Gen. 9:25-27 Noah's curse on Ham's descendants is the first recorded human curse in history (see note for 3:14,15). It's not exactly clear what it means, but the Canaanites became the slaves of Shem (the father of the Hebrews) during Israel's monarchy. GOD shall exalt Japheth is also difficult to understand; it could represent GOD's incorporation of the Gentiles, who awaited the new covenant.
Gen. 10:1-32 Reaffirmation of GOD's Blessing (HBH) The "table of nations" (Gen 10) demonstrates the fulfillment of GOD's command to be fruitful and fill the earth. The climactic position of the Shemites focuses attention on Eber (10:21,24-25), for whom the Hebrews (Hebrew ibri) were named. This ancestor of Abraham anticipates the Jewish patriarchs who are the focus of the second half of Genesis.
Gen. 10:1-32 The picture of the nations is presented from the point of view of an author who lived several centuries after the Flood, but still early enough to speak of future ethnic groups like Moabites, Amonites, Edomites and Chaldeans.
Gen. 10:2,3 The sons of Japheth (Gomer, Magog, Tubal and Meshech) and his grandson, Togarmah, stand out in Ezekiel's prophecy of the final battle of the end times (Ezek. 38; 39).
Gen. 10:14 Casluhim...Philistines and Caftorim: Caftor is the island of Crete, the place of origin of the Philistines, who later invaded and conquered the Palestinian coastline (see Jer. 47:4; Amos 9:7).
Gen. 11:1-32 Confusion at Babel (HBH) The story of the tower of Babel (11:1-9) separates the genealogy of the descent from Noah to Eber and Peleg and the genealogy that connects Noah to Abraham (11:10-32). In the days of Peleg, son of Eber, the earth was "divided" (10:25). Through Abraham and the Abrahamic covenant it someday would be reunited. The Babel narrative thus illustrates the false and defiant sense of humanistic solidarity that sought to evade the creation mandate to fill the earth under GOD's dominion. The scattering of the nations accomplished that purpose but did not effect compliance to the will of GOD that made true servanthood a reality. That is why a new covenant, one with redemptive aspects, had to be implemented.
Gen. 11:1-9 See section 3 of "TRUTH IN ACTION" at the end of Genesis.
Gen. 11:2 The land of Shinar hasn't been identified.
Gen. 11:5-8 Noah's descendants returned rapidly to their pagan customs, therefore, Jehovah decided to confuse their language and then scattered them...over the face of the earth. That which they tried to turn into a monument to human efforts was transformed into a symbol of divine punishment for pride and self-sufficiency.
Gen. 11:9 Babel is derived from the Hebrew "balal", which means "to disrupt" or "confound". Later, The Babylonians interpreted "Babel" as "the doorway to God". Most specialists connect this city with Babylonia, which finally became a synonym for the ultimate evil city which persecuted GOD's people (Rev. 17,18). Here we encounter the answers to why there are so many languages on earth and why the human race spread out so rapidly after the Flood. There are nine generations, 365 years, between the birth of Arphaxad and the emigration of Abraham.
Gen. 11:10-32 The geneologies serve here as a transitional link between man's inaugural period and the patriarchal period, when GOD initiated the final process of redemption.
Gen. 11:14 Heber is probably the descendant of Shem from whom the Hebrews arose.
Gen. 11:10-26 Longevity was decreasing rapidly, from Noah's 950 years to Abraham's 175 in only ten generations. Gen. 6:3 symbolically alludes to this reduction (120 years). Psalms 90:10 later diminishes the life expectancy of a person to the symbolic figure of 70 years.
Gen. 11:27 Abram was born five generations after Babel.
Gen. 11:28 Ur appears three times in Genesis. It was probably located in the southern part of modern Iraq. Joshua 24:2 affirms that Terah served "other gods" when he lived beyond the Euphrates River, in Haran.
ABRAHAM: THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH (GEN. 12:1-22:19) (HBH)
The story of the patriarchs is centered and grounded in the covenant to which the LORD called Abraham. The history of the human race from the fall to Abraham's own day was sufficient to show that the great kingdom purposes of GOD could not be achieved until humanity could be redeemed and restored to covenant keeping capacity. The promise had been given that the offspring of the woman would someday prevail over anti-GOD forces. Now that offspring promise was to find fulfillment in one man and his descendants, chief among whom was to be the Messiah who would effect salvation and dominion.
Gen. 12:1-9 See section 4 of "TRUTH IN ACTION" at the end of Genesis.
