Inheritance

A man and a man while we're jumping back into the Book of Genesis and this morning we're starting in Genesis chapter 12. Genesis chapter 12 is a significant transition in the Book of Genesis. I'm going to take a moment. And reset my Proclaim cuz it's not working. I did it last week didn't make me happy. I said Talk Amongst ourselves, but I'm not sure anybody side with.

Are we?

Genesis chapter 12 serves as its major turning point in the Book of Genesis. Genesis chapter 1 we have the creation of mankind will really the creation of all that exists God as the great and generous and wise and Sovereign Creator makes the heavens and the Earth this great phrase that says everything that exist exist because God made it at the height of creation. God makes mankind In His Image. We find that in Genesis chapter 1 verses 27 and 28 says so God created man in his own image in the image of God. He created him male and female he created them. And God bless them and God said to them be fruitful and multiply fill the Earth and subdue it.

have the minion over every Genesis chapter 1 through 11. We have this book prologue and pattern. I'm not only what's going to happen in the rest of Genesis. But in the rest of the pentateuch, the first five books were written by Moses and really in the rest of the Old Testament Hebrew scriptures Genesis chapter 1 God makes mankind. USS imagers to join him in his work of Creation in Genesis chapter 2 we have God make for himself his Temple you mix for himself the place where he will dwell with his people and Mankind is to join him in his work of creation of bringing the order and beauty of God's to the rest of the Earth. This is God's plan and purpose to make all of the earth an orderly beautiful kingdom. That's not separate from God, but that is that is connected with God at the at the most intimate of levels with his Creations that having an Earth would be together in that all starts in his Temple of Eden part of that. Temple complex was In the garden place Adam and Eve the first human beings who are tasked by. To be his Prophet priest king to bring his Rule and his ring throughout the Earth Adam and Eve are tasked to leave Humanity not to cuddle and cuddle in Eden but tooth spread out from the this place of God's presence and bring God's presence throughout the land. In other words. God wasn't just the god of Adam and Eve God is the God of all of humanity. Just to be God in that place of Eden God is the god of the entire Earth and she invites Adam and Eve to Kate with him in bringing that rule and Reign Over All of creation.

Genesis chapter 3 we see that it didn't really work out. So well. Adam and Eve along with all of humanity were commanded to rule over the animals instead are led by an animal not just a mere animal, but then the cost the surface this Divine being a cherubim seraphim at Throne Guardian. times and temps them reject the rightful and Sovereign authority of God and make their own kingdom. They join in this poznick Rebellion with the Heavenly Rebels. And they are removed for even when they are removed for eat them. There are consequences to each of them. There are consequences to the serpent, but there are also consequences to the the Earth the dirt and the. It is Curse. As the images of God fall so the rest of creation ball. All of creation has been broken in this Cosmic Rebellion to not be what it is supposed to be broken. This has touched everything. Genesis chapter 4 we get a glimpse of what it looks like for broken people to live in a broken land the very first story we have outside of the Temple of Eden is the two first children of Adam and Eve painting Abel Cain kills his brother and the blood of Abel Cries Out From what from the earth from the land? Genesis chapter 6 & 7 strange passage of scripture. We have another iteration of his Cosmic Rebellion where the sons of God the Bene Elohim see that the daughters of man are people become they have sexual relations with them big produce the Nephilim. So we have instead of the Earth being blessed and being filled with God's images. What we have in Genesis chapter 6 is that the Earth is being filled with a broken image of False Image? aberrant Kingdom moves in an act of justice and judgment and he brings his judgment upon the Earth in the flood. It's an active re-creation an active renewal an act of holding back the increase of wickedness. God's original plan a building and extending his kingdom with and through Humanity. Could once again the Apostle ability. He preserves. No, I have his family. One family is saved through the are graciously delivered to the Judgment of the water. And when the waters recede and once again, the land is revealed Noah and his family exit the ark and they are once again blessed by God. They are commanded to be fruitful and some X to once again spread throughout the Earth.

