Genesis Lesson 5 Chapters 15-18

¢ God does not always impart His gifts immediately

—  He knows the best time for his benefits.

—  Abraham does not believe it possible at first -17:17

—  Sarah does not either – 18:12

—  They have to learn that nothing is too hard for the God of all power -18:14

 ¢ In these chapters Abraham was portrayed as someone

—  Who lacks faith at times

—  Who demonstrates serious impatience

—  But a man concerned about fellows -18:22

—  Also pleads with God for sinners like himself

 Similarly in our journey with God, we have to learn as God teaches us. Sometimes we learn the lessons quite speedily but at other times we appear to learn very slowly. In the main points I have jotted down – I said ‘lack of faith’ and ‘impatience’ This is best summarise by James 1:2-4

‘My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.’

‘Enjoy’ the trials by praising God that sooner or latter youwill be more than a conqueror

¢ How slow man learn his lesson

¢ Abraham makes the same mistake in chapter 20 as in chapter 12

¢ His desire for prayer is noted – 15:2, 18:22-33; 20:17

¢ Abraham is still on the scene, but of course, the focus is on Isaac – the promised son.

¢ The theme here is the UNDESERVED mercy of God.

¢ He is not only merciful in providing them with a son and thus fulfilling their dreams, but he is merciful to Hagar and her son 21:9-20

¢ He is merciful in providing a lamb at a time when Abraham’s faith was put to test

¢ He even provide a bride for Isaac 24:12 à ‘Show kindness’ and giving them children!

¢ Notice how easily the child can repeat the father’s sins 26:7 (Isaac and Rebecca) compare to (Abraham 12:13 at Egypt and 20:5 Abimelech)

¢ God:

—  Spared Isaac’s life 22

—  Provides Isaac’s partner 24

—  Answers Isaac’s prayer 25:21

¢ Parental example is a repeated theme in this section.

¢ Isaac commits the same sin as his father 26:7.

¢ Note it is Rebekah who leads her son Jacob astray 27:6-13

¢ Sin costs a heavy price.

¢ Rebekah’s action brings

—  grief to their home 27:41.

—  To her heart 27:46

—  Jacob becomes a self centred person like the mother 28:20 –’If …then…) Thinking only for his own gains

¢ The power of the spoken word is very important in Hebrew thought – once blessing is given it cannot be revoked 27:37

¢ The Picture of God’s Patience:

¢ His people are self seeking, unkind to one another, Greed (31:1-33), Lies (31:34), Strife (31:51), Fear (32:4-33), Deceit (34:13-15), Murder (34:24-31)Robbery (34:2), Idolatry (35:2)

¢ They are not happy chapters, but throughout it all God communes and pleads with his servant (28:13; 31:11) and is PATIENT with Jacob’s family.

 

¢ It’s thrilling to see how he triumphs over his unhappy family background.

¢ All the scheming of the previous chapters drops away.

¢ Here we have a story of:

¢ Holiness 39:9; 41:38; 50:15-21

¢ Heroism 39:20; 40:15

¢ Hope 50:24

¢ God is sovereign and his providential care is illustrated throughout the Joseph story 39:21, 23; 45:5-7

¢ Joseph sums it up magnificently:

¢ ‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good 50:20’

 

Genesis lesson 4

—  With a DEMAND –Leave your country

—  And a PROMISE – I will bless you

—  Leave the power of Satan unto God

—  Leave darkness into light

—  Leave Egypt into Promised land

When God asks us to do something he always provides the strength to obey.

Note God’s unlimited power in Abraham’s life: This Is An Example of The Kind of Power God Has Given Us As Christians – Fullness of Godhead within us. We are given the Authority and Ability Power (‘Exousia’ and ‘dunamis’ power)

Power to OVERRULE his sins -12:17-20 à We should have dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air…..we are to subdue the sins that are crouching at the door…

Power to OVERCOME his difficulties – 13:7-18 à The Bible says that we are not only conquerors but more than conquerors (You defeat the enemies and you gain possessions).

We are overcomers – by the blood of the Lamb, the testimony and have no fear of death.   

Power to OVERPOWER the enemies – 14:15-24

Power to OVERFLOW with satisfaction of his longings – (‘What can you give me since I remain childless’) -15:2

Lesson:
When there is a promise (especially the promise of God), there is always a time to leave and a time to enter into His promise.

To Abraham it is ‘leave your country’ and ‘I will bless you’. To Moses and the Israelites they have to leave Egypt in order to enter the Promised Land.

