AGENDA – THE ANCESTOR OF A MULTITUDE

PENING PRAYER - Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity to read and study Your Word. Please guide our thoughts and open our hearts to understand the truths You want to reveal. In Jesus' name, Amen.
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – GOD CALLS ABRAM Now the Lord said to Abram, …
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – “THE BIRTH OF ISHMAEL So, after Abram had lived ten years….
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – “GOD RENAMES ABRAHAM AND SARAH When Abram was ninety-nine years old…
SCENIC VIEW - This is the second covenant God explicitly makes with people, the Abrahamic covenant. Look back at the Noahic covenant in Genesis 9:8-17. How does this covenant compare to that one? 
•	Universality vs. Specificity - The Noahic covenant is made with all of creation to ensure its basic existence, while the Abrahamic covenant is a focused, "narrower" covenant made with one individual and his specific lineage to begin a path to special redemption. 
•	Temporal Blessings vs. Spiritual Potential - The Noahic covenant assures "earthly and temporal blessings" (stability of nature and human life), while the Abrahamic covenant points toward spiritual blessings and a plan for "ultimate and enduring redemption" through the Messiah. 
•	Focus on Preservation vs. Transformation - The Noahic covenant guarantees the preservation of life on earth, while the Abrahamic covenant sets the stage for the spiritual transformation of humanity through a chosen people.
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – “ABRAHAM BARGAINS FOR SODOM Then Abraham came near and said…
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – “THE BIRTH OF ISAAC The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, …
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – “HAGAR AND ISHMAEL ARE SENT AWAY The child grew, and was weaned; and …
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – “THE BINDING OF ISAAC After these things God tested Abraham.…
QUESTIONS FOR THE JOURNEY
1.	Abraham's journey with God involves leaving behind his home and everything he has ever known. What might you have to leave behind or let go of in order to follow God's call? 
In order to follow God's call, one might need to consider leaving behind or letting go of various things, just as Abraham did with his physical homeland. This could include: 
•	Comfort and security - The familiar and predictable life that provides a sense of safety but might hinder growth or obedience to a new path. 
•	Material possessions - A focus on wealth or belongings that could distract from spiritual priorities or service to others. 
•	Old beliefs or habits - Ways of thinking or behaviors that are not aligned with a life following God's principles. 
•	Relationships or social circles - Connections that might be unsupportive of a spiritual journey or encourage a lifestyle contrary to one's faith. 
•	Personal ambitions or plans - Dreams and goals for one's own life that may need to be reprioritized or altered to align with God's perceived purpose or leading.
Ultimately, what needs to be left behind can vary greatly depending on the individual and their specific calling.
2.	When Abraham begins his journey with God, he doesn't know where the path will lead or what his destination will be like. How does Abraham's example challenge you in your journey with God? How does it comfort you?
Abraham's example challenges contemporary believers to embrace obedience and faith even when the future is unclear:
The Challenge
•	Trust over certain specifics - Abraham left his home without a map or a detailed itinerary of his destination, relying solely on God's direction. This challenges individuals to prioritize trust in God's guidance over needing to know all the specifics of their life path or future outcomes.
•	Willingness to leave the familiar - He had to leave behind his cultural and familial security to follow a call into the unknown. This challenges believers to step outside of their comfort zones and familiar structures when God calls them to do so, even if it means sacrificing established security.
•	Long-term perspective - Abraham lived as a "sojourner," continually moving and waiting for the fulfillment of God's promise, which took decades and multiple generations. This challenges individuals to cultivate patience and maintain faith during long seasons of waiting, rather than demanding immediate results or clarity.
Despite the difficult nature of his obedience, Abraham's story also offers profound comfort:
The Comfort
•	God's presence in the unknown - The narrative emphasizes that God was with Abraham throughout his journey, offering protection and repeated reassurance. This comforts believers that they do not face the unknown alone, but rather with a constant, guiding presence.
•	The promise of provision - God promised Abraham a new land and descendants, and despite trials, He ultimately provided. This comforts believers that God's promises are reliable and that He will ultimately provide for the needs of those who follow Him in faith.
•	Destination assured by God - Although Abraham didn't know the destination initially, he did know that God was leading him somewhere. This provides comfort that while the intermediate steps might be uncertain, the ultimate destination (God's intended purpose and eternal home) is assured for those who follow His call.
3.	Abraham encounters God in some very different or unusual ways: He hears God command him to leave his home and sacrifice his son; he argues with God at Sodom and Gomorrah; he has visions from God about his future. Does this seem different from the way that we are used to thinking about humanity's encounters with God? 
Unconventional Nature of Abraham's Encounters:
•	Direct Commands and Challenges - Abraham's experiences often involved God issuing direct, sometimes perplexing commands, like leaving his homeland or preparing to sacrifice his son Isaac. These are not the typical prayer-and-response interactions we might expect.
•	Argumentative Dialogue - The story of Sodom and Gomorrah depicts Abraham actively arguing with God, pleading for mercy on behalf of the wicked cities. This shows a level of openness and debate with God that is uncommon in traditional religious narratives.
•	Visions and Dreams - While prophetic visions are part of religious traditions, Abraham's encounters with God often took the form of visions and dreams, which can be subjective and open to interpretation, further departing from the idea of clear, direct communication.
When have you encountered God in an unusual or different way than you expected? 
•	Unexpected Moments of Revelation - Sometimes, God's presence can be felt in seemingly ordinary situations, like a sudden burst of inspiration, a profound sense of peace, or a powerful encounter with nature that leaves us feeling deeply connected to something larger than ourselves.
•	Personal Challenges and Growth - Similar to Abraham's challenges, difficult situations in life can force us to confront our beliefs and question our relationship with God. These experiences can lead to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our faith.
