Hello Friends, it's about time
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for the 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
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If you do not have a
Lesson, you can go to:
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3abnsabbathschoolpanel. com
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and get a lesson there.
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Join us... Lesson
Number 6: The Roots of Abraham.
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Music...
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Dinzey: Hello and
welcome once again
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to the 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel.
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My name is John Dinzey
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and it's a pleasure for me
to be with you during this hour
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and we have part of
the 3ABN Family here
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as we go through
this Lesson Number 6...
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a very important lesson as well
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and we want to present to you
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the members of the
family that are here
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to study with you...
Pastor James Rafferty.
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James: Good to be here John
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I'm going to be covering:
The Temptation of Egypt.
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Dinzey: Excellent... we
have Pastor Terry Shelton.
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Terry: Thank you John,
it's pleasure to be here
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among these very
special lady and gentlemen
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that I'm glad to be a part of.
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Dinzey: Excellent... we
have Pastor John Lomacang,
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what day do you
have... what's your title?
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Lomacang: Wednesday...
I'm going to be talking about
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The Babel Coalition.
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Dinzey: The Babel Coalition...
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and we have Ms. Shelley Quinn.
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Shelley: It's a
pleasure to be here.
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My day is: The
Tithe of Melchizedek.
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Dinzey: Amen... amen...
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well, before we begin,
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we are going to go
to the Lord in prayer
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and I'm asking
Sister Shelley Quinn
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if you'll lead
us in prayer please.
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Shelley: Absolutely...
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"Our loving Holy and
Righteous Heavenly Father,
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we come before You
in the name of Jesus...
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approaching Your
throne of grace, Lord,
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to ask that... we
know we are but dust
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and Your words are spiritual...
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they're spiritually discerned...
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we pray for the anointing
of Your Holy Spirit now.
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May Your Holy Spirit
come and be our teacher.
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Give us ears to hear
what the Spirit has to say.
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In Jesus' name, amen. "
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Panel: Amen... amen... amen.
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Dinzey: Yes, we
depend on God's blessing...
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God's Holy Spirit
as we study and share.
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The lesson is... the
title: The Roots of Abraham
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and the Memory Text as
we have it in the lesson
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is from the New King James
Version, Hebrews chapter 11
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and verse 8 and
this is what we have,
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"By faith Abraham
obeyed when he was called
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to go out to the place
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which he would
receive as an inheritance.
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And he went out,
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not knowing
where he was going. "
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I don't know if you have
ever done that... go out...
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you don't know
where you're going...
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but Abraham was
called by God to do this
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and by this time that
we are in Lesson Number 6,
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we have reached what is
called the middle section
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of the book of Genesis
covering chapters 12 through 22
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and here in this section
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you're going to see
where Abraham is called
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and you will notice
that Abraham is a migrant...
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he's always moving
from one place to another
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and really the
Bible calls him a stranger
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and one of the things that
we see as we look in the lesson
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is that God calls out to Abraham
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and in Genesis
chapter 15, verse 1,
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this is the message
the Lord said to him.
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"After these things the word
of the LORD came unto Abraham
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in a vision
saying, 'Fear not, Abram:
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I am thy shield,
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and thy
exceeding great reward. '"
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Panel: Amen.
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Dinzey: What a
message of hope...
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what a message
to encourage Abraham
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as he was called by God
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and, you know, Abraham
is considered and recognized
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as the father of the faithful.
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Panel: Yes.
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Dinzey: And even today, the Jews
have high regard for Abraham
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and you can see
in the New Testament
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when the Jews
were talking to Jesus,
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they would say, "We
are Abraham's children... "
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and so... a lot of pride because
Abraham is really the beginning
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of the... let's
call it the Jewish Nation
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and wonderful promises
were made by God to Abraham
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and we're going to
look at that now as we move
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into Sunday's
portion of the lesson.
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The lesson is entitled...
for Sunday: Abram's Departure.
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Abram's Departure...
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we're covering
Genesis chapter 12 verses 1-9,
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let's go to verse 1.
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"Now the Lord had said to Abram,
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'Get out of your country,
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from your family and
from your father's house,
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to a land that I
will show you. '"
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Now, notice here that Abram
is his name at this time...
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later his name is
changed and we're...
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that would be covered later on.
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When you see here
this particular verse,
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you see that Abraham...
Abram is receiving a covenant
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promise by God Himself
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and so, the
message to Abram was,
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"Get out of your country... "
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and... it starts
with that it says...
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when you say, "Get
out of your country"
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you say, "Don't
move to the next city...
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don't move to another
portion of the city...
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get out of your country... "
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and God is familiar with Abraham
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and He is clear
about it, you know,
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the way it is expressed...
"From your family...
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and from your father's house
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to a land that
I will show you. "
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In other words, he
was going to go to a place
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where no one knew him.
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He could not rely on anybody...
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brothers or sisters or
uncles or whoever was left,
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to ask for advice...
to ask for comfort...
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Abram was chosen to leave
because even in his family,
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already they were
beginning to mingle
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the worship of the true
God with worshipping idols
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and the Lord called Abram to
separate him from this situation
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that was
beginning to take place.
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Now, notice that he is
told that I will show you...
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Abram left... not
knowing where he was going
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but we can understand that
Abraham knew the voice of God.
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Panel: Amen.
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Dinzey:
Remember that Jesus says,
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"My sheep hear my
voice and they know me
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and they follow. "
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So, when God calls to Abram...
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Abram is
familiar with God's voice,
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he knew it was
a message from God
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and he moved... went
immediately to action.
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Now, we understand
as we go on to verse 2
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that he did not leave alone.
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Verse two and onward...
but notice the promises
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that God makes to Abram.
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"I will make you
a great nation. "
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Question: Can God do that?
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Yes He can... "I will bless
you, and make your name great;
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and you shall be a blessing. "
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Not only this, "I will
bless those who bless you,
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and I will curse
him who curses you:
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and in you all the families
of the earth shall be blessed. "
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What an amazing future
God lays out before Abram!
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And notice the different
aspects of the blessings
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that God was presenting to him.
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"You're going to
be a great nation...
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I will bless you...
make your name great...
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and not only that...
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you shall be a blessing. "
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And notice that He says,
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"I will bless
those who bless you... "
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and I believe that this
is something that God does
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for all of His children. "
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He will bless
those who bless you...
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He will curse
those who curse you. "
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You know, God... like...
does a hedge of protection
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about His
children... He protects them.
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And you can see
that in Job chapter 1
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when Satan is told by God,
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"Have you
considered my servant Job
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that there's none like him. "
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And... and Satan
seems to respond,
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"Well, you have set a
hedge of protection... "
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it's... apparently
he tried to get to him
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but the Lord was protecting
Job just as He protects us.
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Now, let's consider...
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notice in Hebrews
chapter 11 verse 6,
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"But without faith it is
impossible to please Him"
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that is... God...
"for he that cometh to God
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must believe that He is,
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and that He is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek Him. "
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Panel: Hmmm... hmmm...
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Dinzey: Now, this is a... a...
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something that
will help us understand
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why God chose Abram.
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Why? Because
Abram was faithful...
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Abram obeyed God...
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Abram was worshipping the
true God according to the way
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he knew that God
wanted him to serve Him.
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And you will notice
that wherever Abram went,
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what did he do?
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He set up an altar
to worship the true God.
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And where Abram went,
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people knew that he
worshipped the true God.
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He was a witness.
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Now, one of the things
that I want to bring out
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is that there are principles
laid out in the Scriptures
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and Abraham
followed these principles.
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In Deuteronomy
chapter 11:13, 14 and 15,
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God speaking...
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or Moses speaking a
message from the Lord
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to the people
of Israel, it says,
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"And it shall come to pass,
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if you shall hearken
diligently unto My commandments
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which I command you this day,
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to love the Lord your God,
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and to serve Him with all your
heart and with all your soul,
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that I will give you the rain
of your land in his due season,
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the first rain
and the latter rain,
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that thou mayest
gather in thy corn,
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and they wine, and thine oil.
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And I will send grass in
they fields for thy cattle,
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that thou mayest
eat and be full. "
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And that is what Abram followed,
he followed the Lord...
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he was diligent to
keep God's commandments
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and I'm going to read to you
Deuteronomy chapter 5 verse 29,
00:10:04.73\00:10:07.70
"O that there were
such an heart in them,
00:10:07.74\00:10:10.61
that they should fear me,
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and keep all my
commandments always,
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that it might be well with them,
and with their children... "
00:10:14.68\00:10:18.38
Abraham's faithfulness
was a blessing to his family
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and eventually to his children
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and in the same way,
00:10:23.95\00:10:25.29
God has this message for us.
00:10:25.32\00:10:27.56
If we are faithful... the
Lord will bless us as well.
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This is a promise He
made to the people of Israel.
00:10:31.26\00:10:33.46
This is a promise such as He
would make to His children today
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"If you diligently
obey My Commandments,
00:10:37.53\00:10:39.23
I will bless the
work of your hands...
00:10:39.27\00:10:41.17
I will bless you so that you
will not lack any good thing. "
00:10:41.20\00:10:44.87
So, we can praise the Lord
00:10:44.91\00:10:46.24
that His promises
apply unto us as well.
00:10:46.27\00:10:49.41
Now, let's take a look at
1st Corinthians chapter 12,
00:10:49.44\00:10:52.75
in 1st Corinthians
chapter 12 verse 7,
00:10:52.78\00:10:54.92
I want to bring
out this principle
00:10:54.95\00:10:56.52
and I'm going to
share another one,
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Ephesians chapter
4 verses 11 and 12
00:10:58.32\00:11:00.02
and I want to ask one of
the kind wonderful people
00:11:00.06\00:11:01.89
on the Panel to read Ephesians
chapter 4 verses 11 and 12,
00:11:01.92\00:11:05.43
I'm going to read 1st
Corinthians chapter 12
00:11:05.46\00:11:07.90
verse 7, notice, "But the
manifestation of the Spirit
00:11:07.93\00:11:11.77
is given to each one
for the profit of all. "
00:11:11.80\00:11:15.10
In other words, the blessings
that God gives to an individual
00:11:15.17\00:11:18.84
is not just for the individual,
the individual is blessed
00:11:18.87\00:11:22.54
but it's for others
to be blessed as well.
00:11:22.58\00:11:25.78
Now, Ephesians chapter 4
00:11:25.81\00:11:27.72
verses 11 and 12
Shelley Quinn please.
00:11:27.75\00:11:29.48
Shelley: Yes... "And He Himself
gave some to be apostles,
00:11:29.52\00:11:33.86
some prophets, some evangelists,
00:11:33.89\00:11:35.42
and some pastors and
teachers, for this purpose,
00:11:35.46\00:11:39.36
for the equipping of the
saints for the work of ministry,
00:11:39.39\00:11:43.03
for the edifying of
the body of Christ. "
00:11:43.06\00:11:45.80
Dinzey: Amen, so you see,
00:11:45.83\00:11:47.17
the blessings that
Abraham would receive...
