Genesis Lesson 5 - Call Of Abraham

1.Genesis Chapters 10-11 give a list of the descendants of Noah. From which son did Abraham come? Do a little research and show which nations flow from which of Noah’s Children, especially Europe from which the United States was settled.

Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.’
The first of Noah’s grandsons mentioned is Gomer. Ezekiel locates the early descendants of Gomer, along with Togarmah (a son of Gomer), in the north quarters (Ezekiel 38:6). In modern Turkey is an area which in New Testament times was called Galatia. The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus records that the people who were called Galatians or Gauls in his day (c. AD 93) were previously called Gomerites.1
They migrated westward to what are now called France and Spain. For many centuries France was called Gaul, after the descendants of Gomer. North-west Spain is called Galicia to this day.
Some of the Gomerites migrated further to what is now called Wales. The Welsh historian, Davis, records a traditional Welsh belief that the descendants of Gomer ‘landed on the Isle of Britain from France, about three hundred years after the flood’.2 He also records that the Welsh language is called Gomeraeg (after their ancestor Gomer).
Other members of their clan settled along the way, including in Armenia. The sons of Gomer were ‘Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah’ (Genesis 10:3). Encyclopaedia Britannica says that the Armenians traditionally claim to be descended from Togarmah and Ashkenaz.3 Ancient Armenia reached into Turkey. The name Turkey probably comes from Togarmah. Others of them migrated to Germany. Ashkenaz is the Hebrew word for Germany.
The next grandson mentioned is Magog. According to Ezekiel, Magog lived in the north parts (Ezekiel 38:15, 39:2). Josephus records that those whom he called Magogites, the Greeks called Scythians.1 According to Encyclopædia Britannica, the ancient name for the region which now includes part of Romania and the Ukraine was Scythia.4
The next grandson is Madai. Along with Shem’s son Elam, Madai is the ancestor of our modern-day Iranians. Josephus says that the descendants of Madai were called Medes by the Greeks.1 Every time the Medes are mentioned in the Old Testament, the word used is the Hebrew word Madai (maday). After the time of Cyrus, the Medes are always (with one exception) mentioned along with the Persians. They became one kingdom with one law — ‘the law of the Medes and Persians’ (Daniel 6:8, 12, 15). Later they were simply called Persians. Since 1935 they have called their country Iran. The Medes also ‘settled India’.5
The name of the next grandson, Javan, is the Hebrew word for Greece. Greece, Grecia, or Grecians appears five times in the Old Testament, and is always the Hebrew word Javan. Daniel refers to ‘the king of Grecia’ (Daniel 8:21), literally ‘the king of Javan’. Javan’s sons were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim (Genesis 10:4), all of whom have connections with the Greek people. The Elysians (an ancient Greek people) obviously received their name from Elishah. Tarshish or Tarsus was located in the region of Cilicia (modern Turkey).
Encyclopædia Britannica says that Kittim is the biblical name for Cyprus.6 The Greeks worshipped Jupiter under the name of Jupiter Dodanaeus, possibly a reference to the fourth son of Javan, with Jupiter a derivative of Japheth. His oracle was at Dodena.
Next is Tubal. Ezekiel mentions him along with Gog and Meshech (Ezekiel 39:1). Tiglath-pileser I, king of Assyria in about 1100 BC, refers to the descendants of Tubal as the Tabali. Josephus recorded their name as the Thobelites, who were later known as Iberes.1
‘Their land, in Josephus’ day, was called by the Romans Iberia, and covered what is now (the former Soviet State of) Georgia whose capital to this day bears the name Tubal as Tbilisi. From here, having crossed the Caucasus mountains, this people migrated due north-east, giving their tribal name to the river Tobol, and hence to the famous city of Tobolsk.’7
Meshech, the name of the next grandson, is the ancient name for Moscow. Moscow is both the capital of Russia, and the region that surrounds the city. To this day, one section, the Meschera Lowland, still carries the name of Meshech, virtually unchanged by the ages.
According to Josephus, the descendants of grandson Tiras were called Thirasians. The Greeks changed their name to Thracians.1 Thrace reached from Macedonia on the south to the Danube River on the north to the Black Sea on the east. It took in much of what became Yugoslavia. World Book Encyclopedia says: ‘The people of Thrace were savage Indo-Europeans, who liked warfare and looting.’8 Tiras was worshipped by his descendants as Thuras, or Thor, the god of thunder.
The four sons of Ham
Next we come to the sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan (Genesis 10:6).
The descendants of Ham live mainly in south-west Asia and Africa. The Bible often refers to Africa as the land of Ham (Psalms 105:23,27; 106:22). The name of Noah’s grandson Cush is the Hebrew word for old Ethiopia (from Aswan south to Khartoum). Without exception, the word Ethiopia in the English Bible is always a translation of the Hebrew word Cush. Josephus rendered the name as Chus, and says that the Ethiopians ‘are even at this day, both by themselves and by all men in Asia, called Chusites’.9
Noah’s next grandson mentioned was Mizraim. Mizraim is the Hebrew word for Egypt. The name Egypt appears hundreds of times in the Old Testament and (with one exception) is always a translation of the word Mizraim. E.g. at the burial of Jacob, the Canaanites observed the mourning of the Egyptians and so called the place Abel Mizraim (Genesis 50:11).
