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BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 16, Day 2: Genesis 25:1-18

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2020/2021

Summary of Genesis 25:1-18:

Abraham took another wife named Keturah and had more kids. He left everything he owned to Isaac but gave gifts to his other sons and sent them away to the land of the east. Abraham lived 175 years and was buried with Sarah in the cave he bought from the Hittites by Isaac and Ishmael. God blessed Isaac who settled near Beer Lahai Roi.

Ishmael had 12 sons who became 12 tribal rulers. He lived to be 137 years old. His descendants settled near Egypt from Havilah to Shur as you go towards Asshur. They lived in hostility towards their brothers.

BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 16, Day 2: Genesis 25:1-18

3) Abraham sent all of his other sons away from Isaac, making it clear who would inherit his lands. He gave gifts to the rest of his sons.

4) God blessed his son Isaac. God told Abraham in Genesis 15:15 that he would go to his fathers in peace and be buried at a good old age. Genesis 21:11-13 says God will make Isaac into a nation. Genesis 24:7 says that a wife will be got for Isaac so that he can have sons and his descendents will inherit the land.

5) Personal Question. My answer: I learn that God keeps His promises no matter how much we sin or mess up. That God is faithful and repeats His promises to us. That God is good. And that despite our failures, His plans never alter.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 16, Day 2: Genesis 25:1-18

I was surprised to see Abraham marry again. I don’t remember this the last time I read Genesis. It seems like his other kids are told to go away, which is why I’m wondering why even marry again, knowing Isaac is the promised one beside for companionship. It just seems terrible to be Abraham’s other sons, second always to God’s promised one.

End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 16, Day 2: Genesis 25:1-18

In total, Abraham had 8 sons, and it’s very easy to forget this since the six by his second wife, Keturah, are hardly mentioned. However, these sons would from tribes of their own, perhaps the most famous in the Bible being the Midianites from Midian.

Some scholars use this passage to say it was Sarah that was the one with fertility problems. I disagree. God can open and close wombs as He chooses. His plan was to test Abraham and Sarah’s faith so He closed Sarah’s womb, not anything else.

We see God’s work be passed on from generation to generation as we read about Abraham’s death.

Fun Fact: Abraham is mentioned 70 times by the writers of the New Testament, the most out of any other OT person except Moses.

Fun Fact: We see here for the first time “breathed his last” to refer to death and “gathered to his people” to mean joining loved ones in heaven

We see that Ishmael continued to receive God’s blessing as well. The Old Testament usually lists the non-messianic line first and then the messianic line last, which we see here in Ishmael’s listing.

Beer Lahai Roi in the Bible: Click HERE

map of beer-lahai-roi www.atozmomm.com

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 17, Day 2: Genesis 20 with Genesis 12:10-20 & 21:22-34

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passages:  Genesis 20:  Abraham had been staying near the great trees of Mamre (Genesis 18) and now has moved on to the Negev between Kadesh and Shur.  He stayed in Gerar for a time and again lied about Sarah being his sister.  So, of course, the king of Gerar, Abimelech, took her for his wife.

God rescued Sarah (again) when he came to Abimelech in a dream and told him he had taken a married woman unbeknownst and that is why God has kept him from touching her.  God tells him to return Sarah and Abraham will pray for him so that he may live.  Otherwise, he will die.

Abimelech called in Abraham and chastized him (like Pharaoh did) and asked him why he lied to him.  Abraham again gave his lame excuse of how he was afraid and he wasn’t really lying because Sarah is his half-sister.  Abraham as the head of the household told Sarah to lie for him on their travels.

So afraid of God was Abimelech that he gave Abraham sheep, cattle, slaves, and whatever piece of land he wanted.  He gave silver to Sarah’s “brother” so she would be vindicated for the wrongs he did.

Abraham prayed and God healed Abimelech and his household so that they could have kids again.

Genesis 12:10-20:

Abram went to Egypt due to a famine.  Abram told Sarai to tell the Egyptians she was his sister in order to protect himself because he was afraid the Egyptians would kill him.  So Pharaoh married Sarai (thinking she wasn’t married) and treated Abram well because of it.  He was given sheep, cattle, donkeys, servants, and camels.

The Lord was angry at this so he punished Pharaoh and Pharaoh asked Abram why he lied to him. Pharaoh sent them out of his land.  They returned to the Negev much wealthier from his lie to Pharaoh.