00:11:47.20\00:11:49.37
receive would be for the
edifying of the body of Christ
00:11:49.40\00:11:54.18
and this is why when
you look at the promises
00:11:54.21\00:11:57.25
that God made to Abraham,
00:11:57.28\00:11:58.75
at the end...
notice that it says,
00:11:58.78\00:12:01.68
"All the families of the
earth shall be blessed. "
00:12:01.72\00:12:06.32
Wow! If Abraham was faithful,
00:12:06.35\00:12:08.59
all the families of
the earth would be blessed.
00:12:08.62\00:12:11.53
Now, why would that be?
00:12:11.56\00:12:12.89
It is because through
Abraham would come the Messiah.
00:12:12.93\00:12:18.33
Yes, the Bible lays out a
very, very strict to the...
00:12:18.37\00:12:23.94
"And so and so begat so and so
00:12:23.97\00:12:25.57
and so and so
begat so and so... "
00:12:25.61\00:12:27.98
to show us the
lineage that would lead
00:12:28.01\00:12:30.31
to the coming Messiah,
Jesus Christ... our Savior
00:12:30.35\00:12:34.62
and through Jesus, all
the families of the earth
00:12:34.65\00:12:38.89
have been blessed.
00:12:38.95\00:12:40.66
Panel: Amen.
00:12:40.69\00:12:42.02
Dinzey: And can be blessed
00:12:42.06\00:12:43.39
if we allow Jesus to
enter into our lives.
00:12:43.43\00:12:46.43
So, through Abraham obeying God,
00:12:46.46\00:12:49.06
the whole world
would be blessed.
00:12:49.13\00:12:51.67
And now, this is very,
very interesting because
00:12:51.70\00:12:54.50
sadly enough,
00:12:54.54\00:12:56.40
it seems to me like the
Jews did not fully understand
00:12:56.44\00:12:59.41
that their father
that they called "Abraham"
00:12:59.44\00:13:01.74
through him... all the families
of the earth will be blessed
00:13:01.78\00:13:05.58
not just the people of Israel
00:13:05.61\00:13:06.95
but all the families of
the earth are to be blessed
00:13:06.98\00:13:10.15
and this is why you hear
Jesus when He's speaking,
00:13:10.19\00:13:13.46
He says such things, "And
this gospel of the kingdom
00:13:13.49\00:13:16.26
shall be preached
in all the world...
00:13:16.29\00:13:18.66
all the world for a
witness unto all nations
00:13:18.69\00:13:21.86
and then the end shall come. "
00:13:21.90\00:13:23.23
This is a message of the Lord
for each and every one of us.
00:13:23.26\00:13:26.94
Now, let's move quickly...
you know when this happened...
00:13:26.97\00:13:30.61
when God called Abram...
00:13:30.67\00:13:32.01
this is a message for us
that are getting gray hair,
00:13:32.04\00:13:34.64
by the way... it says,
00:13:34.68\00:13:36.01
"So, Abram departed as
the Lord has spoken to him,
00:13:36.04\00:13:38.45
and Lot went with him.
00:13:38.51\00:13:40.08
And Abram was
seventy-five years old
00:13:40.12\00:13:42.38
when he departed from Haran. "
00:13:42.42\00:13:44.52
He was not a young man but
he obeyed the voice of the Lord.
00:13:44.55\00:13:47.72
You too may be called by
the Lord to do something...
00:13:47.76\00:13:50.19
obey and be blessed.
00:13:50.23\00:13:51.96
Panel: Amen...
amen... amen... amen.
00:13:51.99\00:13:53.83
James: Thank you John,
my name is James Rafferty
00:13:53.86\00:13:56.43
and I have Monday's
lesson which is entitled:
00:13:56.46\00:13:59.00
The Temptation of Egypt
00:13:59.03\00:14:01.20
and it's quite a turnaround from
what we've just looked at, John,
00:14:01.24\00:14:03.64
in the first part
of Genesis chapter 12.
00:14:03.67\00:14:06.84
We're going to begin in
Genesis chapter 12 and verse 10,
00:14:06.88\00:14:10.05
"And there was a
famine in the land... "
00:14:10.08\00:14:11.75
where Abraham was dwelling
as God had called him out...
00:14:11.78\00:14:15.48
"And Abram went down
into Egypt to sojourn there...
00:14:15.52\00:14:19.75
and... for the famine was
great or grievous in the land.
00:14:19.79\00:14:22.72
And it came to pass, when he was
come near to enter into Egypt"
00:14:22.76\00:14:27.10
verse 11,"that he said unto
Sarai his wife, 'Behold now,
00:14:27.13\00:14:31.43
I know that thou art a
fair woman to look upon:
00:14:31.47\00:14:34.50
therefore it shall come to pass,
00:14:34.54\00:14:35.87
when the Egyptians shall
see thee, they shall say,
00:14:35.90\00:14:38.91
"This is his wife... "
00:14:38.94\00:14:40.68
and they shall kill me,
but they will save thee alive.
00:14:40.71\00:14:43.85
say, I pray thee... '" verse 13,
00:14:43.88\00:14:46.31
"thou my sister: that it may
be well with me for thy sake;
00:14:46.35\00:14:50.82
and my soul shall
live because of thee.
00:14:50.85\00:14:53.89
And it came to
pass... " verse 14,
00:14:53.92\00:14:55.39
"That when Abram
was come into Egypt,
00:14:55.42\00:14:57.43
they Egyptians beheld the
woman that she was very fair.
00:14:57.46\00:14:59.89
And the princes
also of Pharaoh saw her,
00:14:59.93\00:15:02.33
and commended
her before Pharaoh:
00:15:02.36\00:15:05.13
and the woman was
taken into Pharaoh's house.
00:15:05.17\00:15:08.64
And he entreated Abram well...
" verse 16, "for her sake:
00:15:08.67\00:15:13.48
and he had sheep, and oxen,
and he asses, and menservants,
00:15:13.51\00:15:17.35
and maidservants, and
she asses, and camels.
00:15:17.38\00:15:19.41
And the Lord plagued Pharaoh
and his house with great plagues
00:15:19.45\00:15:24.02
because of Sarai Abram's wife.
00:15:24.05\00:15:26.15
And Pharaoh called
upon Abram and said,
00:15:26.19\00:15:28.39
'What is this that
thou hast done unto me?
00:15:28.42\00:15:30.83
why didst thou not tell
me that she was thy wife?
00:15:30.86\00:15:33.73
Why saidst thou,
She is my sister?
00:15:33.76\00:15:36.43
so I might have
taken her to me to wife:
00:15:36.46\00:15:40.24
now therefore behold thy wife,
take her, and go thy way. '
00:15:40.27\00:15:42.84
And Pharaoh commanded
his men concerning him:
00:15:42.87\00:15:44.81
and they sent him
away, and his wife,
00:15:44.84\00:15:47.84
and all that he had. "
00:15:47.88\00:15:50.11
So, this is quite a contrast,
00:15:50.15\00:15:51.95
you know, the first part
of the chapter talks about
00:15:51.98\00:15:54.95
how Abraham
heard the voice of God
00:15:54.98\00:15:57.49
and God told him to
depart and he departed.
00:15:57.52\00:16:00.02
The second part
of the chapter says
00:16:00.06\00:16:02.12
that there was a
famine in the land, you know,
00:16:02.16\00:16:04.33
the Quarterly asks the question,
00:16:04.36\00:16:05.69
"Why did Abraham
leave the Promised Land
00:16:05.73\00:16:07.36
to go to Egypt?
00:16:07.40\00:16:09.00
And how did Pharaoh behave
in comparison to Abraham?"
00:16:09.03\00:16:12.00
Well, Abraham left the
Promised Land to go to Egypt
00:16:12.03\00:16:15.40
because there was a
famine in the land...
00:16:15.44\00:16:17.54
a great famine in the land.
00:16:17.57\00:16:18.91
Abraham didn't leave the
Promised Land to go to Egypt
00:16:18.94\00:16:22.01
because God told him
to leave the Promised Land
00:16:22.04\00:16:23.65
to go to Egypt.
00:16:23.68\00:16:25.15
Abraham wasn't
listening to the voice of God...
00:16:25.18\00:16:26.65
he wasn't obeying the
voice of God and going to Egypt.
00:16:26.68\00:16:28.68
And then the
second thing we find is,
00:16:28.72\00:16:31.69
Abraham goes to
Egypt with a lie.
00:16:31.72\00:16:35.12
He doesn't go to
Egypt to be a witness...
00:16:35.16\00:16:37.23
he goes to Egypt with a lie
00:16:37.26\00:16:39.26
and he tells his wife,
00:16:39.29\00:16:40.90
"Don't tell
Pharaoh you're my wife,
00:16:40.93\00:16:44.07
tell him you're my sister. "
00:16:44.10\00:16:46.63
Which is a half lie.
00:16:46.67\00:16:49.00
You know, I love this
story because it reminds us
00:16:49.04\00:16:54.41
of how important it is
for us to be honest and true.
00:16:54.44\00:16:57.05
In the book of Revelation,
00:16:57.08\00:16:58.68
we're told that liars are
going to be outside the City
00:16:58.71\00:17:01.85
and we're also
told that the people...
00:17:01.88\00:17:03.85
in the context of
the Mark of the Beast
00:17:03.89\00:17:05.82
are people who have
no guile in their mouths.
00:17:05.85\00:17:08.02
Revelation 14:5.
00:17:08.06\00:17:09.56
Guile is something
that is, I think, many times
00:17:09.62\00:17:15.10
unnoticeable to us.
00:17:15.13\00:17:16.70
Shelley: Hmmm...
00:17:16.73\00:17:18.23
James: You know, I don't
know that Abraham's lie was...
00:17:18.30\00:17:19.87
was noticeable to him
00:17:19.90\00:17:21.70
because it was a half-truth.
00:17:21.74\00:17:24.17
Sarah was kind
of related to him.
00:17:24.21\00:17:27.04
In a sense, he wasn't lying
and he was protecting himself
00:17:27.08\00:17:30.98
but here we go
again, right John,
00:17:31.01\00:17:32.38
self-preservation...
00:17:32.41\00:17:33.75
trying to save
ourselves by our works...
00:17:33.78\00:17:36.05
by what we can do
00:17:36.08\00:17:37.42
rather than
trusting fully in God...
00:17:37.45\00:17:39.22
listening to the voice of
God and letting God lead us.
00:17:39.25\00:17:41.19
Now, the reason why I think this
story is so significant for us
00:17:41.22\00:17:44.16
is because Abraham...