Phut, the name of Noah’s next grandson is the Hebrew name for Libya. It is so translated three times in the Old Testament. The ancient river Phut was in Libya. By Daniel’s day, the name had been changed to Libya (Daniel 11:43). Josephus says, ‘Phut also was the founder of Libia [sic], and called the inhabitants Phutites, from himself’.9
Canaan, the name of Noah’s next grandson, is the Hebrew name for the general region later called by the Romans Palestine, i.e. modern Israel and Jordan. Here we should look briefly at a few of the descendants of Ham (Genesis 10:14–18). There is Philistim, obviously the ancestor of the Philistines (clearly giving rise to the name Palestine), and Sidon, the founder of the ancient city that bears his name, and Heth, the patriarch of the ancient Hittite empire. Also, this descendant is listed in Genesis 10:15–18 as being the ancestor of the Jebusites (Jebus was the ancient name for Jerusalem — Judges 19:10), the Amorites, the Girgasites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites, ancient peoples who lived in the land of Canaan.
The most prominent descendant of Ham was Nimrod, the founder of Babel (Babylon), as well as of Erech, Accad and Calneh in Shinar (Babylonia).
The five sons of Shem
Last we come to the sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram (Genesis 10:22).
Elam is the ancient name for Persia, which is itself the ancient name for Iran. Until the time of Cyrus the people here were called Elamites, and they were still often called that even in New Testament times. In Acts 2:9, the Jews from Persia who were present at Pentecost were called Elamites. The Persians are thus descended from both Elam, the son of Shem, and from Madai, the son of Japheth (see above). Since the 1930s they have called their country Iran.
It is interesting to note that the word ‘Aryan’, which so fascinated Adolf Hitler, is a form of the word ‘Iran’. Hitler wanted to produce a pure Aryan ‘race’ of supermen. But the very term ‘Aryan’ signifies a mixed line of Semites and Japhethites!
Asshur is the Hebrew word for Assyria. Assyria was one of the great ancient empires. Every time the words Assyria or Assyrian appear in the Old Testament, they are translated from the word Asshur. He was worshipped by his descendants.
‘Indeed, as long as Assyria lasted, that is until 612 BC, accounts of battles, diplomatic affairs and foreign bulletins were daily read out to his image; and every Assyrian king held that he wore the crown only with the express permission of Asshur’s deified ghost.’10
Arphaxad was the progenitor of the Chaldeans. This ‘is confirmed by the Hurrian (Nuzi) tablets, which render the name as Arip-hurra — the founder of Chaldea.’11 His descendant, Eber, gave his name to the Hebrew people via the line of Eber-Peleg-Reu-Serug-Nahor-Terah-Abram (Genesis 11:16–26). Eber’s other son, Joktan, had 13 sons (Genesis 10:26–30), all of whom appear to have settled in Arabia.12
Lud was the ancestor of the Lydians. Lydia was in what is now Western Turkey. Their capital was Sardis — one of the seven churches of Asia was at Sardis (Revelation 3:1).
Aram is the Hebrew word for Syria. Whenever the word Syria appears in the Old Testament it is a translation of the word Aram. The Syrians call themselves Arameans, and their language is called Aramaic. Before the spread of the Greek Empire, Aramaic was the international language (2 Kings 18:26 ff). On the cross, when Jesus cried out, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani’ (Mark 15:34),13 He was speaking Aramaic, the language of the common people.2.Read Genesis 12:1-4. What did God ask Abram to do? What were the promises God made to Abram? Was there a stated or implied requirement? God said to Abram. In chapter twelve, verse one, we read: 'The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.'' (Gen. 12:1) Did you hear what God commanded Abram? He told Abram to leave his father's house, bid farewell to his relatives, leave his country, and move to a country to which God would lead him. To man's way of thinking, what God asked Abram to do was extremely difficult, but God had plans to greatly bless him.
The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go 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.' (Gen. 12:1-3)

Why did God command Abram to move to another country? This is why: God planned to make of Abram a new nation from which the prophets of God and the Savior of the world would arise. That is why God promised Abram saying, 'I will make you into a great nation…and you will be a blessing…and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.'
Here is a great truth. Do you understand it? God chose Abram to become the father of the ancestors through which the promised Redeemer would come into the world. This Redeemer was destined to be the Savior for all the peoples of the world, so that whoever believes in Him, might be saved from the dominion of sin and Satan, and from the eternal fire. Thus, we see that when God called Abram, He was moving forward with His plan to send the Savior of sinners into the world. Abram himself was not the Savior of the world, but he was to become the father of a nation from which the promised Savior would come.
That is the promise {or covenant} God made to Abram-on the condition that he leave his country and go to the place that God would show him. Did Abram obey God? What do you think? The Word of God tells us:
'So Abram left, as the Lord had told him…Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.' (Gen. 12:4-5)

Why did Abram obey God, turning his back on his father's home and religion? There is only one reason. Abram had confidence in God. Abram did not know where he was going, but he believed the word of the Lord which said, 'Move out! If you move, I will greatly bless you!' Abram had confidence in God and left his country as the Lord God had told him. And God, in His faithfulness, led Abram to the land of Canaan, which today is called Palestine or Israel.
Next, the Scriptures say: 'Abram traveled through the land…At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offspring I will give this land.'' (Gen. 12:6-7) Thus we learn that God, who promised to make Abram the father of a new nation, also promised him a new country as well. That is what God meant when He appeared to Abram and promised him, 'To your offspring I will give this land.'
