The Book of Genesis:Perspectives

Chapters 24; 25:11-26:35

“Life of Isaac”

“in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”

Announcements• The new sign is scheduled to be installed this Friday. Because of a power

outage in Wisconsin, the sign may not be installed until Monday, February 1st.

• Those wishing to make a donation to Haiti can send donations to Healing Hands International, 455 McNally Drive, Nashville, TN 37211-3311. Funds sent to Healing Hands International go directly to the churches of Christ in Haiti.

• Youth SNL Sunday, January 31, 4:30-6:30 PM, at the Family Center. Guys bring drinks; girls bring Little Debbie snacks or cookies.

• Ladies are invited to Pajama Rama Movie Night Friday, January 29, 6:30 PM, in the chapel. In case of inclement weather, it will be rescheduled.

• We need bottled water and lemon-aid for CHRISTeens in February. Please contact Fern Combs, 280.3110, for more information.

• The international students at the Student Center need a bicycle, a microwave and a car (for under $3,000). Please contact Craig Davis if you can help.

• The February calendar is available at the Information Center.

“in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”

Prayer List• Carolyn Williams – St. Mary’s #201. She will be

there for about four more weeks.

• Jean Rickey – UAMS ICU #E-413; not doing well.

• Bob Hayes (Dale Lamberson’s brother-in-law) diagnosed with bone marrow cancer.

• Sympathy to Luke Miller in the loss of his grandfather, Howard Carpenter, who passed away Sunday, January 24, in North Carolina.

GenesisWeek Date Topic

1 09 Dec 09 Introduction and the Creation: 1:1-2:25 (Ben)

2 16 Dec 09 The Fall: 3:1-5:32

3 23 Dec 09 Elder Selection Discussion (Herb)

4 30 Dec 09 The Flood: 6:1-9:29

5 06 Jan 10 Table of Nations/Tower of Babel: 10:1-11:9

6 13 Jan 10 Life of Abraham – Part 1: 11:10-16:16

7 20 Jan 10 Life of Abraham – Part 2: 17-23; 25:1-10

8 27 Jan 10 Life of Isaac: 24; 25:11-26:35

9 03 Feb 10 Life of Jacob: 27:1-36:43

10 10 Feb 10 Life of Esau: 36:1-43:34 (Ben)

11 17 Feb 10 Life of Joseph – Corruption: 37:1-38:30

12 24 Feb 10 Life of Joseph – Exaltation: 39:1-41:57

13 03 Mar 10 Life of Joseph – Salvation: 42:1-50:25

Today’s Objectives• Provided a review of last week’s lesson

• Review a map of the area where Isaac lived

• Provide a summary of Genesis 24-26

• Study the how Isaac and Rebekah came to be married

• Learn how God blesses Isaac

• Review the account of Ishmael

• Learn about the birth of Esau and Jacob

• Learn why Esau sells his birthright

• Learn about God's covenant with Isaac

Last week• Provided a review of last week’s lesson

• God renews his covenant with Abraham

• Sarah gives birth to Isaac, continues the line of Christ

• Sodom and Gomorrah is destroyed because of great sin; however, Lot is saved

• God tests Abraham with Isaac and we take away a great lesson of faith in God versus faith in things or events

• Hagar and Ishmael are driven away from Abraham forever

• Sarah and Abraham’s death

Authorship • Bible scholars attribute Genesis to Moses

– Inspired by God, Moses was the human instrument through which God spoke

– Also attributed to writing the first five books of the bible

• Date of writing– Uncertain– Probably between 1500-1400 BC– Spans more time than any other book of the Bible– Approximately 2370 years, more time than the other 65

books combined– Oldest and most detailed record of ancient history in

existence

Terminology• Bereshith

– Hebrew name for the book meaning “in the beginning”

• Septuagint– Oldest Greek translation of the OT, around 270 BC

• Torah– Hebrew word for “the law”, refers to the first five books

• Pentateuch– Greek name for the first five books of the OT

• Dead Sea Scrolls– Ancient manuscripts found in 1947 contain parts of all

books of the OT except Esther, confirming translations

1

2 23 3

Genesis 24 Overview

• Abraham’s servant seeks a wife for Isaac

• Portrays Abraham’s determination to guide Isaac towards God’s will

• God does this through his providential guidance

• God chooses a bride for Isaac

Plan for Isaac’s Marriage (24:1-9)

• Learn that Abraham has reached an old age (v. 1)

• Custom was for parents to select spouses for their children

• Abraham sent his chief servant to obtain a wife for Isaac, didn’t want a Canaanite wife

• Why him? Abraham did not want to mix with their ungodly, pagan nature

• What if the potential bride wouldn’t come?– Bring Isaac? (v. 5)– Abraham said “no”; not going to allow his son to be

tempted (v. 8)

