Genesis 12

Genesis 12:1-5

÷Genesis 11:21-32; Genesis 12:1-5 Part II. History of the Patriarchs The second main division of Genesis is occupied with the history of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and also with the life story of Joseph. Our study, then, of these chapters will be grouped around these four great characters: Abraham, Genesis 12-25; Isaac, Genesis 21-28; Jacob, Genesis 27-50; Joseph, Genesis 37-50. I. Abraham, the Father of the Faithful (Genesis 12-25) With Abraham begins the third probation of the race (cf. Adam, the first; Noah, the second). The study of Abraham’ s life is exceedingly important. He alone, of all men, is called the “ Friend of God.” He is recognized as the founder of the three great religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity, and Muhammadanism. Of course, he is recognized as the founder of Christianity only in the sense that Christ is of the seed of Abraham. The importance of Abraham in Genesis is emphasized because of the relation in which he stands to the Jewish people. From this point on, our attention is to be fixed, not upon individuals, but upon a chosen people. Genesis 1:1-31; Genesis 2:1-25; Genesis 3:1-24; Genesis 4:1-26; Genesis 5:1-32; Genesis 6:1-22; Genesis 7:1-24; Genesis 8:1-22; Genesis 9:1-29; Genesis 10:1-32; Genesis 11:1-32 has been preparatory for all that follows after Genesis 12:1-20. The Cainites are all to go on their own way, building their towers, speaking against heaven, calling their lands and cities by their own names, with the inward thought that they would continue forever; while God is gathering out of the earth a people for His name, who confess that they are pilgrims and strangers in the earth, and are seeking a better country-that is a heavenly land (Hebrews 11:13-16). The history of Abraham centers around a series of manifestations of God, seven in number, each relating itself to some point in the patriarch’ s character that needed strengthening, or reaffirming a promise already given or a covenant made, and always resulting in an advanced step in the religious experience of Abraham. After visions two, three, four, six, and seven, there is recorded an episode, either historical or religious, setting forth some lapse or advance with reference to the patriarch’ s relation to God. The whole life of Abraham, then, can be grouped around seven divine manifestations, and five episodes in connection therewith.

1. The First Manifestation of God to Abraham (Genesis 11:31-32; Genesis 12:1-5) This manifestation is connected with the call of Abraham to separate himself from idolatry (cf. Joshua 24:3-15; Nehemiah 9:7) and to surrender his life, with all of its plans and purposes, to God (Genesis 12:1-4; cf. Hebrews 11:8-17). Abraham, apparently, had two calls (Genesis 11:31; Genesis 12:1; cf. Acts 7:2-4; Isaiah 51:2). The response to the first call seems to have been partial. When God called the second time, Abraham surrendered completely (Genesis 12:4-5). A threefold blessing is promised Abraham: a land, a seed, a blessing (Genesis 12:1-3). He had left the land of his fathers, now God would be with him and be his Father (2 Corinthians 6:14-17). Though one of the youngest of the family, his name would be made great, and the family blessing should come through him. Though childless, his seed would be innumerable. As compensation for the surrender of his life to God, he would be the source of blessing to all the families of the earth. As God called Abraham, so He calls us to separation (2 Corinthians 6:14-17), to surrender (Romans 12:5), and to put the plans of our lives in His hands (Isaiah 55:7; Ephesians 2:10). How do we respond to this call? Partially? If so, there will be no full blessing or vision. Abraham did not receive a full vision until he had made the full surrender. If we fully surrender, then God will make us useful and a blessing to others. History of Abraham I.Genesis 11:31-32 First Manifestation-Call to Separation II.Genesis 12:7-9 Second Manifestation-Encouragement ——————->Genesis 12:10, Egypt Genesis 13:13, LotIII.Genesis 13:14-17 Third Manifestation-Reassurance ——————->Genesis 14:1-24, Kings, MelchizedekIV.Genesis 15:1-21 Fourth Manifestation-Reaffirmation ——————->Genesis 16:1-16, HagarV.Genesis 17:1-27 Fifth Manifestation-Added Assurance VI.Genesis 18:1-33 Sixth Manifestation-Intercession ——————->Genesis 20:1-18; Genesis 21:1-34, AbimelechVII.Genesis 22:1-24 Seventh Manifestation-Supreme Test of Faith ——————->Genesis 23:1-20; Genesis 24:1-67; Genesis 25:1-34, Machpelah

