Going on a Promise Stories of Abraham
Going on a Promise
Stories of Abraham
by Aiden Schlichting Enns and Jeremy Bergen
Genesis is a bargain. It contains two stories for the price of one. The first is sometimes called the "prehistory," encompassing the first eleven chapters of Genesis. It is the story of creation and re-creation, followed by a second story (Gen. 12-50), the story of God's chosen people, whom we think of as our ancestors in the faith.
There are many parallels between the two main sections of Genesis, the primary one being that they are both stories of beginnings. Where the first is the story of the beginning of the world, the second is the story of the beginning of faith. Both create something out of nothing. God created the world from a void. And God created a people of faith from a barren couple. Both report God's blessing to the world, the blessing of relating to the people personally. In the first story, God creates people to be companions to each other and to God. In the second story, God creates a people to whom to relate. And in both, God gives a promise. At first the promise is that, because of their disobedience, people will suffer hard work and pain in childbirth. But the promise to Abraham is just the opposite. Even to the weak-willed and imperfect people, God promises Abraham both a land of his own and heirs.
"Deep within us all there is, an amazing
inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy
place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice,
to which we may continuously return.
Eternity is at our hearts. . ."
Thomas R. Kelly, A Testament of Devotion
This promise to Abraham sets the whole world on end. It's a promise contingent not on good behavior, but on belief and righteousness. God remembered Noah because he was an exemplary world citizen. He was a good man. God remembers Abraham because he believes. Like the old gospel song that says "I'm going on the promise of his love," there is nothing else on which to base faith.
Genesis 12 is the real beginning of the good news. It is the good news that God loves us beyond belief and in spite of everything, so much so that God can take nothing and make it into something. God can take the unworthy and make us worthy. God can take the weaker and the lesser and make us into the stronger and the greater. That's good news for us.
We struggle, however, with the stories of Abraham. Which one of us could pull up stakes and move today at God's command? Which one of us would willingly offer up a child for sacrifice to demonstrate our own piety? Which one of us wants to risk arguing with God when we barely feel worthy of God's grace sometimes? God invites us into faith freely, but as Abraham can show, believing is costly at times.
"Superficiality is the curse of our age.
The doctrine of instant satisfaction is
a primary spiritual problem. The des-
perate need today is not for a greater
number of intelligent people, or gifted
people, but for deep people."
Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline
Read on to find out for yourself what the cost of faith is ... and weigh it against the high price of not believing.
About the Writers
Aiden Schlichting Enns graduated from the University of Manitoba with an M.A. in Mennonite theology. He is the conference editor for Canadian Mennonite and director of communications and publications for the Conference of Mennonites in Canada. He attends Fort Garry Mennonite
Fellowship.
Jeremy Bergen is a recent graduate from Canadian Mennonite Bible College and the University of Winnipeg. He is the coordinator of peace and justice ministries for the Conference of Mennonites in Canada and attends Bethel Mennonite Church. Welcome to Good Ground!
Back to top of page.Welcome to GOOD GROUND
Now that you know a little about the topic for this unit, let us introduce you to Good Ground, the series. Good Ground is a unique approach to Bible study. It lets the Bible ask most of the questions and lets participants struggle with the answers. When we ask, "How can I be saved?" the Bible asks, "Whom will you serve?" When we ask, "What will happen to me when I die?""the Bible asks, "What does the Lord require of you?" When we ask, "Whom does God love best?" the Bible asks, 'Who is your neighbor?" Good Ground goes to the Scriptures for questions, not just answers.
Here's how each session is structured and what you can expect:
PART I: PREPARATION
We assume that you want to dig into Bible texts enough to do a little reading and thinking between sessions. In this section you are given the Bible passage(s) for the session, a key verse, a summary of the text and the issues it raises, and a three-page study on the text. The section concludes with "Things to think about," which offers some practical applications for everyday living.
