#8 Genesis 15 & 16 Lesson 2

GENESIS #8 Chapters 15 & 16 • A visible form of covenant is made for Abraham’s sake • When a covenant is made by God, time and space are forever changed! • Clean animals are cut-up and divided • B’rit = cut up or divide 1 NO CONCEPT OF DYING AND “GOING TO HEAVEN” • Death ended at the grave • Sheol • No clear doctrine of an afterlife in the O.T. • “going to your fathers in peace”, probably just a nice way of saying “dead” • Living out a full life-span was the hope 2 • V17 Covenant makers pass through the animal pieces • ONLY God passes through! • This was a UNI-lateral promise UNCONDITIONAL! • God recites the terms of the covenant • The boundaries of the land are given to Abraham 3 • V17 Covenant makers pass through the animal pieces • ONLY God passes through! • This was a UNI-lateral promise UNCONDITIONAL! • God recites the terms of the covenant • The boundaries of the land are given to Abraham 3 • Israel reached its peak size during the reigns of David and Solomon (1000 BC to 925 BC) 4 5 WHAT’S A “GENERATION”? • Generation = dor • It can mean: 1) span of life between birth of children and parent 2) a complete life-span 3) all people living during the time of an event 4) how long a “life-span” is varies a great deal GENERATION CAN MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS AT DIFFERENT TIMES IN 7 THE BIBLE! • • • • • HOW LONG WAS ISRAEL IN EGYPT? Genesis 15 says 4 generations Other places say 400 years Exodus 12:40 says 430 years Rabbinical tradition: 400 years begins with birth of Isaac…….430 year period begins with covenant with Abraham • Using Rabbinical tradition numbers = 210 years in Egypt • Samaritan Pentateuch says 430 years, and that includes some time in Canaan 8 • Obvious disagreements in the Bible as to exact time Israel spent in Egypt •They DID go to Egypt… •They were there a VERY long time &… •They were subjugated & oppressed INIQUITY OF THE AMORITES • Means some time at which Amorites’ wickedness has crossed over some line in God’s eyes • A time He pre-knows • THEN Israel will be given the land of Canaan • At some point “Canaanite” and “Amorite” were general terms referring to the people of the Land of Canaan 9 GENESIS 16 • 10 years has passed since leaving Haran • Journeyed to Egypt • Pharaoh took Sarai • Avram kicked out of Egypt for lying about Sarai being his sister • Lot moved to Sodom, taken by kings from Mesopotamia • Avram meets Melchizedek 10 SARAI GIVES HAGAR TO ABRAHAM • Hagar, Egyptian servant girl • Hagar to be surrogate mother for Sarai • By tradition, child would belong to Sarai and Avram • Avram did NOT marry Hagar • Hagar REMAINED a servant to Sarai • Laws of Ur-Nammu • Handmaiden belonged SOLELY to the wife, she was Sarai’s personal property 11 HAGAR IS CAST OUT • Sarai did NOT go to Avram to seek permission to cast out Hagar • Angel of the Lord told Hagar to return and submit to Sarai • Hagar would have a son “Ishmael” • Ishmael means God pays attention 12 ISHMAEL’S DESTINY: WILD DONKEY OF A MAN, FIGHTING AGAINST HIS KINSMEN • Ishmael father of the Arabs • Abraham IS the father of both the Arabs and the Israelites • Arabs and Israelites, line of Shem • Most people identified on News as “Arabs” are NOT….they are Egyptians, Persians (Iran), and others from the line of Ham 13 ISHMAEL’S DESTINY: WILD DONKEY OF A MAN, FIGHTING AGAINST HIS KINSMEN • Ishmael father of the Arabs • Abraham IS the father of both the Arabs and the Israelites • Arabs and Israelites, line of Shem • Most people identified on News as “Arabs” are NOT….they are Egyptians, Persians (Iran), and others from the line of Ham 13 ANGEL OF THE LORD • Malach = angel • Actually just means “messenger” • ANY kind of messenger, typically a human • Angelos, Greek = messenger • Malach Yahweh means Angle of Yahweh or Angel of the Lord • Many times Bible says “angel” , it is probably a human • Angel of the Lord may actually be the only time the “messenger” is a spirit-being 14