Genesis 12:6-9

Genesis 12:6-92. The Second Manifestation of God to Abraham (Genesis 12:7-9) This vision of God was necessary, probably, because of what is said in verse six-“ The Canaanite was then in the land.” Courage was needed in the face of danger, if Abraham was to possess the land. The message of God is short: “ Unto thee will I give this land.” There were difficulties involved in the fulfillment of this promise: giants were in possession of the land. Abraham’ s response to the call of God was manifested in building an altar and in pitching his tent. The “ altar” indicated his dependence upon God, and the “ tent” his surrender to a pilgrim life. His tent was pitched with Bethel, the house of God, in front of him, and with Hai, a heap of ruins, behind him. Like Moses, he looked to that city that had foundations (Hebrews 11:15-16; Philippians 3:13). There are practical lessons here for us. We, too, have enemies who contest the possession of our spiritual inheritance. These are the “ wicked principalities and powers in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12-18). Our strength, too, must come through means. We have need to build an altar of prayer (Luke 18:1-8; Isaiah 40:28-31). When tempted to be dazzled by the glory of the world and thus hindered in our pilgrim journey, we, as Abraham, must look away to the glories of our eternal home, and pitch our tents towards that city “ not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 5:1).

Genesis 12:10-20

Genesis 12:10-20; Genesis 13:1-13; Genesis 20:1-18 The First Episode-Egypt (Genesis 12:10-20; Genesis 13:1-13; Genesis 20:1-18) In a sense, Abraham backslides; he deviates from the chosen path. We must expect to find temptations, although we are in the path of God’ s choosing. Even Jesus Christ was not free from temptation. But temptation is not sin, nor need it become so. This is the first mention of Egypt in the Bible. Egypt means “ to bind,” “ to straighten,” “ to trouble.” Egypt is always a type of the world. “ Going down to Egypt” was not altogether like going back to Ur of the Chaldees. It was a kind of midway experience between the old life and the new. Egypt was not altogether irreligious, but it was not spiritual. The influence of this sidestepping is seen in Abraham’ s having to resort to lying, expediency, and compromise while in Egypt. The friend of God has become the servant in the palace of Pharaoh. How are the mighty fallen! Abraham’ s statement regarding his wife being his sister was a half-truth, for she was his half-sister (Genesis 20:12). A half-truth, however, is a lie when it is uttered with intent to deceive, as was clearly the case with Abraham. It is interesting to note in this connection that even as far back as Abraham’ s time, the marriage vow was held so sacred among the Egyptians that in order to possess another man’ s wife, the husband must first be killed. According to twentieth century moral standards, a man’ s wife may be taken from him while the husband still lives, and yet we talk about evolution and the progress in the civilization of the race. Abraham’ s selfishness is shown by the fact that he was willing to sacrifice his wife’ s honor to save his own life. Just why God allowed Abraham to go down into Egypt, we do not know. He lets us follow our own way sometimes, that we may learn a needed lesson. The cause of the descent into Egypt was outwardly the famine, but, inwardly and really, it was a lack of faith in God. Abraham prospered when in Egypt, but he was not happy, and the possessions he gained while there caused him great trouble in the future. He learned that it was better to be in Canaan with famine than in Egypt with prosperity; that it was better to “ be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” He lost his fellowship with God, and his influence with his family. He was reproached by the heathen for his inconsistency of conduct. His extreme selfishness was shown in being willing to sacrifice the honor of his wife to save his own life. He must ever afterwards have seen that look of reproach in the face of Sarah, as she recalled this incident. Abraham had no vision, no altar, no worship while he was in Egypt. It was a sore mistake he made, and he suffered keenly for it. There are instructive lessons in this episode in the path of Abraham for us. No child of God is free from temptation, yet no one needs to yield to temptation. Not temptation, but yielding to it, is sin. There is great danger to the child of God in stepping back halfway, not necessarily altogether, into the old life, but a step down from the point already reached in spiritual experience. The results are compromise in living, silenced testimony, lack of influence for God, no communion or fellowship with Him, the reproach and shame of the world, and the loss of joy and peace in one’ s own soul. We, with Abraham, must learn the lesson that God is well able, without our diplomacy, to carry out His own plans. Abraham finally returned to Bethel. Note the expression, “ went down” to Egypt, but “ went up” to Bethel. He went back to the starting point. That was a brave thing to do in the face of his family, servants, and household. And that is the thing for the Christian to do-to go back to the point he left, unto the place of the altar, and do the first works over again-“ back to Bethel.” The sad thing about this episode is that the time spent by Abraham in Egypt was lost time and could never be regained. The time spent by the children of Israel in Egypt is reckoned as lost time. The day of their deliverance was to be the beginning of years to them (Exodus 12:2). We do not really begin to live until we are made partakers of the life of God (John 3:3; John 3:5; John 17:3; 1 Timothy 5:6).