Promise Land (Genesis 12.5) PDF

Promise Land (Genesis 12.5) Abraham was confronted with a fundamental decision: To live with his father in Haran or to leave for God and trust his promise? - He responded to God’s invitation, - Took his wife Sarai and his br...

Promise Land (Genesis 12.5) Abraham was confronted with a fundamental decision: To live with his father in Haran or to leave for God and trust his promise? - He responded to God’s invitation, - Took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot - All possessions that they had gathered - The person whom they acquired in Haran - They set forth to go to the land of Canaan Genesis (12.7-9) Motivated by such ardent call, Abraham: - Moved to the hill country of the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east; - There he built an altar to the Lord and Invoke the name of the Lord - Journeyed on by stages towards Negeb - The text written above that built Altar of Abraham at Bethel is “House of El”. - Such gesture was signi cant because it indicates that the land belongs to YHWH alone. - But, it was not clear as to what extent the land that Abraham and his descendants will inhabit. - Only after the covenant between YHWH and Abraham that a speci c location of land was described by divine mandate: - On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham saying “To your descendants I give this land, from The river of Egypt to the great river The river Euphrates The land of the Kenites The Kenizzites The Kadmonites The Hittites The Perizzites The Rephaim The Amorites The Canaanites The Girgashites The Jebusites - Scholars, nd the speci ed jurisdiction of the promised land to be referring to “ the greatest extent of the land under David” - an indication of writers and editors at work during the time of Israelite monarchy Still, the promise was made true: The book of Numbers, Deutoronomy, and Joshua These have recordings of the conquest and settlement of Abraham’s descendant. fi fi fi fi  God assured Abraham, and his descendants that - they will no longer become homeless - Remained vagrants in lands beyond their keeping - In an act of love and providence - YHWH is shown to have embraced, and cared a people unto himself, even irrevocably binding himself in an act of lasting covenant. Promise of a Great Nation and Blessing (Genesis 12:7) “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing”. The Promise of gradual unfolding and ful llment through Abraham and descendant: o spring land Ful llment of an o spring and land appears to be the prerequisites for Abraham to be a great nation. When God passed the ordeal of sacri cing Isaac to YHWH: - The promise of a great nation The a rmation of such promise echoed with unhesitating words from YHWH, God blessed Abraham with: OFFSPRING - as numerous as the stars of heaven and sand that is on the seashore. - will possesses the gate of their enemies - shall all nations of the Earth gain blessings for themselves. - because you have obeyed my voice. (From verse 17-18) ff fi ffi ff fi fi