Similarly for us today – we leave the darkness unto the light, the power of Satan unto the power of God.

God has given us the two basic power – the ‘exousia and dunamis’ power – the authority and the ability power. Unless you realise you have the authority and won’t have the ability to do anything.

 

If he has given you power – that means there will be time you have to sue those power.

Power to overrule SINS

Power to overcome DIFIICULTIUES

Power to overpower the ENEMIES

Power to overflow with SATISFACTION OF YOUR LONGINGS OR NEEDS

 

God has given ICC a VISION – A dynamic multicultural cell church that impacts this nation and beyond.

That means there is a promise that we will impact this nation of Australia and beyond (Meaning to other nations)

Why multicultural? – Because Australia is multicultural and the world is multicultural. When the Bible talks about the mystery of the gospel in Ephesians – it means the gospel is to be brought to the gentiles not just the Jews – gentiles speaks of the world.     

 

Genesis lesson 3

FEAR OR FAITH

The very thing the people were afraid happened to them

Isaac driven out of the land and ended up in Abimelek –to Gilear (a place of Abraham – the well of Abraham) Rely on God

Questions asked:

Why did God punish people and kill people?

Refer to Judges 1 – “they did not drive them out completely!” Judges 2 “They became thorn on their sides and they became their constant temptation!”

When dealing with enemy – or the sins of our lives – do not spare to destroy them otherwise they will destroy you and I.

People sit in the combined services and say it is hard – we are so used to the old service. It is hard to change. It is slow. As long as we do not stop growing or loving God and the vision it is fine. Everything takes time to develop. This has to do with the ‘TRANSITION’ into two Multiple Multicultural Services!!

Some sleeping in church – remember the story of the young man who fell asleep while Paul was preaching. Either the young man was tired or simply bored. Did you realise that the man he did not listen to was the man who prayed for him and resurrected him. So sometimes we don’t want to hear the preaching or teaching for whatever reason – it is that preaching which can resurrect you from a situation that appears to be ‘dead’.

In both stories God’s purpose is to judge man’s sin and to restrain its serious effects in the world.#

6:5; 11:6 – Man’s thoughts are evil – Paul said what a wretched man I am – Rom 12 – daily renew you mind

6:6 – God’s judgment is not vindictive. He is deeply grieved about man’s stubborn rebellion!

NOAH is the central figure in this section.

He makes glad God’s heart 6:8

He obeys God’s word 6:22; 7:5

He acknowledges God’s goodness 8:20

He experiences God’s favour 9

Man is a strange mixture – like the bible says, “sweet water and bitter water coming out of him”

He can build an altar 8:20

He also wants to build a tower 11:5

One symbolises his fellowship with God

The other portrays his fight against God

God always has the last word.

Man may say, ‘Let us build ..a tower 11:4

But God says, ‘Come let us go down and confuse their language’ 11:7

FEAR OR FAITH

The very thing the people were afraid happened to them

Isaac driven out of the land and ended up in Abimelek –to Gilear (a place of Abraham – the well of Abraham) Rely on God

Questions asked:

Why did God punish people and kill people?

Refer to Judges 1 – “they did not drive them out completely!” Judges 2 “They became thorn on their sides and they became their constant temptation!”

When dealing with enemy – or the sins of our lives – do not spare to destroy them otherwise they will destroy you and I.

People sit in the combined services and say it is hard – we are so used to the old service. It is hard to change. It is slow. As long as we do not stop growing or loving God and the vision it is fine. Everything takes time to develop. This has to do with the ‘TRANSITION’ into two Multiple Multicultural Services!!

Some sleeping in church – remember the story of the young man who fell asleep while Paul was preaching. Either the young man was tired or simply bored. Did you realise that the man he did not listen to was the man who prayed for him and resurrected him. So sometimes we don’t want to hear the preaching or teaching for whatever reason – it is that preaching which can resurrect you from a situation that appears to be ‘dead’.

In both stories God’s purpose is to judge man’s sin and to restrain its serious effects in the world.#

6:5; 11:6 – Man’s thoughts are evil – Paul said what a wretched man I am – Rom 12 – daily renew you mind

6:6 – God’s judgment is not vindictive. He is deeply grieved about man’s stubborn rebellion!

NOAH is the central figure in this section.

He makes glad God’s heart 6:8

He obeys God’s word 6:22; 7:5

He acknowledges God’s goodness 8:20

He experiences God’s favour 9

Man is a strange mixture – like the bible says, “sweet water and bitter water coming out of him”

He can build an altar 8:20

He also wants to build a tower 11:5

One symbolises his fellowship with God

The other portrays his fight against God

God always has the last word.

