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speaker this morning is brother john martin of the enfield south australia martin of the enfield south australia ecclesia ecclesia the theme for brother martin's classes the theme for brother martin's classes this week is abraham father of the this week is abraham father of the faithful faithful today's class is entitled today's class is entitled get the out of thy country from genesis get the out of thy country from genesis 12. 12. thank you brother rod and good morning thank you brother rod and good morning my daily beloved brothers and sisters my daily beloved brothers and sisters and our lord jesus christ and our lord jesus christ well what a remarkable character we have well what a remarkable character we have to consider brothers and sisters in to consider brothers and sisters in abraham abraham you know that abraham is given three you know that abraham is given three specific titles in the record specific titles in the record three times in this record he's called three times in this record he's called the friend of god the canaanites called him the hebrew and the apostle paul called him the and the apostle paul called him the father of the faithful father of the faithful and i want to show you brothers and and i want to show you brothers and sisters that some of them just obi sisters that some of them just obi expand the meaning of those titles as we expand the meaning of those titles as we begin to consider the life of this man begin to consider the life of this man now in the second of chronicles chapter now in the second of chronicles chapter 20 isaiah 41 and james chapter two don't 20 isaiah 41 and james chapter two don't turn them up because we're gonna save turn them up because we're gonna save time but in those three places in the time but in those three places in the second chronicles 20 isaiah 41 verse 8 second chronicles 20 isaiah 41 verse 8 and james chapter 2 he's called the and james chapter 2 he's called the friend of god friend of god and you know what the lord jesus christ and you know what the lord jesus christ picked that up picked that up he picked it up from the life of abraham he picked it up from the life of abraham when he said this when he said this he said to his disciples you are my he said to his disciples you are my friends if you do whatsoever i command friends if you do whatsoever i command you you and then he went on to say this and then he went on to say this he said i don't call you servants he said i don't call you servants anymore because he said the servant anymore because he said the servant doesn't know what his lord is going to doesn't know what his lord is going to do do but i've called you my friends for all but i've called you my friends for all things that the father has told me i'm things that the father has told me i'm going to tell you you know that's taken going to tell you you know that's taken from the life of abraham from the life of abraham you may remember the occasion brothers you may remember the occasion brothers and sisters when the angels were on and sisters when the angels were on their way to destroy sodom and gomorrah their way to destroy sodom and gomorrah and they turned aside to speak to and they turned aside to speak to abraham and by the commandment of god abraham and by the commandment of god they were told to do that because they they were told to do that because they said said god said i know him i know him god said i know him i know him that he will command his children that he will command his children to do the things that i say to do the things that i say so abraham was was a man that god knew so abraham was was a man that god knew to do the things that he would command to do the things that he would command him and he said him and he said why would i hide things from abraham and why would i hide things from abraham and he sent those angels to tell abraham he sent those angels to tell abraham what he was going to do now there is the what he was going to do now there is the friend of god friend of god and jesus picked that up and said you're and jesus picked that up and said you're my friends if you do whatever i command my friends if you do whatever i command you i don't call you servants because i you i don't call you servants because i don't tell you things to a servant i don't tell you things to a servant i tell you as friends what i intend to do tell you as friends what i intend to do and that's taken straight out of the and that's taken straight out of the life of abraham life of abraham isn't that incredible the lord should isn't that incredible the lord should pick that up from the life of this pick that up from the life of this wonderful man wonderful man because god knew him and therefore he because god knew him and therefore he was going to tell him future things was going to tell him future things now the canaanites called him the hebrew now the canaanites called him the hebrew and they called him that because that and they called him that because that word means across her over word means across her over now this is why he was called the hebrew now this is why he was called the hebrew you see joshua had said you see joshua had said he said to all the people thus saith the he said to all the people thus saith the lord god of israel your fathers dwelt on lord god of israel your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood the other side of the flood in old time even terah the father of in old time even terah the father of abraham and the father of the father of abraham and the father of the father of nakor and they served other gods nakor and they served other gods and i took your father abraham from the and i took your father abraham from the other side of the flood other side of the flood and led him throughout the land of and led him throughout the land of canaan and multiplied his seed and gave canaan and multiplied his seed and gave him isaac him isaac and so god brought him brothers and and so god brought him brothers and sisters from the other side of the flood sisters from the other side of the flood i have seen that it's unbelievable when you see where abraham came from abraham came from now this is the journey that he made they dwelt on the other side of the flood flood he came from uh the caldees here he came from uh the caldees here and you'll notice that he didn't make and you'll notice that he didn't make his way across here did he straight his way across here did he straight across the land but he followed up this across the land but he followed up this course here course here because he had to get across at the because he had to get across at the river euphrates which is that blue line river euphrates which is that blue line on that map on that map now brothers and sisters the euphrates now brothers and sisters the euphrates is known in the bible as the flood and when we were in iraq in 1969 we had to go down and have a look at er the coldis we wanted to go down and see the coldis we wanted to go down and see the excavations that they'd done and the excavations that they'd done and there are the caldees and we had to go there are the caldees and we had to go down from baghdad down from baghdad and the only way we could get there was and the only way we could get there was by train by train we were supposed to go by bus we were supposed to go by bus but we had to go by the train because but we had to go by the train because the only thing above the water was the the only thing above the water was the railway line and believe it or not when we got halfway down to where the caldis coming halfway down to where the caldis coming down from baghdad here on their way down down from baghdad here on their way down that area there brothers and sisters that area there brothers and sisters when we were on our way down there we when we were on our way down there we got to a point on that railway line when got to a point on that railway line when you could not see land east you could not see land east north south or west north south or west you could have been in the middle of the you could have been in the middle of the atlantic for all you knew atlantic for all you knew and the only thing about that water what and the only thing about that water what was the railway line they'd build it was the railway line they'd build it built it up high so the train could go built it up high so the train could go through that area and you could look through that area and you could look everywhere and from horizon to horizon everywhere and from horizon to horizon in every direction was water your in every direction was water your fathers dwelt on the other side of the fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood and that man made that journey not flood and that man made that journey not even knowing where he was going even knowing where he was going that's what you call that's what you call faith faith that's why he's called the father of the that's why he's called the father of the faithful and he had to make his way way faithful and he had to make his way way up here to haran up here to haran and then hayward by the way means cross and then hayward by the way means cross roads and it certainly was the roads and it certainly was the crossroads for abraham and he had to crossroads for abraham and he had to come down here to shechem come down here to shechem and we know brothers and sisters that and we know brothers and sisters that when he was told he was told to get thee when he was told he was told to get thee out of thy country out of thy country that was the first thing he was told so that was the first thing he was told so he left er of the coldest he left er of the coldest and the work of and the work of professor wooly who hunt who excavated professor wooly who hunt who excavated er of the caldees has revealed brothers er of the caldees has revealed brothers and sisters that abraham came from a and sisters that abraham came from a very sophisticated society a very very sophisticated society a very sophisticated society sophisticated society he wasn't just one of these nomads he wasn't just one of these nomads wandering around with a few sheep in a wandering around with a few sheep in a tent he came from a very upgraded tent he came from a very upgraded society in er of the caldees society in er of the caldees and that man showed incredible faith to and that man showed incredible faith to uproot his his home and house and move uproot his his home and house and move towards heyrin not knowing whether he towards heyrin not knowing whether he went and he came to the crossroads with went and he came to the crossroads with his father his brothers and his nephew his father his brothers and his nephew and they stayed there brothers and and they stayed there brothers and sisters we'll see later on that abraham sisters we'll see later on that abraham had to move away from here again had to move away from here again he stayed there for a while and what he stayed there for a while and what happened there happened there well tyra his father well tyra his father his name means his name means to delay to delay and that's what he did and that's what he did he delayed there didn't he he delayed there didn't he until the message of god came to abraham until the message of god came to abraham get out of your father's house get out of your father's house that's not only a question now of that's not only a question now of leaving country leaving country it's leaving family brothers and sisters i know what that means when we came into the truth there were 10 children in our family my there were 10 children in our family my mother and father and 10 children and by the time i had accepted the truth i was about the third one to accept that i was about the third one to accept that in the family we were we were told to in the family we were we were told to get out of our house it was either this get out of our house it was either this religion or he lived here and we were religion or he lived here and we were away from home for six weeks away from home for six weeks and had to leave a semi-invalid father and had to leave a semi-invalid father and i had to get my mother sedated every and i had to get my mother sedated every day by the doctor to endure that period day by the doctor to endure that period we knew what it meant to get out of we knew what it meant to get out of family family but the truth is the truth brothers and but the truth is the truth brothers and sisters and abraham was told not only sisters and abraham was told not only get out of your country now you've got get out of your country now you've got to leave your dad because he's delaying to leave your dad because he's delaying and there wasn't going to be any delay and there wasn't going to be any delay with god with god and abraham went didn't he and abraham went didn't he his brothers didn't go his brothers didn't go nahor his brother his name means nahor his brother his name means a snorer a snorer i know what that means too i've had to sleep in the same room with jim luke and he of course true to his name he sort of slept there type of thing you sort of slept there type of thing you know know and he established his home there and and he established his home there and that's why the truth was half understood that's why the truth was half understood at hayward that's why isaac was to go up at hayward that's why isaac was to go up there to find a wife and so forth and so there to find a wife and so forth and so forth and jacob a little bit later on forth and jacob a little bit later on and he stayed there hyrun another and he stayed there hyrun another brother he died before his father left brother he died before his father left her of the caldees actually her of the caldees actually and then there was lot his nephew and then there was lot his nephew his name means veiled his name means veiled and although peter says that lot was a and although peter says that lot was a just and a righteous man he was veiled just and a righteous man he was veiled brother said he couldn't see clearly brother said he couldn't see clearly could he and when the day came to make a could he and when the day came to make a dramatic decision dramatic decision he was blinded to the realities of sodom he was blinded to the realities of sodom and gomorrah wasn't he and made a tragic and gomorrah wasn't he and made a tragic decision decision and then there was milka and then there was milka who was the who was who's wife and she who was the who was who's wife and she her name means a queen her name means a queen and you know brothers and sisters it's and you know brothers and sisters it's interesting in the record interesting in the record that when you read why abraham sent that when you read why abraham sent isaac back there to find a wife and isaac back there to find a wife and isaac sent jacob back there to find a isaac sent jacob back there to find a wife you get great hints in the record wife you get great hints in the record that milka was the strength of that that milka was the strength of that household household she was evidently the a very strong she was evidently the a very strong woman and who woman and who probably was the real reason why the probably was the real reason why the truth hung on there in that particular truth hung on there in that particular place that they could find wives for place that they could find wives for their sons who had some affinity with their sons who had some affinity with the religion of abraham and it would it the religion of abraham and it would it would indicate in the record that milka would indicate in the record that milka was largely responsible for that and then there was sarah or sarai as she was then known a or sarai as she was then known a princess she was the daughter of tira by another wife wife then of course an abraham was born so then of course an abraham was born so she was she was abraham's abraham's half-sister half-sister and she became his partner in life and she became his partner in life look under abraham look under abraham the rock from whence you are here and look under sarah the quarry out of which you've been dug and there was a rock-like companionship companionship between abraham and saraya that survived between abraham and saraya that survived brethren sisters brethren sisters some very very very dramatic some very very very dramatic circumstances circumstances and would to god that our people today and would to god that our people today husband and wife could learn husband and wife could learn to overcome their difficulties when you to overcome their difficulties when you consider how this woman endured consider how this woman endured incredible things and yet clung to her incredible things and yet clung to her husband and the two of them went down in husband and the two of them went down in the record as being an incredible the record as being an incredible partnership of faith partnership of faith look under the rock from whence you're look under the rock from whence you're hewn and the quarry from whence you were hewn and the quarry from whence you were digged digged the foundations were in that family the foundations were in that family brothers and sisters because these brothers and sisters because these people were people of faith people were people of faith and the children and the sisters in and the children and the sisters in christ who follow at the example christ who follow at the example of saraya of saraya peter says whose daughters you are and peter says whose daughters you are and we're going to have a look at the record we're going to have a look at the record a little bit later on in the context of a little bit later on in the context of how why he said that how why he said that and i tell you what and i tell you what it wouldn't be too many faithful it wouldn't be too many faithful daughters of sarah when you look at that daughters of sarah when you look at that context of what she did context of what she did to gain that title that god gave her as to gain that title that god gave her as a daughter a daughter and all those associated with her are and all those associated with her are daughters of sarah or sarah now abraham was called the father of the faithful brethren says have you ever wondered why in the record of the scripture in the record of the scripture that god calls himself that god calls himself the god of abraham the god of abraham the god of isaac and the god of jacob the god of isaac and the god of jacob why don't you say the god of joshua the why don't you say the god of joshua the god of moses god of moses the god of isaiah the god of david and the god of isaiah the god of david and so on and so on why would he want to so on and so on why would he want to stop at those three men stop at those three men well the reason is this well the reason is this that in hebrews 11 that in hebrews 11 it says therefore he is not ashamed be it says therefore he is not ashamed be called called and the greek means and the greek means surnamed their god now you look at this surnamed their god now you look at this just have a look how this encapsulates just have a look how this encapsulates the whole purpose of god in these three the whole purpose of god in these three men so god surnamed himself upon them men so god surnamed himself upon them now that greek word they're called is now that greek word they're called is better understood as surnamed and and better understood as surnamed and and it's rendered several times by that it's rendered several times by that term surname so term surname so he put his name upon those three men he put his name upon those three men just the same as a woman takes just the same as a woman takes a brother for her husband and she she's a brother for her husband and she she's quite proud and privileged to take his quite proud and privileged to take his name name werner is my wife is verna martin werner is my wife is verna martin and she's proud to wear my name because and she's proud to wear my name because she wants to be associated with me and she wants to be associated with me and that's what that word means that's what that word means now god's name now god's name is a prophecy it's a name of god's is a prophecy it's a name of god's purpose purpose he he who who will be will be god will be people people will be taken god will be people people will be taken into god's own nature into his own into god's own nature into his own character his own name and we will be character his own name and we will be incorporated into that now he said he's incorporated into that now he said he's not ashamed to have these three men not ashamed to have these three men associated with that name and when you associated with that name and when you look at them you realize why it's look at them you realize why it's restricted to those three because you restricted to those three because you see abraham is called the father of us see abraham is called the father of us all isaac is called in hebrews 11 17 his only begotten son when he was literally only begotten son when he was literally not his only begotten son not his only begotten son abraham had other children abraham had other children but he was called his only begotten son but he was called his only begotten son and here's the incredible thing i want and here's the incredible thing i want you to turn this reference up with me you to turn this reference up with me genesis chapter 28 just have a look at genesis chapter 28 just have a look at this and when you come to jacob look what it says look what it says in the 28th chapter of genesis we read this in verse 3 and god almighty bless thee and make thee fruitful and multiply thee that thee fruitful and multiply thee that thou mayest be a multitude of people now thou mayest be a multitude of people now brothers and sisters that's not the brothers and sisters that's not the first time that the word multitude is first time that the word multitude is used in the promises it's used copiously used in the promises it's used copiously in the promises in the promises but that's the first time that that but that's the first time that that particular hebrew word is used for particular hebrew word is used for multitude multitude in the promises now that's incredible in the promises now that's incredible and if you've got a bible like mine with and if you've got a bible like mine with a marginal rendition here as some a marginal rendition here as some alternative you will see alternative you will see that alongside the word multitude my that alongside the word multitude my margin says hebrew an assembly of people margin says hebrew an assembly of people and so god waited until jacob's promise and so god waited until jacob's promise came to use a specific hebrew word came to use a specific hebrew word which is the equivalent of the greek which is the equivalent of the greek ecclesia ecclesia now look at that now look at that the father and the son and his ecclesia the father and the son and his ecclesia that's why god restricted it to those that's why god restricted it to those three men three men because encapsulated in those three men because encapsulated in those three men was that fact that god is the father of was that fact that god is the father of us all through his only begotten son us all through his only begotten son through whom he's developing the through whom he's developing the ecclesia and that's god's name ecclesia and that's god's name and so he surnamed himself upon that man and so he surnamed himself upon that man and those men rather in that remarkable and those men rather in that remarkable fashion now before they left tyron we are told in the record we are told in the record that surai was barren that surai was barren and that sets the drama brothers and and that sets the drama brothers and sisters for this story because you see as we develop in this story of abraham as we develop in this story of abraham and sarah we're going to find and sarah we're going to find that as the time drew near for the that as the time drew near for the manifestation of the birth of the seed manifestation of the birth of the seed the spotlight's going to fall right on the spotlight's going to fall right on sarah sarah because whilst it was of course because whilst it was of course improbable that abraham at his old age improbable that abraham at his old age could have children he actually did have could have children he actually did have children in his old age children in his old age it might have been improbable with him it might have been improbable with him it was impossible with sarah it was impossible with sarah and as the story develops the drama of and as the story develops the drama of that will be developed with it so rai that will be developed with it so rai was barren was barren and so brothers and sisters he moved and so brothers and sisters he moved into the land into the land and god made wonderful promises to him and god made wonderful promises to him now what we will do as we will pass now what we will do as we will pass through this story we will highlight the through this story we will highlight the main features of these promises main features of these promises and there are just seven elements of the and there are just seven elements of the promise promise there are just seven elements there are just seven elements you'll notice that first of all you'll notice that first of all all families of the earth were to be all families of the earth were to be blessed in abraham the gospel is blessed in abraham the gospel is announced you know announced you know paul says the god foreseeing that he paul says the god foreseeing that he would justify the heathen through faith would justify the heathen through faith preached before the gospel under abraham preached before the gospel under abraham saying in thee shall all nations all saying in thee shall all nations all families of the earth be blessed and families of the earth be blessed and many christians think that that verse many christians think that that verse says that the gospel was first preached says that the gospel was first preached to abraham well it wasn't to abraham well it wasn't and it wasn't first preached to adam and and it wasn't first preached to adam and eve the gospel was first preached to the serpent serpent there's a reason for that we won't go to there's a reason for that we won't go to that now but that's a fact that now but that's a fact what paul is saying what paul is saying the gospel was preached to abraham the gospel was preached to abraham before the law that's the point he's before the law that's the point he's making before the law was ever given the making before the law was ever given the gospel was preached to abraham and paul gospel was preached to abraham and paul does not mean brothers and sisters that does not mean brothers and sisters that when all families of the earth be when all families of the earth be blessed that every man woman and child blessed that every man woman and child upon the earth will be alt will be upon the earth will be alt will be blessed because they weren't blessed because they weren't what he means is this what he means is this that people of all nationalities would that people of all nationalities would be blessed be blessed that abraham's promises had an that abraham's promises had an international flavor and it's ironical international flavor and it's ironical that the jews pride themselves from that the jews pride themselves from their descent from abraham when the very their descent from abraham when the very first thing he was told that all first thing he was told that all families families of the earth would be families families of the earth would be blessed blessed and that was the idea of that and that was the idea of that and as we move through the promises we and as we move through the promises we will see will see that the promise was first made of the that the promise was first made of the land to his seed before abraham was ever land to his seed before abraham was ever promised an inch of it promised an inch of it before he ever was promised it god before he ever was promised it god promised it to his seed promised it to his seed and therefore if christ and therefore if christ had not lived had not lived and died and rose again to inherit and died and rose again to inherit the kingdom brothers and sisters nobody the kingdom brothers and sisters nobody would would would would because as to him it was first promised because as to him it was first promised and paul says in romans chapter 8 and and paul says in romans chapter 8 and verse 17 that we are joint heirs with verse 17 that we are joint heirs with christ christ and then finally of course he came to and then finally of course he came to when the land was promised to him when the land was promised to him to thee will i give it and to thy seed to thee will i give it and to thy seed and we will see that in genesis chapter and we will see that in genesis chapter 13. 