 Genesis 21:22-34:  Abimelech makes a treaty with Abraham probably because he doesn’t trust him.  Abraham said that some of Abimelech’s servants had seized a well. Abraham gifted sheep and cattle to Abimelech and set aside 7 ewe lambs to prove he dug the well.  The place was called Beersheba.  Abimelech returned to Philistine and Abraham planted a tree and called upon the name of the Lord.  Abraham stayed here a long time.

Questions:

3)  Abraham uses the same fear and mistrust in God to tell Sarah to lie for him.  Abraham was well rewarded both times when Sarah was taken.  It was the Lord who saved Sarah both times by inflicting disease in Egypt and appearing to Abimelech in a dream and preventing child-bearing.

Both Pharaoh and Abimelech were innocent, not knowing Abraham had lied to them.

Abimelech and Pharaoh gave everything to Abraham to atone for their wrongs (shouldn’t it have been the other way around?).  We are told Abraham prayed for Abimelech to be healed and we are not told in Pharaoh’s case but Abraham could have prayed for them as well.

In both instances, God leaves the healing, the repentance, up to Abraham.

4a)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Abraham tells Abimelech he does this so he won’t be killed just like in Egypt.  I think he truly doesn’t care about Sarah to do this twice.  He seems to have some problems to me–selfishness, not trusting in God, egotistical even.

Why is Abraham moving to these places (Egypt and Negev) if he is fearful of the kings?  What is his reasoning?  Or is he that greedy for good land for his flocks and for his self-preservation that he just doesn’t care?

b)  People do this all the time especially in terms of the work environment.  They would rather stab you in the back to climb the corporate ladder than help you.  They do this with land fights as well.  Anytime man wants something he throws his comrades under the bus.  We see it in war situations, politics, and power plays.

5a)  He didn’t suffer just like in Egypt.  In fact, he prospered even more by being given sheep, cattle, and slaves.

Here’s the guy who one minute is refusing bounty from the King of Sodom (Genesis 14:22:24), has God appear to him in Genesis 15 and say He is his great reward, and then the next selling his wife again to a king of a foreign land.  Does Abraham expect to be rewarded like he was in Egypt?  Is he using Sarah for material gain?  It seems to me to be so.  Or he is completely untrusting of God who appeared to him and turning his back on Him.

b)  Others will get hurt due to our actions.  God is receiving no glory for His work when we don’t trust.  Relationships are broken (I’m sure Sarah didn’t appreciate or respect Abraham after all this as much).

6a)  He did not treat Abraham as he deserved.  He did not retaliate against Abraham.  He forgave Abraham’s sin and redeemed him in others’ eyes.  He gave Abraham good things out of it.  Through grace and love, He did not get angry or accuse.  He showed compassion on Abraham, knowing he is merely a man, formed out of dust, and inherently sinful.  He loved Abraham and did not remove righteousness from him.  Instead, God corrected.

b)  Abraham gave Abimelech sheep and cattle.  It seems Abraham brought peace for we are told Abimelech and Phicol, his commander of his forces, returned to Philistine without a fight.  Abraham may have prevented war just by having his presence there and God protecting Abraham.

c)  Personal Question.  My answer:  He has loved me despite my sins.  He has humbled me with this nasty flu I caught.  He has blessed me with my husband being home to take care of me.  In His mercy, I have faith my husband will land a job this week so in that sense I am grateful.

Conclusions:  Did Abraham NOT learn from Egypt?  The whole “calling your wife your sister” thing didn’t have such a great ending so why would he do it again?  God had to intervene (again) and rescue Sarah.  What an idiot!  Abraham’s explanation is flimsy to say the least!  It’s like he’s floundering.  He’s definitely indifferent that’s for sure!

AND did you pick up that Abraham is partly blaming GOD for his actions.  Verse 13 “And when God had me wander from my father’s household…”  SERIOUSLY?  God, the One, True God has called you to greatness and now you are blaming Him for your lies, your fear, your lack of trust, and apparent incompetency to handle such a charge.

Hey, God!  Call me!  Like Isaiah saying, “Here am I!  Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)  Use me. How many of us would jump at such a chance to be made the father of nations and then we blame God for the hardships along the way.  Can you picture a little kid jumping up and down, waving their arms, waiting to be chosen???  Unbelievable!  Definitely NOT Abraham here.

And then Abraham is rewarded for it!  It’s like Abraham is taking advantage of God’s protection over his family to see what he can get out of the deal.  Ridiculous in my opinion.

But we see God’s grace throughout it all and I’m assuming that’s why both of these passages are recorded.  God loved Abraham despite his bad choices.  Just as He loves us when we make bad choices.  God redeemed Abraham just like He redeems us afterwards.