Abram is us... we are Abram.
00:17:44.19\00:17:49.50
We are the ones
depicted in the story.
00:17:49.53\00:17:52.20
We tell our half-truths...
00:17:52.23\00:17:53.67
we call them half-truths
not half lies, right?
00:17:53.74\00:17:57.31
To protect ourselves...
00:17:57.34\00:17:58.91
we're worried
about our future...
00:17:58.94\00:18:00.48
we're worried
about what's going on...
00:18:00.51\00:18:01.84
we listen to the voice of
God guiding us to one place
00:18:01.88\00:18:04.18
but we're not so willing
to listen to Him guiding us
00:18:04.21\00:18:06.68
to another place
or telling us to stay
00:18:06.72\00:18:08.48
where the trouble seems to be.
00:18:08.52\00:18:09.98
This was Abraham's situation
and this is our situation...
00:18:10.05\00:18:13.25
speaks to us today.
00:18:13.29\00:18:14.62
Now, what's really
interesting is okay,
00:18:14.66\00:18:16.29
so, Abraham goes
through all of this gymnastics
00:18:16.32\00:18:18.36
to try to protect
himself... preserve himself
00:18:18.39\00:18:20.40
from the danger of the famine
00:18:20.43\00:18:22.16
and from the potential
danger of Pharaoh with Sarai
00:18:22.20\00:18:25.67
and then... we have Pharaoh...
now, Pharaoh is a heathen,
00:18:25.70\00:18:29.10
Pharaoh isn't a
follower of God...
00:18:29.14\00:18:30.47
Pharaoh hasn't been, you know,
listening to the voice of God
00:18:30.51\00:18:32.34
or worshipping God.
00:18:32.37\00:18:33.91
God hasn't promised to bless him
00:18:33.94\00:18:35.84
but Pharaoh hears God's voice
00:18:35.88\00:18:37.91
and
immediately, what does he do?
00:18:37.95\00:18:39.98
He obeys Him.
00:18:40.02\00:18:41.88
He obeys God and he goes
right to him and he says,
00:18:41.92\00:18:44.69
"Wait a minute...
Abraham... God just told me
00:18:44.72\00:18:46.62
that Sarai is your wife...
00:18:46.65\00:18:48.52
why did you tell me
she was your sister?"
00:18:48.56\00:18:51.13
Right?
00:18:51.16\00:18:52.63
"Now, Abraham, you need to go
00:18:52.66\00:18:54.00
and I'm just
going to let you go...
00:18:54.03\00:18:55.36
I'm going to... in a
sense through, you know,
00:18:55.40\00:18:57.73
the... the grace of God
you're going to be blessed...
00:18:57.77\00:18:59.60
God is going to
bless you through me. "
00:18:59.63\00:19:01.30
Here is God
using a heathen leader
00:19:01.34\00:19:04.41
to bless the one that
He's called to be His light
00:19:04.44\00:19:09.58
because His light... Abraham...
00:19:09.61\00:19:11.68
isn't shining as
he's supposed to shine
00:19:11.71\00:19:13.45
and I can't think of
how many times, perhaps,
00:19:13.48\00:19:15.98
God has done that in my
life and perhaps in your life...
00:19:16.02\00:19:18.29
and all of our lives
00:19:18.35\00:19:19.69
where we can see that
God has blessed others
00:19:19.72\00:19:22.59
when He should have
been using... to bless us...
00:19:22.62\00:19:25.59
used us to bless us
00:19:25.63\00:19:26.96
when He should have
been using us to bless others
00:19:27.00\00:19:29.16
especially people who
are not familiar with God.
00:19:29.20\00:19:31.43
The thing is...
is that we recognize
00:19:31.47\00:19:35.07
in Abraham's actions
here our own failures
00:19:35.10\00:19:37.77
or we should
recognize our own failures.
00:19:37.81\00:19:40.41
And this doesn't happen once,
00:19:40.44\00:19:41.84
this happens the
second time with Abimelech
00:19:41.91\00:19:43.24
the Philistine leader...
00:19:43.28\00:19:44.81
he does it again later
in chapter 20, he does...
00:19:44.85\00:19:47.35
he goes through
the whole process again
00:19:47.38\00:19:49.02
but what I love
about this is God steps in.
00:19:49.05\00:19:52.52
You know, God
steps in to override...
00:19:52.55\00:19:54.82
to overrule our failures.
00:19:54.86\00:19:56.36
God steps in to
overrule the decisions we make
00:19:56.42\00:19:59.83
that are not necessarily in
harmony with His call for us.
00:19:59.86\00:20:02.60
God steps in and
sometimes uses heathen people...
00:20:02.63\00:20:05.80
people who don't know Him...
00:20:05.83\00:20:07.17
people who don't worship Him...
00:20:07.20\00:20:08.54
people who don't
attribute their lives to Him...
00:20:08.57\00:20:11.41
uses them to speak to us
00:20:11.47\00:20:13.34
and to get us back
on the right track.
00:20:13.38\00:20:14.94
The Quarterly talks about this
00:20:14.98\00:20:16.71
in the context of
Abraham's experience.
00:20:16.75\00:20:19.05
It says, "The
temptation of Egypt was often
00:20:19.08\00:20:21.38
a problem for
ancient Israelites.
00:20:21.42\00:20:23.42
Egypt thus became a symbol
of humans trusting in humans
00:20:23.49\00:20:27.46
rather than in God. "
00:20:27.49\00:20:28.82
Again, the same situation
with the Tower of Babel.
00:20:28.86\00:20:30.83
"We're going to Egypt because
we want to protect ourselves...
00:20:30.86\00:20:33.40
we want to...
00:20:33.43\00:20:34.76
we want to trust in what
we can do and how God can...
00:20:34.80\00:20:38.23
we can preserve ourselves
00:20:38.30\00:20:39.63
rather than trusting in God. "
00:20:39.67\00:20:41.00
"In Egypt, where water
could be seen on a daily basis,
00:20:41.04\00:20:43.74
faith was not necessary,
00:20:43.77\00:20:45.11
for the promise of the
land was immediately visible.
00:20:45.14\00:20:47.78
Compared to the land of famine,
00:20:47.81\00:20:49.51
Egypt sounded like
a good place to be,
00:20:49.54\00:20:51.15
despite what God had said
to him... that is Abraham. "
00:20:51.21\00:20:53.98
The Quarterly goes on,
00:20:54.02\00:20:55.35
"The Abram who now leaves Canaan
00:20:55.38\00:20:58.39
contrasts with
the Abram who left Ur.
00:20:58.42\00:21:00.76
Before, Abram was
portrayed as a man of faith
00:21:00.79\00:21:04.19
who left Ur in
response to God's call;
00:21:04.23\00:21:06.66
now, Abram leaves the
Promised Land by himself,
00:21:06.70\00:21:10.00
of his own volition.
00:21:10.03\00:21:12.80
Before, Abram relied on God,
00:21:12.83\00:21:14.27
and now he behaves
like a manipulative
00:21:14.30\00:21:17.61
and unethical politician
who counts only on himself. "
00:21:17.64\00:21:20.74
Shelley: Hmmm...
00:21:20.78\00:21:22.11
James: Did you catch the words
of the Quarterly shared here?
00:21:22.14\00:21:24.01
"A manipulative
unethical politician"
00:21:24.05\00:21:27.42
and, you know, as
Christians a lot of times we...
00:21:27.45\00:21:29.42
we kind of poke fun at our
political leaders at times,
00:21:29.45\00:21:31.99
you know, the Bible tells us
00:21:32.02\00:21:33.36
we should be praying
for our political leaders
00:21:33.39\00:21:35.06
in 1st Timothy chapter 2,
00:21:35.12\00:21:36.46
and for all men in
positions of responsibility...
00:21:36.49\00:21:38.43
but we ourselves...
00:21:38.46\00:21:39.86
those leaders are
simply the outworking of us
00:21:39.89\00:21:42.73
left to ourselves.
00:21:42.76\00:21:44.37
When we don't listen
to the voice of God...
00:21:44.43\00:21:45.77
when we don't
heed the voice of God,
00:21:45.80\00:21:48.04
we will be just
like Abraham was.
00:21:48.07\00:21:50.34
Patriarchs and
Prophets page 130 says,
00:21:50.37\00:21:53.88
"During his stay in Egypt,
00:21:53.94\00:21:55.28
Abraham gave evidence that he
was not free from human weakness
00:21:55.31\00:21:58.01
and imperfection.
00:21:58.05\00:21:59.38
In concealing the fact
that Sarah was his wife,
00:21:59.41\00:22:01.88
he betrayed a
distrust of the divine care,
00:22:01.92\00:22:04.55
a lack of that
lofty faith and courage
00:22:04.59\00:22:06.76
so often and nobly
exemplified in his life. "
00:22:06.79\00:22:09.82
Now, again I want to emphasize
00:22:09.86\00:22:11.76
what brings me
hope in this story
00:22:11.79\00:22:13.60
is not so much
that Abraham failed God
00:22:13.66\00:22:18.07
but that Abraham failed God
00:22:18.10\00:22:20.04
in the sense that he still
remained faithful to God...
00:22:20.10\00:22:23.77
God still brought him
through all of this...
00:22:23.81\00:22:25.44
all of the failures...
00:22:25.47\00:22:27.48
all of the imperfections
00:22:27.51\00:22:29.21
and not just
here but later on...
00:22:29.24\00:22:31.41
just a few chapters later,
00:22:31.45\00:22:32.78
eight chapters
later, he does it again.
00:22:32.81\00:22:34.32
God brings him through that
00:22:34.35\00:22:35.72
and God can bring
us through that also.
00:22:35.75\00:22:38.19
We need to have that hope...
00:22:38.25\00:22:39.65
we need to have that belief.
00:22:39.69\00:22:41.06
If the Bible were
full of perfect people,
00:22:41.09\00:22:42.42
we'd be in trouble.
00:22:42.49\00:22:43.83
So, we don't
want to overemphasize
00:22:43.86\00:22:45.19
the failures of Abraham.
00:22:45.23\00:22:46.56
So, what should
this story teach us
00:22:46.59\00:22:48.20
about how easy it is
even for faithful Christians
00:22:48.23\00:22:50.70
to stray from the correct path.
00:22:50.73\00:22:52.10
The Quarterly asks,
00:22:52.13\00:22:53.47
"Why is disobedience
never a good choice?"
00:22:53.50\00:22:56.91
And going even further,
00:22:56.94\00:22:58.37
for further discussions,
00:22:58.44\00:22:59.81
what was wrong in
Abraham's half-truths
00:22:59.84\00:23:02.14
regarding his sister's wife.
00:23:02.18\00:23:03.51
Was it worse lying
or saying some truth
00:23:03.55\00:23:08.72
while still at the
same time technically lying?