Gen. 12:1-9 GOD's Promises: Descendants, Blessing, Land (HBH) Abraham was called from Sumerian paganism to faith in the living GOD. GOD granted him an unconditional set of promises - descendants and blessing. GOD promised to lead him to Canaan, the earthly scene for the working out of GOD's promises (12:1-3). On Abraham's arrival in Canaan, he received GOD's promise of land (12:4-9).
Gen. 12:1-9 These verses form a central section in Genesis. It presents the final patriarchs, the people of Israel, and all the Davidic line, including the Messiah. It also handles the biblical concept of the merciful GOD who works in the lives of the children of his people to counteract the effects of the curse.
Gen. 12:1 A sovereign calling of GOD: Leave...your homeland sets up a proof of the faith of Abraham, who was called to abandon everything that he loved, for a land that he didn't know. It's not revealed how Abram came to know Jehovah.
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Gen. 12:1-3 GOD's desire is that his people prosper,
GOD'S PROSPERITY. In this passage, GOD promises greatness for Abraham; and blesses him in many ways, including material blessings. In 3:1,2 it can be seen how much he was enriched. See also 24:35, where his servant states, "Jehovah has blessed my master greatly", and enumerates the material blessings that GOD gave him. The dynamics of this historic act has validity for the believer today.
In Galatians 3:13,14, GOD promises to give all believers the blessings of Abraham, and tells us that Jesus became a curse for us so that we may receive "the blessings of Abraham". Thid, of course, begins with our rebirth, becoming new creatures in Christ Jesus. But the "blessings of Abraham" imply other things also. The LORD wishes that we prosper spiritually, emotionally, physically as well as materially. The blessings are ours because of his promise, and we don't need to excuse the fact that it includes material prosperity. (Phil. 4:19/Mal. 3:8-10*) F.P. |
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Gen. 12:1-3 The prototypical person of the "kingdom",
KINGDOM BASICS. As much in the Old Testament as in the New, Abraham is shown as the prototype of all those who experience the divine process of restoring the human being through redemption, first and fundamentally, in his relationship with GOD through faith, not by works (Rom. 4:1-25). But rarely is the second facet of redemption noted. It also shows Abraham as an example within the divinely directed program to recover the human reign in life (Rom. 5:17). Abraham is designated as the "father" of all those who walk in his way of faith (Rom. 4:12). As such, he is the example GOD chose to reveal his plan to restore, in his time, all the earth through the people of the covenant. Through Abraham, whose descendants GOD wishes to be made into "a great nation" (who restore his government), and whom he elects to make a "great number" (who restore his authority), GOD declares his plan to procreate many model creatures according to this prototypical "father of the faith". This truth is confirmed in Romans 4:13, where the designation of Abraham as "heir of the world" corresponds to Jesus' promise to his disciples: those who humble themselves in faith will also receive the "Kingdom" and "inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:3-5). (Gen. 8:20-9:17/Gen. 26:1-5; 28:1-22) J.W.H.
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Gen. 12:3 families, mishpachah, Strong #4940: A family, a type, a class or kind of people or things; a species of animals, a group of related individuals (a tribe), or a group of related things (a category). The main concept of mishpachah is that the people, animals or things that share kinship or a similar relationship of any type, form a family, clan or species (10:31,32; Amos 3:2). Gen. 12:1-3 indicates that GOD separated Abraham from his idolatrous family to make of him and his descendants the Messianic nation that would bring salvation to all the families of the earth. |
Gen. 12:5 And the people they had acquired in Haran: Slaves and others who joined Abraham came seeking to be protected and fed.
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Gen. 12:1-20; 17:1-27; 22:1-19 Faith,
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LEADER. Abraham's ability to lead was proved in three areas of faith: 1) Faith to risk (12:1-5). As a rich man, he risked everything to follow GOD. The dedicated leader is prepared to risk all for his trust in GOD and to adventure into the unknown. 2) Faith to trust (17:1-27). Abraham and Sarah were already long past the age of procreation. The dedicated leader doesn't believe solely in things that he sees but, through faith, he sees beyond those things. 3) Faith to yield himself (22:1-19). Abraham knew that sacrificing his son would destroy any hope of fulfilling the promise that pointed him out as the future father of many nations. The devoted leader is ready to sacrifice everything dear to him to please GOD. (Matt. 16:13-20/James 3:1) J.B.
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Gen. 12:7 My sister: Sarai was, in fact, his half-sister, according to 20:12. But she was also his sister from another perspective; Abram had gotten from Haran the custom of "adopting" his wife as sister, thus conferring special privileges upon her, such as the right to inherit. Nevertheless, the act could be seen as deceptive, unnecessary and lacking faith.