Sadly Noah was not a good second Adam. Sally. Noah was broken by spin. Instead of the Earth being filled with God's images instead of God's kingdom being honored and worship and cherished and embraced instead of mankind participating with God's agenda. Once again, mankind Groves and chooses to go their own way. We saw this the last couple weeks in the Tower of Babel narrative that we find coming out of Genesis chapter 10 into Genesis chapter 11, the people gathered together. They said let's not separate. Let's not do what God has called us to do. Let's instead build for ourselves a city. Let's go our own way. And you know what? We're not going to totally ignore God's let's build a tower. An ancient ziggurat, let's build a temple at our where God will have to come down to us will tell God where he dwells in our way.

And they got what they ask for when you tangle with God. You don't come out on top. Comes any Witnesses and God honors his Covenant to Noah. He would no longer destroy the world. He would never again destroy the world with the Waters of the flood. He wasn't going to do it that way. So this time instead he comes and he confuses their language. He separates them not no longer. They just one family of humanities. Now, they are separated intonation. They are divided and the lauded places and as we saw last week as God is doing this. He's dissing parroting the people from himself. He is giving them what they wanted. They wanted to go their own way. They wanted to be free from God's rightful Rule and Reign. So God disinherits them divides them and spread them out. across the Earth I came home last week. I said that I was talking to my wife and she said where'd you kept using disinherited? She said I didn't like that word. I said no, you're not supposed to like it. It's not a good word in this context. It's a tragic reality. Imagers have been cast out by God. They've been disinherited. God is saying to them you don't want me fine. You don't get me. But it's not a permanent reality. This is not giving up on his plan of earth that is filled with his glory and populated by his imagers. This is simply God taking another track. Rather than trying to work with all of a broken Humanity now. God will work through one man. and one family And really that's the rest of the Book of Genesis Genesis 1 to 11 covers hundreds and thousands and thousands of years deals, universally with the entire globe and all of humanity 11 chapters of Genesis chapter 12 to chapter 50 deals with a very short time span family. What we see when you when you just sit back and look at this as a literary rally. You see Genesis chapter 1 through 11 is given to provide context for the story that Moses actually wants to tell the story of God's plan to work through a new people.

Genesis 1 to 11 is prologue and pattern. The question at the end of Genesis 11 is how will Adams commission ever be accomplished? With the reality of sin in the world the unabated spread of sin After the flood. How is God's kingdom ever going to become? a reality Genesis chapter 12 tells us how God is going to make it happen. So let's look there together Genesis.

Yeah, let's go Genesis chapter 12.

Come on. Guys, I'm so sorry. We're having some technical problems. Corey can you give me the Genesis 12 now?

Go from your country and your kindred.

And your father's house to the land that I will show you. This is AI. Let's just stop there for a second to Abram. Who is Abram at the end of chapter 11. We we get the descendants of Noah, and we see where this guy Abram is. Abram is one of these people that has been confused in his language divided and disinherited by God. He is spread out. He is a part of a people that has been put under the authority of one of the Divine council members. He worships another God he follows other authorities. He has been broken by now. There's nothing particularly special about Abram. We're going to see that later in the text. In fact is going to call him out on it. There's nothing that Abram does that makes God choose him. This is God's plan God's initiative God's purpose from start to finish. It just says it's now the Lord came and said to Abram. I want you to leave your country. What country is that? It's the country that God allotted to him. I want you to leave your Kindred your people your father's house. I want you to come out from the place where I put you from the people that you belong to from The Authority that you've been under I want you to come out between them that you're in and I want you to come to a different Kingdom. I want you to come to the land that I will show you.

He continues on he says imma make of you a great nation credible prosperity. this this Harkins us back to chapter 1 God's blessing upon Humanity to be fruitful and to multiply to increase the spread. Comes to Abram and his wife Sarah. We don't know this yet comes just a little bit later in the text who are now already pretty advanced in age and our Baron they've been unable to have children. This is a tree that is not bearing fruit and yet God comes to him and he says I want you to come out of the Old Kingdom. I want you to come from your old place your old people and you're all power. I want you to come to the land that I'm going to show you and I am going to make you into a great nation. I am going to put my blessing upon you. He said I'm going to bless you, and I'm going to make your name great so that you will be a blessing. Amazing amazing promise from God. He says I will bless those who bless you. In fact those who dishonor you I will curse. My blessing my favor my power my Providence my protection and my care is going to be on you Abram. He's disinherited all the other people's but now God is choosing Abram as Hughes inheritance Abram as shoes people and he's going to take a broom to his place favor and blessing will be upon him. So great that if Abram blesses somebody it will be as if God blesses them and if Abrams is Dishonored or cursed by somebody God himself will defends him and will come against that person.

