#9 Genesis 17 & 18-Lesson 1

GENESIS #9 Genesis 17 & 18 GENESIS 17 • Avraham is 99 years old • 13 years between chapter 16 and start of 17 • Ishmael about 13 years old • Sarai still barren • Clan still living in Canaan • No contact with God for 13 years • Abrahamic covenant remains intact 1 A NEW COVENANT • Abraham to be a father of many nations • Nations = goyim • Goyim = nations or people that are NOT HEBREW • But, in Abraham’s day it meant “any nation” • Abraham fathered BOTH Hebrews and non-Hebrews • God changes Avram’s name to “Avraham” • Means “father of many” • Hebrew = Ipuru 2 • “one who crossed over”? iv·rē' was used in Canaan & other nearby areas as a term simply meaning foreigners, or wanderers Vs. 6: GOD ADDS ANOTHER COVENANT……CONDITIONAL • This meant Abraham and his descendants had certain obligations • This NEW covenant was INDIVIDUAL-based • Each person chose, and bore personal responsibility…..did NOT affect the others • The New Covenant involved male circumcision 3 Vs. 8: LAND BELONGS TO THE DESCENANTS OF ABRAHAM FOREVER • “Possess” not the same thing as “own” • Possess = “occupy” • Even while Israel was in Egypt, the land belonged to Israel • Israel NEVER lost ownership during exiles, only lost possession of the land • ISRAEL HAS NEVER STOPPED OWNING THE LAND!! 4 Vs. 7: “….and your offspring to come, as an everlasting covenant” • This was a legal statement • By law of that era, without those words an owner COULD lose the land as it was handed down • With those words, that meant the land stayed in the family indefinitely, without restriction • In 1st covenant, Abraham was a passive participant • In 2nd covenant, active participation was required…. Circumcision • Required to be a part of “the line of promise” 5 CIRCUMCISION • Male circumcision not a Hebrew invention • Often party of a wedding ceremony • Rite of passage into puberty for boys • God employed it as a “loyalty oath” • To be performed on 8th day after birth • Closely tied to covenant making (division of animal flesh) • A male Hebrew who was NOT circumcised was NOT part of God’s people! • Paul “circumcised hearts” B’rit Milah ceremony BRIS 6 Vs. 12: IMPORTANT GODPRINCIPLE • PRINCIPLE: Did NOT have to be part of Abraham’s gene pool to be part of the covenant! • A foreigner could join Israel • Purchased slaves were automatically family members • Does NOT apply to bondservants (debts) • Gentiles rely on this principle today, in order to be part of the Family of God through Israel’s covenants 7 ISHMAEL: THE BASIS FOR CONFLICT • Yahweh tells Abraham that Sarai will give him a son • Sarah near 90 years old! • Vs 18: “If only Ishmael could live in your presence!” • Abraham considered Ishmael his firstborn son • V19: God says NO! to Ishmael being the heir to the covenant 8 YAHWEH REJECTS ISHMAEL AS THE HEIR OF THE COVENANT • It was to be Isaac, son of Sarai • A division, separation, and election took place here • Isaac, grandfather of the Israelites • Ishmael, grandfather of the Arabs • Islam is a religion NOT a race • Islam is the RELIGION of the Arabs • Ishmael was BLESSED, not cursed • Promised an equal number of tribes as Isaac (12) 9 GENESIS 18: IN THE HILLS OF HEBRON 10 GEN 18:1 “And the Lord appeared….” • Adonai = lord, master • The word “adonai” is NOT used here! • The word is Y-H-W-H YudHeh-Vav-Heh • Yah-weh or Yah-veh • Using “adonai” is a Tradition to avoid using the word “God” or “Yahweh” • Jews will write “G_d” • Jews feel it is taking His name in vein to even pronounce11it Paul advised that we be sensitive to things that offend others • I do NOT feel it is taking God’s name in vein to pronounce it • However, I CAN easily respect the Jewish belief that it does, and honor it in their presence 3 MEN APPEAR TO ABRAHAM • There is no doubt this was a manifestation of God because He is identified as YHWH • Could this have been Jesus? • Nowhere in the Bible is Jesus ever called YHWH, which is the name of The Father • Adonai is a plural • Enosh = HUMAN men 13 TYPICAL MIDDLE EASTERN HOSPITALITY • All this hurrying is normal • Sarah is instructed to bring food, and these 3 individuals eat the food! • How is it that we have God and Angels eating? • Something supernatural is happening • They knew of Sarah’s barrenness • They had authority 14