00:23:08.75\00:23:11.25
Excuse me... "What is worth,
lying or saying some truth
00:23:11.29\00:23:14.69
while still at the same
time, technically lying?"
00:23:14.72\00:23:16.83
Now, I love this question,
00:23:16.89\00:23:18.36
I really believe it's an
important question for us
00:23:18.39\00:23:20.96
because we are coming
down to the time in history
00:23:21.00\00:23:23.26
when God is calling us
to stand without guile,
00:23:23.33\00:23:25.20
we looked at that
verse... or mentioned that verse
00:23:25.23\00:23:27.07
in Revelation 14.
00:23:27.10\00:23:28.44
What is worth... worse...
lying or telling the truth
00:23:28.47\00:23:33.41
when we're technically lying?
00:23:33.48\00:23:35.78
Because a lot of times,
I find myself in situations
00:23:35.81\00:23:39.15
where I have to make a choice
00:23:39.18\00:23:40.52
about whether I'm
just going to be truthful
00:23:40.55\00:23:43.08
or whether my truthfulness
00:23:43.12\00:23:45.29
is actually going
to be a lie in disguise
00:23:45.35\00:23:47.89
and God is calling
us higher than that...
00:23:47.92\00:23:50.36
higher than the
call that Abraham had
00:23:50.39\00:23:52.73
as he wandered into
Egypt on this half lie.
00:23:52.76\00:23:56.10
He's calling us to
follow the Lamb wherever He goes
00:23:56.13\00:23:58.50
and to stand without
guile before his presence.
00:23:58.53\00:24:01.27
Shelley: Amen. Dinzey:
Thank you Pastor James.
00:24:01.30\00:24:04.01
Well, this lesson
is a blessing already
00:24:04.07\00:24:06.71
and we hope that
you will stay tuned...
00:24:06.74\00:24:08.98
we'll be right
back in just a moment.
00:24:09.04\00:24:11.11
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Welcome back, the
blessings continue now...
00:24:47.78\00:24:49.75
we move to Pastor Terry Shelton.
00:24:49.78\00:24:51.45
Terry: Well, thank you John.
00:24:51.49\00:24:53.15
I was really excited whenever
I saw that I had this lesson,
00:24:53.19\00:24:57.03
Tuesday's
Lesson... Abram and Lot.
00:24:57.06\00:24:59.86
Now, the story of Abram and Lot
00:24:59.89\00:25:02.66
takes us through the entire
chapter of Genesis chapter 13
00:25:02.70\00:25:07.37
and we're not going to read that
00:25:07.40\00:25:08.74
but we're going to
pick up the highlights.
00:25:08.77\00:25:11.07
I want to thank Pastor
James for that good exposition
00:25:11.11\00:25:14.28
about the story into Egypt.
00:25:14.31\00:25:15.64
That leads us
into this next part.
00:25:15.68\00:25:17.65
You know, chapter 12... we
had this unfortunate incident
00:25:17.71\00:25:21.92
of Abraham taking his...
his tribe down into Egypt
00:25:21.95\00:25:25.39
and it was not God's
will for him to do so
00:25:25.42\00:25:28.42
and it seems that
while he started up in Canaan
00:25:28.46\00:25:31.43
and after
this... his lack of faith
00:25:31.46\00:25:34.00
in going down into Egypt...
00:25:34.03\00:25:35.43
then he winds back
up in Canaan again.
00:25:35.46\00:25:37.63
If you read the book,
Patriarchs and Prophets,
00:25:37.70\00:25:40.00
it tells us that
this famine was a test
00:25:40.04\00:25:43.77
that God allowed to
come upon Abram and his tribe
00:25:43.81\00:25:48.44
to see if he really trusted God
00:25:48.48\00:25:50.75
and see if he
was really going...
00:25:50.78\00:25:53.01
and even when it seems there's
no food... no water... whatever,
00:25:53.05\00:25:55.92
is he going to trust God
and stay where God had led him
00:25:55.98\00:25:59.59
but unfortunately, he went
down into... down into Egypt
00:25:59.62\00:26:03.22
so, he winds up back
near Bethel once again
00:26:03.26\00:26:06.63
and, you know, I believe that...
00:26:06.66\00:26:08.16
I believe that Abram
repented... repented of that...
00:26:08.20\00:26:11.87
as, you know, he must have said,
00:26:11.90\00:26:13.44
"Lord, I'm sorry I
didn't trust you...
00:26:13.47\00:26:15.44
it didn't go the
way I planned" you know,
00:26:15.47\00:26:17.34
"please help me
get back on track... "
00:26:17.37\00:26:19.17
and I have no doubt
that God forgave him for that
00:26:19.24\00:26:22.98
but as we open chapter 13,
00:26:23.01\00:26:28.02
we find that Lot
and Abram's men...
00:26:28.05\00:26:31.19
there is some
contention going on...
00:26:31.25\00:26:34.32
there's not enough natural
resources in... in the land
00:26:34.36\00:26:37.16
and... and we can see...
we can almost picture how...
00:26:37.19\00:26:39.96
let's say that the
herdsmen of... of Lot
00:26:40.00\00:26:42.76
would come to a
nice fertile pasture
00:26:42.80\00:26:45.50
and then, the
herdsmen of Abram would come
00:26:45.53\00:26:47.60
and they say, "Hey,
we were here first... "
00:26:47.64\00:26:49.47
"No... " you know,
00:26:49.50\00:26:50.84
"We have authority and
blah... blah... blah... "
00:26:50.87\00:26:52.44
and... who's...
who is to choose...
00:26:52.47\00:26:55.24
so, Abram recognized that
00:26:55.28\00:26:57.48
and I love how the fact
that Abram steps forward
00:26:57.51\00:27:02.02
to be a peacemaker.
00:27:02.05\00:27:03.89
It says... it says that he
basically gave Lot the choice...
00:27:03.92\00:27:09.69
whatever... "You
choose where you want to go
00:27:09.72\00:27:12.59
and I will take the other one. "
00:27:12.63\00:27:14.70
He steps forward to be
this... this peacemaker.
00:27:14.73\00:27:17.80
it made me think of
Matthew chapter 5 and verse 9
00:27:17.83\00:27:20.84
which says,
"Blessed are the peacemakers:
00:27:20.90\00:27:23.30
for they shall be
called the sons of God. "
00:27:23.34\00:27:25.64
I think Abram was trying to...
to... to squelch the division
00:27:25.67\00:27:29.68
and the strife going on there,
00:27:29.74\00:27:31.08
"It's not... we
shouldn't be this way. "
00:27:31.11\00:27:32.45
Now, if you think of it,
00:27:32.48\00:27:34.35
by all rights,
Abram was the elder
00:27:34.38\00:27:38.22
and he had every right
to... to choose which direction
00:27:38.25\00:27:42.99
he was going to go.
00:27:43.02\00:27:44.36
But in effect, by letting...
by letting Lot choose,
00:27:44.39\00:27:49.66
I... I... I believe that
he was letting God choose
00:27:49.70\00:27:53.44
and He was letting God...
allowing God to direct him
00:27:53.47\00:27:57.21
in the way that he would go.
00:27:57.24\00:27:59.67
Abraham... or Abram
showed humility in this...
00:27:59.71\00:28:02.98
in this venture.
00:28:03.04\00:28:04.38
It made me think of 1st
Peter chapter 5 and verse 6.
00:28:04.41\00:28:06.72
"Therefore, humble yourselves
under the mighty hand of God,
00:28:06.75\00:28:10.29
that He may exalt
you in due time. "
00:28:10.32\00:28:12.95
What we're speaking
about here is character.
00:28:12.99\00:28:15.86
What was the character of Abram?
00:28:15.89\00:28:18.13
He... he didn't want this
strife he doesn't want this...
00:28:18.16\00:28:21.16
and I think maybe he was
even exercising some faith
00:28:21.20\00:28:24.07
and letting God
direct the situation
00:28:24.10\00:28:26.50
and, of course, God did direct
him to the... the right area.
00:28:26.53\00:28:31.57
Someone once said that
character is not developed
00:28:31.61\00:28:36.28
during times of crisis.
00:28:36.31\00:28:38.38
Character is revealed
during times of crisis
00:28:38.41\00:28:42.12
and it is during this time that
Abraham... even though his...
00:28:42.15\00:28:46.32
his relationship with
God was a little rocky
00:28:46.35\00:28:49.06
and he had come through
this major test that he...
00:28:49.09\00:28:50.83
that he failed,
00:28:50.86\00:28:52.19
he still had a
connection with God
00:28:52.23\00:28:53.66
and his connection with
God showed forth in his life
00:28:53.70\00:28:57.13
in trying to be
a peacemaker here.
00:28:57.17\00:28:59.97
However, Lot... Lot showed
a... a very selfish nature
00:29:00.00\00:29:07.61
when he... because
in verse 11 it says,
00:29:07.64\00:29:10.55
"Lot chose for
himself... " you know,
00:29:10.58\00:29:13.42
"What can I get out of this?"
00:29:13.45\00:29:15.38
without any regard to the
people that lived there...
00:29:15.42\00:29:18.92
or what he might
encounter in this land...
00:29:18.95\00:29:21.59
he just saw those fertile lands
and he said, "I want that...
00:29:21.62\00:29:24.59
that's... I'll take that... "
00:29:24.63\00:29:26.63
and Abraham... just graciously,
00:29:26.70\00:29:28.60
"Okay, fine, if you
want to go that way...
00:29:28.63\00:29:30.80
you know, okay... then
I'm going to go this way. "
00:29:30.83\00:29:32.83
Letting... letting God
actually directing the situation
00:29:32.90\00:29:39.07
and then I like it, it says...
00:29:39.11\00:29:40.48
and to demonstrate his faith,
God asked Abraham to arise
00:29:40.51\00:29:45.11
and walk in the land just
like he owns it, you know,
00:29:45.15\00:29:49.72
"walk there and even though
00:29:49.75\00:29:51.72
you don't have full
possession of the land...
00:29:51.75\00:29:53.72
walk there because I'm
going to give you this land...
00:29:53.76\00:29:56.79
I'm giving you this land. "
00:29:56.83\00:29:58.26
In fact in... in... I
forget which verse it is,
00:29:58.29\00:30:02.36
I didn't annotate
it in my notes here,
00:30:02.43\00:30:04.17
but there's one passage
that says, "I give it to you. "
00:30:04.20\00:30:08.00
The New King James
Version says, "I give... "
00:30:08.04\00:30:11.47
the King James Version
says, "I will give... "
00:30:11.54\00:30:15.34
but sometimes God
says... I will do something
00:30:15.38\00:30:19.21
and then sometimes God
says, "I do something...
