January 15 - Genesis (Part 2)

The genealogies and the scriptures have been proven over and over again to be reliable. Up until recent times the Hittites in the Bible have been viewed as made up and a group of people that never was. Then recently ancient tablets were uncovered and we discover an empire that we did not know existed - it was the Hittite empire. What was discovered is that what the Bible has said for millennia is finally proven true in modern times. Today we know the Hittites as a massive empire, closely connected to the Trojans, but Scripture had it right all along.

God's promise to Abraham: Genesis 12:2-3
"I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." Through these words God established a nation from which the Messiah would come.

Pastor talks about how the verse above has seen vivid fulfillment throughout the centuries. Pastor shares a brief history of the Jewish nation.

God promises Abraham and Sarah a child. Then we read the story of Abraham and his nephew Lot and we see that no matter where Abraham moves to he builds altars, worships God and shares about God. He is an evangelist!.

Pastor shares how we see God communicating with His children: dreams, visions, angelic visitors, appearances, and by an audible voice. God continues communicating throughout the scriptures. God is a god who communicates with His people and His word can be trusted.

At the age of 100 God gives Abraham and Sarah a child, Isaac. Genesis chapter 22 sets the stage for everything that happens in the rest of the scriptures.

As we move into studying the story of God asking Abraham to offer his only son as a sacrifice. God is testing Abraham but He is also giving us the Gospel of Jesus 2000 years before Jesus comes.

At this point Pastor shares the "Principle of First Use." A principle that sets the future definition of a word throughout the rest of the Bible based on how that word was used its first time in the Bible.

Under this concept - the first time the word "Love" is used in the Bible Is Genesis 22:2 "take your son - your only son whom you love." Under the principle of first use, the definition of love is in the context of a father taking the son he dearly loves, his only son and gives him up to help others. No that's an ah-ha moment!

Pastor continues with the story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac by sharing all the pieces of this story that show us a picture of what is to come through Jesus - God's only Son as the sacrifices for the sins of all people. God has left a trail all through the Bible so that we can see the reality of His love for us in Jesus the Messiah.

Abram / Abraham
Isaac / "laughter"
Jacob / Israel
12 sons / tribes

We close with the story of Joseph, a story that is one of the greatest stories in the Bible. God takes what the enemy seeks to use for evil and turns it around for good. An amazing story of God's love and redemption..

Jesus is at the heart and center of the Bible and He is at the heart and center of Genesis!

Join us again next week for week 4 and part 1 of our study of Exodus.

For all of our FREE resources: video, podcast, Reading Schedule, and a study guide for each book of the Bible plus any extra items, plus how to listen by radio broadcast - find it all here: https://www.awakeusnow.com/bible-in-a-year

Our Bible in a Year study will walk you through the Bible book by book taking you from Genesis to Revelation, revealing Jesus throughout both the Old and the New Testaments! In Ephesians 6, the word of God is called the sword of the spirit, and a sword is best used when you take it out of the scabbard to use it! Hebrews 4:12 says the Word of God is alive and active! Meaning it is not dry, dusty, old stuff. It is living and active! And because it is the Living Word, it has the power to impact us still today!

Our website – https://www.awakeusnow.com