Again, we see something which surpasses human wisdom. The land of Canaan had people living throughout it. How could Abram and his descendants possess it? Abram was seventy-five years old. His wife was sixty-five and childless. Could two elderly people have enough children and descendants to fill the land? How could this happen?
Let us try to illustrate what God promised Abram. It is like an elderly man who has no children and comes from a far off land to visit Senegal. He comes with his elderly wife, who has never been able to conceive. When they arrive, someone says to them, 'One day you and your descendants will possess the whole land of Senegal!' The old man laughs and says, 'You are very funny! My descendants are going to possess the land? I do not even have any descendants! I am an old man; I have no children, and my wife is unable to conceive--and you say to me that my descendants are going to multiply and possess Senegal? Are you ill?'
Perhaps this illustration seems a little absurd; nonetheless, this is the kind of promise God made to Abram-to a man who was old and childless, with a wife who could not conceive. Listen to what God promised Abram in chapter thirteen. He said,
'All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted. Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.' (Gen. 13:15-17)

Did God do what He promised? Did He make of Abram a great nation? Did He give the land of Palestine to Abram's descendants? He surely did! In future lessons we will see that Abram became the father of the Hebrew nation to which God gave the land that, today, is called Israel.
Next, the Scriptures say: 'So [Abram] built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent…. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.' (Gen. 12:7,8) What was the first thing that Abram did, upon arriving in the new country which God had promised to give him? He slaughtered an animal and burned it on an altar he constructed. Just as Abel, Seth, Enoch and Noah did, Abram, in the same way, offered up animal sacrifices to God. Why did Abram do this? He did it because God had not done away with His law which states: 'Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin!' (Heb. 9:22) Abram, like all of Adam's offspring, was a sinner. The only reason God could overlook Abram's sins was because Abram believed God and brought to Him the blood of a sacrifice, which was an illustration of the holy Redeemer who was to come into the world to die in the place of sinners.
Our time is about up. What we have studied today is very important and must not be forgotten. Do you understand now why God called Abram to turn his back on his father's house and move to another country? Yes, God intended to make of Abram a new nation, which would be a 'door of blessing' for all peoples of the earth. What God planned to do with Abram was part of the wonderful plan that He announced in the Garden of Paradise on the day that our ancestors, Adam and Eve, sinned. Do you remember how God had promised One who would come into the world to deliver the children of Adam from the power of Satan? Two thousand years later, in the time of Abram, God had not forgotten His promise.
God, in His faithfulness, called Abram so that he might become the father of a nation through which the promised Savior would come into the world. That was why God promised Abram saying, '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.' (Gen. 12:2,3)
. First: Why did God call Abram to leave home and go to another country? Because God planned to make of Abram a new nation. Second: Why did God want to make of Abram a new nation? Because it was through this nation that God planned to give us the prophets, the Scriptures and at last, the holy Redeemer Himself. Thus, in summary, we see that when God called Abram, God was moving forward with His plan to bring into the world the Savior of sinners.

3.How does God’s covenant revelation to Abraham fit into His Everlasting Covenant? (Gen 17:7,13,19) Is there a connection to God’s covenant revelation to Noah and Adam?
The Abrahamic Covenant is an unconditional covenant. God made promises to Abraham that required nothing of Abraham. Genesis 15:18-21 describes a part of the Abrahamic Covenant, specifically dealing with the dimensions of the land God promised to Abraham and his descendants.The actual Abrahamic Covenant is found in Genesis 12:1-3. The ceremony recorded in Genesis 15 indicates the unconditional nature of the covenant. The only time that both parties of a covenant would pass between the pieces of animals was when the fulfillment of the covenant was dependent upon both parties keeping commitments. Concerning the significance of God alone moving between the halves of the animals, it is to be noted that it is a smoking furnace and a flaming torch, representing God, not Abraham, which passed between the pieces. Such an act, it would seem, should be shared by both parties, but in this case it is doubtless to be explained by the fact that the covenant is principally a promise by God. He is the one who binds Himself. God caused a sleep to fall upon Abraham so that he would not be able to pass between the two halves of the animals. Fulfillment of the covenant fell to God alone.God determined to call out a special people for Himself through whom He would bring blessing to all the nations. The Abrahamic Covenant is paramount to a proper understanding of the kingdom concept and is foundational to Old Testament theology. (1) The Abrahamic Covenant is described in Genesis 12:1–3 and is an unconditional covenant. There are no conditions attached to it (no “if” clauses, suggesting its fulfillment is dependent on man). (2) It is also a literal covenant in which the promises should be understood literally. The land that is promised should be understood in its literal or normal interpretation—it is not a figure of heaven. (3) It is also an everlasting covenant. The promises that God made to Israel are eternal.There are three main features to the Abrahamic Covenant: 1. The promise of land (Genesis 12:1). God called Abraham from Ur of the Chaldees to a land that He would give him (Genesis 12:1). This promise is reiterated in Genesis 13:14–18 where it is confirmed by a shoe covenant; its dimensions are given in Genesis 15:18–21 (precluding any notion of this being fulfilled in heaven). The land aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant is also expanded in Deuteronomy 30:1–10, which is the Palestinian Covenant.2. The promise of descendants (Genesis 12:2). God promised Abraham that He would make a great nation out of him. Abraham, who was 75 years old and childless (Genesis 12:4), was promised many descendants. This promise is amplified in Genesis 17:6 where God promised that nations and kings would descend from the aged patriarch. This promise (which is expanded in