Day Four: Abraham--03.13.15
The last Adventure post, Day Three, ended with chapter 9 of Genesis, where Noah and his family begin their lives again on the newly cleansed earth. Chapter 10 describes the family lineage of Noah's descendants. Hudson skips over the brief story about the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) to bring focus on Abraham's amazing story, which begins in chapter 12.
GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAM | Genesis 15:1-7
The Questions: God had previously promised to build the family of Abram (known later as Abraham) into a great nation. What motivates Abram's complaint to God in verses 2 and 3?
What assurance does God offer to Abram?
My Response: It sounds like Abram is pretty bummed out that he doesn't have a son. It must have been hard for him to conceptualize the possibility to being the father of a great nation when he didn't even have one child. But God reassures Abram with clarity by showing him the stars in the sky and tells Abram that his descendants will be as countless as the stars.
Interesting fact: Hudson states that "Genesis 15:6 is sometimes considered one of the most important verses in the Old Testament" (14). The connection between faith and righteousness is usually found in the New Testament, yet this verse confirms the importance of the correlation even in Old Testament times. God will always desire our faith in Him more than anything else we could ever offer.
HAGAR AND ISHMAEL | Genesis 16
The Question: What negative outcomes arise from Abram and Sarai's actions?
My Response: From this chapter, we learn that the negative outcomes of the couple's action are doubt, an illegitimate child, arguments, a bad relationship with a loyal servant, and fear.
ABRAM BECOMES ABRAHAM | Genesis 17:1-8
The Questions: In this story, God is about to renew and expand upon His promise to Abraham. What action does God require of him (see verse 1)?
Why do you think God changes Abram's name?
My Response: God simply requires Abraham to obey Him and do what is right. According to the footnotes in my Bible, the suffix added onto his name sounds like Hebrew for "many," and Abram means "honored father." Put these parts together, and Abraham's name means "honored father of many!" I think God changed Abram's name so that it would make it easier for everyone to see the change in his life that will soon take place. Using the new name, Abraham, allows everyone to remember that he was chosen to be the father of nations, while when he was Abram, he was simply the doubtful father of an illegitimate child. The change in name also signifies the renewal of God's promise to Abraham.
Interesting fact: From Hudson's text, he tells us that during that time, naming someone or something meant to claim that entity as their own (15). So not only does the name change signify God's promise, it also signifies Abraham being claimed as God's own.
GOD PROMISES ABRAHAM AND SARAH A SON | Genesis 17:15-21
The Questions: Why do you think Abraham laughs when God says he will have a son? Do you think it was wrong to laugh? Why or why not?
My Response: I think it was perfectly reasonable for Abraham to laugh; he had lived almost a hundred years without a child while God told him many times that he would be that father of multitudes. If aging were similar to how it is now, conceiving a child in the couple's old age would be defying the laws of genetics and human reproduction. Plus, we have no idea what Abraham was laughing about exactly--laughing doesn't mean that Abraham doubted God for a second--he could have been laughing about how silly they would look compared to young couples with children or imagining if they would have enough energy to chase Issac around after he learns to walk! I don't think laughing caused any harm because it did not change his obedience to God.
DISCLAIMER: As with the previous post, I am following Christopher Hudson's book The 40-Day Bible Adventure. The scripture selections and questions are as found in the book. I am simply providing my commentary to his questions and the additional information that Hudson provides in the book. If you'd like to join in on the 40-Day Bible Adventure as well, the book's ISBN is 978-1-63058-669-0. More information on the book can be found at Hudson's blog found here. Just for the record, I have not been endorsed to do this in any way, shape, or form; I am doing the adventure through eagerness and posting my response to promote understanding and conversation of God's Word. Thanks for reading!
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