Observations on Genesis: Abram and Sarai 3
My thoughts were in essence deleted by the sudden passing of a dear friend, Mike Taylor. Much finer comments than I could ever make can be found on both the Grace to You and the Pyromaniacs websites/pages. I have, however, found consolation in James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." Mike did and according to God's promise he has received that crown. May we respond in the same way.

Observations on Genesis: Abram and Sarai, 2
At the beginning of what we know as Genesis 12, we have the remarkable call of Abram by God, but by the end of that chapter we have Abram being chided by the then Pharaoh of Egypt for dishonesty, which was caused by unbelief. The sad story ends this way: "And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him (Abram), and they sent him away with his wife, and all that he had" (12:20).
In chapters 13 and 14, we see Abram and his nephew Lot. God had seen to it that both men had prospered to the point that not only could the land not support both of them dwelling together, but that there was strife between their herdsmen (13:6-7a). Abram graciously and unprecedently permitted Lot to chose which part of the land he would dwell in. We observed Lot's choice in chapter 13, which seems completely understandable at first. But in chapter 14 and again in chapters 18-19, Lot's choice turned out to have farther reaching consequences than anyone could have imagined.
I've posted more thoughts about Lot on my blog http://www.stillebeth.blogspot.com/ [MyNewBlog] but I want to maintain my focus here on Abram and Sarai. After Lot had gone his way and the Lord spoken His covenant with Abram again (13:14), we learned of two wars, both of four kings against five. In the second of these, the kings of Sodom and of Gomorrah are vanquished and their cities emptied by the conquerors. 14:12ff notes: "They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother, who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way. Then one who escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eschol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram." Abram's character is revealed again. Not only does he overcome the kings who had taken Lot, he refused to take any of the spoil for himself. In what we read as 14:22-24 Abram explains: "I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Posessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, 'I have made Abram rich.' I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eschol, and Mamre take their share."
Again God communicated with Abram. Abram asked a very logical question and makes this observation: "Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir." God reassured Abram, taking him outside of his tent, pointing out the stars, and saying, "so shall your offspring be." Another significant statement follows: "And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness." Why is this so monumental? After the rest of chapter 15, which consisted of the details of God making covenant with Abram, we met Sarai again.
At the beginning of chapter 16, we were reminded of Sara's barrenness. Impatient for God to fulfill His covenant, Sarai has offered her Egyptian maid Hagar as surrogate. I wonder why Abram listened to Sarai. Perhaps he too thought this was the way to fulfill God's will. They had already been in the land ten years. Neither Abram nor Sarai was getting any younger. So the decision was made and the deed was done, and Hagar became pregnant. And who could have foreseen the consequences?

Observations on Genesis: Abram and Sarai, 1
We first meet both Abram and Sarai in Genesis 11:26: "When Terah had lived 70 years, he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.... And Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah." And the starkness of 11:30: "Now Sarai was barren; she had no child."
We also know from 11:31-32 that Terah and his household had begun the trek from Ur of the Chaldeans to the land of Canaan, but settled down in Haran, which is where Abram is when the account in Genesis 12 begins.
As I have thought about this astonishing call, I wonder how prompt my obedience would have been. Abram's appears to have been immediate: "So Abram went, as the LORD had told him..." (12:4a). Abram's obedience was already established, then, so when we see him taking Isaac, it wasn't the first time he'd done as God commanded in unprecedented circumstances.
Then there is Sarai. She'd already left her people when she married. Now she would leave the only other stable life she's known to strike out in obedience to her husband and his God. I can't think that it was easy to see to it that everyone and everything was organized for a journey of that nature. Granted, she probably was able to delegate many of the details, but that would take significant planning too.
We don't know from the account in Genesis 12 how long it took. In one verse we learn that they set out to go to the land of Canaan, and the same verse mentions when they came to the land of Canaan.
Abram didn't have the responsibility for only his wife and his possessions, but also for his nephew Lot and his belongings. One could expect that this was in keeping with cultural practice then. It would lead to some interesting developments later in the story.
We know that Abram trusted the LORD, but we also see an instance of a lack of faith in Genesis 12:10-20. Here we see Abram taking matters into his own hands and Sarai going along with him--acting in unbelief.

observations on Genesis part 1


Because Every Woman's Grace is scheduled to study Joseph in the fall, Joshua in the winter, and Daniel in the spring of this coming year, we were encouraged to do some background reading during the summer. I am among a number who are reading the book of GENESIS, and no doubt rereading it, now. I have seen things I missed before. And I am going to post my observations here and elsewhere over the summer.

When God confronted Adam and Eve after they sinned, who did they blame? Adam blamed God indirectly--the woman who you gave to me--and Eve blamed the serpent; neither took any responsibility at that time. How often do I blame shift when confronted with sin?

When God warned Cain after his offering was rejected, did he hear the warning and take it to heart? Obviously not. And Abel trusted Cain, and went to the field with him. Yet Cain murdered his brother. When God gave Cain the opportunity to come clean, what was Cain's response? "Am I my brother's keeper?" How hard was his heart already? And when God banished Cain, even then he was more concerned for his own skin than the effect of all of this on his parents. How often do I worry more about myself than the consequences of my sin on others?

And Abraham and Sarah--how complicated their lives became because of the decisions they made! More on them next time.

Temptation: Thinking about Part of The Lord's Prayer and Cross Referencing with James 1 and 1 Corinthians 10

I was praying through the Lord's Prayer and came to the part where He instructs us to pray, "and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." My mind took me from there to James 1 : "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death" (v.v.13-15).

Why 1 Corinthians 10? Paul reminds the Corinthians of the history of the Jews, and then makes this point: "Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (v.v. 11-12). All of the Bible has been written down for our instruction also, and we need to pray as the Lord taught us to: "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]"

A prayer from the book of Proverbs:
Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die:
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God. [30:7-9]