00:30:19.28\00:30:23.08
I am doing something. "
00:30:23.12\00:30:25.52
You see Friends, one of
the things I love about God
00:30:25.55\00:30:28.62
is that He exists in the past...
00:30:28.66\00:30:30.59
in the present... in the future
00:30:30.63\00:30:32.49
and even outside of the
past, present and future.
00:30:32.53\00:30:34.40
Panel: Amen.
00:30:34.46\00:30:35.80
Terry: He is
eternal... He never changes...
00:30:35.83\00:30:37.93
He is always the same.
00:30:37.97\00:30:39.30
It makes me
think of this passage,
00:30:39.33\00:30:40.70
Pastor John, I know
that you love this passage,
00:30:40.74\00:30:43.10
Isaiah 43 verse 1,
00:30:43.14\00:30:44.47
"But now, thus says the
LORD, who created you, O Jacob,
00:30:44.51\00:30:48.34
and He who formed you, O Israel:
00:30:48.38\00:30:50.45
'Fear not, for I
have redeemed you;
00:30:50.48\00:30:52.48
I have called you by
your name; You are Mine. '"
00:30:52.51\00:30:55.55
Panel: Amen.
00:30:55.58\00:30:57.09
Terry: That's today...
that's now... "You are Mine... "
00:30:57.12\00:30:59.29
and I love that passage.
00:30:59.32\00:31:01.52
God speaks... when
God speaks something,
00:31:01.59\00:31:04.36
it is so and it will be so
00:31:04.39\00:31:06.83
and it is so and
it has been so...
00:31:06.86\00:31:08.56
all of the above
00:31:08.63\00:31:09.96
and then it says in
Genesis 13 and verse 8,
00:31:10.00\00:31:13.60
it says, "Then
Abram moved his tent,
00:31:13.64\00:31:16.14
and he went and he dwelt by
the terebinth trees of Mamre,
00:31:16.17\00:31:18.94
which are in Hebron,
00:31:18.97\00:31:20.31
and he built an
altar there to the Lord. "
00:31:20.34\00:31:23.11
What have we learned
about the altar in the past?
00:31:23.14\00:31:25.61
The altar is about worship...
it's about thanksgiving...
00:31:25.68\00:31:29.05
it's about sacrifice...
00:31:29.08\00:31:30.99
did Abraham have complete
control of the land yet? No...
00:31:31.02\00:31:33.92
but he thanked God in advance
00:31:33.96\00:31:36.29
and by faith he
took hold of that promise
00:31:36.32\00:31:39.29
that God had made to him.
00:31:39.33\00:31:41.53
Years ago, I remember
reading a book entitled:
00:31:41.56\00:31:44.93
The ABC's of Bible Prayer
00:31:44.97\00:31:46.53
and it talks about:
ask and believe and claim
00:31:46.57\00:31:50.61
and when I think of
that... that mode of thinking,
00:31:50.67\00:31:53.61
it reminds me of
Mark 11 and verse 24,
00:31:53.64\00:31:55.41
Jesus says,
"Therefore I say to you,
00:31:55.44\00:31:57.98
whatever things
you ask when you pray,
00:31:58.01\00:32:00.38
believe that you receive them,
00:32:00.42\00:32:02.92
and you will have them. "
00:32:02.95\00:32:05.22
I love that promise.
00:32:05.25\00:32:06.59
So... so, what do we learn
from the story of Abram and Lot?
00:32:06.62\00:32:11.96
We learn that we can choose
whether we're going to be kind
00:32:11.99\00:32:17.33
and generous to others
00:32:17.37\00:32:19.17
even if there's contention...
if there's strife...
00:32:19.20\00:32:22.34
sometimes, you know, they talk
about taking the high road...
00:32:22.37\00:32:25.37
sometimes we have to do that
00:32:25.44\00:32:26.91
especially if we are walking
with Christ on a daily basis.
00:32:26.94\00:32:31.21
Maybe those that we
have problems with...
00:32:31.28\00:32:33.68
it is our responsibility
and really our privilege
00:32:33.72\00:32:37.72
to... to take the high
road and do like Abraham...
00:32:37.75\00:32:41.66
like Abraham did and... and...
and try to keep the peace.
00:32:41.72\00:32:44.89
I don't know... some families...
00:32:44.93\00:32:46.29
in some families, there's
always a peacemaker, right,
00:32:46.33\00:32:48.43
there's somebody who
just doesn't like strife...
00:32:48.46\00:32:50.67
always trying to
bring sides together,
00:32:50.70\00:32:52.73
I kind of feel
like... in this situation,
00:32:52.77\00:32:54.74
that Abram was
a little like that
00:32:54.77\00:32:56.10
and it reminded me
of this passage from
00:32:56.14\00:32:59.81
Proverbs chapter
25 verses 21 and 22
00:32:59.84\00:33:03.68
where the wise man says,
00:33:03.71\00:33:05.48
"If your enemy is
hungry, give him bread to eat;
00:33:05.51\00:33:09.02
and if he is thirsty,
give him water to drink;
00:33:09.05\00:33:12.52
for so you will heap
coals of fire on his head,
00:33:12.55\00:33:16.22
and the LORD will reward you. "
00:33:16.26\00:33:19.16
I think that's
beautiful... it's beautiful...
00:33:19.19\00:33:21.23
now, we're not saying Abram
and Lot were necessarily enemies
00:33:21.26\00:33:24.63
in this case... but in this
situation, there was strife...
00:33:24.67\00:33:28.04
there was conflict...
00:33:28.07\00:33:29.40
and Abram... he decided
to let God drive on this one.
00:33:29.44\00:33:34.04
He decided to let God direct
00:33:34.08\00:33:36.04
and let's face
it, it came up better
00:33:36.11\00:33:37.88
as we know the story goes on...
00:33:37.91\00:33:39.61
it came up better
for Abraham in the end.
00:33:39.65\00:33:42.65
So, I... I love this
story because it shows
00:33:42.68\00:33:45.62
Abram's humility and... and...
and... and willing to let God
00:33:45.65\00:33:50.53
lead in this situation...
00:33:50.56\00:33:52.19
even though we know that...
we've read all the stories
00:33:52.26\00:33:54.23
and we know that there's
some failures still yet to come,
00:33:54.26\00:33:57.70
but in this time, Abram decided
to let God lead and guide
00:33:57.73\00:34:00.77
in this situation
00:34:00.80\00:34:02.14
and it ended up
being good for him.
00:34:02.17\00:34:04.64
Panel: That's right... amen...
00:34:04.67\00:34:06.17
Lomacang: Thank
you for that lesson...
00:34:06.24\00:34:07.58
when God leads, it's always good
00:34:07.61\00:34:09.54
and the outcome is
always going to glorify God.
00:34:09.58\00:34:12.41
Let's go to Genesis chapter 14,
00:34:12.45\00:34:14.55
we're going to talk
about the Babel Coalition.
00:34:14.58\00:34:17.19
Now, sometimes
the size of the enemy
00:34:17.22\00:34:19.89
or the size of those
who are standing against us
00:34:19.92\00:34:23.19
tend to affect our way
that we think about God.
00:34:23.22\00:34:26.73
Sometimes we say,
"Lord, this is not a situation
00:34:26.76\00:34:30.23
that's going to
turn out well for me... "
00:34:30.27\00:34:31.60
and this is one of the reasons I
believe the story was put here.
00:34:31.63\00:34:34.57
Now, there's some words in here
00:34:34.60\00:34:36.40
that will choke
the average human
00:34:36.44\00:34:39.47
but I'm going to try to
be a little more than average
00:34:39.51\00:34:41.98
and ask the Lord to
give me the... the ability
00:34:42.01\00:34:44.05
to enunciate these words.
00:34:44.08\00:34:45.85
Genesis 14 verse 1 to 17,
00:34:45.88\00:34:47.58
"And it came to pass in the
days of Amraphel king of Shinar,
00:34:47.62\00:34:52.39
Arioch king of Ellasar,
and Chedorlaomer king of Elam,
00:34:52.42\00:34:57.66
and Tidal king of nations,
00:34:57.69\00:34:59.39
that they made war
with Bera King of Sodom,
00:34:59.43\00:35:02.66
Birsha king of Gomorrah,
00:35:02.70\00:35:04.77
Shinab king of Admah,
00:35:04.80\00:35:06.77
and Shemeber king of Zeboiim,
00:35:06.84\00:35:10.71
and the king of
Bela... that is Zoar.
00:35:10.74\00:35:13.38
All these joined together
in the Valley of Siddim...
00:35:13.41\00:35:16.48
that is the Salt Sea.
00:35:16.51\00:35:17.85
Twelve years they
served Chedorlaomer,
00:35:17.88\00:35:21.52
and in the
thirteenth year they rebelled.
00:35:21.55\00:35:23.69
In the
fourteenth year Chedorlaomer
00:35:23.72\00:35:26.39
and the kings that were with him
00:35:26.42\00:35:28.32
came and attacked
Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim,
00:35:28.36\00:35:33.40
and Zuzim in Ham,
00:35:33.43\00:35:35.26
the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,
00:35:35.30\00:35:39.77
and the Horites in
their mountains of Seir,
00:35:39.80\00:35:42.17
as far as El Paran,
which is by the wilderness.
00:35:42.20\00:35:45.47
Then they turned back
and came to En Mishpat...
00:35:45.51\00:35:50.08
that is, Kadesh,
00:35:50.11\00:35:51.68
and attacked all the
country of the Amalekites,
00:35:51.71\00:35:53.82
and also the Amorites
who dwelt in Hazezon Tamar.
00:35:53.85\00:36:01.19
And the king of
Sodom, the king of Gomorrah,
00:36:01.22\00:36:04.26
and the king of
Admah, the king of Zeboiim,
00:36:04.29\00:36:08.13
and the king of
Bela... that is Zoar...
00:36:08.16\00:36:10.03
went out and joined
together in the battle
00:36:10.07\00:36:12.63
in the Valley of Siddim against
Chedorlaomer king of Elam,
00:36:12.67\00:36:17.67
Tidal king of nations,
00:36:17.71\00:36:19.27
Amraphel king of Shinar,
00:36:19.31\00:36:22.98
and Arioch king of Ellasar...
four kings against five. "
00:36:23.01\00:36:26.98
Look at the size of the battle.
00:36:27.02\00:36:28.45
"Now the Valley of
Siddim was full of asphalt pits;
00:36:28.48\00:36:32.29
and the kings of
Sodom and Gomorrah fled;
00:36:32.32\00:36:34.56
some fell there,
00:36:34.62\00:36:35.96
and the remainder
fled to the mountains.
00:36:35.99\00:36:38.73
They took all the
goods of Sodom and Gomorrah,
00:36:38.76\00:36:42.00
and all their
provisions, and went their way.