13. then we'll have a look at the day when then we'll have a look at the day when god made a covenant with him and he god made a covenant with him and he confirmed that promise and that's an confirmed that promise and that's an intriguing story in genesis 15 intriguing story in genesis 15 and then in genesis 17 brothers and and then in genesis 17 brothers and sisters we will learn about the sisters we will learn about the spiritual fatherhood of abraham spiritual fatherhood of abraham and how that god and how that god god was to make him a father says god god was to make him a father says god like me and we're going to see the like me and we're going to see the significance of that and then finally significance of that and then finally we're going to see how that the we're going to see how that the spotlight of activity fell upon sarah i spotlight of activity fell upon sarah i will return says yahweh i will come and will return says yahweh i will come and sarah will have a son sarah will have a son wow wow i'll come says god into your house and i'll come says god into your house and sarah will have a son sarah will have a son and you know paul in romans chapter 9 and you know paul in romans chapter 9 says that's the quintessence of the says that's the quintessence of the promise this is the word of promise promise this is the word of promise afterwards i will return and sarah will afterwards i will return and sarah will have a son have a son and the drama brothers and sisters was and the drama brothers and sisters was to heighten us to god was enter into to heighten us to god was enter into that relationship and the seed of the that relationship and the seed of the promise was to be born promise was to be born the wonderful story the wonderful story and then we have the last section when and then we have the last section when that that lad when he had grown that that lad when he had grown to to virtual maturity abraham was to take him virtual maturity abraham was to take him and offer him up as a burnt offering and and offer him up as a burnt offering and faith was made perfect faith was made perfect you know when those promises were made you know when those promises were made abraham was moving through the land abraham was moving through the land all nations were to be blessed god all nations were to be blessed god called him into the land by that promise called him into the land by that promise and to thy seed which is christ which and to thy seed which is christ which was made at shechem and then later on brothers and sisters he came to bethel where the promise of he came to bethel where the promise of the land was made to him the land was made to him and then in hebron and then in hebron three sections of the promise were made three sections of the promise were made there it was to be confirmed by there it was to be confirmed by sacrifice sacrifice abraham was to be a spiritual father abraham was to be a spiritual father and the boy that was to be born was and the boy that was to be born was god's own son god's own son and the drama culminated and the drama culminated when he moved to jerusalem on mount when he moved to jerusalem on mount moriah there to offer isaac moriah there to offer isaac upon the altar upon the altar and so that's the other promise and so that's the other promise developed developed now in genesis chapter 12 we pick up the now in genesis chapter 12 we pick up the record record and they came into the land and verse 5 and they came into the land and verse 5 says says and abram took sarah his wife and lot and abram took sarah his wife and lot his brother's son and all their his brother's son and all their substances they had gathered and all the substances they had gathered and all the souls that they had gotten in haran souls that they had gotten in haran and they went forth to go into the land and they went forth to go into the land of canaan and into the land of canaan of canaan and into the land of canaan they came they came to the land of canaan and abraham passed through the land under abraham passed through the land under the place of sikkim which is shechem the place of sikkim which is shechem under the plain of moray under the plain of moray and the canaanite was then in the land and the canaanite was then in the land now note that the canaanite was there so now note that the canaanite was there so the god the god specifically records the fact that the specifically records the fact that the canaanite was there and you know canaanite was there and you know brothers and sisters abraham came to brothers and sisters abraham came to shetland you know what chicken is it's shetland you know what chicken is it's the physical center of the land the physical center of the land it's the physical center of the land it's the physical center of the land and here in the physical center of the and here in the physical center of the land god was to say unto thy seed will i land god was to say unto thy seed will i give this land give this land it was promised to christ before it was it was promised to christ before it was ever promised to abraham ever promised to abraham and the fact that it was made there and the fact that it was made there brothers and sisters between those two brothers and sisters between those two mountains evil and gerizim which are mountains evil and gerizim which are only about 500 yards apart and shechem only about 500 yards apart and shechem sits in the little saddle that's between sits in the little saddle that's between those two mountains with evil a little those two mountains with evil a little bit higher than gerizim evil being a bit higher than gerizim evil being a mountain with no virgin on it and mountain with no virgin on it and gerizim being a mountain with with of gerizim being a mountain with with of course the trees and the grass and they course the trees and the grass and they stood in contrast the cursing and the stood in contrast the cursing and the bless blessing and in between that bless blessing and in between that little valley little valley and it was there that god said look and it was there that god said look abraham to your seat i'm going to give abraham to your seat i'm going to give this land now the canaanites here this land now the canaanites here abraham abraham and the question was brothers and and the question was brothers and sisters whether abraham would separate sisters whether abraham would separate or assimilate or assimilate now this is intriguing now this is intriguing because you know that ever after that because you know that ever after that place became a place where people make place became a place where people make decisions decisions look at that look at that it was a question with abraham it was a question with abraham on whether he would separate on whether he would separate or assimilate choose you this day whom or assimilate choose you this day whom you will serve you will serve and we find brothers and sisters that and we find brothers and sisters that when you come to genesis 35 when jacob when you come to genesis 35 when jacob made his way back from peyton aram there made his way back from peyton aram there was idolatry in his house his own wife was idolatry in his house his own wife was carrying was carrying idols idols and there were strangers with him and he and there were strangers with him and he stopped to check them and he asked them to make a decision whether they were prepared to come into whether they were prepared to come into pilgrimage with him into the land as pilgrimage with him into the land as strangers or to carry the gods of the strangers or to carry the gods of the heather with them and they buried the heather with them and they buried the gods gods at shechem and made that decision at shechem and made that decision in the book of judges in the book of judges the joke of the the the the surviving the joke of the the the the surviving son of gideon when abimelech the bramble son of gideon when abimelech the bramble king had killed the 69 sons of of gideon king had killed the 69 sons of of gideon and left annie jotham left he ran over and left annie jotham left he ran over top of gerizim top of gerizim and called to the men of shechem to make and called to the men of shechem to make up their mind whether they wanted to up their mind whether they wanted to follow in the ways of his faithful follow in the ways of his faithful father or to follow that vain king the father or to follow that vain king the bramble king abimelech did they want him bramble king abimelech did they want him or did they want his father make up your or did they want his father make up your mind to check them in january 27 uh when the la people were taking you to uh when the la people were taking you to the land moses told joshua when you go the land moses told joshua when you go into the land he said you put six tribes into the land he said you put six tribes on evil and you put six tribes on on evil and you put six tribes on gerizim and put the priests in the gerizim and put the priests in the middle and chant the blessings and the middle and chant the blessings and the cursing make up your mind do you want a cursing make up your mind do you want a cursing or you want a blessing and that cursing or you want a blessing and that brothers and sisters was where they had brothers and sisters was where they had to make up their mind and in joshua 24 before joshua died before joshua died he took israel to that very place again he took israel to that very place again between those two mountains and he says between those two mountains and he says choose you this day whom you will serve choose you this day whom you will serve as for me and my house we will serve god as for me and my house we will serve god but make up your mind what you want to but make up your mind what you want to do do and that's where jesus met the woman of and that's where jesus met the woman of samaria samaria and she said our fathers said in that and she said our fathers said in that mountain we ought to worship what do you mountain we ought to worship what do you say say he said salvation to the jews make up he said salvation to the jews make up your mind your mind isn't that incredible isn't that incredible and you know brothers and sisters and you know brothers and sisters joshua told the people right there that joshua told the people right there that they had to serve god in sincerity and they had to serve god in sincerity and in truth in truth and when jotham the son of gideon ran up and when jotham the son of gideon ran up on top of that mountain the gerizim and on top of that mountain the gerizim and spoke to the men in that valley he said spoke to the men in that valley he said twice twice twice he said it twice he said it if you have done truly and sincerely if you have done truly and sincerely and right there jesus said to the woman and right there jesus said to the woman of samaria they that worship the father of samaria they that worship the father must worship him in spirit and in must worship him in spirit and in truth and so there was a monumental truth and so there was a monumental principle established in the life of principle established in the life of abraham when he came there brothers and abraham when he came there brothers and sisters that it was either separation or sisters that it was either separation or assimilation and we've got to separate assimilation and we've got to separate sincerely and truly nothing's work less is worth it you've got to do it sincerely and truly got to do it sincerely and truly and so abraham made up his mind didn't and so abraham made up his mind didn't he became a stranger in a pilgrim he became a stranger in a pilgrim and dwelt in that land even though the and dwelt in that land even though the canaanite was then in that land we know canaanite was then in that land we know that zechariah the prophet says when the that zechariah the prophet says when the lord jesus christ establishes the lord jesus christ establishes the kingdom there shall be no more the kingdom there shall be no more the canaanite there no more they'll be gone canaanite there no more they'll be gone because it'll be all abraham's land and because it'll be all abraham's land and his seed and so that's what shechem his seed and so that's what shechem stood for stood for and that place and that place the the promise of the seed the to the the the promise of the seed the to the seed was given seed was given when the tribes brothers and sisters when the tribes brothers and sisters were assembled were assembled thereby joshua according to the thereby joshua according to the commandment of moses commandment of moses there were six of them on the bold hill there were six of them on the bold hill of evil here and six of them upon the of evil here and six of them upon the green hill here of shechem of gerizim green hill here of shechem of gerizim rather rather it's very interesting to note that the it's very interesting to note that the tribes who were on gerizim the tribe of tribes who were on gerizim the tribe of blessing this one here blessing this one here simeon of course had his inheritance simeon of course had his inheritance within judah levi didn't have an within judah levi didn't have an inheritance and when you draw a line inheritance and when you draw a line around the borders of those tribes they around the borders of those tribes they are all concentering around the center are all concentering around the center of the land all those borders are the center of the land land and all these tribes brothers and and all these tribes brothers and sisters are outside of that center sisters are outside of that center and you will notice in that list and you will notice in that list we have all the children we have all the children of the bond women of the bond women not the children of the free not the children of the free the children of zul power and bilhar are the children of zul power and bilhar are in that list that's outside at the in that list that's outside at the borders of that center but all those on borders of that center but all those on gerizim their borders make up the center gerizim their borders make up the center of the land and when joshua took them of the land and when joshua took them there and they spelled out the blessings there and they spelled out the blessings and the cursings it was not the and the cursings it was not the blessings and the cursings of the law blessings and the cursings of the law only brothers says oh no because 12 only brothers says oh no because 12 times in the book of deuteronomy they times in the book of deuteronomy they were told just 12 times once for every were told just 12 times once for every tribe that the inheritance would be on tribe that the inheritance would be on the basis of the promises made of the the basis of the promises made of the father and it was there that god said i father and it was there that god said i will bless him that blesses me and i'll will bless him that blesses me and i'll curse him that curseth thee israel make curse him that curseth thee israel make up your mind up your mind and if you want the land if you want the and if you want the land if you want the center of the land then choose blessing center of the land then choose blessing and all those borders ring the center of and all those borders ring the center of the land isn't that incredible brothers the land isn't that incredible brothers and sisters and sisters and all of that based upon the promises and all of that based upon the promises made to the fathers now abraham came to the place of moray to the oak of moray in shechem now the to the oak of moray in shechem now the oak brothers and sisters is a solitary oak brothers and sisters is a solitary tree in israel it doesn't grow in groves tree in israel it doesn't grow in groves it was a solitary tree and it stood it was a solitary tree and it stood there as a monument there as a monument and when you look at the word moray in and when you look at the word moray in the hebrew you'll find that it's the hebrew you'll find that it's rendered in three different ways rendered in three different ways and there's been a little bit of and there's been a little bit of confusion about that confusion about that we have it rendered as a teacher we have it rendered as a teacher we have it rendered as an archer we have it rendered as an archer firing arrows firing arrows and we have it rendered as the early and we have it rendered as the early rain rain that comes rain rain that comes during the the the during the the the the season of the spring and the so the season of the spring and the so forth to bring forth the crops the early forth to bring forth the crops the early rain rain remember they've all got something in remember they've all got something in common you see common you see a teacher points to the lesson a teacher points to the lesson an archer fires in that direction an archer fires in that direction and the early rain signaled the coming and the early rain signaled the coming of the season they all pointed the way of the season they all pointed the way so whatever rendition we have of those so whatever rendition we have of those of that term moray it all has the same of that term moray it all has the same connotation it's pointing that this is connotation it's pointing that this is the way walking in it the way walking in it and abraham came to that place where and abraham came to that place where that oak tree was that pointed the way that oak tree was that pointed the way for him brothers and sisters into that for him brothers and sisters into that land land now verse 7 says he built an altar there now verse 7 says he built an altar there he built an altar there he built an altar there and of course he commemorated as it were and of course he commemorated as it were that great promise that was made to him that great promise that was made to him now he left shechem we read in verse 8 now he left shechem we read in verse 8 and he removed him from this unto a and he removed him from this unto a mountain on the east of bethel and mountain on the east of bethel and pitched his tent having bethel on the pitched his tent having bethel on the west and high eye on the east west and high eye on the east now here's a remarkable thing now here's a remarkable thing do you know that when he came to bethel do you know that when he came to bethel which is a bit lower of course than which is a bit lower of course than shechem took down towards jerusalem when shechem took down towards jerusalem when he came to bethel brothers and sisters he came to bethel brothers and sisters you know bethel means the house of god and i want you to turn to hebrews 11 and have a look what the apostle says have a look what the apostle says because you know the thing about this is because you know the thing about this is that this is the first time that we have that this is the first time that we have reference to abraham dwelling in a tent reference to abraham dwelling in a tent now of course he dwelt in tents before now of course he dwelt in tents before but this is the first time we're told but this is the first time we're told that that and because the record is inspired god i and because the record is inspired god i believe deemed to tell us at this point believe deemed to tell us at this point that he dwelt in this tent and so in hebrews chapter 11 verses 9 and 10 it says by faith he so joined in the land of promise as an estranged country land of promise as an estranged country dwelling in tents with isaac and jacob dwelling in tents with isaac and jacob the heirs with him with the same promise the heirs with him with the same promise for he look for a city for he look for a city which has foundations whose builder which has foundations whose builder and maker is god isn't that interesting and maker is god isn't that interesting that he felt intense because he looked that he felt intense because he looked for a city for a city and it's not until he came to beth isle and it's not until he came to beth isle the house of god the house of god that we have first mentioned of his tent that we have first mentioned of his tent now that's not just done coincidentally now that's not just done coincidentally brothers and sisters that's to tell us brothers and sisters that's to tell us that this was the spirit of that man so that this was the spirit of that man so having made his decision having made his decision up there in shechem up there in shechem he decided that he'd live as a pilgrim he decided that he'd live as a pilgrim and the first mention of that is in the and the first mention of that is in the house of god house of god and that's really interesting and that's really interesting but he went on journey we read in verse but he went on journey we read in verse nine and abraham journeyed going on nine and abraham journeyed going on towards the south so he had departed out of virgo called these he'd gone up to hyrum he'd gone these he'd gone up to hyrum he'd gone out of his father's house he'd come into out of his father's house he'd come into the land and he's journeying ever the land and he's journeying ever southward until he comes towards the southward until he comes towards the south south and the hebrew word for south is negev and the hebrew word for south is negev and it means the dry land and it means the dry land and there's trials ahead brothers and and there's trials ahead brothers and sisters everybody's faith gets strived sisters everybody's faith gets strived we read in verse 10 and it came to pass we read in verse 10 and it came to pass or rather or rather yes that's right verse 10 and there was yes that's right verse 10 and there was a famine in the land a famine in the land do you think about it do you think about it here you're told to get out of your here you're told to get out of your country so you do that country so you do that and you march up along this great river and you march up along this great river because you've got to get around it because you've got to get around it somewhere it's a flood you can't get somewhere it's a flood you can't get across here you've got to go up and up across here you've got to go up and up and up and up more or less more or less in a different direction than what you in a different direction than what you really want to go to get around this really want to go to get around this flood and so you trudge up there for flood and so you trudge up there for hundreds of miles 300 odd mile up there hundreds of miles 300 odd mile up there he trudges with his family 318 servants he trudges with his family 318 servants he's got with him he's got with him incredible journey incredible journey he takes a left-hand turn and comes down he takes a left-hand turn and comes down into the land he stands to check him and into the land he stands to check him and god said this is it abraham to thy seed god said this is it abraham to thy seed will i give this land but there's will i give this land but there's canaanites everywhere canaanites everywhere a swarming over the place a swarming over the place and abraham's got to assimilate all that and abraham's got to assimilate all that and and separate from them he's got to and and separate from them he's got to take this in and think about it there's take this in and think about it there's canaanites everywhere and then he finds canaanites everywhere and then he finds brothers and sisters that the land is in brothers and sisters that the land is in under the threat of famine there's a under the threat of famine there's a famine in the land there's a drought famine in the land there's a drought it's his land now what would you do it's his land now what would you do what on earth would you and i do under what on earth would you and i do under those circumstances having come all that those circumstances having come all that way hundreds of miles through difficult way hundreds of miles through difficult terrain into a an unknown world terrain into a an unknown world and then be told that this is the world and then be told that this is the world we're coming to called by god almighty we're coming to called by god almighty the controller of heaven and earth and the controller of heaven and earth and our country is swarming with canaanites our country is swarming with canaanites and it's under the stricken with drought and it's under the stricken with drought what an earth would you do you'd wonder what earth was going on you'd be absolutely disillusioned and temporarily abraham became disillusioned abraham became disillusioned and he went down into egypt and he went down into egypt and you know it's it's interesting that and you know it's it's interesting that abraham's life is a pattern of his abraham's life is a pattern of his seed's life as the nation developed from seed's life as the nation developed from him so all these characteristics came him so all these characteristics came through the nation through the nation and isaiah the prophet in his 30th and isaiah the prophet in his 30th chapter and i'm not turning this up chapter and i'm not turning this up because we want to save a bit of time because we want to save a bit of time this is a big story but in isaiah and this is a big story but in isaiah and his 30th chapter talks about egypt they his 30th chapter talks about egypt they went down into egypt for help and egypt went down into egypt for help and egypt was a broken reed was a broken reed and isaiah depicts them going down into and isaiah depicts them going down into egypt through the waste and howling egypt through the waste and howling desert wherein were scorpions and desert wherein were scorpions and serpents and all manner of beasts and serpents and all manner of beasts and they were riding on their camels and they were riding on their camels and their donkeys and they'd make their their donkeys and they'd make their journey in the blinding sandstorms at journey in the blinding sandstorms at isaiah and they'd come to egypt under isaiah and they'd come to egypt under extreme difficulties to find what extreme difficulties to find what a broken reed a broken reed and all their trust in egypt and all the and all their trust in egypt and all the trouble they took across the sinai trouble they took across the sinai desert brothers and sisters meant desert brothers and sisters meant nothing in the end because egypt nothing in the end because egypt couldn't do nothing for them couldn't do nothing for them well abraham went down there well abraham went down there and he went down there and says to and he went down there and says to sojourn sojourn which means he didn't go down there to which means he didn't go down there to live live he didn't intend to go down and stop he didn't intend to go down and stop their brothers and sisters he went down their brothers and sisters he went down there to be a stranger in a pilgrim he there to be a stranger in a pilgrim he could have returned to the land says could have returned to the land says paul paul in hebrews 11. in hebrews 11. they might have had opportunity to they might have had opportunity to return he said if they wanted to but he return he said if they wanted to but he didn't didn't he went down there to saddum he went down there to saddum now we read in verse 11 and it came to now we read in verse 11 and it came to pass pass when he was come near to entry to egypt when he was come near to entry to egypt he said unto he said unto his wife his wife now from verse 11 to verse 20 now from verse 11 to verse 20 saraya is called just saraya is called just seven times his wife seven times his wife just seven just seven and that's the number of the covenant we and that's the number of the covenant we know that from leviticus 26 know that from leviticus 26 when god kept telling israel when god kept telling israel if you break my covenant i will punish if you break my covenant i will punish you seven times kept saying that in you seven times kept saying that in leviticus 26 and that's not the only leviticus 26 and that's not the only place where seven is associated with the place where seven is associated with the covenant and here is a woman that's covenant and here is a woman that's called his wife seven times because as called his wife seven times because as malachi says she was the wife of his malachi says she was the wife of his covenant covenant but he had made another covenant with but he had made another covenant with her and before they ever left heyron he'd made another covenant brothers and made another covenant brothers and sisters and over in chapter 20 you read sisters and over in chapter 20 you read about that covenant it says in chapter 20 and verse 13 and it came to pass that abraham when god it came to pass that abraham when god caused me to wander from my father's caused me to wander from my father's house but i said unto her house but i said unto her sarah this is thy kindness which thou sarah this is thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me at every place shalt show unto me at every place whether we shall come say of me he is whether we shall come say of me he is your brother your brother that was a covenant they made before he that was a covenant they made before he came into the came into the land imagine a husband coming to his land imagine a husband coming to his wife and saying look dear you're a wife and saying look dear you're a beautiful woman i i love you dearly but beautiful woman i i love you dearly but look you're you are a beautiful woman look you're you are a beautiful woman and i'm frightened i'm frightened i'm and i'm frightened i'm frightened i'm going to get killed for you going to get killed for you so everywhere we come you just tell so everywhere we come you just tell everybody you're my sister everybody you're my sister and that was a half-life and that was a half-life because she was a half-sister because she was a half-sister but it was a total denial of his but it was a total denial of his covenant that he should have made with covenant that he should have made with that woman that she should have been the that woman that she should have been the wife of his covenant wife of his covenant and he put terror sarah into terrifying and he put terror sarah into terrifying circumstances now you come with to me circumstances now you come with to me with first to peter chapter three and with first to peter chapter three and see what peter says about this speaking as the example that was set here the apostle peter tells the sisters here the apostle peter tells the sisters he says in verse 4 but let it be the he says in verse 4 but let it be the hidden man of the heart hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptable even in that which is not corruptable even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of god of great which is in the sight of god of great price price or after this manner in old time the or after this manner in old time the holy women also who trusted in god holy women also who trusted in god adorned themselves being in subjection adorned themselves being in subjection under their own husbands under their own husbands even as sarah obeyed abraham calling him even as sarah obeyed abraham calling him lord lord whose daughters you are whose daughters you are as you're not as you're not terrified as the as the idea is it terrified as the as the idea is it you're sarah's daughter's you're sarah's daughter's sisters you're going to be her daughters sisters you're going to be her daughters if you're not terrified by circumstances if you're not terrified by circumstances in your married life to break with your in your married life to break with your husband and there wouldn't have been a husband and there wouldn't have been a woman who would have more justification woman who would have more justification for that than this one did for that than this one did but paul says but paul says she had a hidden man of the heart she had a hidden man of the heart abraham was hidden in her heart abraham was hidden in her heart how did that happen how did that happen well she called him lord do you know brothers and sisters you listen to this listen to this there's only one occasion there's only one occasion where it's ever recorded that she called where it's ever recorded that she called him lord him lord she would have called him lord regularly she would have called him lord regularly there is only one occasion that it's there is only one occasion that it's recorded and it's recorded in genesis 18 recorded and it's recorded in genesis 18 when the angel came with the message when the angel came with the message that she was going to have a child by that she was going to have a child by abraham and she laughed within herself abraham and she laughed within herself she laughed within herself and said she laughed within herself and said shall i have pleasure my lord shall i have pleasure my lord being old also she said that in here that's the only time it's ever said that she called him lord she called him lord and abraham was the hidden man of her and abraham was the hidden man of her heart heart and on two occasions he was prepared and on two occasions he was prepared for her to go into a harem experiences whose daughters you are whose daughters you are if you're not terrified if you're not terrified and how tragic is it brothers and and how tragic is it brothers and sisters that we have in these in these sisters that we have in these in these last days in these days of noah we have last days in these days of noah we have such a plague of marriage problems such a plague of marriage problems and all the justification of why that and all the justification of why that should happen we're incompatible for should happen we're incompatible for this reason or that reason or he's done this reason or that reason or he's done this or she's done that well look what this or she's done that well look what this woman had to go through and she this woman had to go through and she kept that man in her heart and here she didn't go around mouthing platitudes she didn't go around mouthing platitudes and she loved her husband with her mouth and she loved her husband with her mouth and she had spite in her heart that and she had spite in her heart that wasn't the case at all he was hidden in wasn't the case at all he was hidden in here here unbelievable unbelievable and she survived two terrifying and she survived two terrifying experiences which he put her into and experiences which he put her into and they'd made an agreement before they they'd made an agreement before they left his father's house that don't do left his father's house that don't do that that now that's the sort of partner that he now that's the sort of partner that he had had brethren and sisters and what a brethren and sisters and what a wonderful woman she is wonderful woman she is what a wonderful woman she is and no what a wonderful woman she is and no wonder that god of course chose abraham wonder that god of course chose abraham and sarah to be and sarah to be not only the father of the faithful but not only the father of the faithful but the mother the mother sarah the mother of all those who have sarah the mother of all those who have that attitude and who can withstand the that attitude and who can withstand the storms of life and come out on the other storms of life and come out on the other end on top now we haven't got much time end on top now we haven't got much time but a couple of minutes to finish this but a couple of minutes to finish this session when i do when i do abraham back session when i do when i do abraham back home i do 10 sessions in an hour and a home i do 10 sessions in an hour and a half so you just imagine what we're half so you just imagine what we're going to do here so so here we go and we going to do here so so here we go and we come to the end of this story in egypt come to the end of this story in egypt and what happens pharaoh of course and what happens pharaoh of course according to abraham's fears he sees according to abraham's fears he sees this woman his servants point her out this woman his servants point her out and he thinks this will be a nice woman and he thinks this will be a nice woman i can take into my harem and he takes i can take into my harem and he takes sarah under his roof sarah under his roof and you know what happened brothers and and you know what happened brothers and sisters that god plagued his house sisters that god plagued his house he plagued his house he plagued his house and the egyptian king the egyptian king came to abraham and said you've done the wrong thing said you've done the wrong thing she's your wife and i was in danger of she's your wife and i was in danger of taking another man's wife that egyptian taking another man's wife that egyptian king in this circumstances had more king in this circumstances had more integrity in that way than abraham did integrity in that way than abraham did did you know that and it happened twice did you know that and it happened twice abraham was not born a faithful man abraham was not born a faithful man he was not by nature faith this had to he was not by nature faith this had to be developed brothers and sisters be developed brothers and sisters circumstances had to develop it circumstances had to develop it and and pharaoh gave him sheep and oxen and and pharaoh gave him sheep and oxen and asses and men simply he'd already and asses and men simply he'd already given him that uh because of taking given him that uh because of taking sarah and when benny when he sent him sarah and when benny when he sent him away brothers and sisters he sent him away brothers and sisters he sent him away with all those possessions away with all those possessions with all those possessions with all those possessions and the expedient which they had adopted and the expedient which they had adopted set the scene for a disaster because it set the scene for a disaster because it was those possessions that when he got was those possessions that when he got back into the land and he he got back back into the land and he he got back with his nephew lot they found that they with his nephew lot they found that they couldn't dwell together because of their couldn't dwell together because of their possessions most of which abraham got possessions most of which abraham got out of egypt and including included in out of egypt and including included in those possessions was hand maidens he got haggar there he got haggar there and by that expedient that woman came and by that expedient that woman came into his house into his house and later on when saraya herself adopted and later on when saraya herself adopted her expedient her expedient so that woman should be the one through so that woman should be the one through whom the seed was come that almost again whom the seed was come that almost again tore that marriage apart tore that marriage apart but it survived but it survived and so brothers and sisters we see the and so brothers and sisters we see the scene set for the a wonderful life of a scene set for the a wonderful life of a wonderful man and of a wonderful woman wonderful man and of a wonderful woman abraham if we follow him is the father abraham if we follow him is the father of us all of us all and sisters and sisters if we manifest the characteristics of if we manifest the characteristics of sarah sarah then then you are her daughters

