Saturday, August 17, 2019

2019.08.17 Hopewell @Home ▫ Genesis 17:1-8

Questions for Littles: How old was Abram in Genesis 17:1? How much time has passed since chapter 16? Who appears to Abram? What does He call Himself? What does He command Abram to do? What will Yahweh make between Himself and Abram (Genesis 17:2)? What will He do in that covenant? How does Abram respond in Genesis 17:3? How does God respond to that? What does God proceed to say about Himself in Genesis 17:4? What outcome will this have for Abram? What else is God changing for Abram in Genesis 17:5? What are some of the details in Genesis 17:6 about what God will do for Abram? With whom is this covenant established (Genesis 17:7)? How is this covenant relationship described? What else does God give them in this covenant (Genesis 17:8)?  
It has now been another 14 years that the Lord has not spoken to Abram—14 years of Abram living with the consequences of his sin. Yahweh shows up and announces, “I am God Almighty!”

Abram has every reason to expect to be destroyed, but instead this announcement of God’s power is the prelude to sustaining him. Not “be banished from before Me and suffer” but “walk before Me and be blameless.”

What follows is statement after statement of God’s commitment of Himself to Abram—and God also committing Abram to Himself.

This mutual commitment is called a “covenant,” and establishes that wonderful relationship: He will be “God to you and your descendants after you.”

This is so powerful that it even changes Abram’s identity—changes his name: Abraham.

And the Holy Spirit comes to us in the New Testament and tells us that when we trust in Christ as Abraham did, then we too are objects of this almighty power, objects of this unswerving commitment, this identity-changing relationship with the Lord.
What are some things God has committed Himself to do by His power for you? What are some things that He has brought you into a commitment to do toward Him?
Suggested songs: ARP32AB “What Blessedness” or TPH234 “The God of Abraham Praise”

No comments:

Post a Comment