Anne LeGare

Genesis Chapters 11:24-14

The first thing we learned was from Isaiah 51:2,  “When he was but one I called him, then I blessed him and multiplied him.”  Abram was all alone when God called him.

We then journeyed with him from Mesopotamia (Ur of the Chaldeans) to Haran, where he settled.  We learned in Hebrews 11:8 that by faith, when he was called, Abram obeyed by going out to a place he was to receive for an inheritance, and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Jeff made an interesting statement about this: “Faith overcomes skepticism.”  Jeff made the analogy to someone trying to promise something too good to be true.  Most adults take such offers with a healthy dose of skepticism, and disregard them.  Abram chose to believe God’s promises, and moved out in obedience.

In Genesis 12:10-20, We noticed that when Abram got into trouble in Egypt, he hadn’t sought the LORD in his decision making.  Marc asked Nichole what might have happened if Abram had included God.  Nichole realized that Abram might have left Egypt even more blessed, because God had already promised Abram many blessings.  Anne made the point that this is probably where Abram picked up Hagar, the Egyptian (Sarai’s maidservant).  Chuck made the point that if Abram was a faithful friend of God and messed up, then we have comfort knowing that Christ atoned for our sins!

In reference to Lot, we looked at Genesis 13.  Lonnie made the observation that Lot’s lust of the eyes contributed to his later downfall. In an earlier lesson, we learned that many sins are committed this way. We dubbed them the “Look and Took” sins.  See my blog on this.

Finally, we talked about Melchizedek, and discussed the possibility that he was the pre-incarnate Christ.  Our insights concerning him were from Genesis 14:17-24; Hebrews 5:5-6; 6:19-7:22; and Psalm 110:4.  In Genesis we learned that Melchizedek was the King of Salem, and brought Abram bread and wine (pattern of the Lord’s supper?). He blessed Abram, and blessed God.  He received a tenth of Abram’s possessions.  In Psalm 110:4, we learn that Melchezedek has a priestly order.  In Hebrews we learned that Christ is a Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek, that Melchizedek was a priest of the Most High God, that he was a King of Righteousness, that he was without father or mother, no genealogy, and not beginning or end.  He was made like a son of God, and remains a priest perpetually.  He was of a new tribe, not the Levitical priesthood.

Pam made the point that Melchizedek makes such a great bridge of understanding from the Old Testament to the New.  He is a pattern of Christ.

We were hoping Kay Arthur would shed light on this mystery in her discussion of the lesson, but she only touched on the discussion lightly.