continuously tithed after this meeting. Now Abraham was rich, so the application is limited, but what is shown here is an example of a righteous man giving his money to one who would use it to serve the Lord. There is nothing indicated that tithing should be a sort of "tax" on all people. In fact, Jesus indicated that it is not the act, but the act of the heart which counts (Luke 21:1-4). The rich gave their tithe out of their surplus, but the poor widow gave all she had. Thus our actions (e.g. volunteer service) are far more important than material tithes. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Abram and Sodom After giving a tenth of all he had, Abram was offered possessions himself as a reward for their rescue, but Abram rejected the rewards, refusing to take anything from pagan reprobates. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Application Questions : What have we given to the Lord? Have we given service to the Lord or just surplus money? Which is better? Second Application Questions : Have we rejected material gains because we stood on principle? Would you? Genesis 15:1-21 The Promise and Prophecy Abraham Promised a Son (15:1-6) Abram was in his mid-eighties and had no children. Sarai was a barren woman now in her seventies, but God promised that he would have a son of his own from his own body. We are then told that Abram believed and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Now Galatians 3 and James 2 both note that one is not reckoned for what was does, but reckoned for what is considered or counted upon. Indeed, Abram believed, but his faith wavered (as we will see in chapter 16). Faith is not always perfect, but is perfected in Christ. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ The Prophecy of Israel's Slavery (15:7-21) Abram offered a sacrifice to the Lord, but birds of prey harassed him and by evening he was so tired that he seemed to almost fall into a nightmare state when the Lord made a prophecy. According to the prophecy the very descendants to whom God promised the land would first be enslaved. Abram's descendants would not gain the land promised to them for over four hundred years, but in the fourth generation after Abram they would be led to freedom. Now according Exodus 6:16-20 Moses was the fourth generation from Levi, Jacob's son. Note : The four hundred years of Exodus 12:40. Notes : _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Application Questions : Does hardship precede blessing? Does God require patience? What hardships and waiting have you had to endure? What blessings have you received as a result of that faith?