00:36:42.03\00:36:44.53
They also took Lot,
Abram's brother's son
00:36:44.57\00:36:47.84
who dwelt in Sodom, and
his goods, and departed.
00:36:47.87\00:36:51.21
Then one who had escaped
came and told Abram the Hebrew,
00:36:51.24\00:36:56.14
for he dwelt by the terebinth
trees of Mamre the Amorite,
00:36:56.18\00:37:01.38
brother of Eshcol
and brother of Aner;
00:37:01.42\00:37:05.95
and they were allies with Abram.
00:37:05.99\00:37:09.12
Now when Abram heard that
his brother was taken captive,
00:37:09.16\00:37:12.49
he armed his three hundred
and eighteen trained servants
00:37:12.53\00:37:16.83
who were born in his house,
00:37:16.87\00:37:19.13
and went in
pursuit as far as Dan.
00:37:19.17\00:37:22.10
He divided his forces
against them by night,
00:37:22.14\00:37:25.74
and he and his servants
attacked them and pursued them
00:37:25.77\00:37:28.44
as far as Hobah,
which is north of Damascus.
00:37:28.48\00:37:32.21
So he brought
back all the goods,
00:37:32.25\00:37:34.32
and also brought back his
brother Lot and his goods,
00:37:34.35\00:37:37.65
as well as the
women and the people.
00:37:37.69\00:37:41.62
And the king of
Sodom went out to meet him
00:37:41.66\00:37:45.06
in the Valley of Shaveh...
that is, the King's Valley,
00:37:45.09\00:37:48.56
after his return from
the defeat of Chedorlaomer
00:37:48.60\00:37:53.34
and the kings
who were with him. "
00:37:53.37\00:37:56.04
What a tongue twister!
00:37:56.07\00:37:58.04
Shelley: I'm
glad you got that one.
00:37:58.07\00:38:00.81
Lomacang: Yeah,
it's a... it's a...
00:38:00.84\00:38:03.48
it's amazing how we look
at these Bible characters.
00:38:03.51\00:38:07.08
Now, I believe the
reason why the Lord
00:38:07.12\00:38:09.02
wanted this story included...
00:38:09.05\00:38:10.79
is... He could have easily said,
00:38:10.82\00:38:12.32
"Abraham had to
face a large army. "
00:38:12.35\00:38:15.72
But if you take each one of
the components mentioned here,
00:38:15.76\00:38:19.96
you find... this is the
first war narrated in Scripture
00:38:20.00\00:38:24.17
where all the
adversaries were named.
00:38:24.20\00:38:26.87
You had the coalition of the
four armies of the Mesopotamians
00:38:26.90\00:38:30.74
and Mesopotamia and Persia
00:38:30.81\00:38:32.71
against the other coalition
of five Canaanite armies,
00:38:32.74\00:38:36.08
including the kings
of Sodom and Gomorrah.
00:38:36.11\00:38:39.01
So, this was a
large contingency...
00:38:39.05\00:38:41.22
this is a huge battle
00:38:41.25\00:38:42.58
but sometimes,
you could get lost
00:38:42.62\00:38:45.92
in the size of the opposition
and forget the size of God.
00:38:45.95\00:38:50.29
Panel: Hmmm...
00:38:50.33\00:38:51.69
Lomacang: And
Abram didn't do that.
00:38:51.73\00:38:53.80
Abram decided that I
don't need to fight against all
00:38:53.83\00:38:57.77
of the Coalition that
is armed against me...
00:38:57.80\00:39:01.77
my focal point
simply needs to be...
00:39:01.80\00:39:04.74
"I need to rescue my
nephew and his household... "
00:39:04.77\00:39:08.11
and when you look at the battle,
00:39:08.14\00:39:09.54
the timing of this
entire thing suggests that
00:39:09.58\00:39:12.58
this was a global skirmish
00:39:12.61\00:39:15.12
for the size of
the world at that time
00:39:15.15\00:39:17.15
and it focused on interrupting
the plans that God had
00:39:17.19\00:39:20.82
for Abram and his nephew Lot.
00:39:20.86\00:39:23.36
So, what did Abram do?
00:39:23.39\00:39:25.33
You notice, Abram
gathered his army together
00:39:25.36\00:39:27.56
but when he went... he
didn't go to defeat all the...
00:39:27.60\00:39:30.57
he didn't go to
defeat all the battles,
00:39:30.60\00:39:32.53
he went by twilight.
00:39:32.57\00:39:33.97
He didn't go at a time
that they could see him,
00:39:34.00\00:39:36.00
he went during the night
00:39:36.04\00:39:37.37
and he focused on
just capturing his nephew.
00:39:37.41\00:39:40.18
Let's look at verse 12
and 13 of Genesis chapter 14.
00:39:40.21\00:39:44.61
Once again, notice what he did.
00:39:44.65\00:39:46.72
"They also took Lot,
Abram's brother's son
00:39:46.75\00:39:51.19
who dwelt in Sodom, and
his goods, and departed. "
00:39:51.22\00:39:54.86
So, that was the focal
point of Abram's rescue.
00:39:54.89\00:39:59.39
He was not focusing
on defeating the enemy...
00:39:59.43\00:40:03.90
he was focusing simply
on rescuing a family member
00:40:03.93\00:40:07.07
that had been taken
captive and all of his household
00:40:07.10\00:40:10.14
and Ellen White says in the
book: Patriarchs and Prophets,
00:40:10.17\00:40:12.97
she says, "Abram
dwelling in peace
00:40:13.01\00:40:17.01
in the oaks of Mamre, learned
from one of the fugitives
00:40:17.05\00:40:22.22
the story of the battle
00:40:22.28\00:40:23.62
and the calamity that
had befallen his nephew.
00:40:23.65\00:40:26.62
He had cherished no unkind
memories of Lot's ingratitude. "
00:40:26.65\00:40:30.89
Even though Lot was
not gracious to him,
00:40:30.93\00:40:34.03
he still sought to rescue him.
00:40:34.06\00:40:35.76
"After his affection for
him... all his affection for him
00:40:35.83\00:40:41.17
was awakened when he
heard about Lot's dilemma.
00:40:41.20\00:40:44.07
and he determined
that he should be rescued.
00:40:44.11\00:40:46.94
Seeking, first of
all, divine counsel,
00:40:46.98\00:40:50.31
Abraham prepared for battle. "
00:40:50.35\00:40:53.15
Now, this story is significant
00:40:53.18\00:40:55.95
because it brought
out some components
00:40:55.98\00:40:57.32
that I like what
James brought out,
00:40:57.35\00:40:58.69
sometimes we tend
to deal half-heartedly
00:40:58.72\00:41:04.23
either in the things we say
00:41:04.26\00:41:06.19
or the way that
people are represented.
00:41:06.23\00:41:08.40
In this situation, Abraham
put aside his feelings about Lot
00:41:08.43\00:41:13.74
and thought about the outcome...
00:41:13.77\00:41:15.94
how this could
impact his family at large,
00:41:15.97\00:41:18.64
so, he decided... "Let me
go ahead and rescue my nephew
00:41:18.67\00:41:22.41
and we could work out the
family squabbles later on... "
00:41:22.44\00:41:26.11
and I think John Dinzey pointed
out how he gave Lot the choice,
00:41:26.15\00:41:30.95
"You go one way...
I go the other... "
00:41:30.99\00:41:32.82
and... that was what Terry said,
00:41:32.85\00:41:35.56
"You go one way...
I go the other... "
00:41:35.59\00:41:37.36
and the way that Lot chose
00:41:37.43\00:41:39.69
didn't really turn
out that well for him
00:41:39.76\00:41:41.86
but the way that Abram chose
00:41:41.90\00:41:43.77
turned out much better for him
because he chose God's counsel.
00:41:43.80\00:41:47.44
Well, there are
stories in the Bible
00:41:47.47\00:41:49.47
that have similar scenarios
00:41:49.50\00:41:51.01
and the lessons that
we could learn from this
00:41:51.07\00:41:53.17
as in the example of Elisha
00:41:53.21\00:41:54.84
when the Syrians came
and surrounded his army...
00:41:54.88\00:41:57.38
surrounded his home...
00:41:57.41\00:41:58.75
and his servant
thought that his end had come,
00:41:58.78\00:42:01.48
he said, "Alas
Master, what shall we do?"
00:42:01.52\00:42:03.18
And Elisha prayed for the Lord
to open the eyes of his servants
00:42:03.22\00:42:06.55
and then, we know the
story, he saw chariots of fire
00:42:06.59\00:42:09.32
and instead of
destroying the Syrian army,
00:42:09.36\00:42:12.49
as Terry pointed out...
00:42:12.53\00:42:14.66
and they fed them instead
00:42:14.70\00:42:16.77
and they were so
kind to their enemy
00:42:16.80\00:42:19.43
that the enemy decided,
00:42:19.47\00:42:20.94
"We're not messing
with them any longer... "
00:42:20.97\00:42:23.07
but as time came, then Hadad
forgot the lessons of the past.
00:42:23.10\00:42:26.51
We also find the example of
Peter being thrown in prison
00:42:26.54\00:42:29.44
by Herod.
00:42:29.48\00:42:30.81
Once again, a large Roman
contingency against one man
00:42:30.85\00:42:34.88
but God was with him.
00:42:34.92\00:42:37.59
Now, one of the lessons we could
learn from Lot and Abram...
00:42:37.62\00:42:40.66
from Elisha and his servant...
00:42:40.69\00:42:43.43
from Peter and his...
00:42:43.46\00:42:45.19
and his incarceration
for doing God's will,
00:42:45.23\00:42:49.10
here are the
lessons we can learn.
00:42:49.13\00:42:50.87
Psalm 34 verse 19,
00:42:50.90\00:42:53.37
I brought out two major lessons.
00:42:53.40\00:42:55.14
"Many are the
afflictions of the righteous,
00:42:55.17\00:42:58.94
but the LORD delivers
him out of them all. "
00:42:58.97\00:43:02.64
So, once again I'm going to say
what I did in the very beginning
00:43:02.68\00:43:05.95
sometimes, we could focus
on the size of our adversary
00:43:05.98\00:43:08.72
and forget the size of our God.
00:43:08.75\00:43:10.49
Panel: Hmmm...
00:43:10.52\00:43:12.05
Lomacang: There are afflictions
that many of us will experience
00:43:12.09\00:43:13.86
in our walk as Christians.
00:43:13.89\00:43:15.22
Also, remember these
afflictions are not as great
00:43:15.26\00:43:18.39
as they could have been because
the Lord is on your side.