Transcript

theme for brother martin's classes this week is abraham week is abraham father of the faithful and today's father of the faithful and today's classic entitled classic entitled walk through the land based upon genetic walk through the land based upon genetic 13. 13. well good morning my dear brothers and well good morning my dear brothers and sisters and our lord jesus christ thank you is it a good morning is it a good morning okay okay right now we're going to come back with right now we're going to come back with abraham now from egypt you remember he abraham now from egypt you remember he went down into egypt driven there by the went down into egypt driven there by the fact that there was a famine in the land fact that there was a famine in the land and of course the canaanite was in the and of course the canaanite was in the land also and we noted brethren sisters land also and we noted brethren sisters that here was the land of promise that here was the land of promise and yet it would appear to abraham now and yet it would appear to abraham now there was anything but the lander there was anything but the lander promised promised and so he was forced by circumstances and so he was forced by circumstances into egypt and that's always a dangerous into egypt and that's always a dangerous practice practice when you go down into egypt you really when you go down into egypt you really go down go down and we know what happened there the and we know what happened there the circumstances with his wife sarah and of circumstances with his wife sarah and of course what happened out of that that course what happened out of that that god delivered him from that circumstance god delivered him from that circumstance and he made his way back now look when and he made his way back now look when we read the early verses of genesis 13 we read the early verses of genesis 13 they are they are full of meaning full of meaning they really are almost every phrase here they really are almost every phrase here is pregnant with meaning because abraham is pregnant with meaning because abraham is coming back determined not to make is coming back determined not to make that mistake again that mistake again although later on he did although later on he did but now he's coming back with a new but now he's coming back with a new attitude and when we pick up the record attitude and when we pick up the record in genesis 13 brethren and sisters which in genesis 13 brethren and sisters which i understand you read this morning i understand you read this morning it is absolutely full of significance it is absolutely full of significance and just see the determination of and just see the determination of abraham here as he came back to make abraham here as he came back to make amends for that mistake amends for that mistake and we read that abraham went up out of and we read that abraham went up out of egypt and when you go towards egypt you egypt and when you go towards egypt you go down and when you come out of egypt go down and when you come out of egypt you go up you go up it's always the case it's always the case and it says he and it says he and his wife and his wife and all that he had and locked with him and all that he had and locked with him into the south that is in the negev into into the south that is in the negev into the south of the land of israel he came the south of the land of israel he came up out of egypt and he's got sarah his up out of egypt and he's got sarah his wife wife and he's got luck with him and they're and he's got luck with him and they're still together still together but it reads brother and sisters that but it reads brother and sisters that abraham was very rich abraham was very rich in cattle in silver and in gold and it in cattle in silver and in gold and it was those riches was those riches along with the possessions of lot that along with the possessions of lot that were going later on to separate them in were going later on to separate them in this chapter this chapter a tragedy brothers and sisters a tragedy brothers and sisters blessings from god in one sense blessings from god in one sense but the accumulation of wealth was going but the accumulation of wealth was going to be the means of to be the means of separating abraham from his nephew lot separating abraham from his nephew lot and it was going to prove a disaster for and it was going to prove a disaster for that matthew that matthew and a great decision was going to be and a great decision was going to be made when he went back to bethel made when he went back to bethel and look what it says and look what it says it says abraham went on his journey it says abraham went on his journey the hebrew has it the hebrew has it according to his stations according to his stations and what we're being told brothers and and what we're being told brothers and sisters is this sisters is this that abraham is deliberately that abraham is deliberately retracing his steps retracing his steps so station by station he retraces his so station by station he retraces his steps and he knows where he wants to go steps and he knows where he wants to go and he knows why he wants to get there and he knows why he wants to get there and he went on his journey from the and he went on his journey from the south south even to battle and that's where the tragic decision had been made to leave the land been made to leave the land and he's hurrying back to that spot to and he's hurrying back to that spot to battle which means of course the house battle which means of course the house of god that's 180 miles from egypt of god that's 180 miles from egypt and he hurries back there and it says and he hurries back there and it says there there under the place where his tent had been under the place where his tent had been at the beginning now note that at the beginning now note that now abraham came out of earth called now abraham came out of earth called these he would have brought in a tent these he would have brought in a tent all the way on to the land he would have all the way on to the land he would have been an attempt to check him but been an attempt to check him but remember the point we made remember the point we made that it wasn't mentioned in the record that it wasn't mentioned in the record that he pitched his tent until he came that he pitched his tent until he came to bethel not that he had not had a tent to bethel not that he had not had a tent before but it hadn't been said until before but it hadn't been said until that point that point and when he came to the house of god he and when he came to the house of god he pitched that tent pitched that tent as a stranger and a soldier in the land as a stranger and a soldier in the land looking for a city whose builder and looking for a city whose builder and maker is god now here he is going back maker is god now here he is going back station by station till he gets to station by station till he gets to bethel bethel where he had pitched his tent at the where he had pitched his tent at the beginning beginning and that's clearly telling us that and that's clearly telling us that abraham was hurrying back to recommence abraham was hurrying back to recommence his pilgrimage in that land his pilgrimage in that land that's what he's doing that's what he's doing and it says he pitched that tent and it says he pitched that tent between bethel and ai between bethel and ai now bethel now bethel is about 12 or 15 miles north of is about 12 or 15 miles north of jerusalem jerusalem and ai brothers and sisters if you're and ai brothers and sisters if you're looking at a map it would be on the looking at a map it would be on the right hand side just a few miles to the right hand side just a few miles to the east of battle towards the valley of the east of battle towards the valley of the river river the valley of jordan the valley of jordan and bethel means the house of god and bethel means the house of god and ai means ruin and ai means ruin and he stood between those two places and he stood between those two places between the house of god and ruin between the house of god and ruin and a great decision was going to be and a great decision was going to be made there by him and by lock and says made there by him and by lock and says the record in verse 4 under the place of the record in verse 4 under the place of the altar which he had made there at the the altar which he had made there at the first first you see you see see how the record is telling us so he see how the record is telling us so he goes back where his tent had been at the goes back where his tent had been at the beginning beginning and he's now at that altar where he had and he's now at that altar where he had made at the first made at the first and here's abraham retreating his steps and here's abraham retreating his steps to commence his pilgrimage and he comes to commence his pilgrimage and he comes back from that place of the altar back from that place of the altar brothers and sisters and there he called brothers and sisters and there he called upon the name of the lord rededicated himself to the purpose for which he was called out of here the call which he was called out of here the call deeds a chastened man deeds a chastened man these are the experiences of life these are the experiences of life brothers and sisters that we all go brothers and sisters that we all go through through we all have these experiences we all we all have these experiences we all make bad decisions we all run into make bad decisions we all run into disaster disaster and what we should do is do what abraham and what we should do is do what abraham did did get back to the beginning get back to the beginning retrace your steps retrace your steps be determined to go there and get back be determined to go there and get back to where we started and you know as one to where we started and you know as one brother once said in a talk that i heard brother once said in a talk that i heard i thought it was a rather expressive i thought it was a rather expressive thing that he said thing that he said he said you know we we are taught in the he said you know we we are taught in the bible bible that our life is a life of education that our life is a life of education and discipline and we grow in maturity and discipline and we grow in maturity but he said for me but he said for me it's a constant struggle it's a constant struggle to get back to my first flush of to get back to my first flush of enthusiasm enthusiasm and my word there's a lot of truth in and my word there's a lot of truth in that that and i can remember brothers and sisters and i can remember brothers and sisters as a young man coming out of the worst as a young man coming out of the worst of the world that when i came into the of the world that when i came into the truth i flipped the first six or 12 truth i flipped the first six or 12 months of my life in the truth the world months of my life in the truth the world was an absolute blank was an absolute blank i can't think of anything in the world i can't think of anything in the world in that period that i took congressman in that period that i took congressman it was a total blank it was a total blank sad to say sad to say that it's not so now that it's not so now it returned it returned and the first flush of enthusiasm had and the first flush of enthusiasm had waned hadn't it and problems come into waned hadn't it and problems come into my life and crowded back and i know my life and crowded back and i know things i ought not to know and it's a things i ought not to know and it's a constant struggle to retrace my steps to constant struggle to retrace my steps to where the tent had been at the beginning where the tent had been at the beginning and where the altar was of the truth to and where the altar was of the truth to which i had first come that i might call which i had first come that i might call upon the name of the lord again that the upon the name of the lord again that the world might become a blank to me again world might become a blank to me again and that's exactly what is happening and that's exactly what is happening here with abraham now the time came for a decision to be made made because we read in verse 5 because we read in verse 5 and lot also which went with abraham had and lot also which went with abraham had flocks flocks and herds and herds and tents and tents so both men are growing very great so both men are growing very great and the record says and the land was not and the record says and the land was not able able to bear them to bear them the land the land was not able was not able to bear them to bear them but god is going to tell this man but god is going to tell this man unto thy seed unto thy seed will i give this land and he's going to will i give this land and he's going to tell him that this seed is going to be tell him that this seed is going to be numbered like the dust of the earth and numbered like the dust of the earth and here's two families and the land is not here's two families and the land is not able to bear them can you just think of the test upon abraham's faith with of the test upon abraham's faith with all these things the canaanites in his all these things the canaanites in his land land it has experienced a famine now he's it has experienced a famine now he's come back with lot and just two families come back with lot and just two families and the land cannot bear them and the land cannot bear them but under your seed abraham as the guts but under your seed abraham as the guts to the earth will i give this land now to the earth will i give this land now they would have taken incredible faith they would have taken incredible faith to believe that under these to believe that under these circumstances just as it is brothers and circumstances just as it is brothers and sisters with us sisters with us and we say we believe that the kingdom and we say we believe that the kingdom is going to be set up on the earth is going to be set up on the earth our brother bob last night our brother bob last night made us get a point score about that made us get a point score about that belief how strong do we believe that oh belief how strong do we believe that oh we globally say we believe it but you we globally say we believe it but you look around you it seems impossible look around you it seems impossible it seems that everything is so real it seems that everything is so real today and unreal tomorrow but this is today and unreal tomorrow but this is the unreal world and the real world is the unreal world and the real world is coming coming and abraham had to believe that because and abraham had to believe that because here he can see that it wouldn't even here he can see that it wouldn't even bear two families bear two families and tragically brothers and sisters and tragically brothers and sisters possessions and riches possessions and riches verse 7 says brought about a strike verse 7 says brought about a strike between the herdman of abram's cattle between the herdman of abram's cattle and the herdman of lot's cattle and the herdman of lot's cattle they were brethren in the truth they were brethren in the truth and there was a commencement of strife and there was a commencement of strife brothers and sisters brothers and sisters when they didn't ought to be strife when they didn't ought to be strife because because you see the record goes on and says you see the record goes on and says and the canaanite and the canaanite and the perizzite and the perizzite dwelt then in the land and there was no dwelt then in the land and there was no strife between them strife between them and this bible is beautifully written and this bible is beautifully written it's written by the finger of god look it's written by the finger of god look how that's put how that's put so here are two men so here are two men called of god called of god to the pristine truth of his word to the pristine truth of his word who ought to have been one who ought to who ought to have been one who ought to have been been able to make the have been been able to make the accommodation to live together accommodation to live together brothers and sisters they needed to live brothers and sisters they needed to live together because the canaanite and the together because the canaanite and the perizzite were living together in that perizzite were living together in that land and they were desperately in need land and they were desperately in need to stand against the influences of that to stand against the influences of that world and there's a great message in world and there's a great message in that for us that for us there's a tremendous message in that for there's a tremendous message in that for us we've had some disgraceful divisions us we've had some disgraceful divisions in the brotherhood of christ that ought in the brotherhood of christ that ought not to be when issues brothers and sisters have divided us some of them yes there have divided us some of them yes there have been justification for that because they been justification for that because they impinge upon our statement of faith and impinge upon our statement of faith and some of them don't and i tell you brothers and sisters this world is full of the canaanite and the world is full of the canaanite and the parasite and they're united and if we're parasite and they're united and if we're not careful not careful if we shiver to pieces brothers and if we shiver to pieces brothers and sisters we will expose not only sisters we will expose not only ourselves but our children and our ourselves but our children and our grandchildren the pressures they will grandchildren the pressures they will not be able to bear believe me not be able to bear believe me because we're rapidly coming to a because we're rapidly coming to a situation in this world where we're situation in this world where we're going to be put on enormous pressure going to be put on enormous pressure look all put together the look all put together the christodophians are a feeble folk in the christodophians are a feeble folk in the earth earth people hardly even know we exist people hardly even know we exist but brothers and sisters the pressure is but brothers and sisters the pressure is coming upon us coming upon us and we need to be aware of that and we need to be aware of that we're going to have to make a stand for we're going to have to make a stand for the truth oh yes we say christ is coming the truth oh yes we say christ is coming and he will take us out of the world but and he will take us out of the world but you don't know when and i don't know you don't know when and i don't know when that will be and we don't know how when that will be and we don't know how long we're going to be here long we're going to be here and brothers and sisters we're going to and brothers and sisters we're going to find that the very moral issues we stand find that the very moral issues we stand for we're going to have to stand up tall for we're going to have to stand up tall on those issues because the day is on those issues because the day is coming when they're going to be coming when they're going to be challenged in melbourne just recently in challenged in melbourne just recently in australia in the city of melbourne the australia in the city of melbourne the brethren put on a lecture about brethren put on a lecture about homosexuality and the hall was full of a homosexuality and the hall was full of a riotous crowd and they were abused and and after that they got from the public a after that they got from the public a very good response very good response but i'm telling you these are the issues but i'm telling you these are the issues that are coming upon us that are coming upon us and when they had this gay mardi gras in and when they had this gay mardi gras in sydney these are the issues that are sydney these are the issues that are coming on the sydney harbour bridge coming on the sydney harbour bridge there was a huge banner right across the there was a huge banner right across the bridge which said welcome to sodom bridge which said welcome to sodom i'm telling you i'm telling you welcome to sodom welcome to sodom and lot is about to make a trip into and lot is about to make a trip into sodom sodom and exposed himself to danger brothers and exposed himself to danger brothers and sisters when they didn't ought to and sisters when they didn't ought to have done that have done that but he could have had the protection but he could have had the protection of the faith of his uncle abraham of the faith of his uncle abraham and paul you know in galatians says and paul you know in galatians says they that are of faith are blessed with they that are of faith are blessed with faithful abraham not without him faithful abraham not without him they that are of faith are blessed with they that are of faith are blessed with faithful abraham faithful abraham and this division of thought here and this division of thought here brought about by material things brought about by material things split present split present and put lot into a very very invidious and put lot into a very very invidious position brothers and sisters the love of money is the root of all evil says the apostle and many he says who covered after that money are pierced through they earth money are pierced through they earth from the faith and they pierce through from the faith and they pierce through with many many sorrows with many many sorrows and look at the tragedy of lot and look at the tragedy of lot just look at the tragedy a block brother just look at the tragedy a block brother look this is how it went look this is how it went he went down there didn't he he went down there didn't he in the end he lost his home in the end he lost his home he lost his wife he lost his wife his children married outside the truth his children married outside the truth to the worst sort of people to the worst sort of people and even when they were dragged out of and even when they were dragged out of sodom and saved by the skin of their sodom and saved by the skin of their teeth his own daughters who had been now teeth his own daughters who had been now skilled in the ways of sodom committed skilled in the ways of sodom committed incest to their father got him drunk and incest to their father got him drunk and committed incest with him and two boys committed incest with him and two boys were born were born moab and ammon moab and ammon both of whose names indicate from father both of whose names indicate from father and these children of the incest who and these children of the incest who that came from that incestuous union of that came from that incestuous union of his own girls with him grew into his own girls with him grew into nationhood and became absolute thorns in nationhood and became absolute thorns in the side of israel the side of israel so much so brothers and sisters that in so much so brothers and sisters that in the 83rd psalm the 83rd psalm when's when there's a list of all when's when there's a list of all israel's enemies they're not simply israel's enemies they're not simply called edom and mullah called edom and mullah or moab and ahmed rather they're not or moab and ahmed rather they're not simply called that simply called that tragically they're called tragically they're called the children of lot the children of lot and look at the expression that and look at the expression that that conjures up that conjures up the children of lot the children of lot and they became dangerous enemies of and they became dangerous enemies of israel israel who would never have been in the earth who would never have been in the earth had not stayed with faithful abraham had not stayed with faithful abraham but material things divided brethren but material things divided brethren in a dangerous world brothers and in a dangerous world brothers and sisters and zephaniah the prophet you sisters and zephaniah the prophet you know it was zephaniah the prophet know it was zephaniah the prophet when he was denouncing the neighboring when he was denouncing the neighboring nations around israel who were there in nations around israel who were there in veteran enemies he said concerning moab veteran enemies he said concerning moab and airmen and airmen he said i will make you he said i will make you like sodom and gomorrah like sodom and gomorrah and if ever there were two nations who and if ever there were two nations who should have understood that they should should have understood that they should have understood it have understood it the conceptions of their nation the conceptions of their nation was right under the shadow of that was right under the shadow of that holocaust holocaust and zev and i said i'll make you like and zev and i said i'll make you like sodom and gomorrah sodom and gomorrah and that was the threat and that was the threat against the moabites and the ammonites now abraham pleaded with lot in verse 8 and he said look and he said look let there be no strife he says let there be no strife he says let there be no strife let there be no strife he said because he said because between me and thee and between my between me and thee and between my herdman and die hardman but we are herdman and die hardman but we are brethren brethren we are brethren we are brethren brethren sisters we have an enormous brethren sisters we have an enormous responsibility responsibility to realize the import of that to realize the import of that i mean these two were brethren because i mean these two were brethren because god called them out of the land god called them out of the land he called them out of their their house he called them out of their their house and and and country and he brought them into the and country and he brought them into the land they were brethren because they had land they were brethren because they had the same hope and the same faith the same hope and the same faith the children of israel were brethren the children of israel were brethren because god brothers and sisters brought because god brothers and sisters brought him out of egypt on the basis of the him out of egypt on the basis of the death of the next door neighbor's son death of the next door neighbor's son so god killed other people to make them so god killed other people to make them united united and they weren't worth it says ezekiel and they weren't worth it says ezekiel the prophet when that happened the prophet when that happened and therefore they ought to have had and therefore they ought to have had gratitude towards god that other gratitude towards god that other people's children suffered that they people's children suffered that they might be delivered and god would have might be delivered and god would have expected from them a response expected from them a response brothers and sisters we haven't simply brothers and sisters we haven't simply been called out of the land to go to the been called out of the land to go to the kingdom it hasn't been other people's kingdom it hasn't been other people's sons that have been killed that we might sons that have been killed that we might be delivered it's god's boy that died be delivered it's god's boy that died and he died expressly for the purpose and he died expressly for the purpose that we might be one that we might be one that the last prayer he ever made before that the last prayer he ever made before he went to the garden of gethsemane was he went to the garden of gethsemane was a passionate prayer that we might be one a passionate prayer that we might be one as he was with the father as he was with the father and if we're stupid enough to divide on and if we're stupid enough to divide on issues where we didn't order divide and issues where we didn't order divide and i know there are issues which call for i know there are issues which call for that because they're fundamental they're that because they're fundamental they're not talking about them but if we're not talking about them but if we're silly enough brothers and sisters to silly enough brothers and sisters to allow these things to come into our allow these things to come into our lives materialism or preoccupation with lives materialism or preoccupation with self or anything else then we deserve self or anything else then we deserve all we get all we get and this is what happened a lot and this is what happened a lot and he went down into that dangerous and he went down into that dangerous country and abraham country and abraham look at the the monumental faith of this look at the the monumental faith of this man man but in verse nine he says says the light but in verse nine he says says the light look like it's not the whole land before look like it's not the whole land before you before thee you before thee separate thyself i pray thee from me if separate thyself i pray thee from me if thou will take thou will take the left hand then i will go to the the left hand then i will go to the right right or if they are the part of the right or if they are the part of the right hand then i will go to the left hand then i will go to the left so abraham gave lot the widest so abraham gave lot the widest and the first choice and the first choice and yet says the apostle in hebrews and yet says the apostle in hebrews chapter 11 chapter 11 or chapter 6 7 rather verse 6 or chapter 6 7 rather verse 6 he said concerning abraham to quote the he said concerning abraham to quote the greek he was the holder of the promises greek he was the holder of the promises now the man who was the holder of the now the man who was the holder of the promises who had the title deeds of that promises who had the title deeds of that land by promise land by promise it's his it's his he says the lot he says the lot there it is the whole lot of it there it is the whole lot of it you take first pick anywhere you like you take first pick anywhere you like that's the words of a very faithful man that's the words of a very faithful man brother and sisters brother and sisters because he knew in the end because he knew in the end it was all going to be his it was all going to be his all going to be his all going to be his and lot was told well if you want to and lot was told well if you want to make the choice make the choice separate yourself from me you don't do separate yourself from me you don't do that as i said in galatians chapter 3 that as i said in galatians chapter 3 they that are blessed are blessed with they that are blessed are blessed with faithful abraham faithful abraham dangerous thing brothers and sisters to dangerous thing brothers and sisters to separate from the truth as we have it in separate from the truth as we have it in the covenants of promise an absolute the covenants of promise an absolute disaster well how did lot separate why did he separate separate it's very interesting to follow the it's very interesting to follow the retrogression retrogression of lot of lot look for example in verse seven first of look for example in verse seven first of all brothers and sisters the first step all brothers and sisters the first step in the process in the process is strike is strike it always begins with strike it always begins with strike and when there's strife of course and when there's strife of course then there becomes discontent then there becomes discontent and we separate and we separate and then in verse 10 and then in verse 10 he lifted up his eyes and he beheld all he lifted up his eyes and he beheld all the plane of jordan so the sight of his the plane of jordan so the sight of his eyes begin to lead him away eyes begin to lead him away so this strife so this strife there's the lifting up of his eyes and there's the lifting up of his eyes and then in verse 11 lot chose all the plain then in verse 11 lot chose all the plain of jordan and verse 12 it says at the end of that verse it says at the end of that verse he pitched his tent he pitched his tent toward sodom so he's only just going in toward sodom so he's only just going in that direction you see and he's still that direction you see and he's still got a tent got a tent and he just pitches his tent in that and he just pitches his tent in that direction direction but down there brothers and sisters are but down there brothers and sisters are dreadful people but it's a beautiful dreadful people but it's a beautiful country and it offers great prospects