Thru the Bible in Six Weeks- Lesson 3
I. The Bible is a single great story of Christ's Redemption of a fallen creation and fallen mankind
II. There are Three Main Stories, or ages, within the great story of the Bible
A) The birth and fall of God's creation and mankind- Genesis
B) The birth and fall of God's nation, Israel- the Old Testament under Moses (Exodus- Malachi)
C) The birth and resurrection of the Savior Jesus Christ, and His deliverance of His creation- the New Testament under Christ (Matthew - Revelation)
STORY ONE (cont.)- The birth and fall of God’s creation and mankind- Genesis
Age of the Patriarchs- ‘Patriarch’ comes from the Greek and Latin word for ‘ruler of a family’, or a group of families (i.e., a tribe). During the Biblical age of the Patriarchs a man was the ruler and priest of his home or household. (use God has Spoken chart for Family Religion)
This period is about 2500 years, and goes from about 4000 B.C. to 1500 B.C.
Six Day Creation (mention God’s Sabbath ‘day’ vs. Israel’s), Adam and Eve (Gen 3:15), Cain and Abel, Noah and the Ark (Gen 6:5), Tower of Babel
Yesterday we looked briefly at Adam and Noah.
Today we look at Abraham and his descendants
The Ante-diluvian patriarchs (i.e., before the flood- Latin ‘diluvium’ for ‘flood’) lived a lot longer than those after the flood. (For example, Noah was 600 years old at the time of the flood which was about 2400 B.C.) [Gen 6:1-13]
Abraham- about 1921 B.C. (Abram- high father; Abraham- father of a multitude)
[Genesis 12:1-3; 17:4-5 father of many nations]- Abe’s law- Gen. 26:5
God made a special covenant with Abraham, which was fulfilled some 2000 years later in Jesus Christ.
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles/Nations in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. . . . Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, "And to seeds," as of many, but as of one, "AND TO YOUR SEED," who is Christ. (Gal 3:13-14, 16)
God is going to establish a special relationship with Abraham and his descendants.
God makes His promise with Abraham’s son, Isaac, and then with Isaac’s son, Jacob, and Jacob is given the surname of Israel.
Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!" So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob [supplanter; to take the heel, overtake from behind], but Israel [persevered with God]; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray." And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him there. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."
(Gen 32:24-30)
שָׂרָה saw-raw- to persevere in command or contention (Gen. 32:28, Hos 12:3)
So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel [house of the mighty God], because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother. (Gen 35:6-7)
Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohe Israel. [mighty God of Israel]
(Gen 33:20)
Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram [tableland of Aram/Syria], and blessed him. And God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name." So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. (Gen 35:9-11)
Here in Genesis 35 we have a fortelling or prophecy of the OLD TESTAMENT AGE/STORY and NEW TESTAMENT AGE/STORY!!
The nation was Israel, and the company of nations was the bringing in of the nations through Messiah/Christ. (see Gal 3:14)
And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
(Gal 3:29)
SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. (1Pe 3:8-9)
for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Rom 14:17)