INTRODUCTION

A patriarch is defined as: The father and ruler of a family; one who governs by paternal right. Websters, 1828

The word patriarch is only mentioned twice in the Bible.

Acts 2:29 KJV

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.

Hebrews 7:4 KJV

Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

Therefore we can see that it is a broad term that is used for authoritative fathers.

In Jewish History, it refers to the men such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and his sons. Those are considered the patriarchs of the Jewish faith and people.

The patriarchs were used of God to set up the foundations of the faith that is enjoyed by every Believer today. But there were more than just those men between Abraham and the sons of Jacob, there were other men of old that I want to study and focus is on that we do not often look at. Some of them will short studies, and some will be long, but I believe that all of them both spiritually and practically have much to teach us.

I. THE IMPORTANCE OF PATRIARCHS

The idea of a patriarch or a patriarchal society has been attacked and maligned in our generation. Even more so with the feminist movement. Saying that it was a way of our culture to keep down women and oppress women.

The truth is there is a lot of wisdom in a patriarchal society if the patriarch are godly men.

In Jewish society and especially early on in their history according to Smith’s Bible Dictionary:

we find the ancestor or father of a family retaining authority over his children and his children’s children so long as he lived, whatever new connections they might form. When the father died the branch families did not break off and form new communities, but usually united under another common head. The eldest son was generally invested with this dignity. His authority was paternal. He was honored as the central point of connection, and as the representative of the whole kindred. Thus each great family had its patriarch or head, and each tribe its prince, selected from the several heads of the families which it embraced.”—McClintock and Strong.

William Smith, Smith’s Bible Dictionary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1986).

Patriarch later, especially after the destruction of Jersualem was used to refer to Roman bishops as well as Jewish religious leaders in the Asia.

But the patriarchs are important to us in the Bible - because they are men that were used of God to at times pen the Word of God as well as institute through God’s leading both for the Jewish people and the church of today things that are vital to our faith, as well as truths for living.

There is a plethora of Scripture of honoring the fathers and adhering to the old ways.

A. Because of the wisdom that can be learned

Job 12:12 KJV

With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

Psalm 77:5 KJV

I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

Leviticus 19:32 KJV

Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.

B. Because of the standards that were set

Youth is always looking for an easier way or to loosen things up. We are all like that for a time. But the maturity sets in and we realize the importance of looking to the past - that there was a reason for the standard.

Proverbs 22:28 KJV

Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

Psalm 77:5 KJV

I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

Isaiah 46:10 KJV

Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

When the ancient landmarks are removed it is the tearing down of our faith.

Let me throw this out there - this generation that is removing all the ancient landmarks of our nation is removing the greatness and lessons of our society.

They are tearing down the pillars - the infrastructure- the strength of our country.

By the way, any student of the Bible knows that none of the patriarchs were perfect, many had major character flaws and did many wicked acts. We do not praise them for those - we learn from the great feats of their character and their love for God and their mistakes are warnings to us.

David had a multitude of wives, a sinful thing, and still committed adultery. Jacob lied and deceived people all the time. He treated his children with favoritism to the demise of all of them.

Noah was getting drunk; Judah committed incest.

C. Because of the well worn paths

Jeremiah 18:15 KJV

Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

Proverbs 4:26 KJV

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

D. Because of the example that was set

Be not ashamed of your faith; remember it is the ancient gospel of martyrs, confessors, reformers and saints. Above all, it is “the truth of God”, against which the gates of Hell cannot prevail.

Charles Spurgeon

Hebrews 12:1–2 KJV

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Lets read through Hebrews 11 and see what they has been set forth for us.

II. THE OLD TESTAMENT PATRIARCHS

Here are most of the people that we will be looking at:

A. Adam

Adam is someone we will spend a little more time on, more than anyone else because of the fact that he is so foundational to not only to Israel, but all mankind.

B. Adam’s children

They matter to as we see the differences of their decisions and how they brought about God’s blessings or curse.

C. Noah

Obviously, the world was reborn through him and his descendants.

D. Noah’s sons

Again, a diversion in mankind amongst his three sons, we will look at truth and misconceptions about them.

E. Abraham

Obviously - he was very foundational in his patriarchal roll for Israel and for us.

F. Job

He is often overlooked but there are few great lessons we want to see from the overview of his life.

G. Isaac

Foundational to our study but for different reasons that his father.

H. Jacob

A man of success and failures - both of which we can learn from.

I. The Sons of Jacob

The children of Israel. 13 sons and daughters.

J. Moses

The great prophet and leader of Israel. The deliverer of the law and great example to Israel. Then we will look at:

K. Joshua

Leader of the conquest of Canaan and one of the great examples in the Bible and picture of Christ.

I believe that all these men are vital not only to what God would do with the Israelites but also how they impact us.

III. THE CHURCH FATHERS

Whenever we refer to church fathers, most people think of men like Origen, Augustine, Ignatius, and others like that. I do not look to any of them.

A. Peter

Far from perfect man - but a man who gave God all that he had and was first to start to reaching the Gentiles.

B. James

A martyr

C. Paul

The least yet the greatest of the Apostles. We will spend several weeks studying him.

D. Titus

We are going to learn about his importance and example.

E. Timothy

A young man that became a great pastor.

F. John

The aged, the revelator, the last living apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 15:4 KJV

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Now next week we are going to get right into the thick of it, as we start to look at the life of Adam, who he is and what foundations he set for us today.

There is so much wisdom and simplicity in the life of Adam and what God laid out for him that if we are wise - we will apply it to our day today as well.

You are not going to want to miss this important section.