country and it offers great prospects the jordan valley then was not like it the jordan valley then was not like it is now is now and so lots of decline continued and so lots of decline continued and as he went towards sodom to pitch and as he went towards sodom to pitch his tent it wasn't long until we come to his tent it wasn't long until we come to chapter 19 and verse 1 when we read chapter 19 and verse 1 when we read and there came two angels to sodom and and there came two angels to sodom and even and lot sat in the gate of sodom so he's among the rulers of that country as a matter of fact the sodomites as a matter of fact the sodomites accused him of that he has grown to accused him of that he has grown to great prominence such great prominence great prominence such great prominence that his wife is caught up in the social that his wife is caught up in the social aspect of that city her heart is aspect of that city her heart is entwined in that wickedness brothers and entwined in that wickedness brothers and sisters and she settled down in a sisters and she settled down in a luxurious situation and she loves every luxurious situation and she loves every minute of it minute of it and poor lot and poor lot has walked into disaster you know has walked into disaster you know peter's comment concerning lot that he peter's comment concerning lot that he is a righteous man he backs to his soul is a righteous man he backs to his soul lot will be in the kingdom of god i lot will be in the kingdom of god i believe but my word brothers and sisters believe but my word brothers and sisters he'll be a very chastened man when he he'll be a very chastened man when he comes to that kingdom comes to that kingdom he lost everything he lost everything but he hung onto his faith even in those but he hung onto his faith even in those circumstances circumstances it could have cost him his own life it could have cost him his own life and as his law as his name means he was and as his law as his name means he was veiled veiled his name means veiled he couldn't see his name means veiled he couldn't see brothers and sisters could he the god of brothers and sisters could he the god of this world had blinded him this world had blinded him and looking around the world the plain and looking around the world the plain of sodom he could see the sweep of the of sodom he could see the sweep of the jordan valley he can see in those days jordan valley he can see in those days as it was a glorious valley fertile as it was a glorious valley fertile sparkling with greenery and of course sparkling with greenery and of course there was no no such thing then as the there was no no such thing then as the salt sea and the deadness of that it was salt sea and the deadness of that it was it was vital with life and it was a it was vital with life and it was a country to be greatly desired by men country to be greatly desired by men with flocks and herds the possibilities with flocks and herds the possibilities were endless brothers and sisters but he were endless brothers and sisters but he was vile because he couldn't see the was vile because he couldn't see the people that were there people that were there he didn't take cognizance of the people he didn't take cognizance of the people who lived there who lived there and he went into that dangerous and he went into that dangerous situation situation extremely dangerous situation you know extremely dangerous situation you know the thing that grieves me i i'm an the thing that grieves me i i'm an old-fashioned person i probably tread on old-fashioned person i probably tread on a lot of toes by that mean but i don't a lot of toes by that mean but i don't care honestly i don't care the thing care honestly i don't care the thing that grieves me today as you move among that grieves me today as you move among the the brothers and sisters is the the the brothers and sisters is the education of our children how on earth education of our children how on earth how on earth are our children ever going how on earth are our children ever going to become to become embedded into the truth brothers and embedded into the truth brothers and sisters with the extent sisters with the extent and the intensity and the intensity of the education which people deem of the education which people deem necessary today for children to get a necessary today for children to get a job how on earth are they ever going to job how on earth are they ever going to get down into this book get down into this book and you hear some of the stories and the and you hear some of the stories and the length of time the kids have got to length of time the kids have got to spend at universities in that and i just spend at universities in that and i just despair and i think to myself the world despair and i think to myself the world by wisdom knew not god by wisdom knew not god and this man got tangled up in all those and this man got tangled up in all those sort of things sort of things and it cost him almost everything and it cost him almost everything and i believe brothers and sisters that and i believe brothers and sisters that as the time goes on as the time goes on and pressures become even more intense and pressures become even more intense radical situations are going to need radical situations are going to need radical adjustments radical adjustments or we won't survive or we won't survive this is not an idle warning brothers and this is not an idle warning brothers and sisters sisters as you grow older and you look around as you grow older and you look around you and you see the things that are you and you see the things that are happening and because you've got a basis happening and because you've got a basis of comparison having lived to that point of comparison having lived to that point you see it brothers and sisters ever so you see it brothers and sisters ever so clearly and we need we need desperately clearly and we need we need desperately to get back to this book to get back to this book to open its pages expound it's it's to open its pages expound it's it's wonderful message and to inspire our wonderful message and to inspire our brothers and sisters but where oh where brothers and sisters but where oh where are the young men today who've got the are the young men today who've got the time to do that time to do that and this is what happened here and this is what happened here and he pitched his ted and you know what and he pitched his ted and you know what it says in genesis 13 it says in genesis 13 when he beheld all the plane of jordan when he beheld all the plane of jordan look look how he saw it look look how he saw it why it was well watered everywhere why it was well watered everywhere before the lord destroyed solomon before the lord destroyed solomon gomorrah you see gomorrah you see jordan valley is only like it is today jordan valley is only like it is today because of the holocaust of solomon because of the holocaust of solomon gomorrah that changed the whole contour gomorrah that changed the whole contour of the land it changed the climatic of the land it changed the climatic conditions it baked the earth into conditions it baked the earth into sterility but it wasn't always like that sterility but it wasn't always like that and lot looked down there and he saw it and lot looked down there and he saw it like like the garden of the lord says the garden of the lord says he saw it like eden and in his mind he's seeing this tremendous valley he's seeing this tremendous valley oh he's look at this oh he's look at this it's like the garden of eden it's just it's like the garden of eden it's just like egypt garden of eden was never like like egypt garden of eden was never like egypt and lot had equated in his mind brothers and sisters those two things and sisters those two things and he thought he could have something and he thought he could have something in this life and something in the next in this life and something in the next as well as well a lot a lot of people think the kingdom a lot a lot of people think the kingdom of god will be like the garden of egypt of god will be like the garden of egypt and some of them think just like today and some of them think just like today it'll be nothing like today it'll be nothing like today it'll have no resemblance to today it'll have no resemblance to today it'll have a splendor and a glory it'll have a splendor and a glory brothers and sisters which will be on brothers and sisters which will be on their comprehension now but which we their comprehension now but which we must try and fix our imagination but must try and fix our imagination but it'll be nothing like today did you see it'll be nothing like today did you see how egypt had affected lot how egypt had affected lot egypt had made a big impression on him egypt had made a big impression on him hadn't it hadn't it and that's how he saw the garden of the lord as it were down there in sodom and so we read in verse 12 and abraham dwelt in the land of canaan and lot dwelt in the cities of the plain and lot dwelt in the cities of the plain look at that look at that and the decision was taken brothers and and the decision was taken brothers and sisters between bethel and ai bethel to sisters between bethel and ai bethel to the west the west and ai to the east and we read in verse and ai to the east and we read in verse 11 that 11 that lot journeyed toward the east he went lot journeyed toward the east he went straight into ruin hai straight into ruin hai and abraham turned west and went to the and abraham turned west and went to the hills of judea to bethel and you would hills of judea to bethel and you would never have found a greater contrast never have found a greater contrast because the hills of judea brothers and because the hills of judea brothers and sisters were bare and sparse there was little virgin there we know that because they couldn't well together that because they couldn't well together a man could barely eke out an existence a man could barely eke out an existence but that's the way that he went but that's the way that he went and brother and sisters that choice is and brother and sisters that choice is before us every day of our life which before us every day of our life which way do you want to go way do you want to go here are the possibilities to the east here are the possibilities to the east there are immense possibilities there are immense possibilities this world can offer much this world can offer much there's money to be made it can run out there's money to be made it can run out of your ears of your ears if you prepare to give your life your if you prepare to give your life your soul soul and your might to the god of this world and your might to the god of this world well go east and you'll walk into ruin well go east and you'll walk into ruin but where are the people that's going to but where are the people that's going to go to the left go to the left towards the west towards the west who wants to go to the house of god but who wants to go to the house of god but if you want to go there there's not much if you want to go there there's not much offering in this life i'll tell you offering in this life i'll tell you and the choice is ours brothers and and the choice is ours brothers and sisters it's the house of god or ruin sisters it's the house of god or ruin the choice is crystal clear the choice is crystal clear and lot made the wrong choice and lot made the wrong choice and he went down there to sodom and he went down there to sodom and you know brothers and sisters sodomy as we know it today was not the only sin of that place only sin of that place and when jesus said as it was in the and when jesus said as it was in the days of lot he never mentioned that days of lot he never mentioned that abomination abomination he never said a word about it he never said a word about it what he said was this what he said was this like i said in the days of lot he said like i said in the days of lot he said they builded they builded they planted they planted they married and were given in marriage they married and were given in marriage things were prosperous things were prosperous he never said a word about the he never said a word about the abomination which came as the end result abomination which came as the end result what jesus was warning us about was not what jesus was warning us about was not the abomination but that which led to it the abomination but that which led to it and ezekiel the prophet said this and ezekiel the prophet said this was the sin of thy sister city sodom was the sin of thy sister city sodom fullness of bread fullness of bread abundance of abundance of idleness and carelessness about other idleness and carelessness about other people people ezekiel ezekiel said brothers and sisters they were the said brothers and sisters they were the factors that led to that abomination factors that led to that abomination bread bread plenty to eat the economy is booming plenty to eat the economy is booming abundance of idleness come to australia abundance of idleness come to australia four weeks and you'll leave four weeks and you'll leave plenty of public holidays plenty of public holidays work 10 years for your employer and you work 10 years for your employer and you get 13 weeks off full pay long service leave they call it and long service leave they call it and every year after that you get five weeks every year after that you get five weeks and you'll leave and when you go on and you'll leave and when you go on annual leave you get 17 and a half annual leave you get 17 and a half percent loading on top of your wages percent loading on top of your wages and what's australia like and what's australia like one of the stupidest countries in the one of the stupidest countries in the world okay absolutely idiotic absolutely idiotic are people laid back are people laid back sport crazy sport crazy absolutely indifferent to anybody else absolutely indifferent to anybody else selfish selfish brutal brutal only about 10 years behind america in only about 10 years behind america in all its technology and none of us brothers and sisters here today belong to either country today belong to either country we're not proud of our country we're not proud of our country we're israelites aren't we we're israelites aren't we as is another as is another citizenship another citizenship entirely citizenship another citizenship entirely and you know this is what lot shows but you see after lot was departed from in verse 14 in verse 14 and this is a wonderful moment in and this is a wonderful moment in abraham's life abraham's life and the lord said unto abraham after the and the lord said unto abraham after the lot was separated from him you see he lot was separated from him you see he acknowledged abraham's greatness and his acknowledged abraham's greatness and his his magnanimous his magnanimous attitude towards lot as he offered him attitude towards lot as he offered him everything brothers and sisters when he everything brothers and sisters when he had the promises and god was thrilled had the promises and god was thrilled with that attitude with that attitude and he says abraham lift up thine eyes and he says abraham lift up thine eyes and look from the place where you are and look from the place where you are and where was he he was in bethel the and where was he he was in bethel the house of god and he told him to look northward to look northward and he would look therefore towards the and he would look therefore towards the lebanon lebanon he would look southward down through he would look southward down through jerusalem and down through that through jerusalem and down through that through hebron and onto the negan and abraham would turn and look eastward and as lot disappeared into the distance and as lot disappeared into the distance god was telling him don't worry about it god was telling him don't worry about it abraham abraham in the end it's yours anyway and eastwood and finally westwood he would look over and finally westwood he would look over samaria samaria over the plain of charon right at the over the plain of charon right at the mediterranean sea mediterranean sea was all here was all here what a wonderful thing brothers and what a wonderful thing brothers and sisters sisters and so the pilgrimage of this life is and so the pilgrimage of this life is worth every inch of the way isn't it worth every inch of the way isn't it it's all ass it's all ass to thee will i give it he says unto thy to thee will i give it he says unto thy seed for this is the first time that seed for this is the first time that abraham is promised this land and when abraham is promised this land and when in the 23rd the 13th chapter rather of in the 23rd the 13th chapter rather of luke when the lord jesus christ was luke when the lord jesus christ was talking about the inheritance of abraham talking about the inheritance of abraham he said they shall come from the north he said they shall come from the north and from the south and from the south and from the east and from the west and and from the east and from the west and shall sit down with abraham so it wasn't shall sit down with abraham so it wasn't just simply a promise brothers and just simply a promise brothers and sisters of all directions of the compass sisters of all directions of the compass it was a promise of all directions of it was a promise of all directions of humanity humanity there was a width and a breadth about there was a width and a breadth about that promise that was staggering that promise that was staggering and they would come from all points of and they would come from all points of the compass and here we are today the compass and here we are today hundreds of thousands of years removed hundreds of thousands of years removed from abraham from all points of the from abraham from all points of the compass and we're all converging on the compass and we're all converging on the house of house of god what a marvelous thing god what a marvelous thing and god went on to tell him abraham i and god went on to tell him abraham i will make thy seed as the dust of the will make thy seed as the dust of the earth earth abraham's seed was to be developed first abraham's seed was to be developed first of all from the dust of the earth of all from the dust of the earth from a dry in a parched place later on from a dry in a parched place later on when isaac was offered he was going to when isaac was offered he was going to make like the stars of heaven make like the stars of heaven and when the faith had come to fullness and when the faith had come to fullness the seed was not going to come from the the seed was not going to come from the dust it was going to be a star-spangled dust it was going to be a star-spangled heaven of great people heaven of great people descended from abraham by their faith descended from abraham by their faith and this is how the the promise and this is how the the promise developed and you know brothers and developed and you know brothers and sisters you know it's a marvelous figure sisters you know it's a marvelous figure of speech the dust of the earth of speech the dust of the earth in isaiah's prophecy it speaks of the in isaiah's prophecy it speaks of the time when god would bring out of the time when god would bring out of the dust of the earth the seed of abraham dust of the earth the seed of abraham and he said it'll be like pouring water and he said it'll be like pouring water on a dry and a thirsty land on a dry and a thirsty land and he said the the virgin would grow up and he said the the virgin would grow up like like the reeds of the watercourse like like the reeds of the watercourse right rushes of the river in other words right rushes of the river in other words brothers and sisters it wouldn't be a brothers and sisters it wouldn't be a slow growth slow growth the rapidity of the growth would be like the rapidity of the growth would be like the rushes of of the river the reeds of the rushes of of the river the reeds of the watercourse on a drier the thirsty the watercourse on a drier the thirsty land land and when the apostles went out with this and when the apostles went out with this message message that abraham's seed were not restricted that abraham's seed were not restricted to the jews to the jews that god had made him the father of many that god had made him the father of many nations and by the mercy of god people nations and by the mercy of god people of all ranks of society and from all of all ranks of society and from all nationalities could become his seed what nationalities could become his seed what did they do they poured water on a dry did they do they poured water on a dry land the roman world was sterile and land the roman world was sterile and what happened hundreds of people what happened hundreds of people thousands of people believed the truth thousands of people believed the truth and they sprang up like reeds of the and they sprang up like reeds of the watercourse like rushes of the river watercourse like rushes of the river said isaiah the prophet from the dust of said isaiah the prophet from the dust of the earth the earth and those same people and those same people as they develop in their faith one day as they develop in their faith one day brothers and sisters will shine like brothers and sisters will shine like stars of the firmament stars of the firmament it was a wonderful promise it was a wonderful promise but it's conditional it's conditional and here comes and here comes a marvelous thing a marvelous thing you see you see abraham was told brothers and sisters abraham was told brothers and sisters to walk to walk through the land through the land now that wasn't said idly now that wasn't said idly i want to show you now how that runs i want to show you now how that runs through the bible through the bible abraham you abraham you walk through the land walk through the land and the apostle tells us and i'm not and the apostle tells us and i'm not turning these references up because you turning these references up because you know them well i understand you know know them well i understand you know them well them well he says abraham he says abraham is not only is not only the father of the circumcision that is the father of the circumcision that is the father of the jewish people this is the father of the jewish people this is romans 4 verse 12 he said he's not only romans 4 verse 12 he said he's not only the father of the circumcision but the the father of the circumcision but the father of those also who father of those also who walk walk in the steps in the steps of of that faith of our father abraham that faith of our father abraham think about that think about that who walk who walk in the steps of in the steps of that faith that faith of our father abraham abraham arise walk of our father abraham abraham arise walk through them you know what god was through them you know what god was saying saying he was saying brothers and sisters that he was saying brothers and sisters that this promise would be fulfilled there's this promise would be fulfilled there's no doubt about that and abraham's no doubt about that and abraham's participation would be dependent on participation would be dependent on where his footprints were where his footprints were in other words god was issuing him a in other words god was issuing him a promise with a challenge promise with a challenge and the challenge was abraham it's up to and the challenge was abraham it's up to you you if you walk with me if you walk in this if you walk with me if you walk in this land i will give you everywhere where land i will give you everywhere where your footprints are and you follow your footprints are and you follow abraham's life brothers and sisters as abraham's life brothers and sisters as he moved around that land he literally he moved around that land he literally walked the length of it and the breadth walked the length of it and the breadth of it of it and left these footprints all over it and left these footprints all over it where are your footprints where are your footprints and where am i well we don't intend brothers and sisters we we don't believe that in the sisters we we don't believe that in the end god's going to give us a baseball end god's going to give us a baseball stadium and that's where your footprints stadium and that's where your footprints are you're not going to get that in the are you're not going to get that in the kingdom of god you're not going to get a kingdom of god you're not going to get a picture theater picture theater you're not going to get the you're not going to get the entertainment places of this world entertainment places of this world you're not going to get the pleasures you're not going to get the pleasures that sport may offer if your footprints that sport may offer if your footprints and my footprints in the wrong place and my footprints in the wrong place brothers and sisters woe unto us brothers and sisters woe unto us walk in the steps of that faith of our walk in the steps of that faith of our father abraham father abraham what a wonderful thing that was now let what a wonderful thing that was now let me tell you how that worked out me tell you how that worked out you look at this to there will i give it unto thy seed forever forever it was dependent upon faith in action it was dependent upon faith in action arise walked through the land and the arise walked through the land and the length of it and in the breadth of it length of it and in the breadth of it then abraham removed his tent and came then abraham removed his tent and came and dwelt in hebron immediately after the promise of the land he removed his tent land he removed his tent he pulled up the the pegs and and the he pulled up the the pegs and and the ropes folded up his tent and off he went ropes folded up his tent and off he went and finally came down through past and finally came down through past jerusalem about 20 miles south of jerusalem about 20 miles south of jerusalem to hebron jerusalem to hebron which means which means fellowship fellowship now just think of this now just think of this and so paul says we also walk in the and so paul says we also walk in the steps of that faith of our father steps of that faith of our father abraham abraham now come to caleb and what happened here brothers and sisters was this sisters was this caleb caleb i believe was a gentile i believe was a gentile he was a kennezide he was a kennezide and his name means a dog and his name means a dog and that's the title the jews gave to and that's the title the jews gave to gentiles you remember the woman of gentiles you remember the woman of syrophoenicia syrophoenicia the dogs which eat the crumbs which fall the dogs which eat the crumbs which fall from the table and the jews call them from the table and the jews call them dogs dogs and if we read the record correctly as and if we read the record correctly as the hebraics tell us the hebraics tell us when caleb's speeches are recorded he's when caleb's speeches are recorded he's evidently a pretty rough diamond evidently a pretty rough diamond the hebrew is inarticulate and broken the hebrew is inarticulate and broken and colloquial in its language and colloquial in its language so caleb you know he's a pretty rough so caleb you know he's a pretty rough old guy but he was or caleb and he came old guy but he was or caleb and he came from among the gentiles but he had a from among the gentiles but he had a towering faith brothers and sisters and towering faith brothers and sisters and he believed in god as a matter of fact he believed in god as a matter of fact the indication that he was a gentile was the indication that he was a gentile was that god said to him in commending him that god said to him in commending him through joshua that he'd wholly followed through joshua that he'd wholly followed the lord god of israel now that would the lord god of israel now that would have been a superfluous comment to a jew have been a superfluous comment to a jew but to a gentile that would be full of but to a gentile that would be full of meaning he had wholly followed the lord meaning he had wholly followed the lord god of israel you know what he did god of israel you know what he did he said to joshua he said to joshua you see he was 85 years old you see he was 85 years old he'd been 40 years in the wilderness and he'd been 40 years in the wilderness and now they've come to the end of the now they've come to the end of the journey journey and they've got to go into the land and they've got to go into the land and he goes in as one of the spies and he goes in as one of the spies and he went in one of the spies and he and he went in one of the spies and he of course he came back and had to wander of course he came back and had to wander another 40 years another 40 years and so you see he was now 85 years old and so you see he was now 85 years old he was 45 years when he went into that he was 45 years when he went into that land and what did he do land and what did he do he remembered the words of moses in the he remembered the words of moses in the 11th chapter of deuteronomy moses had 11th chapter of deuteronomy moses had said this he said all the land upon said this he said all the land upon which your feet have trodden will be which your feet have trodden will be yours listen to that all the land upon yours listen to that all the land upon which your feet have trodden which your feet have trodden so caleb heard that so caleb heard that and he went into the land and he was and he went into the land and he was going to go to a certain place and he going to go to a certain place and he was determined to go there guess where was determined to go there guess where he went he went to hebron he went he went to hebron and there were four giants there four and there were four giants there four giants giants and he'd seen them as a spy and he'd seen them as a spy and he'd gone there and seen that and he'd gone there and seen that brothers and sisters and now came the brothers and sisters and now came the time the division of the land time the division of the land and he said to joshua i want hebron and he said to joshua i want hebron and he says because you know joshua he and he says because you know joshua he said moses told you said moses told you all the land upon which your feet had all the land upon which your feet had trodden he said you'll find my trodden he said you'll find my footprints in hebron footprints in hebron nobody else would go to hebron nobody else would go to hebron there were too many giants there were too many giants but he went there and he put his footprints in the steps of that faith of our father abraham in of that faith of our father abraham in hebron which is abraham city hebron which is abraham city isn't that incredible isn't that incredible and he reminded joshua that and when and he reminded joshua that and when time came brothers and sisters for the time came brothers and sisters for the inheritance of human he got hebron for inheritance of human he got hebron for an inheritance and you see what happened an inheritance and you see what happened a gentile a gentile came into fellowship came into fellowship with god with god through the faith of abraham through the faith of abraham because he walked in the steps of that because he walked in the steps of that faith of his father abraham he did that faith of his father abraham he did that literally literally now isn't that an incredible story now isn't that an incredible story but it doesn't end there but it doesn't end there when the time came brothers and sisters when the time came brothers and sisters for that land to be settled for that land to be settled joshua was to distribute to the levites joshua was to distribute to the levites up and down the land both sides of up and down the land both sides of jordan 48 cities so he put a study jordan 48 cities so he put a study leader within proximity of everybody leader within proximity of everybody everyone had a study leader in a levite everyone had a study leader in a levite set in proximity to them throughout the set in proximity to them throughout the land land and of those 48 cities he chose three of and of those 48 cities he chose three of them east of jordan and three west of them east of jordan and three west of jordan for cities of refuge and the levites inherited those 48 cities guess who got hebron for their inheritance among the levites inheritance among the levites none less none less than aaron's own family think about that than aaron's own family think about that you would have thought wouldn't you that you would have thought wouldn't you that aaron's family being the family of the aaron's family being the family of the high priest would have got jerusalem high priest would have got jerusalem they got hebron and you look now from the scene as god would see it would see it and there in hebron when when they gave and there in hebron when when they gave the sons of aaron hebron you know what the sons of aaron hebron you know what they did they said yes the city of they did they said yes the city of hebron is yours but the suburbs of that hebron is yours but the suburbs of that city reaching out for a thousand cubits city reaching out for a thousand cubits around that city shall be caleb's around that city shall be caleb's so he never lost the city so he never lost the city he kept the country around about hebron he kept the country around about hebron and then you got a marvelous picture and then you got a marvelous picture of a gentile dog of a gentile dog who went and put his footprints in the who went and put his footprints in the steps of that faith of our father steps of that faith of our father abraham came back and reminded joshua abraham came back and reminded joshua that moses had said that wherever your that moses had said that wherever your feet have trodden i can have it joshua feet have trodden i can have it joshua you'll find my footprints in that city you'll find my footprints in that city and he finished up in fellowship on the and he finished up in fellowship on the basis of the promises made of the basis of the promises made of the fathers and he was living with the high fathers and he was living with the high priest of israel priest of israel now isn't that absolutely remarkable now isn't that absolutely remarkable and here we all are brothers and sisters and here we all are brothers and sisters gentiles gentiles dogs according to the jews dogs according to the jews but walking in the steps of that faith but walking in the steps of that faith of our father abraham and where are we of our father abraham and where are we today today where we're in the suburbs where we're in the suburbs we're waiting to enter to that city we're waiting to enter to that city but we know we dwell in the presence but we know we dwell in the presence of the great high priest of our of the great high priest of our profession profession and that's the mystery of the gospel and that's the mystery of the gospel that the gentiles should be fellow heirs that the gentiles should be fellow heirs having the same hopes as the apostles having the same hopes as the apostles through those great and wonderful through those great and wonderful promises promises which god made unto the fathers which god made unto the fathers until abraham removed his tent until abraham removed his tent he came and dwelt in the plane of memory he came and dwelt in the plane of memory which means vigorous which means vigorous there was a vigor about the truth here there was a vigor about the truth here he came and dwelt in the plane of the he came and dwelt in the plane of the vigorous vigorous which is hebron which means fellowship which is hebron which means fellowship and there and there he built an altar under the lord he built an altar under the lord and so brothers and sisters he'd built and so brothers and sisters he'd built an altar at shechem an altar at shechem where the principle of separation was where the principle of separation was set forth he came back from egypt to set forth he came back from egypt to build an altar at bethel where the build an altar at bethel where the principle of dedication was set forth principle of dedication was set forth and now he comes to hebron to build an and now he comes to hebron to build an altar upon which fellowship is based

