ABRAHAM’S DISTRESS at being childless was caused by his understanding of the afterlife. In the Amorite culture that dominated his world, it was believed that one’s quality of life after death depended on your descendants performing a monthly ritual to provide your food and drink.
A WAR fought near the Dead Sea nearly 4,000 years ago is the focus of this week’s study.
GOD BEGINS a new phase of His plan to redeem humanity in this week’s study, as Abram is called from his homeland to journey south into Canaan.
BEFORE WE pick up the story of Abraham, some context: When God divided the nations after the Tower of Babel incident, He placed them under the supervision of “sons of God,” angelic beings who were charged with carrying out His will while supervising His creation.
THE PROMISE of God to Abraham was fulfilled through Isaac and Jacob. That is made clear in the chapters we studied this week, Genesis 23 through 26. We look at the death of Sarah, the faithfulness of Abraham’s servant, the birth of Esau and Jacob, Esau’s disposition of his birthright, and Isaac’s sojourn in Gerar.Continue Reading
We continue in the book of Genesis with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the departure of Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham’s sojourn in the land of the Philistines, and the test of Abraham on Mount Moriah.Continue Reading