We realize that in an age of prepackaged goods and 15-second sound bytes, advance preparation may be a challenge. At the same time, we believe that for God's Word to be relevant to us, we need to do what it takes to ready our hearts and minds.
PART II: SESSION
Here we offer tips for your group when it meets, whether at church, in a home, or in some other setting. Good Ground uses a method for study that begins with everyday life (Focus), moves into an examination of what the Bible says (Engage the Text), then suggests life applications (Respond). The Closing wraps up the study in a brief worship experience.
One of the unique features about Good Ground studies is that they tap into a variety of learning styles. Some people learn best through the traditional lecture and discussion, but many others learn through visuals, imagination, poetry, role-playing and the like. Through these varied learning experiences, Good Ground gets participants involved in the learning, moving beyond the head and into concrete living from the heart.
PART III: LEADER GUIDELINES
We recognize that in many adult groups today, responsibility for leading is passed around within the group-hence the inclusion of notes for the leader in the participant's book. For these sessions to work best, however, those who lead must be prepared ahead of time. This section outlines what materials will be needed for the session, suggests some resources, and offers some tips for making the session come alive. If you are a regular leader of Good Ground, you will likely be aware of our other teaching/leading resources that orient you to our learning philosophy and methods.
Enjoy working with Good Ground as you journey in your faith, growing to be more like Christ!
Julie Garber, editor
Byron Rempel-Burkholder, editor
Ken Hawkley, adult education consultant
Unit Introduction
Welcome to Good GroundSession 1: The Promise of a Blessing
Session 2: I Believe You Anyway
Session 3: Horrible, Wonderful Sacrifice
Session 4: In the Name of Faith
Session 5: How Many Virtuous People Does It Take to...
Session 6: Playing favourites
Back to top of page.I Believe You Anyway
Bible passage: Genesis 15:1-6
Key verse: And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness (Gen. 15:6).
Summary: The Lord promises Abraham many descendants. Yet Abraham and his wife Sarah are both old and past childbearing years. It seems impossible that God would give them even one child, let alone enough to fill a galaxy. In spite of this, Abraham believes God and is therefore considered righteous. Abraham believes before the results are in. Is his faith blind? Is it naive? Is it a faith born of hope (there is nowhere but up from here)? To what kind of faith does God call us?
God promises heirs to Abraham and
Sarah, but Abraham is 100 years old
and Sarah 90. "It had ceased to be
with Sarah after the manner of
women" (18:11). The couple's response
to the news that Sarah would have a
baby is to laugh. When the baby is
born, he is named "Isaac," the Hebrew
word for laugh.
Study: At first glance Genesis 15:1-6 appears to be about the promise of descendants and land. After all, if Abraham is to have many descendants, he will need the land on which they will live. But on closer examination, this passage is more about faith. God offers a promise, Abraham questions the possibility, God reiterates the offer, whereupon Abraham believes. There are no assurances or guarantees. In fact, the opposite is true. All the evidence could have led Abraham to doubt, but instead he believes, and because of his faith he is considered "righteous."
Finding a Son
Before God promised descendants, we learn in verse 2 that Abram had apparently adopted Eliezer of Damascus, a slave in his household, to be his heir. This was accepted practice for fathers without natural sons in that culture. But why would this already elderly couple have adopted a son at this late date? Because the son can care for the parents in old age, ensure their proper burial and mourning, and receive the inheritance. Adoption was only a stopgap measure, however. If the first wife were to finally bear a son, the child of this primary marriage union would automatically precede the adopted one.
Besides adopting a son, Abraham and Sarah had other options. As we see in Genesis 16, Abraham produced an heir through Sarah's slave, Hagar. Concubinage (marrying a second or more wives) was also an acceptable mechanism by which to produce an heir in Abraham's culture. But hadn't God promised a child to Sarah? Abraham looks at himself and sees that he and Sarah are too old to have children. He naturally questions God's promise. He's not naive and resists the temptations of a naive faith.