the Davidic Covenant of 2 Samuel 7:12–16) would eventuate in the Davidic throne with Messiah’s kingdom rule over the Hebrew people.3. The promise of blessing and redemption (Genesis 12:3). God promised to bless Abraham and the families of the earth through him. This promise is amplified in the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31–34; cf. Hebrews 8:6–13) and has to do with “Israel’s spiritual blessing and redemption.” Jeremiah 31:34 anticipates the forgiveness of sin. The unconditional and eternal nature of the covenant is seen in that the covenant is reaffirmed to Isaac (Genesis 21:12; 26:3–4). The “I will” promises suggest the unconditional aspect of the covenant. The covenant is further confirmed to Jacob (Genesis 28:14–15). It is noteworthy that God reaffirmed these promises amid the sins of the patriarchs, which fact further emphasizes the unconditional nature of the Abrahamic Covenant.God’s method of fulfilling the Abrahamic Covenant is literal, inasmuch as God partially fulfilled the covenant in history: God blessed Abraham by giving him the land (Genesis 13:14–17); God blessed him spiritually (Genesis 13:8, 18; 14:22, 23; 21:22); God gave him numerous descendants (Genesis 22:17; 49:3–28). The important element of the Abrahamic Covenant, however, demands a future fulfillment with Messiah’s kingdom rule:(1) Israel as a nation will possess the land in the future. Numerous Old Testament passages anticipate the future blessing of Israel and her possession of the land as promised to Abraham. Ezekiel envisions a future day when Israel is restored to the land (Ezekiel 20:33–37, 40–42; 36:1–37:28).(2) Israel as a nation will be converted, forgiven, and restored (Romans 11:25–27).(3) Israel will repent and receive the forgiveness of God in the future (Zechariah 12:10–14). The Abrahamic Covenant finds its ultimate fulfillment in connection with the return of Messiah to rescue and bless His people Israel. It is through the nation Israel that God promised in Genesis 12:1–3 to bless the nations of the world. That ultimate blessing will issue in the forgiveness of sins and Messiah’s glorious kingdom reign on earth.

4.Read Genesis 15:3-6; Rom 4:3-6,9,20-25; Gal 3:6-14; Hbr 11:8; and Jam 2:23. What did Abram believe that was counted unto him as righteousness?
Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.Romans 4:3. Abram received on open declaration of his justification. Faith always justifies whenever it exists, and as soon as it is exercised; its result follows immediately, and is not an aftergrowth needing months of delay. The moment a man truly trusts his God he is justified. Yet many are justified who do not know their happy condition; to whom as yet the blessing of justification has not been opened up in its excellency and abundance of privilege.
Abram was not justified by his works. Many had been the good works of Abram. It was a good work to leave his country and his father's house at God's bidding; it was a good work to separate from Lot in so noble a spirit; it was a good work to follow after the robber-kings with undaunted courage; it was a grand work to refuse to take the spoils of Sodom, but to lift up his hand to God that he would not take from a thread even to a shoe latchet; it was a holy work to give to Melchisedec tithes of all that he possessed, and to worship the Most High God; yet none of these are mentioned in the text, nor is there a hint given of any other sacred duties as the ground or cause, or part cause of his justification before God. No, it is said, 'He believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness.' Surely, brethren, if Abram, after years of holy living, is not justified by his works, but is accepted before God on account of his faith, much more must this be the case with the ungodly sinner who, having lived in unrighteousness, yet believeth on Jesus and is saved. If there be salvation for the dying thief, and others like him, it cannot be of debt, but of grace, seeing they have no good works. If Abram, when full of good works, is not justified by them, but by his faith, how much more we, being full of imperfections, must come unto the throne of the heavenly grace and ask that we may be justified by faith which is in Christ Jesus, and saved by the free mercy of God!Further, this justification came to Abram not by obedience to the ceremonial law any more than by conformity to the moral law. As the apostle has so plainly pointed out to us, Abram was justified before he was circumcised. The initiatory step into the outward and visible covenant, so far as it was ceremonial, had not yet been taken, and yet the man was perfectly justified. All that follows after cannot contribute to a thing which is already perfect. Abram, being already justified, cannot owe that justification to his subsequent circumcision—this is clear enough; and so, beloved, at this moment, if you and I are to be justified, these two things are certain: it cannot be by the works of the moral law; it cannot be by obedience to any ceremonial law, be it what it may—whether the sacred ritual given to Aaron, or the superstitious ritual which claims to have been ordained by gradual tradition in the Christian church. If we be indeed the children of faithful Abraham, and are to be justified in Abraham's way, it cannot be by submission to rites or ceremonies of any kind. Hearken to this carefully, ye who would be justified before God: baptism is in itself an excellent ordinance, but it cannot justify nor help to justify us; confirmation is a mere figment of men, and could not, even if commanded by God, assist in justification; and the Lord's-supper, albeit that it is a divine institution, cannot in any respect whatsoever minister to your acceptance or to your righteousness before God. Abram had no ceremonial in which to rest; he was righteous through his faith, and righteous only through his faith; and so must you and I be if we are ever to stand as righteous before God at all. Faith in Abram's case was the alone and unsupported cause of his being accounted righteous, for note, although in other cases Abram's faith produced works, and although in every case where faith is genuine it produces good works, yet the particular instance of faith recorded in this chapter was unattended by any works. For God brought him forth under the star-lit heavens, and bade him look up. 'So shall thy seed be,' said the sacred voice. Abram did what? Believed the promise—that was all. It was before he had offered sacrifice, before he had said a holy word or performed a single action of any kind that the word immediately and instanter went forth, 'He believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.' Always distinguish between the truth, that living faith always produces works; and the lie, that faith and works co-operate to justify the soul.