Transcript

the theme for brothers martin's classes this week this week is abraham is abraham father of the faithful father of the faithful today's class is entitled today's class is entitled the righteousness of faith the righteousness of faith genesis chapter 15. genesis chapter 15. brother martin it's raining and i rang home yesterday and it's and i rang home yesterday and it's freezing in adelaide freezing in adelaide so i'm very pleased to be here even so i'm very pleased to be here even though it's raining though it's raining now look we're going to deal with now look we're going to deal with genesis chapter 15 today which means genesis chapter 15 today which means we've jumped chapter 14 that won't we've jumped chapter 14 that won't matter matter but brothers and sisters but brothers and sisters have a look how genesis 15 opens it says have a look how genesis 15 opens it says after these things after what things after these things after what things well it's after the great defeat by well it's after the great defeat by abraham of the confederated armies of abraham of the confederated armies of the north the north who came down and sacked sodom and who came down and sacked sodom and gomorrah and took lot his nephew into gomorrah and took lot his nephew into captivity captivity and abraham and his 318 trained servants and abraham and his 318 trained servants in his house in his house had defeated that northern army had defeated that northern army and delivered the captives that were and delivered the captives that were taken from taken from sodom including lot and they sent them sodom including lot and they sent them back to sodom back to sodom and the king of sodom had come to him and the king of sodom had come to him to offer him a gift to offer him a gift and abraham would have nothing to do and abraham would have nothing to do with him with him as a matter of fact chapter 14 brethren as a matter of fact chapter 14 brethren sisters if you read that he turns his sisters if you read that he turns his back on the king of sodom in the middle back on the king of sodom in the middle of a conversation of a conversation right in the middle of a conversation right in the middle of a conversation because melchizedek came to meet him because melchizedek came to meet him and he turned around and addressed and he turned around and addressed melchizedek and totally ignored the king melchizedek and totally ignored the king of sodom abraham and had no affinity of sodom abraham and had no affinity whatever with that wicked king whatever with that wicked king and when the king of sodom offered him a and when the king of sodom offered him a gift gift because what he had done for them because what he had done for them abraham said i wouldn't take a bootlace abraham said i wouldn't take a bootlace from you from you and rejected that reward that was off to and rejected that reward that was off to him him and it was after those things that god and it was after those things that god said to abraham abraham i am thy shield said to abraham abraham i am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward and thy exceeding great reward and god was very pleased brother and and god was very pleased brother and sisters sisters uh with that response of abraham uh with that response of abraham firstly to acknowledge melchizedek as firstly to acknowledge melchizedek as being greater than he and secondly to being greater than he and secondly to spurn that wicked king of sodom and when spurn that wicked king of sodom and when he did that of course abraham would he did that of course abraham would incur the wrath of that king incur the wrath of that king and could worry very well have been in and could worry very well have been in danger but god said to him abraham don't danger but god said to him abraham don't worry about that i'm your shield and i'm worry about that i'm your shield and i'm your exceeding great reward your exceeding great reward don't take rewards from him don't take rewards from him and brothers and sisters when we adopt and brothers and sisters when we adopt that attitude then god will be similar that attitude then god will be similar to us to us never mind about the rewards of this never mind about the rewards of this world world never write about the windows of never write about the windows of opportunity opportunity which take us away from the truth and which take us away from the truth and bury us in business activities or bury us in business activities or whatever spurn that brothers and sisters whatever spurn that brothers and sisters spurn it spurn it and take a simple life take the simple and take a simple life take the simple choices choices believe me believe me and look god will reward you there's no and look god will reward you there's no question of that question of that we've proven that over the years make we've proven that over the years make the right decision never mind about the right decision never mind about ambition ambition turn your back on that and believe in turn your back on that and believe in god and god will say to you i am your god and god will say to you i am your reward and he will be brothers and reward and he will be brothers and sisters there's no question of that sisters there's no question of that whatever whatever now god responded to abraham in a vision now god responded to abraham in a vision as we read here as we read here and he says fear not abraham i am thy and he says fear not abraham i am thy shield i'll protect you abraham and shield i'll protect you abraham and don't worry about the rewards of sodom i don't worry about the rewards of sodom i am your reward am your reward now just keep your hand in genesis and now just keep your hand in genesis and have a look at psalm 47 brothers and have a look at psalm 47 brothers and sisters sisters which is a commentary which is a commentary upon that incident upon that very upon that incident upon that very incident for god is the king of all the earth is the king of all the earth sing ye praises with understanding sing ye praises with understanding god reigneth over the heathen god reigneth over the heathen god sitteth upon the throne of his god sitteth upon the throne of his holiness holiness the princes of the people are gathered the princes of the people are gathered together even the people of the god of together even the people of the god of abraham abraham for he is the shields of the earth which for he is the shields of the earth which belong unto god he is greatly exalted belong unto god he is greatly exalted and here is the people of the god of and here is the people of the god of abraham and he will be a shield of them abraham and he will be a shield of them in the earth in the earth when we exalt him that term is a when we exalt him that term is a commentary upon that incident in commentary upon that incident in abraham's life brothers and sisters abraham's life brothers and sisters now you know paul said now you know paul said that without faith that without faith it is impossible to please god it is impossible to please god for he that cometh to god must first for he that cometh to god must first believe that he is believe that he is and secondly and secondly that he is a rewarder of them that that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him diligently seek him abraham i will be the exceeding great abraham i will be the exceeding great reward reward abraham had believed that god is abraham had believed that god is and now brothers and sisters he's going and now brothers and sisters he's going to be brought to that point of his life to be brought to that point of his life when he's got to believe in the when he's got to believe in the reward now people say oh look we reward now people say oh look we shouldn't believe it like that we shouldn't believe it like that we shouldn't think about what we're going shouldn't think about what we're going to get out of the truth to get out of the truth that's not what paul says that's not what paul says you know people who believe you know people who believe that god will reward them must believe that god will reward them must believe that he is you can't have a reward from that he is you can't have a reward from somebody it's not there somebody it's not there and therefore the greater we desire the and therefore the greater we desire the reward of the kingdom brothers and reward of the kingdom brothers and sisters is the intensity that we believe sisters is the intensity that we believe in god in god now abraham had believed in god now abraham had believed in god and now he's offered this great reward and now he's offered this great reward and you know what and you know what immediately abraham reacted to that immediately abraham reacted to that because there's one thing he desperately because there's one thing he desperately wanted wanted he was longing for it with all his heart he was longing for it with all his heart and soul and he poured out his soul to and soul and he poured out his soul to god and as soon as god mentioned reward god and as soon as god mentioned reward one thing only came into his mind one thing only came into his mind it wasn't riches brothers and sisters it it wasn't riches brothers and sisters it wasn't self aggrandizement wasn't self aggrandizement it was nothing like that it was an it was nothing like that it was an ambition where is this boy ambition where is this boy where's this child that's the thing that where's this child that's the thing that dominate him and verse two abraham said dominate him and verse two abraham said lord god lord god what will you give me what will you give me what will you give me he says what will you give me he says for he's seeing i go childless and the for he's seeing i go childless and the steward of my house is this eliezer of steward of my house is this eliezer of damascus damascus and the hebrew expression here i go and the hebrew expression here i go childless is really i'm going to the childless is really i'm going to the grave childless god please grave childless god please please he said if you're offering me a please he said if you're offering me a reward this is all i want brothers and reward this is all i want brothers and sisters can you imagine god's reaction sisters can you imagine god's reaction to that request to that request because god had promised him that seed because god had promised him that seed and the promise of reward evoked from and the promise of reward evoked from abraham abraham the very thing that god had promised him the very thing that god had promised him and the father in the heavens would have and the father in the heavens would have been thrilled with that been thrilled with that to think that abraham longed for what to think that abraham longed for what god had promised and that's all he god had promised and that's all he wanted wanted and he wanted it so badly he said what and he wanted it so badly he said what about this eliezer of damascus the about this eliezer of damascus the steward of my house steward of my house and the word steward is ben meshech it and the word steward is ben meshech it means you know one born or son of my means you know one born or son of my possession he's really my son god i know possession he's really my son god i know he's only a servant but he's like a he's only a servant but he's like a child to me he's like a son can't we do child to me he's like a son can't we do it through him it through him and you see abraham had seen that he was and you see abraham had seen that he was growing older and sarah was growing growing older and sarah was growing older and they hadn't had any children older and they hadn't had any children surely god surely god can't we do it through him he said and can't we do it through him he said and eliezer brothers and sisters was a very eliezer brothers and sisters was a very faithful man faithful man as a matter of fact eliezer was a man of as a matter of fact eliezer was a man of prayer prayer he would have been the servant that was he would have been the servant that was sent of course to get a wife for isaac sent of course to get a wife for isaac and when you look at genesis 24 and you and when you look at genesis 24 and you read what he did he went all every step read what he did he went all every step of the way he prayed to god he was a of the way he prayed to god he was a very faithful servant very faithful servant his name means ale is my help his name means ale is my help god god is my help but the true seed brothers is my help but the true seed brothers and sisters was to be and sisters was to be emmanuel ale god with us emmanuel ale god with us and it was going to be far greater than and it was going to be far greater than abraham could ever have imagined abraham could ever have imagined and abraham wanted one and abraham wanted one born born in his house in his house because he said look he's been born in because he said look he's been born in my house my house can't he be the one can't he be the one but paul says in hebrews chapter 3 of but paul says in hebrews chapter 3 of brethren and sisters brethren and sisters that christ is a son that christ is a son over his house over his house and built the house and built the house it wasn't only one that was going to be it wasn't only one that was going to be born in the house born in the house the lord jesus christ was to be the son the lord jesus christ was to be the son over the house and the very builder of over the house and the very builder of it says paul in hebrews chapter 3 and it says paul in hebrews chapter 3 and again the promise went way beyond again the promise went way beyond abraham's anticipations abraham's anticipations as god's promises always do as god's promises always do and then god said to him and then god said to him verse 4 verse 4 and behold the word of the lord came and behold the word of the lord came unto him saying this shall not be thine unto him saying this shall not be thine air abraham but he that shall come forth air abraham but he that shall come forth of thine own vows shall be thine here of thine own vows shall be thine here it couldn't have been more expressive it couldn't have been more expressive brother and sisters could it out of his brother and sisters could it out of his own bowels own bowels he's got to believe he's got to believe and then god invited him abroad to tell and then god invited him abroad to tell the stars he says come and tell the the stars he says come and tell the stars abraham and the word tell means to stars abraham and the word tell means to count them count them and you know what god was telling him and you know what god was telling him you see he was concentrating he said you see he was concentrating he said abraham it's your body that i'm talking abraham it's your body that i'm talking about your own body abraham there's about your own body abraham there's where the sun is it's going to come where the sun is it's going to come forth of your bowels now abraham look forth of your bowels now abraham look here and he looked up there and what god here and he looked up there and what god was saying brothers and sisters that was saying brothers and sisters that though that boy would have human origins though that boy would have human origins there was a divine destiny for that there was a divine destiny for that scene scene a divine destiny now you turn to romans a divine destiny now you turn to romans chapter nine keeping of course genesis chapter nine keeping of course genesis 15 always ready if you look at romans 9 15 always ready if you look at romans 9 says says so though he would come of abraham he so though he would come of abraham he would also the seed would also have god would also the seed would also have god for their father now there's for their father now there's interchangeable terms here brothers and interchangeable terms here brothers and sisters sisters count the stars well look look at romans count the stars well look look at romans chapter 9 says we read in verses 7 and 8 neither because they are the seed of neither because they are the seed of abraham are they all children abraham are they all children but in isaac shall i seed be called but in isaac shall i seed be called that is that is and they which are the children of the and they which are the children of the flesh flesh these are not the children of god but these are not the children of god but the children of the promise the children of the promise are counted for the seed count the stars are counted for the seed count the stars counted for the seed counted for the seed and so the seed was to have a human and so the seed was to have a human father yes but they were ultimately to father yes but they were ultimately to have a divine destiny have a divine destiny and the child that was coming brothers and the child that was coming brothers and sisters would not only be the son of and sisters would not only be the son of abraham he'd be the son of god abraham he'd be the son of god now look at the interchangeable terms now look at the interchangeable terms here here in verse 7 look what it says in verse 7 look what it says neither because they are the seed of neither because they are the seed of abraham are they all children abraham are they all children now verse 8 now verse 8 that is that is they which are the children of the flesh they which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of these are not the children of god god so verse 7 talks about the children of so verse 7 talks about the children of abraham abraham and verse 8 talks about the children of and verse 8 talks about the children of god same people and that's what galatians 3 said ye are all the children of god by faith ye are all the children of god by faith in christ jesus and if you're christ's then you're abraham's children same then you're abraham's children same thing thing and the terms are interchangeable and the terms are interchangeable so we're the children of god and we're so we're the children of god and we're abraham's children exactly the same abraham's children exactly the same thing and we're going to see brothers thing and we're going to see brothers and sisters in genesis 17 where god was and sisters in genesis 17 where god was to make abraham a father like himself to make abraham a father like himself and that's a remarkable chapter when we and that's a remarkable chapter when we come to that and we'll see how that the come to that and we'll see how that the fatherhood of abraham became as it were fatherhood of abraham became as it were entangled with the fatherhood of god and entangled with the fatherhood of god and together together father of the of the heavens and our father of the of the heavens and our father the faithful working together to father the faithful working together to produce that seed brothers and sisters produce that seed brothers and sisters whose faith would be characteristic of whose faith would be characteristic of that of abraham it's wonderful how this that of abraham it's wonderful how this is done is done and so abraham is told and so abraham is told to come forth to come forth and to gaze upon that starry sky and to gaze upon that starry sky you know it's a poignant scene brothers you know it's a poignant scene brothers and sisters and sisters the apostle says in romans chapter four the apostle says in romans chapter four we won't turn to this we won't turn to this he said he diligently considered his own he said he diligently considered his own body now dead and he considered the body now dead and he considered the deadness of sarah's womb paul says that deadness of sarah's womb paul says that he says abraham diligently considered it he says abraham diligently considered it he thought deep about it he thought deep about it and that old man came out there brothers and that old man came out there brothers and sisters and sisters on that starry night on that starry night and you can imagine with with none of and you can imagine with with none of the city lights that we have to dim the the city lights that we have to dim the heavens heavens and the bolt of the heavens that night and the bolt of the heavens that night the velvet blackness of that and the the velvet blackness of that and the sparkling stars millions of them up sparkling stars millions of them up there there and he came abroad this old man he and he came abroad this old man he looked up there looked up there and he gave diligent consideration his and he gave diligent consideration his body body and although he of course was to have and although he of course was to have children later children later he then considered he then considered the deadness of sarah's womb and she never could have children beyond the time of life beyond the time of life and he gave that deep and diligent and he gave that deep and diligent consideration said the apostle and consideration said the apostle and believed god and god counted that to him for righteousness it says here in this righteousness it says here in this chapter in verse 6 he believed in the chapter in verse 6 he believed in the lord and he counted it to him for lord and he counted it to him for righteousness now i'm going to make a statement in it now brothers and sisters i want you to now brothers and sisters i want you to listen carefully listen carefully because i believe that when you see it because i believe that when you see it this way this way it makes all the difference this verse it makes all the difference this verse and this is the statement it's not so important so important to know to know that abraham believed that abraham believed what is important what is important is to know is to know what what he believed he believed now look at the importance of this now look at the importance of this so it's not the emphasis on the fact so it's not the emphasis on the fact that he believed that he believed but it's what he believed but it's what he believed now that's where the emphasis is and so now that's where the emphasis is and so we find in romans 4 galatians 3 james we find in romans 4 galatians 3 james chapter 2 this verse is quoted as a chapter 2 this verse is quoted as a monument of faith monument of faith absolute monument of faith absolute monument of faith and this man rose above the flesh to and this man rose above the flesh to believe this believe this and god said that's righteousness now and god said that's righteousness now what's righteousness what's righteousness well what did he believe well what did he believe he believed he believed a human a human impossibility and god counted his belief in a human in a human impossibility impossibility as righteousness see the point as righteousness see the point and so when paul expounds this in romans and so when paul expounds this in romans chapter four in particular chapter four in particular he sets forth the righteousness of faith he sets forth the righteousness of faith and the righteousness of faith brothers and the righteousness of faith brothers and sisters is a belief in something and sisters is a belief in something that we can't do that we can't do so it's important to know the character so it's important to know the character of what he believed of what he believed now in order to illustrate this listen now in order to illustrate this listen to the apostle listen to him to the apostle listen to him paul says now look paul says now look it was not imputed unto him only he says it was not imputed unto him only he says but it shall be this was not written for but it shall be this was not written for his sake alone he says that it was his sake alone he says that it was imputed unto him imputed unto him but unto us to whom it shall be imputed but unto us to whom it shall be imputed if we believe what that god raised jesus our lord from the dead can you raise the dead dead can you raise the dead i can't and we've got to have a belief brothers and sisters in what is absolutely and sisters in what is absolutely impossible with us impossible with us so it was not written for his sake alone so it was not written for his sake alone says pauline in romans 4 verse 22 it says pauline in romans 4 verse 22 it wasn't written but unto us unto whom it wasn't written but unto us unto whom it shall be computed if we believe this shall be computed if we believe this that god could raise a dead body that god could raise a dead body now it's all very well to say that our now it's all very well to say that our doctrines the statement of faith says we doctrines the statement of faith says we believe in the resurrection of the dead believe in the resurrection of the dead it's a fundamental of our faith and the it's a fundamental of our faith and the bible is full of it so we can prove it but as you grow older brothers and sisters and the aches and pains come and the memory fades and the memory fades and solomon paints his picture in and solomon paints his picture in ecclesiastes 12 of the golden bowl that ecclesiastes 12 of the golden bowl that is broken of the silver thread and the is broken of the silver thread and the chain chain that fails that fails the grinders the grinders are grinding low really believe that god can actually raise a dead body that god can actually raise a dead body there's no way in the world we can do there's no way in the world we can do that that and when we believe that brothers and and when we believe that brothers and sisters god counts that sisters god counts that unto us for righteousness something we unto us for righteousness something we can't do ourselves that's the incredible can't do ourselves that's the incredible faith of abraham faith of abraham now i want to show you now i want to show you romans chapter 9 again and i want you to turn up romans chapter 9 and i want you to turn up with the 9 and i want you to turn up with the other hand isaiah 51 and paul builds upon this wonderful doctrine of the righteousness of faith 9 rather romans 9 and isaiah 51. rather romans 9 and isaiah 51. come to romans 9 first so paul has this to say and here's the case brothers and sisters where paul case brothers and sisters where paul doesn't quote the bible doesn't quote the bible here's a case where paul actually here's a case where paul actually paraphrases it paraphrases it it's a simple paraphrase it's a simple paraphrase so in isaiah 9 and verse 30 he said what so in isaiah 9 and verse 30 he said what shall we say then shall we say then that the gentiles which that the gentiles which followed not after righteousness have followed not after righteousness have attained to righteousness attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith even the righteousness which is of faith but israel which followed after the law but israel which followed after the law of righteousness have not attained to of righteousness have not attained to the law of righteousness why the law of righteousness why it's an incredible thing the gentiles it's an incredible thing the gentiles were not following after it were not following after it and they found it and they found it and here's the jew and here's the jew following following diligently the law of righteousness and diligently the law of righteousness and he can't find it paul says why one's not looking for it and found it the other one's looking diligently for the other one's looking diligently for it and can't find it why because the jew was looking in the wrong direction direction he was following after the law of he was following after the law of righteousness but the gentile found the righteousness but the gentile found the righteousness of faith see verse 32 why righteousness of faith see verse 32 why because they sought it not by faith but because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law now as it were by the works of the law now brothers and sisters that's isaiah 51 brothers and sisters that's isaiah 51 keep your hand in romans we'll come back keep your hand in romans we'll come back here in a minute look what isaiah 51 here in a minute look what isaiah 51 says verse 1 hearken to me hearken to me ye that ye that follow after righteousness follow after righteousness so there it is so there it is ye that seek the lord well how are we ye that seek the lord well how are we going to find it going to find it look under the rock from whence you're look under the rock from whence you're hewn and the whole of the pit from hewn and the whole of the pit from whence you dig look unto abraham now whence you dig look unto abraham now look at that brothers and sisters look at that brothers and sisters so the jew was looking in the wrong so the jew was looking in the wrong direction he was looking in the law direction he was looking in the law and the righteousness of god was only and the righteousness of god was only prefigured and typified in the law it prefigured and typified in the law it wasn't there in reality wasn't there in reality it was in faith in abraham's life and if it was in faith in abraham's life and if we were to take that literally if we we were to take that literally if we were to take isaiah's advice literally were to take isaiah's advice literally and say you're looking for righteousness and say you're looking for righteousness following alfred look under abram say we following alfred look under abram say we took that literally we got a concordance took that literally we got a concordance out we think all right righteousness out we think all right righteousness isn't abraham's life we'll find it there isn't abraham's life we'll find it there so we turn up the record from genesis 11 so we turn up the record from genesis 11 right through to chapter 26 to 27 of right through to chapter 26 to 27 of abraham's life abraham's life and lo and behold and lo and behold we find the word righteousness we find the word righteousness once once so we don't look very far in genesis 15 he counted him for righteousness he counted him for righteousness oh oh and now we've found out and now we've found out that righteousness is something that righteousness is something we can't do and the jew thought it was something he could do could do and that's why the gentile when the and that's why the gentile when the offer was made to them recognized it offer was made to them recognized it they recognized they recognized their lowly position they were dragged their lowly position they were dragged from the gutters of humanity and they from the gutters of humanity and they accepted god's offer of righteousness accepted god's offer of righteousness the jew was searching through the law is the jew was searching through the law is what he could do to work his way to god what he could do to work his way to god and so paul says they being ignorant of and so paul says they being ignorant of god's righteousness god's righteousness and going about to establish their own