But this is not simply God giving up on everybody else and choosing Abram for Abrams sake. No, this is God's plan ultimate plan for the Redemption of all people. So he says to Abram and in you all of the families all of the Nations all of the peoples of the Earth. She'll be black. What an incredible incredible promise?

Labrum went three words that blow my mind what an amazing response. It says, I want you to leave everything you've known and follow me. I want you to leave it all. And come to me and Abram went just as the Lord. I told him lot went with him apron was 75 years old when he departed from her an and Abraham took Sarah his wife and lot his brother's son and all their possessions that they had gathered and the people that they had acquired in her ran and they set out to go to the land of Canaan when they came to the land of Canaan Abram pass through the land of the place at shechem.

Mora

Interesting. He says at that time the Canaanites. We're in the land most in chapter 10 when when Moses was described in the table of Nations. He gave special emphasis to the descendants of ham the Canaanites because the land God is going to give to Abram and his new people is not an uninhabited land. It is a land that has been inhabited by other people who serve other gods

Moses is making very clear that when God called Abram you wasn't calling him to an easy inheritance. He wasn't calling him to an easy life or an easy why he was calling him into this Cosmic Rebellion this battle between who is the rightful Lord and king of all

Abram and his family are invited to follow and Trust gods and be taken to a land that God would give to them. Even though got it already giving it to somebody else in the first place. We're going to see if we walk through the rest of Genesis. The God is going to use Abram and his people as an instrument of judgment and Justice against the sinfulness and Brokenness of these other people. Ultimately, he's doing it to bring a blessing.

we continue on it says the Lord appeared to Abraham and said to your offspring I will give this land. Do you seed your descendants? Your family to the nation and people that I am going to build through you. I will give this land. I want to see if you really begin to study through the Hebrew scripture. You're a seat over and over and over and over and over again. Incredible emphasis on

On the place on a geographic reality and for those of us here in the United States. This is not our place. It's not our lands. It doesn't seem that significance. So there's this incredible cultural distance and cognitive disconnect between the emphasis on the land that we see consistently in the Hebrew scriptures and our reality. I want to help you understand this morning is that God's plan was to take Abram and his family and make a new people in a new land a new Eden as Abram is a another atom. The land that God is going to give them is going to be a New England a new place where God dwells with his people and from that place and through his people God spreads. His Blessing. You cannot read Genesis chapter 12 the calling and the creation of Israel outside the context of the creation of all in Genesis chapter 1. God is going to do through Abraham and his descendants what Adam and his descendants failed to do.

He's going to give them this land. So he built there an altar to the Lord who had appeared to them. Just as Eden was the temple the place where God and man when God comes and makes this promise to Abram. I'm going to give you this land. What's the first thing that he does he build there an altar? Why because this is the place where God met with man. This is the place where God is going to dwell with man and through Abraham and his descendants bring about his kingdom and blessing he built there an altar to the Lord who it appeared to him from there. He moved to the Hill Country on the east of the cell. And pitched his tent with Bethell in the west and I on the East the South literally means House of God. Abram is now in beginning to discover this land that God is going to give to him and make into a place where God dwells with his people. And brings the blessing to the rest of humanity. There he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord and Abram journeyed on still going toward. vinegar the call of Abram to discover the land be a new people to be God's possession and inheritance to be the instrument of blessing. This is the starting point of the rest of the storyline of scripture.

