Genesis 23 - 25 Death, Marriage, and Birth

1. Main Theme

   1. Even the greatest men and women are called home to the Lord

   2. Through our children we have “eternal life” on earth

   3. God has a plan for every part of our lives, including our spouse, and children

2. Sarah Dies

   1. Sarah lived to be 127

   2. Abraham purchases a burial cave from the Hittites

   3. Again Abraham does not accept the generosity of the ungodly

      1. Abraham pays full price to Ephron, despite Ephrons offer to give the land to Abraham

      2. Abraham knew better than to be in debt

3. Isaac gets a bride

   1. Abraham commisioned his chief steward to find Isaac a wife from his own people

      1. Eliezer of Damascus was a very powerful man in his own right

      2. Abraham did not want for Isaac to leave the land God had sworn to him

      3. Eliezer asks God to give him a sign, and immediately it is given

   2. Rebekah is Abraham's great niece

      1. Rebekah has a servants heart

      2. Rebekah was pure

      3. Rebekah's family knew the LORD

      4. Rebekah chose her husband over her family

      5. Rebekah was a comfort to Isaac

4. Abraham takes another wife

   1. Abraham has many other children

   2. Abraham gave all his inheritance to Isaac

   3. Abraham sent the other children away

5. Rebekah has twins

   1. Esau is firstborn

      1. Esau means hairy

   2. Jacob is born second

      1. Jacob means “he decieves”

   3. Esau despises his birthright

      1. Jacob trades Esau a bowl of stew for his birthright

Genesis 12 - 14 Abram Becoming Abraham

1. Why we study Abraham

   1. To understand the importance of faith to righteousness.

   2. To understand the history of the people groups that make up the middle east.

   3. To understand God's desire for a relationship with us.

2. Abram misses instructions

   1. Abram was told to leave his fathers house, and yet he still took Lot with him.

   2. As Abram and Lot aquired larger flocks, their servants began to argue and fight over land

   3. Abram divided the land with Lot. Lot chose to stay near Sodom.

   4. Abram put together a private army from the servants born in his house.

   5. Much later, Lot becomes the father of the Moabites, one of Israel's biggest enemies.

3. Abram worships God

   1. God appears to Abram

   2. Abram builds an altar to the Lord, and communes with Him. Calls the place Bethel

4. Abram loses faith

   1. Soon after God appeared to Abram, there was a famine in the land

   2. Abram weathered the famine in Egypt, but was afraid for His life

   3. Abram lied, and made his wife and all of their servants to lie

   4. Pharoh was plagued for Sarai, and confronted Abram.

   5. Pharoh sent Abram out of Egypt

5. God reaffirms His promise to Abram

   1. God wants to comfort Abram after the split from his nephew

   2. God wanted to strengthen Abram's faith, by having him walk all the land of his decendants.

6. Who is Melchizedek

   1. Abram tithes to Him

   2. His name means King of Righteousness

   3. His is the King of Salem(King of Peace)

   4. He is Priest forever