Abram, after being justified by faith, was led more distinctly to behold the power of sacrifice. By God's command he killed three bullocks, three goats, three sheep, with turtle doves and pigeons, being all the creatures ordained for sacrifice. The patriarch's hands are stained with blood; he handles the butcher's knife, he divides the beasts, he kills the birds he places them in an order revealed to him by God's Spirit at the time; there they are. Abram learns that there is no meeting with God except through sacrifice. God has shut every door except that over which the blood is sprinkled. All acceptable approaches to God must be through an atoning sacrifice, and Abram sees this. While the promise is still in his ears, while the ink is yet wet in the pen of the Holy Spirit, writing him down as justified, he must see a sacrifice, and see it, too, in emblems which comprehend all the revelation of sacrifice made to Aaron

5.What does Hebrews chapter 11 say about Abram’s faith? List the verses with comments.
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” In other words, faith is not crossing your fingers, closing your eyes, and saying, “please, please, please, please, please.” No, faith is a certainty. Faith is a surety. Abraham showed great faith in God. The Hebrew writer reminds us of some examples of Abraham’s faith.
When God called, he obeyed, left his home and set out for an unknown destination (Heb 11:8).
As a consequence, he lived as a nomad, in tents in a foriegn land, with his sons and family (Heb 11:9).
He was willing to live like an alien, because he believed in a better home in a better world (Heb 11:10).
He received and believed promises from God, and God rewarded him and Sarah with a son in their old age and many descendants (Heb 11:11-12).
Abraham was even ready to obey God’s command to sacrifice Isaac his only son, although this seemed to contradict the promises God had made about Christ being a descendant of Isaac. Abraham left matters up to God, and simply did what God said. He reckoned that even if Isaac died, could bring him back to life (Heb 11:17-19).
The story of Abraham is found in Genesis chapters 12 to 22. Few have ever shown such faith in God as Abraham showed. He is an inspiring example of the full and unswerving committment of self to God.
Faith in Abraham’s Family
The faith of Abraham is also seen in members of his family. No doubt his example had a great influence upon them, such that they were encouraged to develop a similar personal faith in God and in things eternal.
Sarah
It was through faith that Sarah conceived although she was old and had always been barren. After some initial difficulty in accepting the 'impossible' she trusted in God’s promise, thus Isaac was born (Heb 11:11 Gen 18 & 21).
Isaac
Isaac himself showed faith in the promises God had made to his father Abraham, and repeated to him. In the light of those promises, Isaac accepted, as the will of God, the blessing he had inadvertently given to Jacob, disappointing his favourite son Esau who had foolishly lost his birthright (Heb 11:20 Gen 27). 6.Is there a relationship to grace, faith, and obedience? Is there an order/sequence in a believer’s life? Grace' - '...good-will, loving-kindness, favor ... kindness which bestows upon one what he has not deserved ... NT writers use (grace) pre-eminently of that kindness by which God bestows favors even upon the ill-deserving, and grants to sinners the pardon of their offences, and bids them accept of eternal salvation through Christ ...' - Grimm-Wilke-Thayer. Hence, grace is 'unmerited favor.'
'Mercy' - '... kindness or good will towards the miserable and afflicted, joined with a desire to relieve them...' - Grimm-Wilke-Thayer.
So both grace and mercy involve kindness and favor toward those in unfortunate circumstances. Mercy emphasizes the wretched and miserable circumstances of the object of mercy, whereas grace emphasizes that they are unworthy or undeserving of favor.
[Bible passages regarding grace show that all three in the Godhead express mercy: the Father (Rom. 1:7; etc.), the Son (Rom. 16:20; etc.), and the Spirit (Heb. 10:29).]
A. God's Grace Offers Us Forgiveness of Sins.Ephesians 1:7 - In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Note the importance of Jesus' blood in grace. Men ought to die eternally for our sins. But God's grace provided a sacrifice to die for us, so we do not have to die.
B. God's Grace Offers Us Fellowship with God.Sin alienates or separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1,2). Forgiveness by grace reunites us into God's fellowship.Romans 5:1-2 - Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God ... we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We are no longer enemies of God.
. God's Grace Offers Us All Spiritual Blessings.2 Thessalonians 2:16,17 - God loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace.Romans 5:1,2 - We have access to grace, so we rejoice in the hope of glory.
D. God's Grace Offers Us Eternal Life.Titus 3:7 - Having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life
Obedience:Again by definition, law is simply that which should be obeyed. If law is not necessary under the gospel, then neither is obedience. But if obedience is necessary, then so is the law.
Romans 6:17,18 - Having just said that we are not under law but under grace, Paul says we are made free from sin when we obey the doctrine delivered.
Hebrews 5:9 - Jesus is author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.
Matthew 7:21-27 - To enter the kingdom of heaven, we must do the will of the Father. It is not enough just to learn Jesus' teaching or claim to believe Jesus is Lord.