As I said, we have a challenge culturally and understanding the importance and significance of the land which is why I spent so much time a couple weeks looking at the Babylon there to looking at how God disinherited the people and spread them out how God allotted different peoples different places under the authority of the Divine Council. He distribute them according to the number of the sons of God. They've been a low-key What we have in Genesis chapter 12 is a world that has now been scattered and separated and is not under the authority and worshipping the Creator God the way that they should be. Donald Trump chooses abramski makes him into a new people. And he gives them a new place a new place where God will dwell with his people as opposed to the other places. we're so used to talking and Evangelical Protestants that the God is a god of the whole earth and he is all peoples in all places belong to him and they do. because of the reality that Jesus if the offspring that was promised to Abraham's that became the blessing to all the other peoples in the Earth. But until Jesus came the reality on this world was a different reality. The rest of the world was opposed with separate from him and from his Blessing. They were under the authority of the sons of God. God's plan to fix that was to create a new people and the new place. emphasis on the land I'm a very dirt of Israel that we see over and over and over again in Genesis. And then the rest of the Hebrew scriptures is absolutely vital to the storyline of The Narrative of redemption. It is absolutely essential to how God is going to reverse the curse and redeem his creation. There's a lot of stories that involve the land but there's one that's that's really one of my favorites that I want us to look at this morning. We find it in Second Kings second Kings chapter 5 The story of Naaman the name is not a descendant of Abraham. Neyman is a Syrian. Eva Eva Gentile, he's a foreigner. He is under the authority and worships another God the god Ramon. We're going to see later in this story Naaman. It's one of those but has been disinherited and Scattered and dilaudid to another guy. Naaman was a commander of the army of the king of Syria. He was a great man and his master and is highly favored because by him the Lord had given Victory to Syria. That's an interesting phrase. I am the Lord had given Victory to Syria just because God a disinherited the people's doesn't mean that God was not sovereign Lee working through the people. no, he was a mighty man of Valor, but He was a leper. It was a leper leper is a word that that refers to any type of skin condition could be other skin conditions, but it was most likely painful debilitating and shameful name and he is a Mighty Man a great warrior a great leader highly respected and yet he's got something that's very very wrong with him. He is a leper. Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel. I wish I had more time this morning. They're really think through all that's going on here has been communicated the syrians had invaded Israel. They have come into the land that God had given to Abraham and his descendants. And in that raid, they had carried off one of Abraham's descendants a little girl and brought her out of the land back to Syria to serve them as a servant and slave. She were in the service of Naamans wife. She said you were mistress what that my Lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria. That's the northern part of the Kingdom Northern Israel. She would cure him of his leprosy. So this little girl this little Israelite girl who has been taken out of her land made a slave in a foreign Place. She's working for Naamans wife having a conversation about Naamans leprosy. She says man's too bad. He lives here in Syria instead of in Northern Israel and Samaria there because there's profit and net profit would seal him of his leprosy. So name and went and told his Lord the king and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said go now and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. So he went taking with him ten talents of silver six thousand shekels of gold and 10 changes of clothing. He's bringing a treasure. That's what that's what it's worth the him. There's no price tag. Keep you put on for the freedom from leprosy for the healing. Any any brings with him this letter to the king of Israel who brings the letter to the king of Israel which red when this letter reaches, you know that I've sent to you name and my servants that you make sure him of his leprosy make it happen. When the king of Israel read the letter he tore his clothes which is an act of a sign of grief. A morning, cuz he believes that this is trouble. He thinks he's being set up listen to what he says. He says am I God to kill and to make a lie that this man seems weird to me to cure a man of his leprosy.

I don't have that power was the king of Syria think that I can make this happen.

Only consider and see how he is seeking a coral with me. He he believes that this is political. This is a political setup. The King has sent him naming. When he is unable to cure him of his leprosy the king of cereal get upset and come and declare war upon him. He thinks that this is Overture of War.

but when Elijah the man of God The king of Israel turn his clothes. He sent to the king saying.

Let him come now to me that she may know there is a prophet in Israel. I like to here's what's going on. Don't worry about this. We are the people of God. We are in the place of God. We have the blessing of God and we have the power of God on our side send them to me.

So name and came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elijah's house. Remember, this is a commander of the greatest army in the world at the time. This is a man of power and significance is horses his chariots. He's got a bass treasure with him. He's got servants and soldiers. This is quite a display of power show up at the door of Elijah the prophet.