Gen. 12:10-20 The Promises Threatened (HBH) No sooner were GOD's promises given than their fulfillment was "threatened." Faced with famine, Abraham deserted the promised land and placed Sarah - the link with the promise of descendants - in a potentially compromising position as a member of Pharaoh's harem (12:10-20).
Gen. 12:17,18 Jehovah intervened, diverting Pharoah's attention. Plagues seem to refer here to infirmity of the skin. It's not explained how Pharaoh supposed that the plagues came from GOD. In a situation like this, it would be normal to ask the retinue of priests and magicians about the cause of great misfortunes, and to confirm what they said by asking Sarah.
Gen. 13:1-18 Realizing the Promise of Land (HBH) Abraham anticipated the history of his descendants by dwelling briefly in Canaan, sojourning in Egypt (12:10-20), and coming out with riches and honor as Israel did later in the exodus (Exod. 11:1-3; 12:35-36). Then, in his own "conquest" and occupation, Abraham divided the land between himself and Lot (Gen. 13:6-13). The territories through which he had previously traveled as a nomad now became his in permanent habitation (13:14-18).
Gen. 13:1 The Negev Desert is located south of a line that crosses Gaza and the western Dead Sea, toward the east.
Gen. 13:5-7 Paradoxically, the origin of the situation that led to strife was a blessing from GOD.
Gen. 13:10 In that century the plain of Jordan was so fertile, that Lot thought he had reached the Garden of Eden. It seems as if Lot might have been given the outskirts of the Holy Land, because Sodom was enclosed exactly in its boundaries.
Gen. 13:14-18 Although Lot (Abram's heir) left him, the LORD's promise would be maintained. Obviously, another line of descendants would arise.
Gen. 14:1-24 Possessing the Land, Blessing Neighbors (HBH) Abraham's dominion over his inheritance was not to be uncontested. The invasion and subjugation of the cities of the plain by the kings of the east (14:1-12) represented resistance to Abraham's claim to the land. Abraham, acting on behalf of El Elyon, the Almighty GOD (14:20,22), overcame this threat. In rescuing Lot's people (14:16), Abraham was fulfilling his GOD-given charge to be a blessing to other nations.
Gen. 14:1-16 This story places the figure of Abram firmly on the international stage. The four kings reached a considerable distance. It appears that their territories enclosed modern Iraq, Iran and Turkey. In an incursion to quench a rebellion against their allies to the west, in the area of the Dead Sea (verse 2), they captured Lot (verse 12).
Gen. 14:5,6 Chedorlaomer, and the kings traveled south to Transjordan, first conquering three tribes. The Rephaims and the Emims were the people of great stature who were destroyed by the Israelites under Moses; the king had a bed more than four meters long (Deut. 3:11). Then the kings continued marching south to conquer the Horites (whom Esau's descendants later dispossessed).
Gen. 14:10 The five allied armies were defeated by the invaders from the east. Some of the survivors fell in asphalt pits. Even today, occasionally, pieces of asphalt float on the surface of the southern portion of the Dead Sea.
Gen. 14:13 Abram the Hebrew: "Hebrew" seems to be the name by which other peoples identified the chosen family; it's not a title that they had chosen for themselves, but to identify them as strangers. See 39:14,17; 40:15; 41:12; 43:32.
Gen 14:14,15 His kin: or brother. That his servants are used as soldiers in war indicated what the socio-political conditions of that century were, and the necessity for strong patriarchal leaders, like Abram. Abram was not only rich, but a powerful military commander.
Gen. 14:15 To the north of Damascus is given to understand that Abram led them further than the promised land.
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Gen. 14:18 Highest, 'elyon; Strong #5945: Highest, preeminent; relative to the heavens, in the most high; majestic, supreme, elevated, exalted, high ranking, raised to the highest position. 'Elyon is derived from the verb 'alah, which means "to ascend". It appears as an adjective more than twenty times, and describes exalted rulers, as well as the highest dwellings in the walls of the temple (Ezek. 41:7). It becomes a divine title when it appears next to one of GOD's names, such as 'El 'Elyon or 'Elohim 'Elyon, "Most High GOD". Compare this with the angels' declaration at Jesus' birth, "Glory to GOD in the highest, and on the earth peace, good will to men!" (Luke 2:14). |
Gen 14:18-24 See section 5 of "TRUTH IN ACTION" at the end of Genesis.