1 Peter 1:22 - We purify our souls in obeying the truth.
2 Thessalonians 1:8,9 - Those who do not obey the gospel will be punished in flaming fire.
[Rom. 1:5; 16:26]Faith is our confidence that we will receive the things we hoped for, where as our hope is our desired wish that we seek after. If our confidence is evidently visible in the way we live, then our confidence is living faith. If we voiced our confidence where as the evidence is not seen in our lives, then our confidence is dead faith. If our hope is to inherit the kingdom of God, if the source of our confidence is God, and if we walk in the ways of God to achieve his kingdom, then we have Godly faith, which is the faith of the Bible. All other faiths are worldly faiths and they have nothing to do with God. 'Mark 11:22 … Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. Heb 11:1 faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' If our faith is not revealed in our lives then our faith is considered dead faith, which is a mere bluff. 'James 2:26 …as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.'

B. Definition of Hope
What is the object of the hope of a Christian?
'1John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.' What is the work that he must do to obtain it? '1John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.' Christians, as children of God, hope to be glorified like Jesus Christ and to see him at his second coming. Those who have this hope purify themselves as Jesus Christ is pure. This self purification is the substance for their hope and the evidence or the proof for their faith.
C. Faith must be in God
1Peter 1:21says, '...by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.' One of the very important reasons that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and gave him glory was that we might have hope and faith in God so that he may raise us also in the same way he has raised Jesus Christ. '2Cor 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.'
2. Abraham the Father of Faith
A. Faith before Covenant
God told Abraham that his covenant was with him and asked him to walk perfect before him. He also gave circumcision to Abraham as a sign for the covenant. 'Gen 17:1 … the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect… 4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations… 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.' The scripture explains that since God already found Abraham with faith, he made the covenant with Abraham. Here, before his circumcision Abraham represents the entire world and after the ceremony he represents Israel. 'Romans 4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe…' Here we see that Abraham had the righteousness of faith even before God made the covenant with him.
B. Obey after Covenant
Abraham did not consider his own inability, but the promise of God. 'Romans 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead… 20 … but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.' Abraham trusted the word of God about the seed of his son Isaac. So, he did not hesitate to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. 'Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called.' We see that Abraham acted upon every promise of God by obedience; even when it came to sacrifice his only loving son.
C. Faith of AbrahamThe faith of Abraham was to inherit the eternal kingdom, but not for the things of this world. 'Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.' Our belief and faith must be like the belief and faith of Abraham if we want to be the children of Abraham by faith. 'John 8:39 … Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.'
3. Faith is opposite to Fear, Doubt and Worry
A. Rebuked for Fear
Faith is opposite to fear. 'Matt 8:23 … he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.' It is important to notice that Jesus Christ did not ask the disciples why they did not rebuke the wind and sea. It is the power of God that calmed the sea. He rebuked them saying why did they fear.
B. Rebuked for Doubt
Faith is opposite to doubt. 'Matt 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?' Here, Peter did not walk on the water on his own strength or faith, but because Jesus Christ had said 'come.' Jesus Christ did not rebuke him because he was sinking in the water. But, he rebuked Peter because he doubted the power of God and he was afraid. Faith will not doubt God in danger, even in death.
C. Rebuked for Worry
Faith is opposite to worry. 'Matt 6:30 … shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? …32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek, for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.' Matt 6:25-34 is an important passage of instruction to the servants of God. The promise of God is that he will provide the needs of those servants who seek after his kingdom and his righteousness 7.What City and country was Abraham looking for in Hebrews chapter 11. Was this a physical or Spiritual country? Hebrews 11 is a description of faith in action—how God’s people have always lived by faith. In this chapter, several verses are devoted to the example of Abraham, whom Genesis says specifically believed God (Gen. 15:6). He is rightly called 'the father of the faithful.' By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going (Heb. 11:8, based on Gen. 12:1).The author’s purpose here is not to prove that Abraham had faith (the readers already knew that), but to give examples that 1) illustrate a life of faith and 2) encourage the readers to have similar faith when they are pressured to abandon Christianity. So the author selects situations from the life of Abraham that are similar to situations the readers are in. Just as Abraham had been called out of Mesopotamia, they had been called out of Judaism toward a promise they could not see, and they obeyed and went.By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise (Heb. 11:9). It is possible that the readers had physically left their homeland and moved to a new city, but the author is probably suggesting that the readers felt like strangers religiously. They probably met in a house church instead of a synagogue; they did not have a feeling that they had a permanent place. Welcome to the club, the author says. Abraham felt like that, too, even when he was in the Promised Land. God does not want us to view this world as a permanent home, because he has something better for us. We are encouraged to see the future with Abraham: For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God (v. 10). Canaan had many cities with foundations, but they were all destined to crumble, because they were built on physical foundations, and the cities were filled with violence and idolatry. Abraham was looking forward to something far more permanent than stone. Genesis says nothing about this, but our author believes that Abraham had religious motives that were similar to his own. We should look to the future reward, not to the circumstances we are in right now. Verse 11 has a translation problem because the sentence seems to have Sarah as the subject, but the Greek verb refers to the father’s role in reproduction. Some translations choose to put Sarah as a parenthetical thought (Even though Sarah was old, Abraham was made able to father children…). Others, such as the TNIV, make the verb appropriate to a mother’s role: And by faith even Sarah, who was past age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. Sarah laughed; so did Abraham (Gen. 17:17; 18:12). They both thought they were too old to have children, but God blessed them with a child anyway. Abraham even had children after Sarah died (Gen. 25:1-2). The author’s point is that God did what he had promised, and we should also consider God faithful, and trust him to keep the promises of salvation he has made to us. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore (Heb. 11:11, referring to Gen. 22:17). Just as God made the universe from something that could not be seen, he made the Israelites from something humanly impossible.8.When was Abram’s name changed to Abraham and why? Is there some relationship with sinner being c alled a saint? When God gave someone a new name is was usually to establish a new identity. God cha nged Abram’s 'high father' name to Abraham 'father of multitude' (Genesis 17:5).