00:43:18.43\00:43:20.76
2nd Corinthians
4 verses 17 and 18,
00:43:20.80\00:43:23.57
"For our light affliction,
which is but for a moment,
00:43:23.60\00:43:28.94
is working for us a far more
00:43:28.97\00:43:31.21
exceeding and
eternal weight of glory,
00:43:31.24\00:43:33.78
while we do not look at
the things which are seen... "
00:43:33.81\00:43:37.11
a huge army...
00:43:37.15\00:43:38.48
"but at the things
which are not seen.
00:43:38.51\00:43:41.05
For the things which
are seen are temporary,
00:43:41.08\00:43:43.59
but the things which
are not seen are eternal. "
00:43:43.62\00:43:46.52
Here's my point as I transition
and give it to Shelley.
00:43:46.55\00:43:49.42
When you face
skirmishes in life...
00:43:49.46\00:43:51.83
when you are
surrounded by enemies
00:43:51.89\00:43:54.20
that seem too numerous to
count or too numerous to defeat,
00:43:54.23\00:43:58.17
remember, if God before you...
no one can be against you.
00:43:58.20\00:44:02.10
Don't focus on the
size of the adversary...
00:44:02.14\00:44:04.94
keep your focus on
the size of your God.
00:44:04.97\00:44:07.74
Shelley: Thank you John,
00:44:07.78\00:44:09.31
I'm sure glad I didn't have to
read those... all those names.
00:44:09.34\00:44:13.38
I'm Shelley
Quinn... I have Thursday
00:44:13.42\00:44:15.52
and it is: The
Tithe of Melchizedek.
00:44:15.55\00:44:18.19
Let's look at Genesis chapter 14
and we'll start with verse 17,
00:44:18.22\00:44:23.93
"The king of Sodom
went out to meet him
00:44:23.96\00:44:26.93
at the Valley of Shaveh... "
00:44:26.96\00:44:28.30
he's going out to meet Abram...
00:44:28.33\00:44:29.70
"that is, the King's Valley,
00:44:29.73\00:44:31.73
"after his...
after Abram's return
00:44:31.77\00:44:34.84
from the defeat of Chedorlaomer
00:44:34.87\00:44:37.94
and the kings who
were with him... "
00:44:37.97\00:44:40.38
and Melchizedek...
is the king of Salem...
00:44:40.41\00:44:43.75
he brings bread and
wine and he's... it says,
00:44:43.78\00:44:49.98
"he was the priest
of the Most High God. "
00:44:50.02\00:44:51.95
We're going to look into
this mysterious Melchizedek
00:44:51.99\00:44:55.26
but here is the
point of our lesson.
00:44:55.29\00:44:58.23
Melchizedek...
this king of Salem...
00:44:58.29\00:45:01.16
this king of righteousness...
00:45:01.23\00:45:03.50
he blesses Abraham
and he says in verse 18,
00:45:03.53\00:45:08.44
"Blessed be
Abram of God Most High,
00:45:08.47\00:45:10.91
possessor of
heaven and earth... "
00:45:10.94\00:45:13.27
that's God Most High...
"Possessor of heaven and earth;
00:45:13.31\00:45:15.81
and blessed be God Most High,
00:45:15.84\00:45:18.45
who has
delivered your servant...
00:45:18.48\00:45:21.62
your enemies into your hand. "
00:45:21.65\00:45:24.75
And he, Abram, gave him
a tenth which is a tithe
00:45:24.79\00:45:30.19
of all... is what the
verse 20... that's how it ends.
00:45:30.23\00:45:36.30
So, this is the most
mysterious person in the Bible
00:45:36.33\00:45:42.34
but he's not that mysterious.
00:45:42.40\00:45:44.74
Melchizedek... he's
introduced here in Genesis 14...
00:45:44.77\00:45:48.71
he's only mentioned one
other time in the Old Testament,
00:45:48.74\00:45:52.61
that's Psalm 110
00:45:52.68\00:45:54.12
and then we don't find him again
till Hebrews in 5, 6 and 7...
00:45:54.15\00:45:59.55
those chapters
start talking about him.
00:45:59.59\00:46:01.62
But who is this Melchizedek?
00:46:01.69\00:46:04.39
He's both king of Salem...
00:46:04.43\00:46:07.06
that's another
name for Jerusalem...
00:46:07.10\00:46:09.16
he is the priest of
the Most High God...
00:46:09.20\00:46:11.23
he is the only human being
00:46:11.27\00:46:14.60
other than the
person of Jesus Christ
00:46:14.67\00:46:18.37
who is ever a
King and a Priest...
00:46:18.41\00:46:22.08
holding both offices.
00:46:22.11\00:46:24.08
Now, it's interesting...
00:46:24.11\00:46:26.01
his name is translated...
king of righteousness...
00:46:26.05\00:46:29.45
king of peace...
Jerusalem is peace
00:46:29.48\00:46:33.89
but in Hebrews 7:3...
00:46:33.92\00:46:36.22
this is what everybody
gets mixed up with Melchizedek.
00:46:36.26\00:46:40.00
It says, "He...
being without father,
00:46:40.03\00:46:42.76
without mother,
without genealogy,
00:46:42.80\00:46:45.43
having neither beginning
of days nor end of life,
00:46:45.47\00:46:48.24
but made like
the Son of God... "
00:46:48.27\00:46:51.94
in other words... Melchizedek
is going to resemble Jesus
00:46:51.97\00:46:56.24
in some way "remains
a priest continually. "
00:46:56.28\00:46:59.55
Now, here's the point...
00:46:59.58\00:47:01.05
when the Bible says that
he was without genealogy,
00:47:01.08\00:47:06.96
if we look at the
ancient Syriac Peshitta,
00:47:06.99\00:47:10.93
there's a much
better translation
00:47:10.96\00:47:13.36
and here's what it says,
00:47:13.40\00:47:15.66
when it... when he
says it's without genealogy
00:47:15.70\00:47:19.13
having neither father or mother,
00:47:19.17\00:47:22.17
what this accurate
translation says is:
00:47:22.20\00:47:27.18
whose father and mother are
not written in the genealogies.
00:47:27.21\00:47:31.71
His ancestry didn't matter
00:47:31.75\00:47:34.75
because he was of the
order of priesthood...
00:47:34.78\00:47:38.15
it wasn't like the
Levitical Priesthood...
00:47:38.19\00:47:39.99
he was a priest forever.
00:47:40.02\00:47:42.42
So, his ancestry was
irrelevant to his priesthood
00:47:42.46\00:47:46.33
and it was not recorded.
00:47:46.36\00:47:49.86
So, I just want to
make a couple of points
00:47:49.90\00:47:53.57
before we get to the tithing
part... I've got to hurry.
00:47:53.60\00:47:56.10
In Hebrews 7:15...
or first, Hebrews 5:6,
00:47:56.14\00:48:01.78
says that Jesus' priesthood was
in the "order of Melchizedek"
00:48:01.81\00:48:08.28
as opposed to being in the order
of Aaron... the Levitical order.
00:48:08.32\00:48:12.82
Christ's priesthood was
superior to the Levitical...
00:48:12.85\00:48:17.56
and chapter 7 and
verse 15 of Hebrews
00:48:17.59\00:48:21.93
explains that Jesus was a
priest in that same order...
00:48:21.96\00:48:27.07
the likeness of Melchizedek.
00:48:27.14\00:48:30.54
Melchizedek resembled Jesus
00:48:30.57\00:48:33.91
but that means he
was different than Jesus.
00:48:33.98\00:48:37.45
He was not a heavenly being
00:48:37.48\00:48:40.12
as so many people
try to make him out
00:48:40.15\00:48:42.65
because if he was
without parentage...
00:48:42.68\00:48:44.75
if he didn't have
a mother or father...
00:48:44.79\00:48:46.82
beginning or the end...
00:48:46.86\00:48:48.42
he'd be God himself
00:48:48.46\00:48:49.99
and there would
have been no reason
00:48:50.03\00:48:52.39
for God to have to come down
00:48:52.46\00:48:55.36
and become the
person of Jesus Christ
00:48:55.43\00:48:57.33
to be our new High Priest.
00:48:57.37\00:48:59.03
There would have been no
reason for another priesthood.
00:48:59.07\00:49:02.34
So, Jesus was not a
successor to Melchizedek...
00:49:02.37\00:49:06.68
just the
priesthoods were similar.
00:49:06.71\00:49:08.88
So, let's talk about the
practice of biblical tithing.
00:49:08.91\00:49:15.38
This story shows that
Abraham recognizes Melchizedek
00:49:15.42\00:49:21.82
is a priest of the Most High God
00:49:21.86\00:49:24.29
and he gives him a
tenth of all of his war booty
00:49:24.33\00:49:30.17
in response to God who is
possessor of heaven and earth...
00:49:30.20\00:49:35.97
who has given
everything to Abraham...
00:49:36.00\00:49:39.17
delivered his
enemies into his hand.
00:49:39.21\00:49:42.31
Then, Abraham is
going to return a tithe...
00:49:42.34\00:49:48.95
a tenth of everything
that God has just given him.
00:49:48.98\00:49:53.42
Now, this is interesting...
00:49:53.46\00:49:55.32
we see Abraham
practicing the tithe
00:49:55.36\00:49:58.23
then we get to Jacob
who is the son of Isaac...
00:49:58.26\00:50:01.73
the grandson of Abraham
00:50:01.76\00:50:03.57
and as he... he's in
exile... he's a fugitive
00:50:03.60\00:50:08.74
and he pledges to God to
return a tenth or a tithe
00:50:08.77\00:50:14.14
of all of his possessions
upon his safe return.
00:50:14.18\00:50:19.51
That's Genesis 28:22.
00:50:19.55\00:50:22.45
He... Jacob says, "Of
all that You give me... "
00:50:22.48\00:50:26.29
he's speaking to God...
00:50:26.32\00:50:27.66
"I will surely
give a tenth to You. "
00:50:27.69\00:50:30.26
Now, when Israel was
established as a nation
00:50:30.29\00:50:33.70
after their exodus from Egypt,
00:50:33.73\00:50:36.23
God reaffirmed tithing
as a divine institution.
00:50:36.26\00:50:40.74
It's clearly laid out in Genesis
00:50:40.80\00:50:43.37
but God tells them... their
prosperity depends upon it.
00:50:43.41\00:50:46.91
Let me give you a few Scriptures
if you're taking notes.
00:50:46.94\00:50:50.38
Leviticus 27:30 through 32...
00:50:50.41\00:50:53.45
Numbers 18:24, 26, 28...
00:50:53.48\00:50:57.15
Deuteronomy 12:6, 11 and 17...
00:50:57.19\00:51:01.19
so, returning tithe has
always been an important part
00:51:01.22\00:51:07.20
of worship...
00:51:07.26\00:51:09.33
it is something
in 2nd Chronicles...