Gen 14:21-24 In spite of the rudeness of the king of Sodom, neighbor of Salem, Abram turned the other 90% of the booty over to him. The same generosity didn't exist in regards to the booty taken by Abram's allies, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre.
A covenant is a compact or agreement made between two parties binding them mutually to some agreed upon obligations and benefits. Much of the history of salvation can be traced by noting both the presence and the contents of biblical covenants. Covenants may be either bilateral ("two-sided"), where both parties are obligated, or unilateral ("one-sided"), where only one party is bound by the agreement.
Genesis 15:9-21 offers the best illustration of the unilateral type of covenant. The verb "to make" a covenant is literally "to cut" a covenant. Thus when one made a covenant, several animals were brought, cut in half, and arranged opposite each other. The person or parties making the covenant would then walk through the aisle formed by the carcasses and say in effect, "May it happen to me as it has happened to these slain animals if I do not keep all the provisions of this covenant." (Compare Jer. 34:18-20).
In a bilateral covenant both parties would take the oath. If one defaulted, the other was released from any further obligations. But in the case of GEnesis 15:9-21, the "smoking fire pot with a blazing torch" pictures GOD as the only One who walked between the pieces and thus obligated Himself alone to bring all the blessings and benefits of the Abrahamic covenant. GOD's blessings were apart from any works of obedience on the part of Abraham or any of the patriarchs who followed him who also enjoyed the benefits of this covenant.
The Sinai covenant offers the best illustration of a bilateral covenant. The people of Israel agreed to accept the terms of relationship GOD offered (Exod. 19:5-6; 24:3). In their preaching, the later prophets often placed Israel on trial for failure to fulfill their covenant commitments (Jer. 11:10; Ezek. 16:59; Hos. 8:1). In times of spiritual revival, the people of Israel would reaffirm their commitment to the covenant (Deut. 5:2-3; Josh. 24; II Kings 23:3; II Chron. 15:12).
Scripture presents a fairly large number of covenants. Many were instituted by the one true living GOD. The primary divine covenants include those made with Noah (Gen. 15:18; 17:2), Moses (Exod. 19:5-6), David (II Sam. 23:5; compare 7:12-16), and the new covenant of Jeremiah 31:31-34.
The content of covenants is more important than their form. The content of all these divine covenants exhibits a unity, continuity, and building theme. The form changes since there are different "signs" of the covenant (for example, a rainbow in Noah's case, circumcision in Abraham's case), types of covenants, and "people" addressed in the covenant. If we keep our eyes on their content, we will note how the everlasting plan of GOD, both for our redemption and our successful living, was unfolded.
One three-part formula acts as a summation of GOD's covenant relationship: I shall be your GOD, you shall be my people, and I shall dwell in the midst of you. The repetition of elements of this formula as part of many of these covenants supplied one of their unifying themes: GOD would be in the midst of His people and they would be His special possession. (Compare Gen. 17:7; Exod. 6:6-7; 19:4-5.)
In spite of their structural and thematic unity, the major OT covenants exhibit a diversity of focus as history progresses. GOD's covenant with Noah focused on preservation. The Abrahamic covenant focused on land and descendants. The Mosaic covenant emphasized obedience to the law of GOD, and the Davidic covenant focused on preservation of David's dynasty. The new covenant of Jeremiah 31 focused on GOD's forgiveness of His people, on whose hearts He would write His law. The covenants with Abraham and David and Jeremiah's new covenant anticipated redemption through the promised Messiah.
to clarify the relationship between the old covenant (usually equated with the Mosaic covenant) and the new covenant is difficult. Paul apparently set the promise of the Abrahamic type covenants over against the law of the Mosaic type. But Paul's contrast was in no way absolute or unqualified. Paul affirmed that the law-covenant did not annul the covenant of promise (Gal. 3:17) and that the promise-covenant did not annul the covenant of law (Rom. 3:31).
At the apex of all the covenants is the new covenant found in Jeremiah 31:31-34. The phrase new covenant is found six times in the NT (I Cor. 11:25; II Cor. 3:6; Heb. 8:8; 9:15; 12:24; and possible in Luke 22:20). The idea is also present in Romans 11:27 and Galatians 4:21-31. Since much of the content of the new covenant repeats the previous covenants' promises, it may be best to represent this covenant as a "renewed covenant." It fulfills the promises of the older covenants, but it is better by virtue of its clearer view of Christ, its richer experience of the Holy Spirit, and the greater liberty it grants to believers.