A true saint knows and has fulfilled the requirements of Christ's teachings, to become a true saint and who now stands blameless, set aside for His holy purpose, with his eternal salvation secured unless he begins to give in to sin, its seductions and the unlawful desires of the flesh. After repenting sins and have a true desire for God ,a son. 9.Where is Abraham called a “friend of God”? Why? The Scriptures say: 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called God's friend.' (Jam. 2:23).Abraham was not sinless, but he was one of the great men mentioned in the Bible. His faith is cited for our example (Jas. 2, Heb. 11). Abraham is called a 'friend of God' three times (2 Chroni. 20: 7, Isa. 41: 8).
Abraham was a man of obedience. Abraham obeyed God when he left his country and kindred (Gen. 12, Heb. 11: 8-10). He exhibited great faith regarding the offering of Isaac (Gen. 22, Heb. 11: 8-10). We never find Abraham rationalizing and attempting to circumvent God's commandments.
A man of promptitude and peace. God told Abraham, '…get out of thy country….' We immediately read, '…So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him…' (Gen. 12: 1, 4). Outstanding men of the Bible were always men of immediacy of action (Matt. 4: 18-22, Acts 9: 20, 10: 33). Abraham's desire for peace is seen in his dealings with Lot (Gen. 13: 5-12). The gospel is the 'gospel of peace' (Rom. 10: 15).
Abraham was a man characterized by unselfishness and control of his family. He was a man who generously gave (Gen. 14: 17-24, Heb. 7: 4, 20). Many of us live to consume and simply satisfy self (Lk. 9: 23). Also, it was said of Abraham, '…for I know him that he will command his children and his household after him…' (Gen. 18: 18, 19).
Friendship with God is a worthy goal. Jesus said, 'Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you' (Jn. 15: 14). Too many are the enemies of God (Jas. 4: 4). Abraham was God's friend because of the quality of the character he possessed. Are you a friend of God? The way to determine friendship with Jesus, as we have seen, is in our obeying the commandments of God (Jn. 15: 14).
10.How is God’s call to us similar to Abram’s call?
Genesis 12:1-9You have probably heard the proverb, “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” What that really means is that it is better to be satisfied with what you have than to go out looking for something better. What God is telling Abram here, though, is to go out after the two birds in the bush. There is something better for Abram out there. So God calls Abram.In a very similar way, God calls us to leave behind our land of sin, and to go out to a land that God will show us, namely, the new heavens and the new earth, the new promised land. The call is to leave our father and mother, and be united to Jesus.What we have here in Genesis 12 is nothing less than a new start for mankind. Mankind had been barren of ideas ever since the Tower of Babel fizzled out. There was no solution to the sin problem. God comes up with a solution. He decides that Abram will bear the seed of the woman against all opposition in the form of the seed of the serpent. And so, into this barrenness of mankind, and even into the barrenness of Abram, God speaks a word of creation. Just as God had spoken in the beginning of time, saying, “Let there be a heavens and earth,” so now, God speaks and says, “Let there be a people for myself.” In the first eleven chapters, we saw that God called a world into being. Now we see that God calls a special people into being. To a great extent, the rest of the Bible rests on this passage. The rest of the Bible can be said to be the outworking of this promise made to Abram. The rest of mankind will indeed be blessed because Jesus Christ is THE seed of Abraham, as Paul says in Galatians 3.What do we need to know about this text? The first thing is that this call is painful. God calls Abram to completely uproot everything that he has ever known, and go to a land he has never seen. God doesn’t even tell Abram which land it is. God just says, “Go, leave everything, and follow me.” Now Abram was a city dweller, not a nomad. They couldn’t just take up their stakes and move easily. We consider it relatively easy to do this. We have cars and semis that can help us move. People in the military have often moved over a dozen times. But in this time period, moving was not something that was often done. Abram had gotten comfortable where he was. His family was there, and his religion was there. Abram was 75 years old at this time, no spring chicken. This command that God gives then is quite a shock to the family. Abram is being asked to leave absolutely everything behind permanently.When God calls us, He asks us to leave all our sin behind. This is painful, because we love our sin. (Gurnall quote here). Jesus tells us to get up and follow Him, no matter what we have to leave behind. But why should we? What would be the benefit?That leads us into the second thing we need to see in this text, which is the promise. This is a whopping huge promise that God makes to Abram. The builders at Babel had just been scattered over the face of the earth, because they were trying to achieve the very things that God is going to promise to Abram here. They wanted a name for themselves. They wanted to be a great nation, such that they could storm heaven’s gates. What does God promise Abram? “I will make of you a great nation, I will make your name great, and in you all the nations of the world will be blessed.” What the Tower builders tried to take by force, God gives graciously to Abram. These promises are huge.Ultimately, the promise is that God will provide a Savior in Jesus Christ. The great nation promised to Abram is the church. The name of Christ is indeed great. God will judge all those curse Christianity. God blesses all those who become Christians. And indeed, in Jesus Christ, all the nations of the earth have been blessed. God has kept His promise.The problem is that we often do not have a big enough vision of what God is doing. Our vision is too small. As we will see, Abram and Sarai had their doubts as to whether God would actually carry out His promises, especially given the fact that they were both old people. We think that God cannot use us for something big. But Jesus has said, “Behold, I am with you always, even to the very end of the age.” If God is for us, who can be against us?