and going about to establish their own righteousness have not righteousness have not submitted themselves to the submitted themselves to the righteousness of god and isaiah 51 and righteousness of god and isaiah 51 and verse 4 says listen israel hearken unto verse 4 says listen israel hearken unto me my people give me unto you me my people give me unto you oh my nation for a law shall proceed oh my nation for a law shall proceed from me look look at the direction it's from me look look at the direction it's going it wasn't the jew working his way going it wasn't the jew working his way to god it says god says it's coming this to god it says god says it's coming this way it's me working towards you way it's me working towards you and then he says in verse 5 my and then he says in verse 5 my righteousness is near righteousness is near my salvation has gone forth my salvation has gone forth and they were not submitting to it and they were not submitting to it but being ignorant of god's but being ignorant of god's righteousness and going about to righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness they establish their own righteousness they were going in the wrong direction were going in the wrong direction look under abraham he says and there look under abraham he says and there we've seen that brothers and sisters a we've seen that brothers and sisters a belief in the humanly impossible wonderful chapter of scripture this is they're all wonderful in the life of they're all wonderful in the life of abraham abraham there are monumental principles here there are monumental principles here taken up in the new testament by the taken up in the new testament by the apostle apostle but now you see but now you see in verses 7 and 8 in verses 7 and 8 and god said unto him i am the lord that and god said unto him i am the lord that brought thee out of earth the caldees to brought thee out of earth the caldees to give thee this land to inherit it give thee this land to inherit it but abraham's got a problem but abraham's got a problem and he said lord god whereby shall i and he said lord god whereby shall i know that i shall inherit it now know that i shall inherit it now brothers and sisters let's get this in brothers and sisters let's get this in context there's no way in the world that context there's no way in the world that verse 8 is a doubt verse 8 is a doubt because verse 6 just says was a because verse 6 just says was a monumental peak of abraham's faith here monumental peak of abraham's faith here so he's not now doubting it so he's not now doubting it the apostle would never have quoted that the apostle would never have quoted that paul twice and james once had this verse paul twice and james once had this verse 8 been a doubt 8 been a doubt abraham's problem is abraham's problem is i'm model i'm model you tell me that i'm going to inherit you tell me that i'm going to inherit this land forever i believe what you've this land forever i believe what you've said about the seed i know that you will said about the seed i know that you will do it i can't do it but i believe you do it i can't do it but i believe you will do it but god will do it but god how are you going to deal with me how are you going to deal with me on dustin ashes how am i going to have on dustin ashes how am i going to have this mortal body changed what's going to this mortal body changed what's going to happen happen that was his question that was his question i'll show you that in a minute i'll show you that in a minute and god said to him and god said to him take a sacrifice take a sacrifice and now abraham has shown how it's all and now abraham has shown how it's all going to be done going to be done and he took a hepa of three years old a and he took a hepa of three years old a she-go a ram and a turtle dove and a she-go a ram and a turtle dove and a young pigeon young pigeon and you know brothers and sisters the and you know brothers and sisters the law of moses sprang out of the record of law of moses sprang out of the record of genesis and extrapolated these genesis and extrapolated these principles in in the legislation of the principles in in the legislation of the law much of the law is rooted in the law much of the law is rooted in the life of the patriarchs life of the patriarchs and we look at those animals hey what and we look at those animals hey what was the point being made and when you go was the point being made and when you go through all the offerings the sin through all the offerings the sin offering the birthing the peace offering offering the birthing the peace offering the trespass offering and you run down the trespass offering and you run down through all the long schedules that were through all the long schedules that were given what do you find you find that given what do you find you find that those animals mentioned are scattered those animals mentioned are scattered through all those offerings they're through all those offerings they're scattered through the whole lot of them scattered through the whole lot of them but when you sort them out there's one but when you sort them out there's one thing they got in common thing they got in common here it is the heifer the red heifer was for the removal of mortality that's abraham's removal of mortality that's abraham's problem problem the she-goat was it was a sin offering the she-goat was it was a sin offering for a commoner for a commoner the ram was used for the trespass the ram was used for the trespass offering offering and the turtledoves and pigeons for the and the turtledoves and pigeons for the sin offerings for the poor the only sin offerings for the poor the only thing they all had in common scattered thing they all had in common scattered throughout that law was to do with sin throughout that law was to do with sin and that's abraham's problem and that's abraham's problem and forgiveness of sins is the essential and forgiveness of sins is the essential element of the abrahamic covenant element of the abrahamic covenant but this is the covenant said jeremiah but this is the covenant said jeremiah that i will make with him in those days that i will make with him in those days set the lord set the lord not like the covenant i made with them not like the covenant i made with them in the land of egypt though i was a in the land of egypt though i was a father unto them but this is the father unto them but this is the covenant that i will make in those days covenant that i will make in those days i will put my law in their hearts and in i will put my law in their hearts and in their minds and their sins and their minds and their sins and iniquities i will remember no more iniquities i will remember no more and so the new covenant brothers and and so the new covenant brothers and sisters was guaranteed by the sisters was guaranteed by the forgiveness of sins and that's the forgiveness of sins and that's the barrier that abraham was worried about barrier that abraham was worried about sin brought death how could god handle sin brought death how could god handle that god says i've got it under control that god says i've got it under control and so peter says and so peter says in speaking to the jewish people he says in speaking to the jewish people he says you are the children of the covenant you are the children of the covenant which god made with abraham which god made with abraham he's sending his son first unto you he's sending his son first unto you to bless you to bless you in turning in turning every one of you away from your every one of you away from your iniquities acts chapter 3 of verses 25 iniquities acts chapter 3 of verses 25 and 26 and so peter saw the quintessence and 26 and so peter saw the quintessence of the promises as being of the promises as being not just simply forgiveness did you not just simply forgiveness did you notice notice but such forgiveness but such forgiveness that we would turn away from our that we would turn away from our iniquities there would be a moral iniquities there would be a moral imperative force imperative force in those promises with the grace of god in those promises with the grace of god that was given unto us that was given unto us now just to illustrate my point now just to illustrate my point about how the law about how the law extrapolated these principles the first extrapolated these principles the first animal animal abraham was told to take was a hepa abraham was told to take was a hepa and here is the foundation of that and here is the foundation of that sacrifice of the red heifer of which we sacrifice of the red heifer of which we spoke about last night the only one that spoke about last night the only one that can remove mortality can remove mortality the only one that was made outside the the only one that was made outside the law entirely law entirely and the only one and the only one that could be used more than once a that could be used more than once a unique offering and that's the first unique offering and that's the first animal mentioned now was that is that animal mentioned now was that is that linked through the law with abraham linked through the law with abraham i want to invite your close attention to i want to invite your close attention to paul's exposition of this in hebrews 9. paul's exposition of this in hebrews 9. just have a look at this and brethren sisters remember what we said last night about remember what we said last night about bible echoes bible echoes now the echo of the bible is heard now the echo of the bible is heard well you're going to hear three of them well you're going to hear three of them loud and clear loud and clear abraham's problem was mortality god how abraham's problem was mortality god how are you going to handle the problem of are you going to handle the problem of sin and mortality and so the heifer is taken and here's the exposition of the red heifer the exposition of the red heifer verse 13. verse 13. or if the blood of bulls and the goats or if the blood of bulls and the goats and the ashes of a heifer and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifier to the sprinkling the unclean sanctifier to the purifying of the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of flesh how much more shall the blood of christ who through an eternal spirit christ who through an eternal spirit offered himself without spot to god offered himself without spot to god purge your conscience from dead works to purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living god now listen to the serve the living god now listen to the next verse and listen to three glorious next verse and listen to three glorious echoes echoes and for this cause he is the mediator of and for this cause he is the mediator of the new covenant the new covenant that by means of death for the that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant and here were under the first covenant and here they come they come the day which are called the day which are called might receive the promise might receive the promise of eternal inheritance that's all of eternal inheritance that's all straight out of genesis 15 straight out of genesis 15 the day which are called might receive the day which are called might receive the promise the promise of eternal inheritance lord god whereby of eternal inheritance lord god whereby shall i know shall i know and the surety of that brothers and and the surety of that brothers and sisters was the death of the lord jesus sisters was the death of the lord jesus christ which not only was to forgive the christ which not only was to forgive the sins of his contemporaries and those who sins of his contemporaries and those who would live after him it reached back would live after him it reached back it reached way back over the annals of it reached way back over the annals of history and it gathered up right back to history and it gathered up right back to abel it gathered up all the faithful was looking forward to this great sacrifice and abraham rejoiced to see my sacrifice and abraham rejoiced to see my day said the lord and saul was glad his day said the lord and saul was glad his faith developed right through the faith developed right through the offering of isaac and he knew now what offering of isaac and he knew now what god was going to do god was going to do and so that by means of death for the and so that by means of death for the redemption of those people who died redemption of those people who died under the first covenant which couldn't under the first covenant which couldn't save them save them they which are called they which are called might receive the promise might receive the promise of eternal inheritance three glorious of eternal inheritance three glorious echoes of abraham's life right in the echoes of abraham's life right in the context of the red heifer and mortality context of the red heifer and mortality and that's abraham's problem and that's abraham's problem isn't that magnificent isn't that magnificent and so how the law of moses picked that and so how the law of moses picked that up up and just developed that right through and just developed that right through that way and paul just picking it up that way and paul just picking it up again brothers and sisters and joining again brothers and sisters and joining the two of them together with those the two of them together with those echoes to show that here is the solution echoes to show that here is the solution to abraham's problem and your problem my to abraham's problem and your problem my problem problem but the promise is sure to all the seed but the promise is sure to all the seed because jesus has come and has died for because jesus has come and has died for our sins that we might live again that's our sins that we might live again that's the whole question brothers and sisters the whole question brothers and sisters now we come back now we come back to genesis 15. and god is going to put abraham into a symbolic symbolic time frame and verse 10 of genesis 15 he took unto him all these and divided them in the him all these and divided them in the midst and laid each piece one against midst and laid each piece one against another but the birds divide he did not another but the birds divide he did not so abraham divided the offerings so abraham divided the offerings brothers and sisters brothers and sisters and now the idea of that as we learned and now the idea of that as we learned from jeremiah 34 verses 18 and 19 was from jeremiah 34 verses 18 and 19 was that when men made a covenant that when men made a covenant they used to pass between the pieces they used to pass between the pieces they would swear to one another that they would swear to one another that they would keep the terms of the they would keep the terms of the covenant between them covenant between them and they would cut up the animal and and they would cut up the animal and each party would walk between the pieces each party would walk between the pieces jeremiah 34 verses and 18 and 19 jeremiah 34 verses and 18 and 19 mentions that custom mentions that custom abraham i do not believe ever pass abraham i do not believe ever pass through those pieces through those pieces what he did what he did was to divide the animals up was to divide the animals up and verse 11 says that as the fouls came and verse 11 says that as the fouls came down the vultures came down to feed upon down the vultures came down to feed upon the carcass he he shoot him away he kept the carcass he he shoot him away he kept him away all he could do was to preserve him away all he could do was to preserve the offering he couldn't do anything the offering he couldn't do anything about it else and then god put him in about it else and then god put him in verse 12 into a horror of great darkness verse 12 into a horror of great darkness a horror of great darkness a horror of great darkness he fell into the article symbolically of he fell into the article symbolically of death that's why jesus said when god spake abraham when he was dead he said god is not the god of the dead but of the living but of the living because he said i am not i was i am the because he said i am not i was i am the god of abraham the god of isaac and the god of abraham the god of isaac and the god of jacob and when he said that in god of jacob and when he said that in exodus abraham and i said jacob were exodus abraham and i said jacob were dead dead he didn't say i was he said i am he didn't say i was he said i am he's not the god of the dead of the he's not the god of the dead of the living and here he's talking to a living and here he's talking to a symbolic dead man counting that he was alive brothers and sisters which he really was but in sisters which he really was but in symbolically he's dead and god speaking symbolically he's dead and god speaking to him and in that horror of great to him and in that horror of great darkness the king of terrors has come darkness the king of terrors has come upon him and yet god is telling him that upon him and yet god is telling him that abraham when you sleep in the dust of abraham when you sleep in the dust of the earth the earth this is the history of your seed this is the history of your seed martha isn't it the way this is done martha isn't it the way this is done and he said to abram know over surely and he said to abram know over surely that thy seed should be a stranger in that thy seed should be a stranger in the land that is not theirs and shall the land that is not theirs and shall serve them and they shall afflict them serve them and they shall afflict them 400 years this is their stay in egypt 400 years this is their stay in egypt and also that nation whom they shall and also that nation whom they shall serve will i judge and afterward serve will i judge and afterward shall they come out with great substance shall they come out with great substance and thou shalt go to thy fathers in and thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace thou shalt be buried in a good old peace thou shalt be buried in a good old age age but in the fourth generation they shall but in the fourth generation they shall come hither again come hither again or or the iniquity of the amorites is not yet the iniquity of the amorites is not yet full full isn't that incredible need you to note something here's a man of whom it had just been here's a man of whom it had just been said said that god counted his faith for that god counted his faith for righteousness righteousness but when the man falls into a deep sleep but when the man falls into a deep sleep brothers and sisters in the horror great brothers and sisters in the horror great darkness and god speaks the history of darkness and god speaks the history of his seed his seed the climatic point the climatic point which is going to come which is going to come when that seed being developed in egypt when that seed being developed in egypt would come into the land to which it was would come into the land to which it was promised to abraham promised to abraham the climatic point the climatic point was not their righteousness but the was not their righteousness but the iniquity of the amorites note iniquity of the amorites note that that so there's no claim brothers and sisters so there's no claim brothers and sisters upon the rewards of god upon the rewards of god not even to a man of whom it had been not even to a man of whom it had been said said encountered him for righteousness encountered him for righteousness the climatic point came in the sins of the climatic point came in the sins of other people other people and when they had reached their fullness and when they had reached their fullness of their iniquity then abraham's seed of their iniquity then abraham's seed took the land now is that the right took the land now is that the right interpretation of that is that how you interpretation of that is that how you should read that have a look at the should read that have a look at the ninth chapter of deuteronomy brothers ninth chapter of deuteronomy brothers and sisters just have a look what moses and sisters just have a look what moses said and notice the emphasis that moses puts on this understand therefore this day that the lord thy god is he which goeth that the lord thy god is he which goeth over before thee as a consuming fire he over before thee as a consuming fire he shall destroy them and he shall bring shall destroy them and he shall bring them down before thy face so thou shalt them down before thy face so thou shalt drive them out and destroy them quickly drive them out and destroy them quickly as the lord has said unto thee speak not as the lord has said unto thee speak not thou in thine heart after the lord thy thou in thine heart after the lord thy god hath cast them out from before thee god hath cast them out from before thee saying for my righteousness the lord saying for my righteousness the lord hath brought me in to possess this land hath brought me in to possess this land but for the wickedness of these nations but for the wickedness of these nations the lord doth drive them out for before the lord doth drive them out for before them them not for thy righteousness not for thy righteousness or for the uprightness of thine heart or for the uprightness of thine heart thus though go to possess their land but thus though go to possess their land but for the wickedness of these nations the for the wickedness of these nations the lord thy god doth drive them out from lord thy god doth drive them out from before thee and that he may perform before thee and that he may perform perform the word perform the word which the lord swear unto thy father which the lord swear unto thy father abraham isaac and jacob abraham isaac and jacob the iniquity of the amorites is not yet the iniquity of the amorites is not yet for brothers and sisters the lord jesus christ is coming back to the earth christ is coming back to the earth he is not coming back he is not coming back for the specific purpose to save us he's not coming back for that specific purpose purpose he's coming back to judge the world in he's coming back to judge the world in righteousness righteousness and the climatic point that's going to and the climatic point that's going to bring him into the earth bring him into the earth is the same climatic point that sent him is the same climatic point that sent him to the cross to the cross and when he went to the cross to save and when he went to the cross to save the world the world he wasn't waiting for men to be he wasn't waiting for men to be righteous righteous he told them he told israel he told them he told israel fill up the measure of your fathers fill up the measure of your fathers and isaiah rather daniel had prophesied and isaiah rather daniel had prophesied in chapter eight that when the fourth in chapter eight that when the fourth beast would come and destroy the jewish beast would come and destroy the jewish people and destroy the temple and and people and destroy the temple and and magnify himself against the prince of magnify himself against the prince of the host daniel said it's when the the host daniel said it's when the transgressors are come to the full transgressors are come to the full and the lord is coming back because the and the lord is coming back because the days of lot are fulfilling and the days days of lot are fulfilling and the days of nara fulfilling and he's coming back of nara fulfilling and he's coming back brothers and sisters to judge this world brothers and sisters to judge this world and he's not coming back to specifically and he's not coming back to specifically save us because we're righteous save us because we're righteous now that is a clear message and even now that is a clear message and even when abraham was given the specific when abraham was given the specific promise that sarah would have that child promise that sarah would have that child the angels came down not for that p the angels came down not for that p purpose they came down for the purpose purpose they came down for the purpose of seeing that the wickedness of sodom of seeing that the wickedness of sodom was so great and they passed by abraham was so great and they passed by abraham and almost as an afterthought they and almost as an afterthought they turned around and said god said i better turned around and said god said i better tell abraham what i'm going to do doesn't that put us in our place and moses reminded them of that don't and moses reminded them of that don't ever forget he said ever forget he said but the climatic point has nothing to do but the climatic point has nothing to do with your righteousness god doesn't wait with your righteousness god doesn't wait for people to become righteous he'd wait for people to become righteous he'd wait forever but he doesn't have to wait too long or iniquity to reach its climatic point or iniquity to reach its climatic point and that's what abraham was told in a and that's what abraham was told in a horror of great darkness horror of great darkness when god encountered it to him for when god encountered it to him for righteousness but it was something that righteousness but it was something that he couldn't do he couldn't do it was the grace of god brothers and it was the grace of god brothers and sisters sisters peter says the righteous shall scarcely peter says the righteous shall scarcely be saved be saved and we will see in that day that the the and we will see in that day that the the real issue real issue is the glory of god that will flood this is the glory of god that will flood this earth earth the manifestation of his power among men the manifestation of his power among men that they might stand in all of him that they might stand in all of him and we brothers and sisters will and we brothers and sisters will scarcely be saved scarcely be saved and we need to understand that and we need to understand that and so abraham then he saw the sun go and so abraham then he saw the sun go down coming back to genesis 15 and it says and it came to pass in verse 17 that when the sun went down and it 17 that when the sun went down and it was dark was dark so the time came for the for the for the so the time came for the for the for the covenant to be made a covenant by covenant to be made a covenant by sacrifice sacrifice and when judas went out brothers and and when judas went out brothers and sisters to betray our lord john says and sisters to betray our lord john says and it was night and at the darkest hour and it was night hour and it was night he went out he went out to betray his lord to death to betray his lord to death well it came to pass when the sun went well it came to pass when the sun went down and it was dark down and it was dark behold a smoking furnace and a burning behold a smoking furnace and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces so lamp that passed between those pieces so abraham in this in the symbolic death abraham in this in the symbolic death can do nothing about it he's inert can do nothing about it he's inert he's he's all but dead and he's watching he's he's all but dead and he's watching this this and he sees this lamp this flickering and he sees this lamp this flickering lamp lamp goes through the pieces goes through the pieces and that's the lord jesus christ and that's the lord jesus christ and in the lord jesus christ god was in and in the lord jesus christ god was in christ reconciling the world unto christ reconciling the world unto himself and god passed through the himself and god passed through the pieces in the person of his son pieces in the person of his son and because abraham looked forward and and because abraham looked forward and rejoiced to see christ die abraham was rejoiced to see christ die abraham was involved in the coming of messiah and he involved in the coming of messiah and he was it were as it were by faith immersed was it were as it were by faith immersed into him into him and abraham was represented there as and abraham was represented there as well well and the two parties in the one man pass and the two parties in the one man pass between those pieces now look at hebrews between those pieces now look at hebrews chapter six look at paul's exposition of this wonderful exposition of it for when god made promise to abraham because he could swear by no greater he because he could swear by no greater he swore by himself saying surely blessing swore by himself saying surely blessing i will bless thee and multiplying i will i will bless thee and multiplying i will multiply thee multiply thee and so after he had patiently endured he and so after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise obtained the promise for men verily swear by the greater and for men verily swear by the greater and an oath for confirmation is to them an an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife wherein god willing end of all strife wherein god willing more abundantly to the show under the more abundantly to the show under the heirs of the promised the immutability heirs of the promised the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath of his counsel confirmed it by an oath now in my bible now in my bible the word confirmed has got a little the word confirmed has got a little number alongside of it number alongside of it and it tells me that the greek and it tells me that the greek really means really means put himself between by an oath put himself between by an oath interposed interposed put himself between buy a note now work put himself between buy a note now work it out it out there's the pieces of the offering there's the pieces of the offering and here's your burning lamp going and here's your burning lamp going between and god is putting himself in between and god is putting himself in between now where's the oath whereby he between now where's the oath whereby he put himself in between put himself in between the lord has sworn the lord has sworn and will not repent and will not repent thou art a priest forever after the thou art a priest forever after the order of melchizedek and god swore the order of melchizedek and god swore the priesthood in with the oath priesthood in with the oath and the priesthood is that which goes and the priesthood is that which goes between between and so he put himself between with that and so he put himself between with that oath and god never swears an oath oath and god never swears an oath on any other occasion except when it's on any other occasion except when it's got to do with eternal matters you will got to do with eternal matters you will never find an oath of god in relation to never find an oath of god in relation to anything temple it doesn't exist anything temple it doesn't exist and when he says the lord has sworn and when he says the lord has sworn he interposed himself and there was the he interposed himself and there was the certainty of the coming of the son of certainty of the coming of the son of god as the great high priest of our god as the great high priest of our profession after the order of profession after the order of melchizedek and he walked between god melchizedek and he walked between god and men and men and god was in him and god was in him and we relate to him brothers and and we relate to him brothers and sisters sisters and we'll come out of the horror of and we'll come out of the horror of great darkness great darkness and we'll inherit the kingdom not for and we'll inherit the kingdom not for our righteousness or for any good deeds our righteousness or for any good deeds that we may have done that we may have done but we will be most thankful that we but we will be most thankful that we won't be swallowed up in the holocaust won't be swallowed up in the holocaust which will obliterate the wicked from which will obliterate the wicked from the earth and by the grace and mercy of the earth and by the grace and mercy of god we will stand before him saved by god we will stand before him saved by god's grace because righteousness had god's grace because righteousness had been counted unto us because we didn't been counted unto us because we didn't believe we could do it ourselves that's believe we could do it ourselves that's abraham's faith abraham's faith that's the quality of it brothers and that's the quality of it brothers and sisters and that's the humility of it sisters and that's the humility of it and we need never to forget that and we need never to forget that now i've just got enough time to deal now i've just got enough time to deal with the last few verses of hebrews with the last few verses of hebrews chapter brother of genesis 15. and here in genesis 15 it says in the same day verse 18 the lord made a same day verse 18 the lord made a covenant with abram saying under thy covenant with abram saying under thy seed have i given this land from the seed have i given this land from the river of egypt under the great river river of egypt under the great river euphrates now brothers and sisters paul euphrates now brothers and sisters paul says in romans 4 that abraham was says in romans 4 that abraham was promised the world promised the world how did he know that how did he know that well we deduce it we say well if the well we deduce it we say well if the land is going to be given to abraham land is going to be given to abraham that's the center of the kingdom and so that's the center of the kingdom and so because of the center of the kingdom because of the center of the kingdom which will then radiate out from the which will then radiate out from the confines of the world in that sense god confines of the world in that sense god promised him the world but he promised promised him the world but he promised him the world from the river of egypt to the great river euphrates was the then known world river euphrates was the then known world now all you've got to do don't turn this now all you've got to do don't turn this up but you look at isaiah chapter 19. up but you look at isaiah chapter 19. he speaks of from syria to egypt and he speaks of from syria to egypt and israel in the middle with the then known israel in the middle with the then known world world that was all they knew that was all they knew and it's twice in isaiah's prophecy i and it's twice in isaiah's prophecy i think it's 23 the other one but think it's 23 the other one but certainly in chapter 19 he talks about certainly in chapter 19 he talks about assyria he talks about egypt and israel assyria he talks about egypt and israel being a third three-thirds of the world being a third three-thirds of the world and abraham was promised the world and abraham was promised the world now when you look down through those now when you look down through those nations nations there are 10 of them there are 10 of them and 10 is the aggregate number and 10 is the aggregate number laban changed jacob's wages 10 times laban changed jacob's wages 10 times in the siege of jerusalem leviticus 26 in the siege of jerusalem leviticus 26 says 10 women shall bake bread in one says 10 women shall bake bread in one oven oven daniel's wisdom was ten times better daniel's wisdom was ten times better than magicians than magicians but there were ten virgins in the but there were ten virgins in the parable parable and in zechariah 10 men out of all the and in zechariah 10 men out of all the languages of the nation shall take out languages of the nation shall take out of a skirt of him that is a jew that's of a skirt of him that is a jew that's the world the world 10 is the aggregate number the first nation mentioned are the descendants of jethro the are the descendants of jethro the father-in-law of moses whose son father-in-law of moses whose son went with moses and became an integral went with moses and became an integral part of the commonwealth of israel part of the commonwealth of israel hobart his son hobart his son and continued with israel right until and continued with israel right until the captivity in babylon and when the captivity in babylon and when nebuchadnezzar was hammering upon the nebuchadnezzar was hammering upon the walls of jerusalem walls of jerusalem when israel were deep in iniquity and when israel were deep in iniquity and jeremiah was told to run through the jeremiah was told to run through the streets and find me one righteous man streets and find me one righteous man there was only one family holding the there was only one family holding the truth and it was the family of jethro truth and it was the family of jethro and this little group of gentiles who and this little group of gentiles who had been adopted into the house of of had been adopted into the house of of israel were standing firm and fast and israel were standing firm and fast and jeremiah paraded them before israel and jeremiah paraded them before israel and said look at these said look at these and that's the first nation mentioned and that's the first nation mentioned here here and the second nation mentioned is where and the second nation mentioned is where caleb came from the dog they're the first two nations mentioned here mentioned here the kenneth the the the kenites and the the kenneth the the the kenites and the kennezites the kenites came from death kennezites the kenites came from death row and hobarb and kent the kenneth was row and hobarb and kent the kenneth was where caleb came from they're the first where caleb came from they're the first two that's mentioned two that's mentioned and the last one is the jebusites and they were the people occupied and they were the people occupied jerusalem jerusalem and their name means and their name means trodden down trodden down and jesus said jerusalem shall be and jesus said jerusalem shall be trodden down trodden down until the times of the gentiles be until the times of the gentiles be fulfilled fulfilled and so abraham was promised the world and so abraham was promised the world and the day is coming when jerusalem and the day is coming when jerusalem shall no longer be trodden down

