Blessings Passed Down

 

Blessings Passed Down

Genesis 25: ⁷ This is the sum of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived: one hundred and seventy-five years. ⁸ Then Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. ⁹ And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, ¹⁰ the field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife. ¹¹ And it came to pass, after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac dwelt at Beer Lahai Roi.

 

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Abraham’s father, Terah, lived two hundred five years. His grandfather lived one hundred nineteen years. And his ancestor Seth lived five hundred years. Terah may have heard directly from Seth regarding the Garden of Eden and the flooding of the earth. Terah passed this information to Abraham who took it another step by believing everything GOD said. He passed this information on to Isaac.

 

My Observations:

• Ismael must have gotten word that his father, Abraham, died.
• Ismael worked with Isaac to bury their father.
• Isaac grew up listening to Abraham and heard about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

Hearing about the miracles of GOD seemed to place a fire in the heart of those who could receive it. This fire guided each person’s actions. GOD promised that Abraham would be the father of many nations and he lived his entire life as the chosen one.

 

Isaac would now accept the responsibility of being the chosen one to give birth to nations. But what about Ismael. He too was blessed with forming nations. GOD’s blessings cascaded down to generations to follow. Abraham was buried in the same cave as Sarah. The deed was passed to Isaac.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD mention Abraham’s age so descriptively to Moses?
• Do you worry about age?
• If you measure your accomplishments, will you stop so you can focus on GOD’s blessed calling for you right now?

Beginning of a Lineage

Beginning of a Lineage

Genesis 5: This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. ² He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. ³ And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. ⁴ After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters. ⁵ So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.

 

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After explaining there were two distinct paths in humanity, one path is spelled out. While the term “genealogy” is used, it really isn’t a family tree that shows a parental structure leading back to all ancestors. Instead, this was the lineage of salvation that could be traced all the way back to where the first person made the mistake.

 

My Observations:

• GOD made man and woman in the “likeness of GOD.”
• Adam sinned, brought on GOD’s curse, had two sons, one murdered the other, and then had another son named Seth.
• Seth had siblings, but only he was the beginning of the lineage of JESUS.

 

At first I wondered why the other people were not named. But then it hit me. This book is not about humans, but it is about JESUS. The lineage of CHRIST was preserved and could be traced back to the first sinner, Adam.

 

GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON and GOD the HOLY SPIRIT, always existed. I cannot explain this. BUT GOD, three in one, revealed what I need to have a healed relationship with HIM. I believe it was JESUS who interacted with the humans HE created. I also believe the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT interacted with humans in the Old Testament. This lineage is the beginning of redemption.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD told Moses about Seth?
• Have you ever done a family tree?
• Will you read the Bible from a redemption perspective to know the heart of GOD today?