Genesis Through Joshua- Genesis: Abraham's Life and Israel's Hope Part 2

The Structure of Abram’s Life
11:10-12 Abram’s election and blessing (i)

13-14 Abram and surrounding people (ii)

15-17 Abram’s covenant relationship with God (iii)

18-21 Abram and surrounding people (iv)

22-25 The future of Abraham’s blessing (v)


We’re going to be looking at (iii) and (v)

(iii) The Literary Structure of Genesis 15-17
15: The promises that God makes to Abraham
16: Abraham fails by going in with Hagar
17: God comes back to Abram and renews the covenant

1) The Covenant Promises
It was important for the Israelites to have children.
God assures Abraham of the promise.

15:7-21 God confirms the promise to Abram that he will receive the Promised Land.
Abram prepares a ceremony cutting up animals. Abram falls asleep and has a trance. God assures Abram of His promises in the dream. God promises that He will be cursed if He doesn’t keep up to His promises.
God promises on the basis of grace and not works.
.
16- Abraham’s failure
Galatians 4 tells us that Abram turned away from the promise taking things into his own hands. Ishmael is born by Hagar. Ishmael is in hostility against others forever.

The practise of having a surrogate mother in this culture was acceptable.

2) Covenant Responsibilities
17:1 is written 13 years after the Ishmael event. God makes it clear that he must walk before Him and be blameless.
V9 tells us that Abram had a responsibility in the covenant- circumcision.
People who violate the covenant will be cut off from the covenant and left to die.

Was the covenant conditional or unconditional?
It was both.
Unconditional: the goodness comes from God’s promises and grace.
Conditional: anyone who claimed to be a child of God and turned away in denial was cut off from the covenant.

3) Moses message:
Israel must learn that their covenant relationship is the same to that covenant given to Abraham.

(v) Genesis 22-25 Literary Structure
Isaac is the illustration of multiplication and victory.
The death of Sarah signifies the partial possession of the Promised Land.

1) Abraham’s Assurance of a Future
22:1-24
Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own Son as a result his seed possess the land.
24:1-66 (Marriage of Isaac to Rebekah) has a lot to do with the purity of the line.
24:60 the result of purity is blessing.

Israel is to be reminded that they are airs of Isaac- the pure line to posses the gates of their enemies.

The Message to us
We have a two-fold covenant. We are blessed with grace but must persevere to the end to be saved.
Our future blessings are Abraham’s future blessings in Christ.

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