And Elijah sent a messenger to him saying. Go wash in the Jordan 7 times and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean. Name is made a long journey from Syria. He goes to the king first. Now, he sent to the prophet. He's been on the road for a significant amount of time. He is an important man. He's used to being treated with deference and respect Elijah doesn't even come out of the house to see him. He sends a servant a messenger going to tell him to go take a little dip in the river 7 times when he comes out. He'll be he'll Naaman was not happy he was angry and he began to go away saying the whole I thought that he would surely come out to meet me and Stan and call upon the name of the Lord is God and waves his hand over the place and show her the leper name it have been imagining what this is going to be like he had an idea of how God should be got an idea. I wanted to look like he wanted the prophet to come out. He wanted a grand spectacle. He wanted to wait and a great emotional Burien.

So it begins to leave he said we are not the abana and far for the rivers of Damascus better than all the Waters of Israel. Could I not washing them and be clean?

this is when he says that he really means that. You have to read this and hear this as the ancient reader and here would have. Why is the water in this land better than the water in my land? Why can I be killed here and not be healed there? What is it about this place? That makes it better than that place because to all human appearances Siri at that time was much more powerful than Israel.

From a human perspective the gods of Serial we're clearly greater and stronger than the god of Israel.

Name and discuss if he's frustrated. I begins to leaf. So we turned and went away. in a rage Hope broken always leads to anger and despair a rage. But as servants came here and said to him. My father it is a great word. The prophet has spoken to you. We cannot do it didn't actually say to wash and be clean. Are you really going to pass up the opportunity to be set free to be sealed to be restored. Are you really going to let your anger and emotions your disappointment over your expectations get in the way of what God might actually be doing for you. Are you really going to make this entire Journey a waste of time and effort? Are you going to walk away from your opportunity? So we went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan according to the word of the man of God.

And his flash was restored like the Flash. I'm a little child. And he was made clean. What an amazing story demonstration of the power of God Elijah doesn't even have to be there. Go down to the Jordan zip yourself in seven times. I wonder what he was thinking about whole time. It's a great Sunday School Story. Isn't it? The great flannelgraph story checks himself. Nope. No good goes down the second time same thing third fourth fifth sixth. I think after the six-time nothing's happened. He's wondering am I looking like an idiot if it's really good habits Pony goes down the seventh time and he comes back up he comes up and his skin is new

Leprosy is gone. He was clean. Sadly and most of our Sunday School Stories We just stop there. God is powerful and that's where we end the story and when we ends there we miss some of the beautiful significance of what's actually happening here. Let's keep going. It says he returned them to the man of God, he and all his company and he came and stood before him and he said the whole. I know now that there is no God in all here, but in Israel, so except now present from your server. I've been around I've seen other places I've seen other people I've seen other God, but I know now that there is no one like the god of Israel what the scripture teaches God is the Elohim of all Elohim. There is no one like him. He is incomparable. He makes other imagers both in the spiritual Heavenly realm and in the material physical round. He makes all sorts of creation. There is none like him. I now know this. Let me pay you off. Let me pay for this working of God. And he said as the Lord lives before whom I stand I will receive nothing nothing him to take it, but he refused. The name and said this is where the story gets. So interesting. All right, if you won't take this. Let there be given to your servants. 2 mule loads Earth

Okay, you're not going to take payment for this? All right. I'll ask you if that's fine. But I'm going to ask you for one more thing. Not only have you healed me but here's what I would like. I would like you to let me fill up two carts pulled by mules. I'm going to take as much dirt as I can from this place. Give me your dirt.

That is a strange request that is a strange request. If you don't understand the cosmic geography that existed at this time as a result of

God is now dwelling in Israel. That is cute land. That is God's dirt. Name it says I got to go back. Listen. Listen what he says he says from from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any God, but the lure.

Naamans now converted from a worshipper of Ramon to a worshipper of Yahweh. Not even though I got to go back to another land. I'm not going to worship that guy. I will never get off her offer sacrifices to another guy only to the Lord, but in order to do that.

You needed to offer it in the place where God was where was God in Israel? Because I can't stay in Israel. Please. Let me take a little of Israel with me.

Wherever I am I can get on this land.

And I can worship the God of this land.

In this matters, may the Lord. Pardon your servant it when my master goes into the house of Ramon to worship their leaning on my arm and I bound myself in the house of Ramon when I found myself in the house of Ramon the Lord pardon your servant in this matter says, I'm going to worship Yahweh. But when I go back I know what's going to happen. I still have responsibilities. One of the responsibilities was to leave the key in the his act of worship the king into the temple in his worship of another guy. I'm still going to have to do that. But please give me Grace. Give me pardon Give Me Freedom still when I do that and know that I am not worshipping Ramon.

