_JPG.jpg)
Genesis 12-17 God Makes a Covenant with Abraham
· God called Abraham to leave all he knew and go to a new place he would show him. Abram demonstrated faith by responding positively and going, even without knowing the specifics.
· God promised Abraham that he would have as many descendants as the stars in the sky. But he was about 100 and still had no children so he took matters in his own hands.
Genesis 17:1-9
Abram was ninety-nine years old when the Lord appeared to him again and said, “I am God All-Powerful. If you obey me and always do right, 2 I will keep my solemn promise to you and give you more descendants than can be counted.” 3 Abram bowed with his face to the ground, and God said:
4-5 I promise that you will be the father of many nations. That’s why I now change your name from Abram to Abraham. 6 I will give you a lot of descendants, and in the future they will become great nations. Some of them will even be kings.
7 I will always keep the promise I have made to you and your descendants, because I am your God and their God. 8 I will give you and them the land in which you are now a foreigner. I will give the whole land of Canaan to your family forever, and I will be their God.
9 Abraham, you and all future members of your family must promise to obey me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
· Sometimes Abraham took matters into his own hands and made mistakes, even sinned. But God rescued him and reminded him of his promises. When have you felt the need to be reminded of God’s promises?
· God told Abraham about blessing him with children 24 years before he blessed him
· Sometimes Abram and Sarai forgot to consider how their actions might have consequences that would affect not only them but others.
· The same is true of us, we need to carefully consider who might be affected by the decisions we make.
· When Hagar became pregnant, Sarai became jealous and this eventually led to Hagar and her son Ishmael getting kicked out. Ishmael’s descendants affected the Israelites negatively for a long time
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Consider:
1. Consider your closest relationships. Are these relationships built on conditions? If so, how might that cause problems?
2. What are some ways that we take matters into our own hands like Abraham did from time to time?
3. Sarai thought she was helping God’s promise come to life by having Abraham sleep with her servant to have a child. How have you tried to “help” God? How did it turn out?
4. When have you tried to make a plan instead of just waiting and relying on God to come through?
5. Throughout the journey of Abraham God rescued him, even from his own mistakes. Looking at your life, how has God protected you or rescued you at certain times?
6. What are some actions that have resulted in negative consequences?
7. Listed any of God’s promises that you’ve doubted recently. (if not by words by your actions)
8. In what ways does God call Christians to be set apart, like Abraham’s family, today?
9. Memorize Romans 12:2 about being set apart
Comments