•	Spiritual Guidance Through Dreams or Intuition - Some people report receiving guidance through dreams, visions, or gut feelings, which can be interpreted as a form of divine communication, even if they are not always clear-cut.
4.	Abraham argues and bargains with God, calling on God to show mercy to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. In fact, many of the faithful people in the Bible argue with God. What might that teach us about faith? Have you ever argued or bargained with God? Why or why not? 
•	Arguments or bargains with God in the Bible, such as those made by Abraham or Job, teach that faith is not a passive acceptance of all circumstances, but can include honest struggle, questioning, and vulnerability in one's relationship with the divine. These biblical accounts suggest that it is possible to maintain faith even while expressing doubt, frustration, or disagreement.
5.	The story of Abraham's near sacrifice of Isaac is painful to read and defies simple explanations. How do you wrestle with this story?
Wrestling with this story often means holding these different perspectives in tension:
•	Acknowledge the ambiguity - The text is intentionally sparse on Abraham and Isaac's inner thoughts, which leaves room for interpretation. Accepting that there is no single, easy answer can be a starting point.
•	Read through different lenses - Exploring Jewish commentaries (Midrash), philosophical critiques, and theological analyses can provide a fuller picture of the story's complexities.
•	Consider the historical context - Viewing the story within the ancient Near East, where child sacrifice did exist, may provide insight into why the story's conclusion is considered so significant.
•	Look at the human element - The story invites readers to grapple with the emotional reality of radical obedience, the nature of sacrifice, and the trauma involved. It can be a lens to examine one's own faith and values.
NEXT STEPS 
1.	Read some stories from the life of Abraham that are not included in this chapter (Genesis 18:1-22 and Genesis 20:1-18 are two interesting ones). What do you notice in these stories?
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – Genesis 18: 1-22
Observations from Genesis 18:1-22:
•	Genesis 18:1-22 describes God's visit to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre, where Abraham shows great hospitality to his divine guests and God promises him a son, while also discussing the impending destruction of Sodom.
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – Genesis 20: 1-18
Observations from Genesis 20:1-18:
•	Genesis 20:1-18 recounts Abraham's second deception, where he once again claims his wife is his sister to protect himself from a king named Abimelech. This event is strikingly similar to a prior incident with Pharaoh in Egypt and highlights a pattern of both faith and human fallibility in Abraham.
2.	How do they add to your understanding of Abraham? 
•	In these stories, Abraham demonstrates both incredible faith and hospitality as he receives God and his divine guests, while also showing a recurring human flaw in his lack of trust, leading him to repeatedly lie about his wife to save his own life.
•	These incidents add to our understanding of Abraham by portraying him as a complex figure who is both a man of great faith and a flawed human being, capable of both divine communion and serious errors in judgment.
3.	Abraham's faith is lauded in the New Testament in Hebrews 11:1-22. Read that account of the faith of Abraham. How does this selection from Hebrews portray Abraham's story? What is missing? What might we learn from it? How does Abraham's story speak to you most clearly about what faith means? 
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – Hebrews 11: 1-22
Hebrews 11 emphasizes the following aspects of Abraham's faith:
•	Obedience to an Unknown Destination - Abraham obeyed God's command to leave his homeland (Ur/Haran) and go to a place he would receive as an inheritance, "not knowing where he was going". This highlights a total reliance on God's direction over personal planning or comfort.
•	Living as a Sojourner - He lived in tents in the promised land, a "foreign land," with Isaac and Jacob. This nomadic lifestyle demonstrated his detachment from earthly security and his focus on a "better country, that is, a heavenly one" and "the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God".
•	Trusting in Impossible Promises - Both Abraham and Sarah, who were "as good as dead" in terms of childbearing ability due to their advanced age, had a son, Isaac, because they believed God was faithful to His promise. This showcases faith in God's power to do the humanly impossible.
•	Willingness to Sacrifice the Promised Son - In the ultimate test, Abraham was willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. He reasoned that God could even raise Isaac from the dead to fulfill His promise that "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named". This act is presented as the pinnacle of his faith, a foreshadowing of God's own sacrifice of Jesus. 
What Is Missing?
The account in Hebrews 11 presents a sanitized, high-level view of Abraham's faith journey, omitting key instances of his human frailty and failures found in the book of Genesis: 
•	Moments of Doubt and Deception - It omits the times Abraham and Sarah tried to take matters into their own hands, such as Abraham claiming Sarah was his sister out of fear for his life (twice) and their plan involving Hagar to have a child (Ishmael).
•	Laughter of Disbelief - The account of Sarah laughing at the idea of having a child in her old age is mentioned in Genesis, initially as disbelief, before it becomes a joyful acknowledgment of God's power. Hebrews focuses solely on her eventual belief.
•	Bargaining with God - The intense negotiation with God over the fate of Sodom is not included, which highlights a different, more argumentative dimension of his relationship with God.
4.	Isaac's part in the biblical narrative is brief; the story mostly skips from Abraham to Jacob. Read Genesis 24 to learn about Isaac meeting his wife, Rebekah.
READ THE SCRIPTURE ALOUD – Hebrews 24
Isaac's story is indeed a bridge between Abraham and Jacob, characterized by quieter obedience compared to their more action-filled lives. Genesis 24 provides a detailed and beautiful account of how he met his wife, Rebekah, a narrative centered on faith, divine guidance, and the customs of the time.
CLOSING PRAYER - Lord, thank you for this time of study and for Your Word. As we leave, please help us to carry the truths we've learned into our daily lives and to live out Your teachings. May we continue to grow in faith and reflect Your love to others. Amen.