Even if our choices are idiotic, repetitive, fearful, and doesn’t make sense to anyone God loves us and offers us His grace.  Always.  God is good!

Maps:  Map of Gerar and Beersheba where the treaty was made: http://www.keyway.ca/htm2001/20010115.htm

Another map of Gerar:  http://www.biblicalzionist.com/gerar.htm

Another interesting map showing Negev and Zoar from Lesson 16:  http://www.ibiblemaps.com/m002.html

This one I am just including so you can see Mamre (you do have to scroll down a bit):  http://www.israel-a-history-of.com/sodom-and-gomorrah.html

End Note:  The Abimelech in Genesis 21 is NOT the same Abimelech in Genesis 20. Abimelech was a generic title for ruler amongst the Canaanites and is not a specific name. Question 6b makes it seem like it’s the same guy when it’s not.

BSF Study Questions Genesis Lesson 11, Day 4: Genesis 12:4-9 & Hebrews 11:1, 8-10, 15

by atozmom, posted in BSF Genesis 2012/2013

Summary of passages:  Genesis 12:4-9:  Abram obeyed God and set out for Canaan at the age of 75 with his wife, Sarai, his nephew, Lot, and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran.

At the tree of Moreh at Shechem the Lord appeared to Abram and told him he will give Abram’s offspring this land (which was currently occupied by the Canaanites).  Abram built an altar there for the Lord.

Abram continued on his journey, stopping at Bethel to build an altar to the Lord and call upon his name and then continuing towards Negev.

Hebrews 11:1, 8-10, 15:  Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  Abraham had faith when he answered God’s call and traveled to Canaan to receive his inheritance even though he had no idea where he was going.  He moved to a strange land, lived in tents, and raised his family–all while looking forward to the city of God.  He was looking for God’s heavenly country and not a country on Earth.

Questions:

7a)  FAITH

b)  Personal Question.  My answer:  I think we all have experiences if we follow God most days of our lives.  For God is in the little things just as much as He is in the big things such as moving.  God wants all of us all the time.

I have been praying and praying about my husband’s job for he will be moved across country again.  I have been praying and praying about what God wants me to do with this talent I have.  The key is to respond in faith and live faith every day of your lives.  I homeschool my kids cause I believe that is God’s calling for me.  I write this blog every day as I believe that as well.  I write my heart into the stories I write and weave God into them through faith in Him and what He wants me to do with this life.

c)  “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.”

8a)  Verse 4 (“So Abram left) and verse 5 (“took…all the possessions they had and the people.”

b)  God, Sarai, Lot, other people from Haran

9a)  “To your offspring I will give this land.”  So not only to Abram but to his kids as well.

b)  He built an altar and presumably worshiped God and offered sacrifices

c)  Personal Question.  My answer:  Through all my husband’s layoffs, we have been provided for.  All the moves have been in His plan.  Right now, I am doing my work in Faith.

10a)  He moved on to Bethel and built an altar to the Lord and called on His name and then he continued toward the Negev.  In essence, he continued following God’s plan for him.

b)  Colossians 1:23:  Continue your life in faith and not moved from the hope Jesus gave us.  Verse 22 adds we are reconciled to God through Christ if we continue in faith.

Colossians 2:6-7:  Continue to live in Christ Jesus, rooted in him, strong faith in him, and overflowing thankfulness in him.

Hebrews 6:1:  Continue to mature in Christ, continue faith in God and repenting from acts that lead to death

Hebrews 10:35-38:  Persevere in God’s will for your life so you will receive what He has promised and live by faith.  Have confidence in what God is doing with you.

1 Peter 2:2:  Continue to grow in God’s goodness (verse 3) and in your confidence in your salvation by craving God’s goodness and purity

Conclusions:  BSF should subtitle the Study of Genesis as the Study of Hebrews.

If you haven’t gotten it yet, Abram was FAITHFUL.

However, IMPORTANT NOTE:  Abram did not obey God fully.  The Lord says in verse 1 “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household”.  Abram did not do this.  He brought Lot and other people from Haran with him.  We will soon see how Lot turned out.  Like the rest of us, Abram is human, too.

Also, a big deal is made in Hebrews about tents.  Even today people who live in tents are travelers, not permanent settlers.  Like when you go camping.  You pitch a temporary home.  The writer of Hebrews is trying to drill that point home.  Abraham lived in tents because he was looking forward to his permanent home in God’s kingdom, heaven.  He could have built a house once he settled but he didn’t.  He was just passing through this world.

End Note:  Map of Negev HERE.  The Negev is a desert region in Israel where Abram was headed.  It still is called the Negev today.