November 13, 2007

Bible Study:

Genesis Chapter 12

 A Picture of God’s Faithfulness

To receive the greatest possible blessing from this Bible study, please take a moment to read the passage.

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           Prayer:

            Countless times, I have done what was right in my own sight trusting in my own understanding. But You, oh God, You are Faithful and True, righteous in all Your ways. And yes, patient in Your dealings with me. Praise, honor, and glory belong to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

 Introduction:

           

            I have always enjoyed traveling as long as someone else sat in the driver’s seat. However, when it came to my own driving, I was a wreck (pardon the pun). The longest I had ever driven was to Lancaster—four hours round trip. Living in rural central Pennsylvania hadn’t prepared me for the maddening Harrisburg traffic. While my forehead glistened with beads of perspiration, my hands ached from my white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel as I prayed for safety to the other side of the city.

            Unbeknown by me for eighteen years, God took us on that voyage several times a year to my daughter’s doctors partially in preparation for the driving He would require of me when she went to college. God often takes us to a place where we must not only exercise our faith, but, more importantly, rely on His faithfulness.

 

           The Lesson:

 

We demonstrate faith by our actions. When God called, Abram proved his faith with obedience and it was credited to him as righteousness (James 2:23-24). Abram’s journey parallels Jesus’ first advent as well as the promise of His second coming.

 

The Instructions: 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 shew thee: (Genesis 12:1 KJV).

Throughout the gospels, especially John’s, we read Jesus’ declaration that He left His heavenly home to enter the world of His creation. In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God (the Father) and the Word was God (John 1:1 KJV). And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth (John 1:14 KJV).

As with Abram, Jesus walked in obedience to the Father. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me (John 6:38 KJV).

While Abram had little understanding about God’s plan of salvation and the role he was to play in it, Jesus had full knowledge of God’s plan and His role. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again (John 10:17 KJV).

Abram, later named Abraham, was an example to the Israel nation, and thereby dubbed the father of faith. Paul, Luke, James, and the author of Hebrews refer to Abraham as that example because all Jews understood the implication.

Ultimately, Jesus is our example of faithful obedience. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my father’s commandments and abide in his love (John 15:10 KJV).

 

The Promise: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make they name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 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 (Genesis 12:2-3 KJV).

The direct fulfillment of this promise, of course, is Israel and we will always remember Abraham’s name in association with faith. Through Israel the messiah has come and all nations are blessed because of His sacrifice on the cross. And He will make for Himself a new nation. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of the darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God (1Peter 2:9-10a KJV).

Genesis 12:5 adds an interesting light to Abram’s departure and entrance into the promised land: 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.

“The souls they had gotten” implies the souls who were servants of Abram. As servants, they came under Abram’s protection and provision and entered the Promised Land (Canaan) with him. Abram’s servants were blessed as he was blessed and enjoyed his riches with him.

Similarly, all believers, souls won to faith in Jesus, are under His constant protection and provision. And some day we will enter into His kingdom with Him. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJV).

 

 God’s Faithfulness: The second half of this chapter reveals one of Abram’s weaknesses—his wife Sarai. Although he believed and acted on his faith in God, Abram stumbled several times when the tests came. Abram feared for his life and failed to trust God to deliver him and his wife from potential danger not only in this encounter with Pharaoh, but also with Abimelech king of Gerar (Genesis 20). Years later, Isaac repeats the same sin (see Genesis 26:6-32). Some theologians will argue that Abram did not lie because Sarai was Abram’s half sister (Genesis 20:12). However, he and Sarai agreed to deceive Pharaoh in order to save Abram’s life. Deception is deception regardless of half-truths and it shows a lack of trust in God on their part. It does no good to try to avoid the obvious. And I doubt if Abraham would deny his sin or attempt to justify it.

One point stands out in these accounts of human frailty—God is faithful even when we are not. Not only did God deliver Abram and Sarai unscathed, but he caused their enemies to bless them. Understand, God does not reward deceit or unfaithfulness, but He does carry out His plan despite human effort or shortcomings. God had a plan for Sarai as well as Abram and nothing would thwart that plan, not even their lack of trust.

At first glance, it would appear that not only did Abram’s lack of trust go unpunished, but that it was rewarded. Each occasion mentioned above, Abram received a bounty of servants and livestock. So his riches were increased. However, Abram never possessed the Promised Land and to date, neither have any of his descendents (at least, not the entire land of Canaan). Abram lived his life on earth as a nomad roaming from place to place and living in a tent (Hebrews 11:8-13). Nevertheless, God will one day restore the entire land to Israel.

Through Abram’s life lessons, he discovered God’s faithfulness, which eventually enabled him to trust God with Isaac’s life.

 

 Conclusion and Challenge:

           

             Of all my life lessons, the following one stands out most clearly in my mind, maybe because of its simplicity.

            After Melinda had attended a half of a semester at Tocoa Falls Christian College (700 miles from home), she insisted on coming home for fall break. Impractical to drive to Georgia, bring her home for four days, and then take her back, we opted for a plane ticket to fly her into Philadelphia.

            Now, the Lord said to me, “Go out, and drive among them.”

            “A six hour round trip—I can do this I’ve driven four hours what’s two more. Okay, Lord. But please show me the signs and help me get into the right lane of traffic in plenty of time.” As He guided us to Philadelphia and back, my God-confidence stretched with every inch of the turnpike.

            Six weeks later, another test presented itself. Melinda had found a ride to Richmond, VA not quite half way home for Christmas. Eight hours one-way—sixteen round trip. This seemed to stretch the God-confidence a tad too far in my feeble mind. But God provided a solution and I invited a friend who was willing to help drive. So I learned with the help of others, I was capable of doing something otherwise impossible for me to even consider. I drove most of the way. At that point, I realized I would be capable of driving the entire way to Tocoa Falls in the spring to bring Melinda home for the summer.

            Although my knuckles still turn white and my forehead still glistens when I drive on cumbersome highways, I trust God more in all areas of life because of this life-long lesson.

 

          Start a Ministry

 

            Start a new ministry. Print some business cards with a picture of a penny and the slogan “In God We Trust.” Under the slogan write: But are we trusting the one true God? If you like, place my website on it or yours or your church’s site. Hand them out—with your tip a restaurants, to passers-by, to cashiers, put them in all your outgoing mail. Pray earnestly for our nation’s revival.

            If you don’t have a computer or time to make cards, but would like to invest in this ministry, write to me via e-mail and I’ll send you some-FREE.