Gen 12 - 15

Genesis 12
Abram was 75 before his story begins with us. By the time we hit 75, our story is usually over. I'm sure there's a lesson in that!

Blessed are those who bless Abram, and cursed are those who curse him. Can we see the result of this in our country right now? Have we really acted in the best interest of Israel? Do wildfires, blizzards, floods, hurricanes, struggling economy, and turmoil sound like the fruit of a blessed nation? Ignorance is no excuse when it comes to God's ways.

Abram went to Egypt because of famine. There is nothing new under the sun according to Ecclesiastes. Jacob, Abram's grandson, ends up doing the very same thing.

In 12:17, we see that Pharaoh is stricken with plagues because he had taken Abram's wife, Sarai, into his house. Ignorance is no excuse when it comes to God's ways.

Chapter 13: Lot chose what was pleasing to the eye. How did that work out for him?

Chapter 14: Chedorlaomer is smitten by Abram and the 318 men that he employed. Chedorlaomer was a great king of ancient history according to the Discover Channel. Funny, I don't recall the DC mentioning that he was ousted by Abram of Genesis.

Melchizedek met Abram after he defeated Chedorlaomer and recovered Lot and his family. Melchizedek, for those who may not know, was the king and priest of ancient Jerusalem. Melchi (king) and zedek (of righteousness). Because he was both king and priest, he was of an order that was all his own, which was exactly why Jesus came in the order of Melchizedek - He had to be both king and priest. Some think that Melchizedek was Jesus pre-incarnate. I happen to think Abram spoke with Jesus just days later before Sodom and Gomorrah is destroyed, so... surely he'd recognize him if so. The Jews believe Melchizedek was Shem, Noah's son. That could be.

Chapter 15:
Abram tells the king of Sodom that he wants no reward. In verse one of chapter 15, God says I WILL INCREASE YOUR REWARD. Abram says, "Yeah right, I don't even have an heir."

God says, "I will make your seed as of the stars of the sky". Earlier God had told him he would make his seed as of the 'sand of the sea'. This is a reference to physical and spiritual seed. We are, as saved individuals, the spiritual seed of Abraham. The physical seed are still the Jewish people. They are and always will be the chosen people of God and He is very protective of them. But as part of the spiritual seed, we too are inheritors of the promise.

It was Abrams faith that was attributed to him as righteousness. This was salvation in the Old Testament.

The last part of 15 is the blood covenant. To summarize this, two parties split a bunch of animals down the middle and both parties walk between the pieces to create a covenant relationship. The gist is this: if I fail to uphold my end of the covenant, then may I become as one of these slaughtered animals. Wow. However, God tells Abram to set up the covenant, yet DOES NOT LET ABRAM PARTICIPATE. So in effect, God is saying: if you fail, Abram, I will take responsibility. I will become as one of these slaughtered animals. Is that not exactly what happened with Jesus? He creates a covenant we had NO CHANCE to uphold (how would you like to go into a covenant like that with a perfect, HOLY God?), and then He takes the penalty for OUR inability to uphold it. Wow... what a GOD!