Meeting Rebekah (24:10-31)

• The servant travels to Mesopotamia, Aram Naharaim (v. 10), Nahor’s home

• Arrives late in the day and rests near a well (v. 11)

• The servant prays for success and divine intervention (v. 14)

• Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel, son of Milcah (v. 15)– Described as very beautiful, a virgin

• Fulfillment of the servant’s prayers (v. 19)– He decides to rest the night in the house of Bethuel– Praises God for answering his prayer (v. 26-27)– Rebekah runs home and shares the story (v. 28-32)

Marriage of Isaac (24:32-67)

• The servant goes to house of Bethuel (v. 32)– Shares the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac (v. 34-36)– Tells about his mission to obtain a wife for Isaac (v. 37)– Tells about his journey and how he arrived with Rebekah

(v. 42-49)

• Laban and Bethuel agree to give Rebekah to the servant to give to Isaac (v. 51)– Spends the evening, but is asked to remain 10 more days– However, the servant convinces Bethuel to let them go

• Travels back home and meets up with Isaac– The two are married (v. 67)

Chapter 25 Overview

• Abraham gets remarried and passes away (v 1-10, we covered last week)

• God blesses Isaac and the descendants of Ishmael (v. 11)

• Ishmael’s descendents (v. 12-18)

• Birth of Esau and Jacob (v. 19-26)

• Character of Esau and Jacob (v. 27-28)

• Esau sells his birthright (v. 29-34)

Isaac’s Blessing and Ishmael (25:11-18)

• God blessed Isaac, son of Abraham (v. 11)– He dwells by the well of Lahairoi (well of Hagar)

• Account of Ishmael– Sons of Ishmael (v. 13-15)– Lived to be 137– His descendents lived from Havilah towards Assyria– Fulfills the promise of Gen 17:20

Birth of Esau and Jacob (25:19-26)

• Isaac’s decedents – Isaac and Rebekah had no children for 20 years (v. 26)– Isaac prays to God for children, exhibiting true faith– Rebekah soon conceives (v. 21)

• Rebekah becomes pregnant with twins (v. 22)– God says that two nations are in her womb (v. 23)– One will be stronger than the other– Older will serve the younger– Esau was first– Jacob was second

Selling the Birthright (25:27-34)

• Boys grow to men– Esau was a hunter, a man of the field– Hebrew word saday meaning wild– Jacob was a quite man, staying among the tents (v. 27)– Hebrew word tam meaning pious, upright

• Birthright is sold– Esau sells his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew (v.

33) – Without much thought, because he despised it (v. 34)

Chapter 26

• See many similarities between the life of Abraham and the life of Isaac

• Abrahamic Covenant is confirmed with Isaac (v. 1-5)

• Isaac falls into the same sin as his father (v. 6-16)

• Isaac’s wells and associated problems (v. 17-35

Covenant Confirmed (26:1-6)

• Famine in the land (v. 1)– Isaac goes to Abimelech, who was king of the Philistines

in Gerar (modern day Gaza)– God instructs Isaac to not go to Egypt, but remain in the

land (v. 2)

• God reconfirms the covenant with Isaac (v. 3-4)– Will be blessed– Give all the lands, confirming the oath with Abraham– Descendants as numerous as the stars– Through Isaac’s offspring, all nations would be blessed– Isaac decides to stay in Gerar (v. 6)

Deception of Isaac (26:7-16)

• Similar story of Abraham and Sarah with Abimelech– Men of Gerar ask about Isaac’s wife Rebekah (v. 7)– Isaac claims she is his sister – Abimelech sees Isaac sporting (Heb. tsachaq)– Realizes she is not Isaac’s sister

• Abimelech remembers the punishment God delivered before and orders all to leave her along

• Isaac became a very blessed and powerful man in the land of Abimelech– Abimelech asks him to move away (v. 16)

Isaac’s Travels (26:17-35)

• Isaac moves away and camps in the Valley of Gerar– Reopens wells– Quarrels with herdsmen of Gerar over water wells– Finally, Isaac was able to dig a well in which nobody

challenged – called Rehoboth

• Isaac moves up to Beersheba– God again delivers the blessing (v. 23)– Isaac builds an altar there

• Abimelech travels to Beersheba (v. 26)– To reach an treaty with Isaac

• Esau marries Judith, daughter of Beeri the Hittite

Review• Provided a review of last week’s lesson

• Studied a map of the area where Isaac lived

• Reviewed Genesis 24-26

• Learned how Isaac and Rebekah came to be married

• Learned how God blesses Isaac

• Reviewed the account of Ishmael

• Learned about the birth of Esau and Jacob

• Learned why Esau sells his birthright

• Learned about God's covenant with Isaac

• Next week: Story of Jacob, Genesis 27:1-36:43