In ancient Israelite culture, concubines were slaves in Hebrew households, purchased from poor families, taken in payment of a debt, or captured in war. As wives of lesser ranking, concubines often produced heirs for the head of the household and benefitted from lesser family rights and privileges such as having their own quarters, food, and clothing. Children born to concubines and the husband were often co-heirs, if not full heirs. While the scripture promotes monogamy, many instances of polygamy and concubinage appear in the Old Testament. Concubinage was a fact of life for powerful agricultural and nomadic families that relied on heirs to carry on the work.
Dialogue with God
Abraham seems bold as he confesses his doubts to God. He doesn't seem to fear that God will strike him down for saying "You have given me no offspring." Honest dialogue with God appears numerous times in the biblical tradition. Job speaks honestly to God about what is right (Job 42:7); the psalmist reminds God of God's promises (Ps. 74); even Jesus cries out in anguish on the cross (Mark 15:34).
Bible scholar Gerald Janzen notes in his commentary on Genesis 12-50 that to challenge God requires trust. Even as doubts about the promise creep into Abram's mind, he trusts that questioning God will not be the end of their relationship (36). God has already come to him with assurances, saying, "Do not be afraid." In fact, God is pictured here as a shield, not a threatening weapon. So God gives Abraham an opening to lament, and then when Abraham does express his doubts, God repeats the promise of heirs as innumerable as stars (v. 5).
Verse 6 is the climax of the exchange. Will Abraham go along willingly with the plan? Abram "believes," though "trust" perhaps more actively describes his response. There is some relief that Abraham takes the plunge. We don't know what would have happened if he had not. We do know, however, that for his response "the Lord reckoned it to him [Abram] as righteousness" (15:6). In the NIV, the passage is rendered "he credited it to him as righteousness." The Hebrew text contains the possibility of reading it as "he [Abram] credited it to him [God] as righteousness. "However we interpret it, it's a good thing.
Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound,
that saved a wretch like me!
I once was, lost, but now am found,
was blind, but now I see.
John Newton
Intentional Ambiguity
The ambiguity about righteousness may be intentional. We cannot tell who is particularly righteous, God or Abraham, because righteousness describes the actions of both parties in a relationship. Things are right between them.
The Hebrew word for righteousness, tsedaqah, was used at times in worship. If a worshiper made a sacrifice acceptable to God, the priest would declare him or her tsedaqah, that is, righteous. If a legal action sets things right between people, tsedaqah means "justice."If little is turned into much, tsedaqah is "prosperity." If fertility results from barrenness, tsedaqah means "posterity" (Janzen 38). In each case, things are made right between parties. In Genesis 15, Abraham's share of the transaction between God and him is faith; it is not a rite, a sacrifice, or a proper word. And GodÕs share of the transaction is faith (God will fulfill the promise), and so Abraham considers God to be "righteous."
In a real sense Abraham's faith is blind. Faith by its very definition is blind. "We walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). There is much about God we believe without seeing. But while Abraham's faith is blind, it is anything but naive. He has no pie-in-the-sky illusions that the future will be perfect. He is certainly not going on a promise that he will preside over a great nation, but only that his descendants will become a great nation long after him. None of these things convince Abraham to believe. The compelling angle of this story is the right relationship Abraham has with God. It is a relationship of give and take, strong enough to endure doubt, frustration, and delayed gratification. But primarily, Abraham recognizes that faith is a relationship and not just a ritual duty. Relationship is all the reward he needs.
Things to think about: Make a mental list of the people you encountered today and each day this week. In which of these people do you put your faith and trust? What connection, if any, is there between the depth of your relationship with these people and the level of trust you have in each other? Think of your relationship with God in the same way. Where do you come out?
