Lesson 4 Review

[Jim Parker]

Review of Lesson 4.

Abraham lied about his relationship to Sarah twice. (“She is my sister.”)

Isaac lied about his relationship to his wife Rebecca. (“She is my sister.”) (Gen 26:7ff)

Rebecca conspired with Jacob to deceive his father Isaac. (Gen 27:1-40)

Jacob stole his brother’s birthright and blessing.

Esau decided to murder his brother as soon as their father dies. (Like Cain?)

What is going on with this family?

What kind of people has God chosen to be the ancestors of Christ?

Why would God choose people like this who lie, cheat and steal?

TO DO: Please think about that and comment. (more than just one sentence, please)

 

[Truthfrees]

Review of Lesson 4.

Abraham lied about his relationship to Sarah twice. (“She is my sister.”)

Isaac lied about his relationship to his wife Rebecca. (“She is my sister.”) (Gen 26:7ff)

Rebecca conspired with Jacob to deceive his father Isaac. (Gen 27:1-40)

Jacob stole his brother’s birthright and blessing.

Esau decided to murder his brother as soon as their father dies. (Like Cain?)

What is going on with this family?

What kind of people has God chosen to be the ancestors of Christ?

Why would God choose people like this who lie, cheat and steal?

TO DO: Please think about that and comment. (more than just one sentence, please)

there is no other choice - every human ever born or ever to be born will make major mistakes in obeying God or believing God - or both

the wonderful thing about the bible is it tells it like it is - unlike other "histories" where their hero is pretty much flawless - which makes other histories somewhat of a narrative meant to make the people proud to be them

contrastingly the bible is God's words to man to help lead man to God and to walk in God's ways -

truth is important if one is to live in ways that pleases God - pretending one's ancestors - or any human being is perfect or better than other human beings subverts this process of coming to God as we are - flawed and in need of a Savior

this is just one more proof that the bible is God's words to us - rather than man writing about his ideas and interaction with God

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

My answer which is the only answer I know: God works in mysterious ways.

 

[Tessa]

The people in the OT were no different to the generation we live in today. We are all weak and worthless.
That is why I am glad God is the judge. He knew their hearts, He knew who would be faithful, despite their weakness and times they slipped up. Perhaps God knew who really loved Him. I love reading about these chosen ones. They are encouraging.
The right people for the right job?

 

[Not_Now.Soon]

Throughout the Old Testiment there is rightousness rewarded, falling away from God punished enough to get them back on track, or punished severely to remove them (like Caanan's sins, and the reason for the flood in Noah's time). There's also redemption. Which is one thing I think on when we see the faults recoded of many people God helped. His promise is to redeem us, but the warning is fierce. Turn to God and show your respect or your fear enough to keep us from turning away from Him, and continuing in sins we know are wrong.

Jacob got his brother's birthright, not by God fulfilling His promise on His own, but by tricking his brother twice. After that, he ran, and stayed away from his home for the much of his life, and was haunted by the deceptions of others. From his uncle, and later from his own children lying about their brother's death.

With this family line to Jesus. Jesus is the redeemer. The people in the line were deticated to God but we're also recorded their reasons to be redeemed by. It's kind of it's own way an encouraging word for us because we aren't perfect, as well as a stern warning of the consquences God gave those He loved, due to their sins.

 

[Jim Parker]

there is no other choice - every human ever born or ever to be born will make major mistakes in obeying God or believing God - or both

the wonderful thing about the bible is it tells it like it is - unlike other "histories" where their hero is pretty much flawless - which makes other histories somewhat of a narrative meant to make the people proud to be them

contrastingly the bible is God's words to man to help lead man to God and to walk in God's ways -

truth is important if one is to live in ways that pleases God - pretending one's ancestors - or any human being is perfect or better than other human beings subverts this process of coming to God as we are - flawed and in need of a Savior

this is just one more proof that the bible is God's words to us - rather than man writing about his ideas and interaction with God

I like that!

 

[Jim Parker]

My answer which is the only answer I know: God works in mysterious ways.

Dig a little deeper.
What did God do in when dealing with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that is mysterious?

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Dig a little deeper.
What did God do in when dealing with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that is mysterious?

Would you laugh at me if I told you that I honestly don't know the answer?

 

[jasonc]

I believe that the stories of the broken lives in Genesis are to show that God can and did use very broken people to accomplish His will. I bet all of them felt like failures and never knew that they would be written about until they saw the Creator and He told them.

" few and evil have been days of my life" Jacob to Pharoah when he went down to Egypt. Jacob was old by then had grandkids and plenty of them.

 

[Jim Parker]

Would you laugh at me if I told you that I honestly don't know the answer?

Can you tell me what you found to be mysterious?
You're on the right track.
What does "mysterious" mean? - It's something we don't understand. It's something that we would do differently.

Were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and Rebecca and Sarah the kind of people you would pick to represent you?

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Can you tell me what you found to be mysterious?
You're on the right track.
What does "mysterious" mean? - It's something we don't understand. It's something that we would do differently.

Were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and Rebecca and Sarah the kind of people you would pick to represent you?

No, because I consider myself (for the most part) to be a very honest and trustworthy person. And I found it mysterious for God to pick them to represent Him because I wouldn't.

 

[Jim Parker]

No, because I consider myself (for the most part) to be a very honest and trustworthy person. And I found it mysterious for God to pick them to represent Him because I wouldn't.

That's it.
God picks average people and does amazing things by them.
If God only picked perfect people then He wouldn't pick anyone.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

That's it.
God picks average people and does amazing things by them.
If God only picked perfect people then He wouldn't pick anyone.

That's a really good response, and I like it an awful lot, but don't forget, God chose Jesus.

 

[Jim Parker]

I believe that the stories of the broken lives in Genesis are to show that God can and did use very broken people to accomplish His will.

 

[Jim Parker]

Throughout the Old Testiment there is rightousness rewarded, falling away from God punished enough to get them back on track, or punished severely to remove them (like Caanan's sins, and the reason for the flood in Noah's time). There's also redemption. Which is one thing I think on when we see the faults recoded of many people God helped. His promise is to redeem us, but the warning is fierce. Turn to God and show your respect or your fear enough to keep us from turning away from Him, and continuing in sins we know are wrong.

Jacob got his brother's birthright, not by God fulfilling His promise on His own, but by tricking his brother twice. After that, he ran, and stayed away from his home for the much of his life, and was haunted by the deceptions of others. From his uncle, and later from his own children lying about their brother's death.

With this family line to Jesus. Jesus is the redeemer. The people in the line were deticated to God but we're also recorded their reasons to be redeemed by. It's kind of it's own way an encouraging word for us because we aren't perfect, as well as a stern warning of the consquences God gave those He loved, due to their sins.

When we look at the people in Jesus' family line, we don't find heroes. We find common people with common flaws and fears and shortcomings. But God uses people who are willing. People who are perfect are not to be found. (Except Jesus)

 

[Jim Parker]

I believe that the stories of the broken lives in Genesis are to show that God can and did use very broken people to accomplish His will.

ANd that should be a great encouragement to us.

 

[Prycejosh1987]

Abraham lied about his relationship to Sarah twice. (“She is my sister.”)

Isaac lied about his relationship to his wife Rebecca. (“She is my sister.”) (Gen 26:7ff)

This is probably the reason why God got angry with children that had disobedient and rebellious believers. Children naturally tend to absorb their fathers traits. Good and bad, it happens to this day.