Transcript

brother martin's classes this week have been on the subject abraham father of been on the subject abraham father of the faithful the faithful today's class is entitled today's class is entitled a father of many nations a father of many nations good morning my dear brothers and good morning my dear brothers and sisters and our lord jesus christ sisters and our lord jesus christ right brothers and sisters now the life right brothers and sisters now the life of abraham takes a very interesting turn of abraham takes a very interesting turn indeed believe me indeed believe me because what we're going to see brothers because what we're going to see brothers and sisters is the spotlight is going and sisters is the spotlight is going now to fall upon sarah now to fall upon sarah and the seed of the woman and the seed of the woman is about to come into the world is about to come into the world and this wonderful promise of the seed and this wonderful promise of the seed is about to be fulfilled in a remarkable is about to be fulfilled in a remarkable fashion and abraham now is educated to fashion and abraham now is educated to that end now brothers and sisters the that end now brothers and sisters the scene had been set for this drama scene had been set for this drama because of the disaster of the because of the disaster of the experiment with hagar we haven't we're experiment with hagar we haven't we're not going to consider that in chapter 16 not going to consider that in chapter 16 but we know what happened but we know what happened that there was an experiment whereby that there was an experiment whereby sarah felt that through her handmaid and sarah felt that through her handmaid and hagar they could have this seed hagar they could have this seed but it's the apostle paul who says in but it's the apostle paul who says in hebrews 11 hebrews 11 by faith by faith sarah herself sarah herself and there's the word sarah herself and there's the word sarah herself conceived see conceived see and it had she had to come to realize and it had she had to come to realize that that seed was to come through her that that seed was to come through her and so this morning we're going to and so this morning we're going to concentrate on genesis 17 concentrate on genesis 17 in this dialogue between the father and in this dialogue between the father and the heavens and he's going to make a the heavens and he's going to make a father on the earth father on the earth and this is a wonderful chapter of and this is a wonderful chapter of scripture scripture now genesis 17 opens up with the fact now genesis 17 opens up with the fact that abraham was 99 years of age it now that abraham was 99 years of age it now once but one year brothers and sisters once but one year brothers and sisters before this faith before his faith is before this faith before his faith is going to see that child in the world going to see that child in the world and the apostle paul commenting upon and the apostle paul commenting upon this chapter says that he staggered not this chapter says that he staggered not in unbelief in unbelief he believed that god would produce that he believed that god would produce that seed seed thirteen years had passed since the thirteen years had passed since the birth of ishmael birth of ishmael thirteen years had gone and ishmael was thirteen years had gone and ishmael was in the world in the world abounding young lad in the earth and the abounding young lad in the earth and the great lesson had been learned that great lesson had been learned that that's not the child of the promise the that's not the child of the promise the essence of the promise that was given to essence of the promise that was given to abraham was god said i will come and abraham was god said i will come and sarah will have a sea sarah will have a sea now it's interesting as we read this now it's interesting as we read this chapter chapter that the lord appears to abraham that the lord appears to abraham and the lord there of course in capitals and the lord there of course in capitals is the divine name of yahweh is the divine name of yahweh but he doesn't reveal himself at this but he doesn't reveal himself at this time to abraham as yahweh you see that's time to abraham as yahweh you see that's what moses said in exodus 6 what moses said in exodus 6 by my name yahweh was i not known to by my name yahweh was i not known to abraham now brothers and sisters he was abraham now brothers and sisters he was known to abraham as yahweh this record known to abraham as yahweh this record here proves that here proves that but the point being made is this but the point being made is this it's not that name at this time that it's not that name at this time that that god is going to reveal himself to that god is going to reveal himself to abraham because he's not working through abraham because he's not working through that name the name he's working through that name the name he's working through is the is the next or not so much the is the is the next or not so much the name but the title is the next one name but the title is the next one almighty god almighty god now that's very interesting now that's very interesting you see because the hebrew there is ale you see because the hebrew there is ale shaddai ale is of course signifying the uncreate is of course signifying the uncreate the mighty power of the universe the mighty power of the universe the enormous power of god the enormous power of god now should i brothers and sisters and now should i brothers and sisters and this is intensely interesting and we this is intensely interesting and we won't be able to turn all these won't be able to turn all these references up but i want you to listen references up but i want you to listen carefully carefully today i we've been told in the today i we've been told in the concordance means either nourisher concordance means either nourisher or or destroyer destroyer now how could it mean those two now how could it mean those two things which seem so opposite things which seem so opposite well the fact of the matter is it comes well the fact of the matter is it comes from a word shad which means to bulge from a word shad which means to bulge like a muscle you see to bulge like a like a muscle you see to bulge like a muscle muscle and so he's a powerful destroyer but the same term brothers and sisters is used is used of the woman's breast and it's that term that is applicable to this situation this situation because what's about to happen because what's about to happen is that god is revealing himself to is that god is revealing himself to abraham abraham as a father about to have an infant as a father about to have an infant family now you watch this and as i say family now you watch this and as i say we won't turn these references up we won't turn these references up but that word is used through the but that word is used through the patriarchs with that sense patriarchs with that sense and so when god was to give these and so when god was to give these promises to the fathers promises to the fathers in the context where he says i will in the context where he says i will multiply your seed multiply your seed he did so through ale judai and that word shidayai is rendered over 20 20 times times in relation to the breast in relation to the breast of the nursing mother of the nursing mother and when and when jacob for example jacob for example was implored by his other sons to was implored by his other sons to finally send benjamin down into into finally send benjamin down into into egypt where joseph was and he didn't egypt where joseph was and he didn't want that to happen because he was want that to happen because he was absolutely petrified that he would lose absolutely petrified that he would lose his baby boy his baby boy he appealed to i'll should i be with you he appealed to i'll should i be with you because it was his little baby you see because it was his little baby you see and the title was used in that sense and the title was used in that sense that god was going to have an infant that god was going to have an infant family it's going to start here family it's going to start here and so it wasn't the divine name which and so it wasn't the divine name which applies to the grown-up nation when they applies to the grown-up nation when they came out of egypt when his son had come came out of egypt when his son had come to maturity here he is this ale should i to maturity here he is this ale should i working with the patriarchs to develop working with the patriarchs to develop that name now it's used in genesis 49. that name now it's used in genesis 49. see let's have a look at this one in see let's have a look at this one in genesis 49 look at the way it's used genesis 49 look at the way it's used here the title of bail should i referring of course to the young family being course to the young family being developed nursed by its mother but this not so much its mother now but by his father in the heavens who acting by his father in the heavens who acting like a nursing mother towards this like a nursing mother towards this family family and so we read in genesis 49 and verse and so we read in genesis 49 and verse 25 25 even by the ale of thy father who shall even by the ale of thy father who shall help thee help thee and by the should die i who shall bless and by the should die i who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above thee with blessings of heaven above blessings of the deep that life under blessings of the deep that life under blessings of the breasts and of the womb blessings of the breasts and of the womb see the way that title is see the way that title is used and so the young family is about to used and so the young family is about to come through abraham and the seed is come through abraham and the seed is about to be developed and the child is about to be developed and the child is about to be born and nursed into the about to be born and nursed into the world and you know brothers and sisters world and you know brothers and sisters that's even carried over into the new that's even carried over into the new testament testament when the apostle was appealing to the when the apostle was appealing to the corinthians to come out of the world corinthians to come out of the world he says come ye out and touch not the he says come ye out and touch not the unclean thing unclean thing and i will receive you says god and you and i will receive you says god and you shall be my children you shall be my son shall be my children you shall be my son and daughters seth and daughters seth the lord almighty the lord almighty and there it is in the new testament in and there it is in the new testament in exactly that context as god was exactly that context as god was developing these infants in corinth developing these infants in corinth who couldn't partake of the milk of the who couldn't partake of the milk of the word said the apostle word said the apostle rather than meat but they were in need rather than meat but they were in need of the milk of the word and he called of the milk of the word and he called them out and you shall be my sons and them out and you shall be my sons and daughters set the lord almighty daughters set the lord almighty so even that title in that sense is so even that title in that sense is carried over into the new testament carried over into the new testament that's fascinating that's fascinating now as this chapter in of chapter 17 now as this chapter in of chapter 17 develops we see how god is going to make develops we see how god is going to make abraham a father like himself and so he's told to walk before god and to be perfect and in verse 2 he says i will make my covenant between me and thee covenant between me and thee now the covenant had already been made now the covenant had already been made in chapter 15 but here the word means to in chapter 15 but here the word means to give i'm going to give you this covenant give i'm going to give you this covenant and there are three words used of that and there are three words used of that covenant god made it covenant god made it gave it gave it and then later on he's going to talk and then later on he's going to talk about making it rise about making it rise so he gave it so he gave it he's making it and he's going to make it he's making it and he's going to make it rise with abraham he's going to develop rise with abraham he's going to develop that covenant through the birth of this that covenant through the birth of this seed seed now brothers and sisters here's a now brothers and sisters here's a wonderful thing you know wonderful thing you know keep your hand in genesis 17 and let's keep your hand in genesis 17 and let's come to romans chapter four and then come to romans chapter four and then we'll come back to genesis 17 and show we'll come back to genesis 17 and show you what the apostle is he is saying verse 16 therefore says paul it is of faith that therefore says paul it is of faith that it might be by grace it might be by grace to the end to the end that the promise might be sure to all that the promise might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the seed not to that only which is of the law but to that also which is of the the law but to that also which is of the faith of abraham who was the father of faith of abraham who was the father of us all us all you know jesus said call no man your you know jesus said call no man your father on the earth didn't he father on the earth didn't he how come abraham's got that title how come abraham's got that title you see you see but paul says this but paul says this as it is written i that is god have made as it is written i that is god have made thee a father of many nations thee a father of many nations so god made him a father so god made him a father an extraordinary father not a natural an extraordinary father not a natural father a father of many nations a man father a father of many nations a man could be a father of a multitude given could be a father of a multitude given enough time and enough wives but no man enough time and enough wives but no man can be the father of many nationalities can be the father of many nationalities naturally that's got to happen naturally that's got to happen spiritually and here's the point look at spiritually and here's the point look at those little words here those little words here before him whom he believed before him whom he believed before him whom he believed now in my before him whom he believed now in my bible in the margin it's got bible in the margin it's got like unto him whom he believed like unto him whom he believed and so god was to make abraham a father and so god was to make abraham a father like himself like himself now come back to genesis 17. now come back to genesis 17. now just have a look at this you read these words with me and let's pick them out five times this is said pick them out five times this is said five five the number of grace and that's what paul the number of grace and that's what paul says that it might be by grace says that it might be by grace grace that the promise might be sure to grace that the promise might be sure to all the seed that is if god's mercy is all the seed that is if god's mercy is with us we can be sure of our with us we can be sure of our inheritance because we can't be sure by inheritance because we can't be sure by law can we brothers and sisters if god law can we brothers and sisters if god made it by law we'd all fail made it by law we'd all fail but because it's by grace it's sure now but because it's by grace it's sure now just five times we've got this statement just five times we've got this statement in genesis 17 that abraham's going to be in genesis 17 that abraham's going to be made a father made a father like god like god now listen verse 2 i will make my now listen verse 2 i will make my covenant between covenant between me and thee me and thee verse 4 verse 4 as for me behold my covenant is with as for me behold my covenant is with thee thee verse 7 and i will establish my covenant verse 7 and i will establish my covenant between between me and thee me and thee verse 10 verse 10 this is my covenant which ye shall keep this is my covenant which ye shall keep between between me and you me and you and the end of verse 11 and the end of verse 11 we shall be a token of the covenant we shall be a token of the covenant between me and you between me and you look at that look at that you and me you and me me and you me and you like him like him whom he believed and so god took abraham whom he believed and so god took abraham into a little intimate relationship into a little intimate relationship where he shared with this man his divine where he shared with this man his divine fatherhood that's how abraham becomes fatherhood that's how abraham becomes the father of us all the father of us all because the children that abraham because the children that abraham produces are not natural children produces are not natural children just the same as god in heaven above just the same as god in heaven above is not procreating natural children but is not procreating natural children but spiritual children and he's sharing this spiritual children and he's sharing this with abraham you know what he did with abraham you know what he did he then changed his name and what did he he then changed his name and what did he do to change it he put the fifth letter do to change it he put the fifth letter of the hebrew alphabet in his name of the hebrew alphabet in his name and it's the main consonant and it's the main consonant of the yahweh of the yahweh name and there's the beginning of god name and there's the beginning of god surnaming himself upon the patriarchs surnaming himself upon the patriarchs the fifth letter of the hebrew alphabet the fifth letter of the hebrew alphabet is inserted in that name abram and now is inserted in that name abram and now he's abraham he's abraham and he's the father of many nations and he's the father of many nations and he's got the main consonant now of and he's got the main consonant now of god's own name between me and you you god's own name between me and you you and me five times and me five times like him like him whom he believed isn't that a wonderful whom he believed isn't that a wonderful comment of the apostle paul and so these comment of the apostle paul and so these children that are going to be developed children that are going to be developed from abraham from abraham are are spiritual children now have a look at spiritual children now have a look at isaiah keep isaiah keep genesis 17. have a look at isaiah 29 in isaiah 29 the prophet speaks of those children of the prophet speaks of those children of the of the patriarchs and how those children would be developed developed now they were ashamed of their natural now they were ashamed of their natural children children the patriarchs if they could have lived the patriarchs if they could have lived and seen the and seen the end result of their natural children end result of their natural children would have been ashamed of them would have been ashamed of them but here in general in isaiah 29 we read but here in general in isaiah 29 we read in verse 22 in verse 22 therefore thus saith the lord who therefore thus saith the lord who redeemed abraham redeemed abraham concerning the house of jacob concerning the house of jacob jacob shall not now be ashamed jacob shall not now be ashamed neither shall his face wax now wax pale neither shall his face wax now wax pale but when he seeth his children the work of my hands in the midst of him they shall sanctify in the midst of him they shall sanctify my name and sanctify the holy one of my name and sanctify the holy one of jacob and shall fear the god of israel jacob and shall fear the god of israel if abraham isaac and jacob are coming if abraham isaac and jacob are coming forth brothers and sisters to learn that forth brothers and sisters to learn that over the centuries of time their natural over the centuries of time their natural seed disgraced their name they're going seed disgraced their name they're going to be ashamed to be ashamed absolutely ashamed of their natural seed absolutely ashamed of their natural seed but they're going to be presented to a but they're going to be presented to a vast multitude vast multitude of whom they're going to be told that of whom they're going to be told that these people were developed in the earth these people were developed in the earth by their example by their example following their example of faith following their example of faith and we walked in the steps of that faith and we walked in the steps of that faith of our father abraham and we are his of our father abraham and we are his children characteristically children characteristically and they will not be ashamed and they will not be ashamed they will be proud of those children and they will be proud of those children and they will say well how are these so they will say well how are these so different because god will say they're different because god will say they're the work of my hand and the fatherhood of god and the fatherhood of abraham here is joined fatherhood of abraham here is joined together to develop that wonderful seed together to develop that wonderful seed it's a marvelous story it really is it's a marvelous story it really is and so we're coming back to genesis 17 and we read brothers and sisters in verse 5. in verse 5. neither shall i name neither shall i name any more be called abraham but thy name any more be called abraham but thy name shall be called abraham shall be called abraham or a father of many nations have i made or a father of many nations have i made thee now you know something in the 32nd chapter of deuteronomy in the 32nd chapter of deuteronomy you have the word rock used about nine you have the word rock used about nine times of god times of god and it says there in verse 18 of the and it says there in verse 18 of the 32nd chapter of deuteronomy of the rock 32nd chapter of deuteronomy of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindful that begat thee thou art unmindful so a rock so a rock begets children begets children and in isaiah 51 and in isaiah 51 the prophet says look unto the rock from the prophet says look unto the rock from wenchia hewn look under abraham wenchia hewn look under abraham and here's god and here's god and here's abraham and here's abraham as rocks producing children as rocks producing children now rocks can't have children there's no now rocks can't have children there's no natural life in rocks natural life in rocks the brethren sisters in certain rocks the brethren sisters in certain rocks they're full of character they're full of character men split them and polish them men split them and polish them and they gleam and they gleam with all the grains of the minerals with all the grains of the minerals the sediment that has been settled down the sediment that has been settled down into that hard brittle rock and it comes into that hard brittle rock and it comes up beautiful no natural life but full of up beautiful no natural life but full of character character and both god and abraham are likened to and both god and abraham are likened to rock like fathers god is able of these rock like fathers god is able of these stones to raise up children unto abraham stones to raise up children unto abraham said john the baptist that's not natural said john the baptist that's not natural children children that is spiritual children that is spiritual children and so in verse 7 and so in verse 7 of this chapter chapter 17 god said i of this chapter chapter 17 god said i will establish my covenant will establish my covenant now in genesis 15 god said i will cut a now in genesis 15 god said i will cut a covenant and he divided the pieces covenant and he divided the pieces and the burning lamp pass between those and the burning lamp pass between those pieces pieces but now here this word means to rise but now here this word means to rise i will rise a covenant i will rise a covenant and jesus both died and rose again and jesus both died and rose again brothers and sisters to establish that brothers and sisters to establish that covenant between god and his people covenant between god and his people through the death and the resurrection through the death and the resurrection of the lord jesus christ that was all of the lord jesus christ that was all done done and so there's going to be covenant that and so there's going to be covenant that will rise will rise to finally confirm that everlasting to finally confirm that everlasting covenant which we read in verse 7 and i covenant which we read in verse 7 and i will establish my covenant between me will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after the in their and thee and thy seed after the in their generations for an everlasting covenant generations for an everlasting covenant that's different than the law of moses that's different than the law of moses the covenant of the law was not the covenant of the law was not everlasting everlasting and you know something and you know something the term everlasting covenant the term everlasting covenant appears in the old testament just 14 appears in the old testament just 14 times times twice seven twice seven everlasting covenant seven everlasting covenant seven seven and it comes brothers and sisters at the end of one of the most majestic at the end of one of the most majestic expositions of the law you will ever expositions of the law you will ever read read at the end of the book of hebrews at the end of the book of hebrews now may the god of peace now may the god of peace be brought again from the dead be brought again from the dead our lord jesus our lord jesus by the blood of the everlasting covenant by the blood of the everlasting covenant that's the only place that ever appears that's the only place that ever appears in the new testament in the new testament so that which was everlasting in the old so that which was everlasting in the old testament has now focused on the lord testament has now focused on the lord jesus christ jesus christ and the blood of that covenant brothers and the blood of that covenant brothers and sisters was precious blood and sisters was precious blood blood that had life in it not just blood that had life in it not just natural life but spiritual life a life natural life but spiritual life a life that was lived like no other life it was that was lived like no other life it was different and it was precious blood it was by that precious life god's not it was by that precious life god's not talking about fluid he's talking about talking about fluid he's talking about that which it symbolizes and by that that which it symbolizes and by that perfect life he raised that man to perfect life he raised that man to everlasting life to establish that everlasting life to establish that covenant and that covenant was made to covenant and that covenant was made to rise rise and come to its fulfillment god had and come to its fulfillment god had given it given it he'd cut it he'd cut it he'd made it and now it's rising he'd made it and now it's rising brothers and sisters and here we have brothers and sisters and here we have all those promises being brought forward all those promises being brought forward here in this chapter now god is going to give by abraham a token of this covenant token of this covenant and that token in verse 10 is this and that token in verse 10 is this this is my covenant which ye shall keep this is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-child and thy seed after thee every man-child among you among you shall be circumcised shall be circumcised and it's very obvious you know and it's very obvious you know you can talk about circumcision all day you can talk about circumcision all day it has many it has many many facets to it its significance is is many facets to it its significance is is mini-faceted it really is it means a lot mini-faceted it really is it means a lot of things of things and i just want to dwell now on a couple and i just want to dwell now on a couple of those things because it's so of those things because it's so pertinent to this record pertinent to this record you see what was happening brothers and you see what was happening brothers and sisters god said abraham now look you sisters god said abraham now look you and i you and me and i you and me are going to share a fatherhood a are going to share a fatherhood a spiritual fatherhood now abraham i'm not spiritual fatherhood now abraham i'm not talking about natural procreation talking about natural procreation because i'm going to give you a token because i'm going to give you a token which tells you that's not the way it's which tells you that's not the way it's going to be done going to be done and we all know what circumcision is and we all know what circumcision is and circumcision performed upon a 99 and circumcision performed upon a 99 year old man when that was done in that year old man when that was done in that immediate context he could not have been immediate context he could not have been the father the father in a natural sense it would