Gen. 15:1-21 The Promise of Descendants and Land (HBH) Though he had inherited the land by promise, Abraham did not yet have the promised offspring, even after ten years in the land (compare Gen. 16:3). The LORD reaffirmed His promise (15:4), enlarging it to include innumerable offspring (15:5). That host of descendants, Yahweh promised, would go to a land of sojourn, just as Abraham had done. They eventually would return with the riches to fill the land of promise (15:12-21).
Gen. 15:1-21 This is one of the most important chapters of the Old Testament because it describes the covenant of Abraham, a covenant that was finally consummated in Jesus Christ.
Gen. 15:2,3 Childless is the phrase that is sometimes used to refer to sterility as a punishment from GOD. How do you combine this with the promise of the covenant?; is Abram's complaint. Customs allowed an old slave to become the heir of a childless man.
Gen. 14:18-20 Abram's apparently routine encounter with the king of Salem is revealed centuries later as an encounter with the archetype of Jesus Christ in his role as priest (Psa. 110:4; Heb. 7:1-10). Melchizedek means, "My king is righteous or legitimate". He blesses Abraham with a royal banquet (bread and wine). As the only one to fulfill the offices of king and priest, he worships the Most High GOD (something strange in that time and place). Before any legal requirement, Abram responds to his generosity and blessings, handing him tithes of all the booty obtained in the recent war.
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Gen. 15:6 counted, chashab; Strong #2803: to think, recognize, put together, calculate, imagine, impute, take account of; gather one's thoughts, make just, advise, plan, produce something in the mind, invent. This verb is normally the equivalent of "to think", but it also transmits the sense of the verb, "to count". Chashab is the connection of a great amount of elements that allows a conclusion to be obtained based upon a full panorama. In this verse, GOD evaluates everything that Abraham's faith signifies, and on analyzing it, determines that it equals righteousness. |
Gen. 15:6 Silence was the way Abram manifested his acception of GOD's Word (he believed). It resulted in a formal recognition (and he counted it to him for righteousness). Paul cited this declaration twice (Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6), and James cited it once (James 2:23). It is the foundation of what the New Testament teaches. The way to GOD has always been to confidently accept his Word, which is then expressed in a life of rectitude.
The greatest text on faith in the Bible may well be Genesis 15:6 - "Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness." In that simple formula the pattern for faith was set for all ages, peoples, and persuasions.
GOD continues to offer salvation on the same basis, that is, by grace through faith - plus nothing. That is the clear teaching of both the OT and NT.
But questions are sometimes raised about who or what was the object of faith in the Old Testament. Some have answered that GEnesis 15:6 simply says that Abram became a general believer in the one true GOD and abandoned the worship of other gods. Such a conclusion, however, does not take the context of Genesis 15:6 seriously.
Why did the narrator of GEnesis wait until Genesis 15 to inform us about Abraham's faith? According to Hebrews 11:8-9, Abraham left the city of Ur of the Chaldees in southern Mesopotamia "by faith" twenty-five years earlier than the events of Genesis 15. The answer rests in the fact that during the twenty-five years covered by Genesis 12-14 the promise of the land took precedence. When the issue of the promise of a son and offspring was raised in Genesis 15, Abraham was one hundred years old, and his wife Sarah was ninety. GOD refused to allow Abraham to adopt his servant Eliezer of Damascus as his legal son. GOD would still give to Abraham and Sarah their own natural son as promised.
In this very context the issue of what it means to believe GOD was raised. What, then, was the object of Abraham's faith? It was simply and solely belief in the Promised One who was to come through the offspring of Abraham. Abraham's faith had the same object as ours must, the promised Christ.
Is Abraham's faith any different from the justifying faith of the NT believer? No. In principle it remains the same. This is not to say, of course, that Abraham possessed as full an understanding of our Savior and His atoning work as we do. Yet the similarity and pattern still exist. Both the OT and the NT believer had to put their trust in the same person, Christ, the Offspring promised to the woman (Gen. 3:15), to Abraham (Gen. 15:5), and to us (Gal. 3:16,29).
Some have argued that Abraham's belief is only an illustration that favors from GOD are not earned but come only through faith; it is not an example of saving faith. But this interpretation will not hold up under the accounting figure ("he credited it to him for righteousness") or the use Paul made of this verse in Romans 4:1-16. The discussion of Abraham's faith was delayed from Genesis 12 until Genesis 15 so that the strongest connection between belief in Christ, the promised Offspring, and Abraham's justification apart from any works might be made. Every time Abraham decided to extricate himself by his own works in Genesis 12-22, he only dug himself in deeper trouble. Only GOD's gracious gifts were effective in granting him relief; so it was with his salvation and ours.
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