00:51:09.36\00:51:12.27
what we see is during
the reign of King Hezekiah,
00:51:12.30\00:51:16.60
he brings about
this great reformation
00:51:16.64\00:51:19.74
and in 2nd
Chronicles 31:5 and 6,
00:51:19.77\00:51:22.61
one of the first things they
do in this religious reformation
00:51:22.64\00:51:28.25
is the people
eagerly bring their tithes
00:51:28.28\00:51:32.32
so, the New Testament
assumes the validity of tithing
00:51:32.35\00:51:36.56
by setting forth
Abraham as our example.
00:51:36.59\00:51:40.73
You know, Jesus even said
to the... the Pharisees...
00:51:40.76\00:51:44.67
in... He shows that
he approved of tithing.
00:51:44.70\00:51:48.20
Matthew 23:23, He says,
00:51:48.27\00:51:51.44
"Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, you hypocrites!
00:51:51.47\00:51:55.74
For you pay tithe of
mint and anise and cumin,
00:51:55.78\00:52:00.02
and have neglected the
weightier matters of the law:
00:52:00.05\00:52:04.62
which are
justice, mercy and faith. "
00:52:04.65\00:52:07.62
"These you ought
to have done... "
00:52:07.66\00:52:10.63
talking about their tithing
00:52:10.66\00:52:12.99
"without leaving
the others undone. "
00:52:13.03\00:52:15.50
So, here it describes...
meticulously tithe everything...
00:52:15.53\00:52:21.57
but they didn't have the
Spirit of God's love in them
00:52:21.60\00:52:24.94
and Jesus says, "Hey,
yeah, you should be tithing
00:52:24.97\00:52:28.51
but don't leave out justice,
00:52:28.54\00:52:30.55
mercy and
compassion and faith. "
00:52:30.58\00:52:32.55
Romans 4:16... I
want to read that to you.
00:52:32.58\00:52:38.29
Romans 4:16 tells us
the Patriarch Abraham
00:52:38.32\00:52:43.99
is the father of us all.
00:52:44.03\00:52:46.66
and listen to what it says,
00:52:46.70\00:52:49.26
"Therefore it is of faith that
it might be according to grace,
00:52:49.30\00:52:51.90
so that the promise might
be sure to all the seed... "
00:52:51.93\00:52:56.50
because now, we
are the seed too...
00:52:56.54\00:52:58.61
"not only to
those who are the law,
00:52:58.64\00:53:00.64
but to those who are
of the faith of Abraham,
00:53:00.68\00:53:05.11
who is the father of us all. "
00:53:05.15\00:53:09.08
So, as the father
of all believers...
00:53:09.12\00:53:14.32
Abraham is set forth in
the New Testament as our model
00:53:14.36\00:53:19.56
for Christians
to return the tithe
00:53:19.59\00:53:22.23
just as he tithed to Melchizedek
00:53:22.26\00:53:24.73
acknowledging his priesthood,
00:53:24.77\00:53:27.20
we're supposed to be
returning what God gives to us
00:53:27.24\00:53:30.84
to acknowledge the
priesthood of Jesus
00:53:30.87\00:53:34.08
and here's something
that is amazing to me.
00:53:34.11\00:53:37.75
When you get to
Hebrews chapter 7
00:53:37.78\00:53:41.18
and it's repeating
the story of Melchizedek
00:53:41.22\00:53:44.45
is such a casual
reference to tithing
00:53:44.49\00:53:48.26
that you realize... it indicates
that tithing was already
00:53:48.29\00:53:54.36
an established principle... a
custom in the Christian church
00:53:54.40\00:54:00.40
even at that early date.
00:54:00.44\00:54:02.24
James: That's
right, thank you Shelley.
00:54:02.27\00:54:04.11
Dinzey: Thank you so much...
00:54:04.14\00:54:05.47
well, this has been
an interesting lesson
00:54:05.51\00:54:06.84
and time has seemed to fly,
00:54:06.88\00:54:08.84
we like to give
each one of you...
00:54:08.88\00:54:11.08
probably have about
a minute each almost...
00:54:11.11\00:54:12.88
to give a summary
or a final thought.
00:54:12.91\00:54:15.78
James: Well, when you
look at the story of Abraham
00:54:15.82\00:54:18.82
and you realize that in
the first part of chapter 12,
00:54:18.85\00:54:21.82
he does great...
following God's voice
00:54:21.86\00:54:24.63
and coming out of Ur
00:54:24.66\00:54:25.99
and then in the
second part of chapter 12,
00:54:26.03\00:54:27.73
he falls on his face...
00:54:27.76\00:54:29.10
you... you recognize that this
is a continuum with Abraham,
00:54:29.13\00:54:32.63
in other words... he does really
well in relation to Lot...
00:54:32.67\00:54:36.40
he does really well in
relation to rescuing his cousin
00:54:36.44\00:54:39.61
and giving tithes to
Melchizedek et cetera
00:54:39.64\00:54:43.18
but there are times like
with Abimelech when he...
00:54:43.21\00:54:45.91
again tells a falsehood...
00:54:45.95\00:54:47.72
there are times
when he distrusts God
00:54:47.75\00:54:50.29
and gets together with Hagar
00:54:50.32\00:54:51.89
and hoping to
fulfill the promise,
00:54:51.92\00:54:53.89
it's not the
occasional deeds or misdeeds
00:54:53.96\00:54:57.69
but it's the general
tendency of the life...
00:54:57.73\00:55:00.10
Abraham keeps his focus on Jesus
00:55:00.13\00:55:02.70
and he lets Jesus lift him
up from all of his failures
00:55:02.76\00:55:05.13
and we can do the same thing.
00:55:05.17\00:55:06.80
Panel: Amen... amen.. amen.
00:55:06.84\00:55:08.17
Terry: You know,
I was thinking that
00:55:08.20\00:55:09.84
in the failure of Abraham going
into Egypt, right after that...
00:55:09.87\00:55:14.84
the repentance I'm
sure that came from him,
00:55:14.88\00:55:19.05
and letting God direct
00:55:19.08\00:55:20.95
and in the story with
himself and... and Lot
00:55:20.98\00:55:24.52
and I go back to that...
that passage that I read before,
00:55:24.55\00:55:28.12
1st Peter 5:6,
"Therefore humble yourselves
00:55:28.16\00:55:31.03
under the mighty hand of God,
00:55:31.06\00:55:32.39
that He may exalt
you in due time. "
00:55:32.43\00:55:34.70
I'm looking forward to the
day when God exalts His people
00:55:34.73\00:55:38.60
and He seemingly parades
him in front of the universe
00:55:38.63\00:55:42.04
and says, "These are the
ones who humbled themselves
00:55:42.07\00:55:45.41
and... and even, you know,
crucified themselves every day
00:55:45.44\00:55:50.51
died daily... and I
want to lift them up... "
00:55:50.55\00:55:53.28
and I hope and pray
that each one of you
00:55:53.31\00:55:55.42
will be among that number.
00:55:55.48\00:55:57.12
Lomacang: That's right
and the story of Abram and Lot
00:55:57.15\00:56:00.02
was amazing when it came
to the coalition of Babylon.
00:56:00.06\00:56:03.36
We're going to be facing a
coalition of symbolic Babylon
00:56:03.39\00:56:06.70
in the near...
not to distant future,
00:56:06.73\00:56:09.13
and as Abram did,
we must also do...
00:56:09.16\00:56:11.60
focus on
delivering our relatives...
00:56:11.63\00:56:13.97
those who may have been bound by
00:56:14.00\00:56:16.27
the captivity
that Babylon represents
00:56:16.30\00:56:19.77
and so, I would encourage you
00:56:19.84\00:56:21.84
not to be focusing on
the size of the coalition
00:56:21.88\00:56:24.85
because all the
nations that stand against the
00:56:24.88\00:56:27.82
principles of God will
unite themselves with Babylon
00:56:27.85\00:56:31.09
and remember this text,
00:56:31.12\00:56:32.45
the Lord is on your side...
1st Corinthians 15 verse 57,
00:56:32.49\00:56:36.12
"But thanks be to God,
00:56:36.16\00:56:37.49
who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ. "
00:56:37.53\00:56:40.23
We will win because
we're on the right side.
00:56:40.26\00:56:43.47
Shelley: Amen and amen...
00:56:43.50\00:56:44.83
you know, I just
want to say one thing,
00:56:44.87\00:56:46.20
I love now that we are getting
into the patriarchal history
00:56:46.23\00:56:49.90
of Genesis.
00:56:49.94\00:56:51.37
Remember this, Genesis
covers 2300 years of history...
00:56:51.44\00:56:55.74
2,000 in the first 11
00:56:55.78\00:56:57.38
and in the last 39...
00:56:57.41\00:56:58.95
we're looking at
several hundred more years.
00:56:58.98\00:57:00.95
Sometimes people will say,
00:57:00.98\00:57:02.82
"Oh, Genesis doesn't lay
out God's commandments...
00:57:02.88\00:57:06.65
that didn't come
along till Exodus. "
00:57:06.69\00:57:08.49
That's not true, you find
all of these Biblical principles
00:57:08.52\00:57:12.33
all throughout the
history of Abraham's life.
00:57:12.36\00:57:16.80
He obeyed God
00:57:16.83\00:57:18.43
but Abraham also knew
that a principle of worship
00:57:18.47\00:57:23.41
was to return a tithe
00:57:23.44\00:57:25.94
and we are
encouraged to do the same.
00:57:25.97\00:57:28.54
Dinzey: Thank you so much...
00:57:28.58\00:57:29.98
thank you Pastor
James Rafferty...
00:57:30.01\00:57:31.35
Pastor Terry Shelton...
00:57:31.38\00:57:32.71
Pastor John Lomacang
00:57:32.75\00:57:34.08
and Sister Shelley Quinn
00:57:34.12\00:57:35.45
and we want to
thank you for joining us.
00:57:35.48\00:57:37.02
Remember that 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel
00:57:37.05\00:57:39.35
will be back next
week with Lesson Number 7.
00:57:39.39\00:57:42.76
Lesson Number 7... the title
is: The Covenant with Abraham
00:57:42.82\00:57:46.83
and if you missed
any of the lessons,
00:57:46.86\00:57:48.96
you can go to the
3ABN YouTube Channel...
00:57:49.00\00:57:51.07
3ABN Plus also on your phones...
00:57:51.10\00:57:53.44
you can also watch them there.
00:57:53.47\00:57:55.40
Thank you for joining us...
00:57:55.44\00:57:57.27
we hope that next
time you will be with us
00:57:57.31\00:57:59.07
and join us on 3ABN
Sabbath School Panel
00:57:59.11\00:58:01.34
to continue
studying God's Word together.
00:58:01.41\00:58:03.51
We'll see you next time.
00:58:03.55\00:58:04.98
Shelley: Amen.
00:58:05.01\00:58:06.35