How do you know that God is not calling you to something great? Jesus called 12 middle-class ordinary fishermen to start the greatest kingdom this world has ever seen, or ever will see. God called an ordinary lawyer by the name of Martin Luther to regain the shape of the church. God called an ordinary retiring sort of man named John Calvin to shake up the world of theology, and regain much of the early church’s orthodoxy. Calvin’s story is particularly applicable to us. Calvin had just been passing through the little town of Strassbourg. William Farel found out that Calvin was staying there. Farel went to meet him, and told him about the city of Geneva, that needed someone to institute reforms there. Calvin said that he wanted only the retiring life of the scholar. Farel told Calvin, that if he rejected the church in her hour of need, then all of Calvin’s scholarly work would be cursed. Calvin was completely and utterly terrified by the force of Farel’s words, and agreed to go to Geneva. The rest is history. We do not know if God is calling us to some great work, or to some smaller work that is just as important. The small things are things that God cares about just as much as about the large things. Jesus’ call to come to earth was the biggest thing that has ever happened. Jesus’ call was to undergo the greatest pain that anyone had ever undergone. Jesus’ call was motivated by the promise of His father, though, that His Father would give to Him a people after resurrecting Him on the third day. God has kept that promise. That is our motivation for everything that we do in life. Absolutely everything is done for the glory of God because of what He has done for us in the person of His Son Jesus Christ. God has indeed promised great things for us. Let us not lose heart. Let us rather have faith.Faith is the third thing that we need to see here. Notice that Abram goes immediately. There is no waiting around, no hesitation, and no argument. Abram just goes. This is really remarkable. He had no idea where he was going, he was 75 years old, and he had to leave his father behind, and yet he went immediately. God is really testing Abram’s faith here. God does not take malicious pleasure in hurting His saints. Rather, God is testing Abram. Abram would have to believe in the promise. Believing in the promise is one of the most important aspects of the testing of Abram’s faith.Do we believe? Do we believe that if we say that Jesus is Lord, and that He died for me, so that my sin is taken away, then we will be saved? Do we believe that? That is ultimately what Abram had to believe. God says to Abram, “I command you to go forth with closed eyes, and forbid you to inquire whither I am about to lead you, until, having renounced your country, you shall have given yourself wholly to me.”We cannot trust in other things. Our trouble here is that we tend to trust things that we can see. We like to trust our bank account, since we can see the ledger in the bank statement every month. We like to trust in our tractors, because they are powerful to accomplish the work we need to do. We like to trust our family, because they are faithful to us. However, all these things can fail. Wouldn’t we rather want to trust in someone who will never fail, whose every promise comes true? That is a sure bet. That is far better than betting on the stock market. That is far better than betting on what the weather will do. The difficulty is that we have to trust someone we can’t see. We have to trust someone who has said, “Jump” and we can’t see where we are jumping. The story is told of a man in a burning building who knows that he will not survive unless he can jump to safety. He hears a voice calling out, “jump, and I will catch you.” He doesn’t believe the voice at first, and says, “But I can’t see you.” The Voice calls back, “But I can see you, and I will catch you.” This is very similar to doubting Thomas, who would not believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead until he could put his hand in the very sid and in the hands of His crucified Lord. Jesus was very gracious to Thomas, but He also said, “Blessed are they who believe without having seen me.” We have to trust in God without seeing Him. But we do have His Word. The Word calls out to us to jump from the burning building into the strong arms of our Savior, trusting in him to catch us.The last thing that we see here is Abram’s worship. Abram worships God by building an altar. Notice that he does not build a city. Rather he was looking for a city whose architect and builder was God, not man, i.e., not the builders of the tower of Babel. Instead he was looking for something more permanent. So he builds an altar to the permanent God. Building an altar in the promised land is proof of ownership. Abram now had the legal right to the land. However, Abram did not have actual possession of the land. He only had the legal rights to is.That is just like us. We have the legal rights of adoption into God’s family. And we are promised a new heavens and a new earth, not to mention a brand-new glorified body. It is there waiting for us. We need to build our altar. That is, we need to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable in God’s sight, for this is our logical act of worship.Of course, whenever we think of sacrifice, we must think of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is He that makes us right with God. Abram knew this. That is why Abram rejoiced to see Jesus’ day, as Jesus tells us in John 8. Abram looked forward to this great salvation that would be accomplished by his offspring. That is why he built an altar.So how do we worship God? We give ourselves wholly over to God. We let God rule our lives. We do what God has told us to do. We share the good news of God’s promises to other people. We remember that this world is not our home. We build an altar in the land, but we do not possess it yet.What does it mean to sacrifice? Missionaries from England going to Africa in the 19th century would pack their belongings in a coffin, knowing that the life expectancy for a missionary in Africa was two weeks. That is sacrifice, because they went anyway. Look at Africa now. Christianity is exploding there like nowhere else. Sacrifice is giving up our temporary goals for the long-term goals. We need to focus on the prize that is at the end. We cannot get too comfortable here. God does not allow us to rest anywhere but in the land of Canaan, the new heavens and the new earth, just as God did not allow Abram to rest in the land that was occupied by the Canaanites. We cannot occupy the new heavens and the new earth with these sin-ridden mortal bodies. We must be given new bodies. That is the greatest promise of all. Eternal life.