Genesis 12
These are not all of the references that there are in Scripture. Use cross references in your Bible, just remember that they are NOT Scripture!
(Deuteronomy 7:7-9 [KJV])
The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
- This is all by faith
- No specific directions or destination given ("a land I will show thee")
- Forsake all of your family, follow me
- Out of your country is important also
- Leave your home , country, family, friends, people.
- A land......none specific
- A land I will show you........divine revelation, future
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
- Greatness is not to be measured as numbers in terms of Israel
- However, ALL believers number a lot throughout history!
- This entire scenario takes all of the rest of the entire Bible to play itself out, completely through to Revelation's end.
And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
(Daniel 7:10 [KJV])
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
(Revelation 20:12 [KJV])
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
- It ALSO includes unbelieving enemies of Israel
And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
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(Genesis 12:3 [KJV])
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
- This blessing and curse has always been there to trip up ANY enemies of Israel the "all nations" includes the Gentiles then, and now those in the body of Christ.
So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
- Abraham obeyed.
- He took his nephew, who plays a role soon in chapter 13
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
- They left everything and everyone ELSE behind, and brought EVERYTHING they could bring.
And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
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THE CANAANITES
- Israel forbidden to marry them
- The Canaanites were wicked people
- Worth a study there alone, in and out of the Bible
- The Jews were not allowed to marry them. Period.
And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
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(Genesis 12:7 [KJV])
And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
- Pre-Incarnate Christ
- The Land belongs to Israel
- A thorough Biblical study reveals the boundaries, which makes it much larger than today.
- Only Israel has a title deed to the land, to any land on earth.
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
- Being called, no specific destination as of yet, only a promise, and he sacrifices and worships
And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south. And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.
- The famine was all part of the Master's Plans for Israel:
- To be in Egypt
- To grow in number tremendously
- To come out of Egypt, forever not to return
And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.
- The beginning of his deception This sin will get passed down Apparently Sarai was a beautiful woman Apparently also, it was a custom to wife-steal
And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
- The repetition of her being "a fair woman to look upon " and then "very fair" means she was outstandingly gorgeous! So pretty that they had to go and tell Pharoah
And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
- This all proves the paranoia of Abram, in that he Thought he would be killed Did not trust God's plan, promise, provision
And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
- This proves tha God did not need Abram to do anything but trust Him, since He Himself was going to take care of the entire situation with Sarai and Pharaoh
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
- This must have been some plague to prevent this adultery! This also must have been embarrassing for Abram as well. Further, it showed Abram that he suffered from a lack of faith.
Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
- Without God, Abram would have lost head and his wife! The deceiver is no longer welcome in Egypt. Apparently a Code of Honor.
And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.
- Leadership and conduct among the ranks always starts at the top.
