JMarie

While God did give a commandment about committing adultery, and He clearly punished those who violated this commandment, it also shows, at least to me, that God is selective in this area. I do not clearly understand why some men had many wives and this was not always seen as adultery. Maybe it was custom in those days to have numerous wives and it not be viewed as adultery, but others were punished for committing adultery for example David and Bathseba, and his son Solomon, who God clearly warned about foreign women leading him away from Him. Yes, God will forgive every sin except grieving the Holy Spirit, and this was seem in David and Bethseba after their first baby died, God blessed Bethseba with another child, Solomon who became king.

Naturally, Pharaoh was punished for taken Sarai, but I feel the clear message God was sending to Pharaoh is "...do my prophets no harm." I say this because in chapter 20, we see where Abraham prayed for Abimelech and his family because God had closed the womb of the women in his household for taking Sarah, and God heard his pray and the women were able to bear children. When everyone got sick in Pharaoh's house he realized the connection, between his household sickness and the taking of Sarai, maybe God gave his some warning, this is not clear as how he made the connection, but he did correct the situation and returned Sarai and told them to leave his area. God may have been trying to reach Pharaoh's heart for him to repent for his sins, and used this as a way to get his attention. We see another issue of this kind in Daniel where King Nebuchadnezzar was reduced to crawling on the ground and acting strange for seven years, because of his pride. We do know that Pharaoh returned Sarai to Abraham, and maybe that was all God wanted to accomplish, we don't know what long term effect this had on Pharaoh because we don't hear about him anymore.

Abraham and his family faced many dangers while they waited on God's promise. When they came into a land that did not know God they were under attack from the kings and others who sought to take advantage of them. I recently moved to my new location, so I have not had a real chance to observe who is here, and what they may be facing in terms of oppression. But must people who relocate to other areas are generally looking for a better quality of life. I'm also attending a new church, I 've read their list of outreach programs and I assume that they are working to improve the quality of life in the community that this church serves.

Abraham called on the name of God in that place I believe for several reasons: First, because God appeared to him there to show Araham that He was real and that what He promised him would come to pass, secondly the scripture tells us right up front that the Cannanites were in the land, real bad guys, and Abraham knew what they represented to his family, a real problem because of idol worship and Abraham wanted the Cannanites to know that he worship the one true God right out in the open, so that they would know what his belief was. Abraham knew that he would need God to show Himself strongly in his life, he had just stepped out on faith and left home to go to a place he knew not. We also need to call on the name of God, not only when we are confronted with impossible situations, but for every day needs for He will never leave us or forsake us no matter what.

Abraham called on the name of God in that place I believe for several reasons: First, because God appeared to him there to show Araham that He was real and that what He promised him would come to pass, secondly the scripture tells us right up front that the Cannanites were in the land, real bad guys, and Abraham knew what they represented to his family, a real problem because of idol worship and Abraham wanted the Cannanites to know that he worship the one true God right out in the open, so that they would know what his belief was. Abraham knew that he would need God to show Himself strongly in his life, he had just stepped out on faith and left home to go to a place he knew not. We also need to call on the name of God, not only when we are confronted with impossible situations, but for every day needs for He will never leave us or forsake us no matter what.

Yes, it takes faith to believe in the promises of God even before we see the manifestation of these promise, it's really our act of obedience together with our belief that God's word will never return without doing want it says it will do. Yes, I had to put my faith to the extreme test when my eldest sister became ill, while complete healing did not come in the way our family wanted, she was substained by God's grace with the illiness for 6 years, before God called her home. Also now too I am waiting on the promises spoken over my life to be forfilled, and I am remined of Habakkuk 2:3, "...though it tarries, wait for it, for it will certainly come..."

Abraham was blessed because he obeyed God. When God spoke to him and told him to leave his family his act of obedience was his first test, and his reward for his obedience to God was the promises God spoke over his life. When Abraham left home, he was already wealthy and God keep on increasing him everytime he obeyed God's word. Through the family of Abraham, every family on earth received that same blessing, which we are claim through faith.

At times I have found that I though I was lead by God to do certain things, but when things did not turn out as well as I thought they should or I lost out on something I wanted to have and do, I began to wonder was I lead by God, or what is going on here? I'm sure that Abraham felt this way as well when God told him to leave his family and go somewhere where he knew nothing about and he waited for the promises of God to mainfest and years went by before the promise came. He must have considered why God called him and what was he to do. I am working through my own faith walk, listening for the instructions of the holy spirit to be what I am called to do. This is no easy task, many start and restarts, or maybe it's where and what God wants me to be doing at this or that time.

Hi, everyone. My name is JMarie and I live in Tampa, Fl. I am retired. I enjoy bible study. I also enjoy history. So the study of Abrahm is quite good because of the historical concepts we will learn during this study, particulary the covenant God made with him, which was not broken until Christ died on the cross. This will be interesting to study Abraham in more detail with others.