Because I the counter to experience the true God of all gods.

Said you can go in. Peace.

going What an amazing amazing story? Do this.

This this is one of those texts and I could have dozens of text that stories that I could have pulled. King David was being hunted by Saul. Denny's forced to flee outside of the land when he's outside of Al and he's outside of the protections and the presence of God. He's being disinherited and cast out. We think it was story of Ruth. Who's who's the husband of Naomi intentionally leave the land to go into a foreign land outside of the place and protection of God. So many stories are centered around the the the power and the reality that God has chosen to dwell in a specific place with a specific people for a specific. Of time. It is all apart of God's plan. To bring his Blessing to the world.

the rest of the Hebrew scriptures is the reality of God bringing them into this land and giving them a land and setting them up as a nation and then their constant rejection and Rebellion against God could we expect anything less after the prologue and pattern that we saw in Genesis 1 to 11.

Because even though they were chosen to be a blessing to the rest of the world. They needed to be rescued just as much as everybody else. They were still broken by sin.

if we get to the end of the Hebrew scriptures God comes in judgment upon his people just as he promised that he would if they rejected and ran after other gods, which is what they did.

It's a god judge them and takes them out of the land. And at the end of the Hebrew scriptures God and His grace and faithfulness allows them to come back. And they come back to the land. And they're there again as a people. presence of God is not there like it had them. Oh sure. They rebuild the Temple but the Shekinah Glory the very presence of God does not feel that second temple. Like it did Solomon's Temple. So we have at the end of the Hebrew scriptures the people in the place but without the presence of God

until Jesus come I see this is the power and the beauty of the storyline where does Jesus come Jesus comes to the lands he comes as a descendants of Abram he comes with one of the people he comes to the place, but he himself is the presence of God. The new and better Temple he is the place where forgiveness can be experienced. We're pardon can be a reality Jesus come. Experience the fullness of the blessing that was promised to Abram in Genesis chapter 12.

When Jesus comes he comes to the land he comes to the people and she brings the blessing of God pants for the kingdom of the heavens is open and available to you. If you come to me you come to God.

but now in an unprecedented way that blessing that was promised to Abram in Genesis chapter 12 that is delivered in and through Jesus. Is no longer going to be limited to one people and one place now the blessing. It's going to be experienced the manifested to the rest of the world. This is what the storyline of the Hebrew scriptures that the Old Testament is all about how and when will God put down the foreign God owns the cosmic rebellions and redeem and restore All Peoples on to himself.

The end of Psalm 82 which we looked at. So many time. God takes his place in the counsel of the Gossett. This is the whole Divine Council Psalm 82 at the end of it. Listen to judge the Earth for you shall inherit.

This is the heartbeat the great question the great dilemma. How is God's going to put down the cosmic rebellion and bring all the nations and all the people's back to himself.

That's why couple weeks ago. We looked at Pentecost Acts chapter 2. It's a reversal of Babel the Des person in the confusion of the languages in Pentecost. The spirit is given in Port upon this new people. These people of Jesus and they're all at this time descendants of Abraham's who have received the blessing but now they are being blessed to be a blessing and they're proclaiming the glory of King Jesus all the tongues of a Nation. The good news of Jesus is not to be kept themselves. That's why Jesus said you didn't receive power when the spirit comes upon you and you will be my Witnesses first in Jerusalem, then in Judea and Samaria Israel, and then to the ends of the Earth zactly what we see when we look at the back of the book of Acts exactly what the Great Commission is all about go and make disciples of all the peoples all the nation.

Jesus come the ultimate fulfillment of the promise to Abram Oh bless you. I'll make you a people a nation those who bless you bless those who curse you I will curse and in you all nations all the peoples. All the families of the earth will be laugh

that pisses

absolutely essential to the story of redemption. And what it is that Jesus came to do. As we walk through the rest of Genesis as we see time and time again God building his people God building a place God giving his presents and blessing. is all leading to pointing to the reality of Jesus as the true fulfillment the one who brings God The Inheritance of all the nations