PART II: SESSION
FOCUS (15 MINUTES)
Sit in a circle. Take a supply of beans (an equal number of two colors or types) from a sack being passed around the circle. As the beans are coming around, think of an exciting story about yourself that you can tell to the group. It can be true or made up. The idea is to confuse others about what is true and what is not. All stories should be plausible. Then take turns telling stories, going alphabetically according to your mother's first name. If you are able, stand to tell your story.
After each story, pass an empty bag around the circle. When it comes to you, vote whether you think the story is true or false, dropping one kind of bean in the bag for "true" or the other kind of bean for "false." After everyone in the group has voted on a story, empty the sack and count the coloured beans. Announce the results to the group. Go on to the next story. Don't discuss whether the story is actually true or not at this point. When all stories have been told and voted on, reveal whether stories were true or false.
I never spoke with God
Nor visited in HeavenÑ
Yet certain am I of the spot
As if the Checks were givenÑ
Emily Dickinson
Transition: How do you know what to believe when someone tells you something, especially when it seems incredible? Abraham had to wrestle with this question when God told him he'd have many descendants. In spite of his old age, Abraham chose to believe God. Let's take a closer took at the story.
Engage the Text (15 MINUTES)
Read Genesis 15:1-6 aloud in parts, one person being the narrator, one reading God's part, and one reading Abraham's lines. If you were to write about Abram's faith today, what would you say? What was unique about his faith in God? What was noble, or worthy of emulating?
At several points in the New Testament, Bible characters reflect on the faith of Abraham. Divide the group into three groups and discuss one of the following New Testament passages: Romans 4:16-25; Galatians 3:6-14; Hebrews 11: 1-3, 8-12. First read the passage for yourself (or, if the number of Bibles is few, read the passage out loud). Talk about the following questions:
¥ What does the author think is most important about the story of Abraham and Sarah?
¥ What happened as a result of Abraham's belief?
¥ Is there a difference between faith and belief?
¥ New Testament writers don't refer to Abraham's dialogue with God. What, if any, difference does that make?
¥ What other differences do you notice between the New Testament accounts of Abraham's righteousness and the Genesis account?
Return to the large group and report briefly on the small group discussion.
Respond (10 MINUTES)
Option A: Abraham discovered that questioning God would not destroy his relationship with God. Take turns telling about a time you questioned God or confronted someone in whom you have faith, such as political leaders, employers, or teachers. Include in your story how you felt when you had to question or confront a person you respect. Also tell how you felt afterward and what happened to your relationship with God or the person.
If you don't have a story to tell, consider telling the group the honest questions you would like to ask of God or the honest questions you would like to ask of people in whom you have faith or trust.
Option B: Make bumper stickers. A popular bumper sticker says "Question Authority." What brief message would Abraham put on a bumper sticker about his relationship with God? If you want to use the slogan as a real bumper sticker, print it on plain self-adhering shelf paper with permanent markers.
Closing (3 MINUTES)
Take time for silent prayer. Reflect for a minute on the marks of a right relationship: good communication, openness, and trust. Then think for another minute on whether or not your relationship with God is right, or could be more right. Ask God to help you become more "righteous." Close by singing or reading the words to "We walk by faith, and not by sight."
PART III: LEADER GUIDELINES
Items Needed
Bibles
Two sacks and a large quantity of dry beans in two different colours (or similar small things such as macaroni and kernels of corn). Markers and self-adhering shelf paper, cut into strips.
Resources
Janzen, J. Gerald. Abraham and All the Families of the Earth: A Commentary on the Book of Genesis 12-50. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993.
Tips for Leading
1. Read through the entire session. Be prepared to lead out with stories of your own in Focus and Respond. Your experiences may trigger the memories of others.
2. If your group is large, choose several people to tell stories in Focus. Involve everyone in the voting process.
3. Round up items needed for the session, including beans, small paper sacks, markers, and shelf paper.
Looking ahead: Decide now if you would like readers to rehearse the Reader's Theatre in session 3. Get the group together before the next session to practice their parts. Also, have yarn or ribbon on hand for Respond in Session 3.