Man may say, ‘Let us build ..a tower 11:4

But God says, ‘Come let us go down and confuse their language’ 11:7

Genesis lesson 2

1. THE HOLINESS OF GOD           chapters1-5

2. THE JUDGMENT OF GOD        chapters 6-11

3. THE POWER OF GOD                chapters 12-20

4. THE MERCY OF GOD                chapters 21-26

5. THE PATIENCE OF GOD          chapters 27-36

6. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD    chapters 37-50

He is a sovereign God. He is a holy God. He is a just God. He is all powerful God. He is a Merciful God. He is a patient God.

 Sovereignty è His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. (Job 38-41)

(Isa 55:9)  For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

God’s Grace, and Love through Christ Jesus. Men Must Live by Faith.

—  It is also a book that has great concern with people – God created man.

—  How he still loves Adam and Eve even after the fall.

—  The blood of the Lamb!

—  Heb.11:4 “By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice..”

—  Rom. 10:17 “Faith comes by hearing…..”

 

 

Holinessè Highway of holiness (Psalm 23; Isaiah 35:8; John 1:23)

(Isa 35:8)  And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil-minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there.

 

(Joh 1:23)  John replied in the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I am a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the LORD’s coming!’”

 

—  The Holiness of God and

—  Man’s Reaction to His holiness.

We should learn from these three men who are given prominence in this section:

èADAM – He HIDES himself 3:8-10

A REBEL

‘Hides – a Rebel’

3:1-11

Truth must be the whole truth, otherwise it is false. Anything half hearted is never good enough. Holiness has to do complete holiness, never to be contaminated with even a drop of impurity. Know what God says in His written word and not just hear say.

When truth is not complete we get into all sorts of trouble – we get sidetracked by the trickery of worldly wisdom. Everyone wants to be wise – but where is wisdom coming from – Proverbs talk about ‘lady wisdom’ – there is a worldly and heavenly wisdom. Be careful where it comes from because initially both appear to be fine.

Our 5 senses must be protected – they should be used to live on earth but at the same time they must be guarded and guided by the word of God. ‘The tree looks beautiful’ and ‘the fruit looked delicious’ – when things look beautiful to the eyes, they always give you the ‘appetite’ – you want it and desire it at all cost! You reason and convince yourself of the benefits and never the consequences.

MANY OF US WALK IN ‘BLINDNESS.’  Our eyes need to be opened. God has given us the light we should never walk in ‘darkness’ like a blind person. When our eyes are open we can see who we are and we must examine ourselves in the light of God. God always convict us to repent when we sinned. But Sin will always make you feel ‘shameful and vulnerable (naked)’    

èCAIN – He EXCUSES himself 4:9-12. Sin not only breaks our relationship with God (Chapter 3) but our relationship with men (Chapter 4)

A FUGITIVE

‘Excuses – a Fugitive’

èENOCH – He SUBMITS himself 5:22, 24

A FRIEND

‘Submits – a Friend’

God is holy and He is just – people question on God’s justice in the world

Justice èHe will judge the righteous and the unrighteous. Only He can judge

(Mat 5:45)  that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Genesis Lesson 1

GENESIS Lesson 1

This book is about the beginning. Everything Has a Beginning except God himself. God has no beginning. He is the Alpha and the Omega and he is the First and the Last.

How do I explain that God has no beginning: It is like counting from zero to infinity in both directions as shown below:  You can count from zero to +1, +2 … 300 … + or zero to -1, -2 …. -300 …. –  you will never come to an end. God can be at any point. He said to Moses, “I Am who I Am…” To me God is like a circle, He can be at any point of the circle. You can see the circle but you cannot tell where the circle begins. But everything else has a beginning on that circle.

This book concentrates on the beginning of:

¢ God’s Relationship with man                        

¢ From the start we need to understand God.

¢ He simply wants to reveal to us who He is and to have a relationship that will be superior to any human relationship. He will not disappoint His people.

¢ Teaching on the doctrine of God

¢ How relevant it is to our own time

SIX SECTIONS of GENESIS:

1. THE HOLINESS OF GOD             àchapters1-5

2. THE JUDGMENT OF GOD          àchapters 6-11

3. THE POWER OF GOD                 àchapters 12-20

4. THE MERCY OF GOD                  àchapters 21-26

5. THE PATIENCE OF GOD             àchapters 27-36

6. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD    àchapters 37-50

If you are keen to study with me on the 66 books in the Bible, please respond.