not have in a natural sense it would not have been possible so god was saying to him been possible so god was saying to him in effect not like that in effect not like that and you know stephen picked that up and you know stephen picked that up beautifully in the seventh chapter of beautifully in the seventh chapter of acts acts when he mentions events when he mentions events 12 months apart and he rolls them 12 months apart and he rolls them together like this together like this he said this he said this and so and so he gave him the covenant of circumcision he gave him the covenant of circumcision uh and isaac was born and so he gave him the covenant of circumcision and isaac was born he's 12 circumcision and isaac was born he's 12 months apart months apart now isaac was the child of abraham by now isaac was the child of abraham by nature he was the child of sarah it was nature he was the child of sarah it was not born of a virgin it was a normal not born of a virgin it was a normal birth but it was not a normal birth birth but it was not a normal birth those two people were too old and had not god come into that situation the boy would never have been born the boy would never have been born certainly wasn't a virgin birth but it certainly wasn't a virgin birth but it was the nearest thing to it in the old was the nearest thing to it in the old testament you'll ever get and he began isaac because he began he gave him the covenant of circumcision so gave him the covenant of circumcision so isaac was known then as his only isaac was known then as his only begotten son when in literal fact he was begotten son when in literal fact he was not not as ishmael was well and truly 13 14 as ishmael was well and truly 13 14 years of the world before isaac was born years of the world before isaac was born and so that's the way the covenant was and so that's the way the covenant was given now brothers and sisters given now brothers and sisters circumcision then became extremely circumcision then became extremely important important you see there are many things of which you see there are many things of which it is significant it is significant now i'm going to show you what happened now i'm going to show you what happened under the law of moses under the law of moses i won't go into a lot of detail about i won't go into a lot of detail about this but i want you to see this this but i want you to see this the importance of circumcision you see the importance of circumcision you see what happened was this what happened was this the law of childbirth the law of childbirth when a woman had a baby if it was a when a woman had a baby if it was a little baby girl little baby girl she had to undergo she had to undergo two periods of uncleanness now the two periods of uncleanness now the reason there was two periods was this reason there was two periods was this that the first period that woman would that the first period that woman would be banned from the she would not be able be banned from the she would not be able to go into worship in the tabernacle nor to go into worship in the tabernacle nor could she mix socially with her own could she mix socially with her own family for the first period of family for the first period of uncleanliness uncleanliness and during the second period she would and during the second period she would be allowed to go back and mix in the be allowed to go back and mix in the domestic circle but she could not domestic circle but she could not worship worship now that happened for both boy and girl now that happened for both boy and girl but you see the difference but you see the difference for the girl she was unclean for two for the girl she was unclean for two weeks weeks and then followed another period of 66 and then followed another period of 66 days days making a total of 80. making a total of 80. for the boy she's unclean for seven days for the boy she's unclean for seven days and then another period of 33 days and then another period of 33 days making a total of 40. making a total of 40. now it is normal in our literature now it is normal in our literature and i have the greatest respect for our and i have the greatest respect for our literature literature it is normal in our literature to say it is normal in our literature to say that that there shows that the girl that that there shows that the girl was double the period of the boy i don't was double the period of the boy i don't believe that i believe the truth of the matter is the truth of the matter is the boy the boy is half that of the girl is half that of the girl you say you say oh come on what's the difference it's oh come on what's the difference it's enormous difference enormous difference you see when you go through the law you see when you go through the law minutely you'd find that that period is minutely you'd find that that period is the normal period of uncleanliness that's the normal one but this boy is able to harbor but this boy is able to harbor now look at the way it's put now look at the way it's put you see the boy is unclean first of all you see the boy is unclean first of all for seven days one two three four five for seven days one two three four five six seven six seven but the girls unclean for but the girls unclean for two two [Music] [Music] weeks weeks look how that's put look how that's put why why because to the jew a week was a cycle of because to the jew a week was a cycle of time time so she has two so she has two cycles of time and what the law is cycles of time and what the law is saying saying being a girl she would go on being being a girl she would go on being unclear unclear she would go on being unclean she would go on being unclean it would never end it would never end why because she couldn't be circumcised why because she couldn't be circumcised and so the next period of uncleanness is and so the next period of uncleanness is the number of men six the number of men six six but unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given and unto us a son is given and he doesn't go around the circle and he doesn't go around the circle it counts off one two three four five it counts off one two three four five six seven and on the eighth day six seven and on the eighth day he can do something the girl can't he can do something the girl can't and the flesh is cut off and the flesh is cut off and brings to an end and brings to an end that cycle of uncleanliness that will that cycle of uncleanliness that will take every man and woman to the grave take every man and woman to the grave where it not be for the man child and he was 33 years of age when paul says in galatians chapter 6 when paul says in galatians chapter 6 he was circumcised on that cross he was circumcised on that cross and brought to an end and brought to an end the curse of the law that flesh tried to the curse of the law that flesh tried to keep lord would have an endless cycle of keep lord would have an endless cycle of uncleanliness but circumcision brothers uncleanliness but circumcision brothers and sisters the cutting off of the body and sisters the cutting off of the body of the sins of the flesh enabled us all of the sins of the flesh enabled us all to be saved and we're all girls because we're the bride of christ we're all girls we're all girls because we're the bride of our husband because we're the bride of our husband and if we haven't got our husband to die and if we haven't got our husband to die for us we'd never be in god's kingdom for us we'd never be in god's kingdom now where did i get all that from is now where did i get all that from is that my did i dream that up come to that my did i dream that up come to colossians chapter 2. here it is here's paul's exposition of that wonderful principle and in colossians chapter 2 we have to read this together it's just tremendous read this together it's just tremendous how he expounds this how he expounds this and as as i read it brothers and sisters and as as i read it brothers and sisters i want you to notice the words i i want you to notice the words i emphasize emphasize here here listen very carefully to the emphasis i listen very carefully to the emphasis i put on these words and see how put on these words and see how circumcision applied circumcision applied verse 9 of colossians 2 verse 9 of colossians 2 or in him or in him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily bodily and ye are complete and ye are complete in him in him which is the head of all principality which is the head of all principality and power and power in whom also ye are circumcised with the in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh flesh by the circumcision of christ by the circumcision of christ buried with him in baptism we're in also buried with him in baptism we're in also ye arisen with him ye arisen with him through the faith of the operation of through the faith of the operation of god who has raised him from the dead god who has raised him from the dead and you and you being dead in your sins and the being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him hath he quickened together with him having forgiven you all trespasses having forgiven you all trespasses blotting out the handwriting of blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us which was ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his cross see the way nailing it to his cross see the point point and we as little girls as it were and we as little girls as it were unable to be circumcised in the unable to be circumcised in the uncircumcision of our flesh jesus didn't uncircumcision of our flesh jesus didn't put off put off the cir the the the sins of the world in the cir the the the sins of the world in that little operation of a piece of skin that little operation of a piece of skin he was circumcised in the body brothers he was circumcised in the body brothers and sisters and sisters the circumcision he says by the body of the circumcision he says by the body of the sins of the flesh he was totally the sins of the flesh he was totally perfect and put them all off and perfect and put them all off and stripped off of him everything that was stripped off of him everything that was unclean which we couldn't do but now unclean which we couldn't do but now we're with him in him with him and we're with him in him with him and associated with him we can have the associated with him we can have the kingdom of god now that brings me to kingdom of god now that brings me to another point about circumcision it's a another point about circumcision it's a representative thing representative thing you see exodus 12 and verse 48 said this you see exodus 12 and verse 48 said this no no uncircumcised person they'll eat the passover where did that put the sisters put the sisters nowhere unless they were represented by nowhere unless they were represented by father father brother brother uncle son husband or whatever uncle son husband or whatever they're members of the family they're members of the family no no uncircumcised person uncircumcised person you take peter you take peter he calls noah the eighth he calls noah the eighth the word person in second peter is not the word person in second peter is not there there he said noah was the eighth how does he he said noah was the eighth how does he know he was the eighth know he was the eighth well there were like people in the ark well there were like people in the ark but how does he know he was the eighth but how does he know he was the eighth because you read don't turn this off you because you read don't turn this off you read genesis 7 over and over and over read genesis 7 over and over and over again it says this and they all went in again it says this and they all went in unto noah unto noah and god saved noah and every living and god saved noah and every living thing thing and they all went in unto noah and they all went in unto noah and nothing and noah survived and all and nothing and noah survived and all that were with him and when the door that were with him and when the door closed when the door had the ark closed closed when the door had the ark closed it says now listen it says now listen the lord shut him in he shut him in there's a whole creation in there in there but he's the but he's the eighth because he was the representative eighth because he was the representative man man that god had saved the world because of that god had saved the world because of batman's faith and he worked through him batman's faith and he worked through him and so peter says he was the eighth and so peter says he was the eighth and so we've got this man-child who has and so we've got this man-child who has come along brothers and sisters and he come along brothers and sisters and he has been the one through whom this has been the one through whom this promise has now been able to have its promise has now been able to have its focus and its fulfillment it really is a focus and its fulfillment it really is a remarkable thing remarkable thing now we come back to genesis 17 now we come back to genesis 17 sorry i'm at the rush this it's so sorry i'm at the rush this it's so beautiful i just love to be able to beautiful i just love to be able to develop this further it's really develop this further it's really beautiful and so god says in verse 12 he said and he that is eight days old he said and he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you every man shall be circumcised among you every man child in your generation he that is born child in your generation he that is born in the house or bought with money of any in the house or bought with money of any stranger which is not a thy seed stranger which is not a thy seed he that is born in thy house and he that he that is born in thy house and he that is bought with money must needs be is bought with money must needs be circumcised and my covenant shall be in circumcised and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant your flesh for an everlasting covenant so you see we have to be born in so you see we have to be born in abraham's family abraham's family and we are spiritually and we are spiritually and we have to be bought with money and we have to be bought with money and paul says and paul says we're bought with a price we're bought with a price but a stranger that was only just an but a stranger that was only just an itinerant could not be part of that itinerant could not be part of that brothers and sisters he if he could not brothers and sisters he if he could not be circumcised and a man that was on hot be circumcised and a man that was on hot on wages a day laborer who was a hired on wages a day laborer who was a hired laborer he couldn't participate in that laborer he couldn't participate in that they were just itinerants passing they were just itinerants passing through with no intentions of becoming through with no intentions of becoming the true seed of abraham but we've been the true seed of abraham but we've been born into abraham's family by baptism born into abraham's family by baptism we're related to him by character and we're related to him by character and the money that's been paid is the price the money that's been paid is the price of the blood of god's own son of the blood of god's own son it's quite remarkable it's quite remarkable but now comes sarah hey but now comes sarah hey in verse 15 and god said to abraham as the sarai thy wife thou shalt not call her name saraya wife thou shalt not call her name saraya but sarah shall her name be you know but sarah shall her name be you know what god did he changed her name from what god did he changed her name from meaning dominant or a head person meaning dominant or a head person he changed her name to sarah which means he changed her name to sarah which means princess or queen no he did it princess or queen no he did it by putting the fifth letter of the by putting the fifth letter of the hebrew alphabet in her name hebrew alphabet in her name and they became heirs together and they became heirs together of the grace of life of the grace of life this is how it was all going to be done this is how it was all going to be done now of course you see now of course you see now the focus is on sarah now the focus is on sarah this is really impossible this is really impossible and we're going to see that when we come and we're going to see that when we come back next time brothers and sisters when back next time brothers and sisters when the angel comes to visit this is really the angel comes to visit this is really impossible impossible and now it calls for extraordinary faith and now it calls for extraordinary faith never mind about any more expedience never mind about any more expedience like hagar that's out of the way like hagar that's out of the way question look god look abraham says god question look god look abraham says god it's going to be sarah i'm going to give it's going to be sarah i'm going to give a son from her she's going to have it a son from her she's going to have it here comes the seed of the woman here comes the seed of the woman and it's a wonderful story brothers and and it's a wonderful story brothers and sisters it's the seed of the woman sisters it's the seed of the woman you see genesis when it said the seed of you see genesis when it said the seed of the woman would come we we pick it up the woman would come we we pick it up and we say oh yes c to the woman that and we say oh yes c to the woman that means he would be born of our nature he means he would be born of our nature he would have all our disabilities he'd be would have all our disabilities he'd be tempted like as we are and that is tempted like as we are and that is absolutely true but that is not the absolutely true but that is not the primary teaching of genesis primary teaching of genesis it's true but it's not the primary it's true but it's not the primary teaching i'll prove it to you the teaching i'll prove it to you the primary teaching is he would not be primary teaching is he would not be the seed of man and the proof is the seed of man and the proof is self-evident because the seed of the self-evident because the seed of the woman is going to bruise the seed of the woman is going to bruise the seed of the serpent on the head and if the seed of serpent on the head and if the seed of the woman is primarily teaching that the woman is primarily teaching that he's in our nature then we've got the he's in our nature then we've got the doctrine that flesh overcomes flesh and doctrine that flesh overcomes flesh and it doesn't but you see a wonderful golden thread runs through the bible so genesis said runs through the bible so genesis said seed of the woman he would not be the seed of the woman he would not be the seed of man question is who then will be seed of man question is who then will be his father ii samuel chapter 7 god says his father ii samuel chapter 7 god says i will be his father i will be his father the next obvious question is the next obvious question is how can that happen and isaiah says a how can that happen and isaiah says a virgin will conceive oh virgin will conceive oh what we want to know now is when will what we want to know now is when will that happen well paul says in the that happen well paul says in the fullness of time god fullness of time god sent forth sent forth his son his son made of a woman there it is and the last made of a woman there it is and the last question is question is why do it that way why do it that way or what the law could not do or what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh in that it was weak through the flesh god god sending sending his son in the sameness of sins flesh his son in the sameness of sins flesh and because of sin condemned and because of sin condemned sin sin in the very flesh where it reigned in in the very flesh where it reigned in other other but there's the answer but there's the answer not an earthly father i will be his not an earthly father i will be his father how by a virgin when in the father how by a virgin when in the fullness of time why because flesh can't fullness of time why because flesh can't do it do it sarah is going to have this child sarah is going to have this child god's going to come into the affairs of god's going to come into the affairs of mankind and this child was to be born mankind and this child was to be born now look what happened verse 17 abraham fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart and laughed and said in his heart shallow shall be born unto him that is a shallow shall be born unto him that is a hundred years old and shall sarah that hundred years old and shall sarah that is 90 years old bear now i know there's is 90 years old bear now i know there's people here from australia that would people here from australia that would respectfully just differ from even this respectfully just differ from even this but they're wrong you know i do not believe and i have powerful reasons for and i have powerful reasons for believing this i do not believe that believing this i do not believe that abraham laughed in incredulity i believe he laughed in sheer joy in belief of what god had said belief of what god had said and here are my reasons brothers and and here are my reasons brothers and sisters sisters first of all he was not condemned for first of all he was not condemned for doing it as was sarah secondly he laughed in his heart and when we come to the time when sarah laughed laughed the hebrew says she laughed in her the hebrew says she laughed in her stomach it was a mere emotion of her stomach her feelings that of her stomach her feelings that abrahams was in the heart secondly or thirdly paul quoted this chapter to say he staggered not in chapter to say he staggered not in unbelief unbelief quoting this chapter quoting this chapter that could never have been said if that that could never have been said if that has been a laugh of incredulity has been a laugh of incredulity and finally jesus said and finally jesus said abraham rejoiced the sea my day abraham rejoiced the sea my day and he saw it and was glad and this is and he saw it and was glad and this is the only occasion recorded of abraham the only occasion recorded of abraham laughing laughing and i believe that and not only that but and i believe that and not only that but when he did laugh he fell on his face when he did laugh he fell on his face and did it in an act of worship and did it in an act of worship and i believe brothers and sisters it and i believe brothers and sisters it was wonderful was wonderful now you know what happened don't you now you know what happened don't you abraham absorbed this he concentrated abraham absorbed this he concentrated upon sarah he considered the deadness of upon sarah he considered the deadness of sarah's room womb and his heart bursts sarah's room womb and his heart bursts with joy and he fell on his face in an with joy and he fell on his face in an act of worship and said in his heart oh act of worship and said in his heart oh ill will it be will it be and he knew it ill will it be will it be and he knew it would be brothers and sisters and it was would be brothers and sisters and it was just like the apostle who says in just like the apostle who says in galatians for all those related to galatians for all those related to abraham in his seed he said god has sent abraham in his seed he said god has sent forth the spirit of his son in our forth the spirit of his son in our hearts and both jew and greek cry out ever father father and standing alongside our jewish and standing alongside our jewish compatriot who is a true seed of abraham compatriot who is a true seed of abraham by faith we of the gentiles and the jew by faith we of the gentiles and the jew says abba and the greek says father says abba and the greek says father together and they say it in the heart together and they say it in the heart because they can see brothers and because they can see brothers and sisters the spirit of that son is in sisters the spirit of that son is in their hearts because they're going to be their hearts because they're going to be related to him in a huge family and related to him in a huge family and they're going to be like unto god they're going to be like unto god what a wonderful concept and i believe what a wonderful concept and i believe that's what happened here with abraham that's what happened here with abraham when he fell on his face and did that when he fell on his face and did that and then verse 18 realizing the import and then verse 18 realizing the import of this realizing it it says of this realizing it it says oh god oh god that ishmael might live before thee that ishmael might live before thee and what he was saying in effect was and what he was saying in effect was look look what about ishmael what about him and what about ishmael what about him and abraham could see now that ishmael was abraham could see now that ishmael was excluded as it were from the child of excluded as it were from the child of the promise and abraham would be the promise and abraham would be concerned about that boy concerned about that boy and god reassures him and god reassures him and god said sarah thy wife shall bear and god said sarah thy wife shall bear to your son indeed she will surely have to your son indeed she will surely have a son so you see he's endorsing he said a son so you see he's endorsing he said you're abraham you're right she will but you're abraham you're right she will but don't worry about ishmael he says i've don't worry about ishmael he says i've prepared for him prepared for him and god is not unmindful and god is not unmindful of abraham's paternal feelings of abraham's paternal feelings he's not going to wipe his mail out he's not going to wipe his mail out but because he is the seed of abraham but because he is the seed of abraham who is god's friend who is god's friend god says i i'm going to make him a great god says i i'm going to make him a great nation abraham nation abraham and he reassures abraham brothers and and he reassures abraham brothers and sisters of that fact that that this sisters of that fact that that this would happen now of course as we come to this end of this story as we come to this end of this story verse 20 he says but as for me verse 20 he says but as for me ish i have heard thee ish i have heard thee and ishmael means heard of god behold i have blessed him and make him fruitful and multiply him exceedingly fruitful and multiply him exceedingly twelve princes shall he forget and i twelve princes shall he forget and i will make him a great nation will make him a great nation but abraham but abraham my covenant my covenant will i establish a rise with isaac my will i establish a rise with isaac my covenant i will will i make a rise with covenant i will will i make a rise with isaac isaac which sarah shall bear unto thee at this which sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year set time in the next year now i want you to notice the last that now i want you to notice the last that this verse 22 this verse 22 we're going to finish off here this time we're going to finish off here this time brethren sisters brethren sisters and he left off and he left off talking with him talking with him and god went up from abraham and god went up from abraham now if i had time i could show you that now if i had time i could show you that that language is only used when god that language is only used when god makes a very personal and private visit makes a very personal and private visit to people to people when it says in the record that god went when it says in the record that god went up from him up from him that special language in the bible that special language in the bible it really means that it's not just an it really means that it's not just an ordinary manifestation like you would ordinary manifestation like you would see angels visit men but here is a see angels visit men but here is a personal intimate visit personal intimate visit that god is talking about it's used for that god is talking about it's used for example at the end of jacob's life when example at the end of jacob's life when when the angel talked with him when the angel talked with him and went up from him and hosea quoting and went up from him and hosea quoting that says he found him in bethel that says he found him in bethel found him god had been with him before found him god had been with him before but betrayal when he came back a but betrayal when he came back a chastened man from from laban's chastened man from from laban's experience brothers and sisters there experience brothers and sisters there was a more intimate manifestation to was a more intimate manifestation to jacob and he found him in bethel well jacob and he found him in bethel well that's what's happening here that's what's happening here but you see but you see listen listen what's happening what's happening and he left off talking with him and he left off talking with him and elohim went up from abraham now he and elohim went up from abraham now he is a lesser manifestation is a lesser manifestation talking about the theory of the child talking about the theory of the child being born just come to chapter 21 and being born just come to chapter 21 and see what happened when the child was see what happened when the child was born and we'll come back to this born and we'll come back to this brothers and sisters but just let's have brothers and sisters but just let's have a look at this and yahweh oh now this is the greater manifestation and yahweh manifestation and yahweh visited sarah visited sarah as he had said as he had said and yahweh did unto sarah as he had and yahweh did unto sarah as he had spoken spoken for sarah conceived and bear abraham a for sarah conceived and bear abraham a son in his old age son in his old age at the set time of which at the set time of which elohim had spoken to elohim had spoken to him look how that's put him look how that's put so here's the man so here's the man to whom the lesser manifestation in the to whom the lesser manifestation in the elohim the angels is talking about the elohim the angels is talking about the theory of the thing theory of the thing now we've got the woman now we've got the woman and here's the great manifestation and here's the great manifestation here is the divine name yahweh visited here is the divine name yahweh visited her and did to that woman something of her and did to that woman something of which which elohim elohim had been talking to him about it had been talking to him about it what about that what about that and here comes brothers and sisters and here comes brothers and sisters the seed of the woman the seed of the woman god was in christ reconciling the world god was in christ reconciling the world unto himself look at that focus just unto himself look at that focus just look how that's focusing now that look how that's focusing now that bringing our attention to the wonderful bringing our attention to the wonderful thing that has been done that unto us a thing that has been done that unto us a child is born and unto us a son is given child is born and unto us a son is given you work that phrase out you work that phrase out some people say that's a hebraism you some people say that's a hebraism you know where a thing is said in the same know where a thing is said in the same way twice it's not way twice it's not listen listen unto us unto us a child a child is born he's our child because mary is is born he's our child because mary is our us our us he's one of us he's our race he's one of us he's our race so unto us a child is born so unto us a child is born but brethren sisters but brethren sisters unto us a son is given unto us a son is given might have been our child might have been our child he was not our son he was not our son and when the angels came to announce the and when the angels came to announce the birth of the seed of the woman they said birth of the seed of the woman they said unto you is born this day in the city of unto you is born this day in the city of david a savior which is christ the lord david a savior which is christ the lord he's god's son and god gave his only he's god's son and god gave his only begotten son he may be our child he's begotten son he may be our child he's not our son not our son and so this wonderful promise was now and so this wonderful promise was now about to be culminated with the birth of about to be culminated with the birth of that child and as it was as i say the that child and as it was as i say the spotlight and the focus switches from spotlight and the focus switches from abraham and sarah stands here in the abraham and sarah stands here in the full glare of that spotlight impossible full glare of that spotlight impossible by men by men and god visited that woman and god visited that woman he paid her a visit and did something to he paid her a visit and did something to her her and the child came into the world and the child came into the world oh yes a natural birth in the sense that oh yes a natural birth in the sense that it was a man and a woman involved but it was a man and a woman involved but unnatural brothers and sisters in the unnatural brothers and sisters in the sense that had god never visited that sense that had god never visited that house that child would never have come house that child would never have come into the world and so paul in romans 9 into the world and so paul in romans 9 gathering all this together said gathering all this together said this this is the word of promise is the word of promise i will return i will return and sarah will have a sun