Abraham - Part 1

Entry - Nine


Some of these chapters are pretty straight through; So, I won’t spend too much time on them... just point out a thing or two, here, and there. Okay:

GENESIS
Chapter 12:1-3 “Now the LORD had siad 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:
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:
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, why would the LORD command Abram to leave his extended family and his father’s house??? Again, it seems like the whole story is not there..., but we can look at past patterns of the children of man; and see that the LORD doesn’t separate families... unless they are becoming wicked; then, he separates the faithful ones from the disobedient ones. Obviously, Abram was faithful, along with Lot his nephew, son to Abram’s deceased brother Haran; and other people that followed them. So, Abram, his wife Sarai; Lot, his wife, and some other people traveled into the land of Canaan, and Sichem, and the plain of Moreh. As Abram stopped by those lands; he build an altar, and called upon the LORD, who appeared to him, and said that, he would give that land unto his seed: Genesis Chapter 12:7 “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.” So, we know that the altar tradition has been going on since the time of Adam... We can also know that the altar was not only to make an offering unto the LORD, but to also call upon him: 12:8 “....and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.” Now, in Chapter 13; Abram and Lot have to separate because they were so rich in cattle, and in silver, and gold. They couldn’t travel together any longer. They needed their space for their animals to feed properly. There was not enough food for all their animals and people they were traveling with; so, they had to go their separate ways to survive. And, so they did. In Chapter 14 we read that nine kings go to war against each other:
Amraphel king of Shinar
Arioch king of Ellasar
Chedorlaomer king of Elam
Tidal king of nations

These four kings made war against, these five kings:
Bera king of Sodom
Birsha king of Gomorrah
Shinab king of Admah
Shemeber king of Zeboiim
Zoar king of Bela

In the process of the war; Lot was captured along with his goods to say the least. When Abram finds out he goes out with 318 of his servants to rescue his nephew whom he calls his brother. So, this tells us that Abram, though he was a man of God; he knew how to fight in battle... this is something that some, don’t think about. Some prophets of God were also warriors in times of war... they were not mild and weak physically. So, Abram rescues Lot, and his people, and all of his goods. Now in Chapter 14:18 we are introduced to a King, King of a place called Salem: This King is not just any king; He is a righteous king. He is also The Priest of God..... Again, we are missing information on this High Priest Melchizedek....Now, here is another ritual that we see from time to time in the Old Testament. The priests have bread and wine that they set apart as sacred. Only certain people could eat it and blessed it... like a priest or a prophet. Chapter 14:18 “... And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God....” Melchizedek blesses Abram. In Chapter 15; Abram was in his eighties (now, around this time; people were not living as long as they used to... Terah, Abram’s father lived 205 yrs old (see Chap. 11:32). Their life expand was under 200 yrs... it seemed...) Anyway, Abram was in his eighties when the LORD promised him that he would have a seed of his own bowels as an heir: and have a numberless generation. Abram believed the LORD. He also told him that the promised land (Canaan and the surrounded area) would not be his seeds for at least a couple of hundred years. That they first would be, not only strangers, but servants unto a different land; and those people would afflict them for 400 years - before they leave that land... but when they'd leave that land; they would not come out empty handed; they would “...come out with great substance” He also tells Abram that he would live to “..a good old age.”
Genesis15:13-15 “... And he said unto Abram, know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not heirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.”

In Chapter16 The LORD didn’t tell Abram at this time how his seed was to come about.. Sarai gave Abram his Egyptian maid Hagar as his second wife; that she may have children for her.... (it seemed that the custom was that the main wife could claim any children that her maid had as her own. Hagar became wife to Abram, but she was still Sarai’s maid). It seemed that once Hagar got pregnant - Hagar must have looked down on Sarai, because Sarai couldn’t have any children at the time. Sarai complained to Abram, and He reminded her that Hagar was still her maid. Sarai apparently was hard on Hagar, and put her in her place; that Hagar ran away from her. An angel appeared to Hagar and told her to go back and submit to Sarai... He told her that she would have a son, and to name him Ishmael; he told her that her seed would be numberless. So, with that encouragement, Hagar went back to Sarai.
Genesis 16:4 - 11 “... And he went into Hagar and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, theymaid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water...... And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands..... I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude...... thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael....”

Abram was 86 yrs old when Ishmael was born (Chap.16:16). In Chapter 17 Abram was 99 yrs old when the LORD appeared unto him, and told him, he would be father of many nations; and princes would come out of him. He changed his name to Abraham, and Sarai to Sarah. He commands him to circumcise every male child eight days old and older... he told him that it would be a token of their covenant with him. That’s how they would know their own. He told him that Sarai would bare him a son and to name him Isaac. Abraham was happy to know that Sarah would give him a son in their old age. He was also concern for Ishmael... The LORD let him know that although his chosen covenant would be with Isaac and his seed: Ishmael would also be blessed. He would also multiply him greatly; bless him with twelve princes, and make him a great nation... But Isaac and his seed would be the main covenant. Abraham gets circumcise at 99 yrs old, and Ishmael at 13 yrs old.
Genesis 17:4 - 22 “As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 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.... kings shall come out of thee... This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcise.... And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you... And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be... and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 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? And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee 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. 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. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this time in the next year. And he left off talking with him and God went up from Abraham..”

Note: Here again is another proof that God is not a mist or energy floating around... He appeared to Abraham; talks with him; and then goes up..”And he left off talking with him and God went up from Abraham..”. So, Abraham saw God going up If God was a mist or energy of some sort... Abraham would have used different words to describe the mist or energy...like; white mist or whatever color it showed up; ...feel his energy, or something like that, to describe the energy...

These chapters are not that confusing, but I just thought I’d summarize them, and point out a few things here, and there. Well, we’ll continue with the story of Abraham, and his family in the next two or three entries. Have a nice week!

JC