Lesson 07 Covenant, Hagar, and Circumcision Genesis 15:1–17:27
This post and others in the series are adapted from the content of the lesson syllabus authored by group moderator Rob Perry. Content is for study and research only, not for other distribution without written permission. Contact the webmaster, Mike Foxworth.
OPEN IT
1. When you were growing up, what was the biggest lie you got caught telling?
EXPLORE IT
2. What did the Lord tell Abram to do? (Gen.12:1)
3. What did the Lord promise to do for Abram? (Gen.12:2-3)
4. What did Abram do? Whom did Abram take with him when he left home? (Gen.12:4-5)
5. What did the Lord tell Abram He would do, and how did Abram respond? (Gen.12:6-7)
6. What did Abram do in Bethel? (Gen.12:8-9)
7. What did Abram tell Sarai to do when they went to Egypt? (Gen.12:10-13)
8. Why did Abram tell Sarai to lie? (Gen.12:10-13)
9. What happened to Sarai when she arrived in Egypt? (Gen.12:14-15)
10. How did the Egyptians treat Abram? (Gen.12:16)
11. What did the Lord do to Pharaoh and his household? (Gen.12:17)
12. Why did Pharaoh and his household get sick? (Gen.12:17)
13. What did Pharaoh do when he discovered that Sarai was Abram's wife? (Gen.12:18-20)
GET IT
14. Why do you think Abram thought it was necessary to lie after all that the Lord had promised to do?
15. In what setting do you need to make a greater effort to be honest?
APPLY IT
16. In what setting will you make a deliberate effort to tell the truth and trust God this week?
Explore It Answers
This section is designed to prompt thoughts about how and why to derive each scripture-based answer, so the actual answer is based upon individual study and may not be fully disclosed here. Here, also, are parallel verses for the key scripture texts.
Biblical Answer 2
What did the Lord tell Abram to do? (Gen.12:1)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:1 | Parallel Texts: Romans 12:18; Proverbs 16:7; Matthew 5:9
Biblical Answer 3
What did the Lord promise to do for Abram? (Gen.12:2-3)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:2-3 | Parallel Texts: James 1:19-20; Proverbs 15:1; Ephesians 4:31-32
Biblical Answer 4
What did Abram do? Whom did Abram take with him when he left home? (Gen.12:4-5)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:4-5 | Parallel Texts: Romans 12:18; Proverbs 16:7; Matthew 5:9
Biblical Answer 5
What did the Lord tell Abram He would do, and how did Abram respond? (Gen.12:6-7)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:6-7 | Parallel Texts: Psalm 24:1; Acts 17:28; Romans 14:12
Biblical Answer 6
What did Abram do in Bethel? (Gen.12:8-9)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:8-9 | Parallel Texts: Romans 12:18; Proverbs 16:7; Matthew 5:9
Biblical Answer 7
What did Abram tell Sarai to do when they went to Egypt? (Gen.12:10-13)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:10-13 | Parallel Texts: James 1:19-20; Proverbs 15:1; Ephesians 4:31-32
Biblical Answer 8
Why did Abram tell Sarai to lie? (Gen.12:10-13)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:10-13 | Parallel Texts: Genesis 1:27; Genesis 9:6; James 3:9
Biblical Answer 9
What happened to Sarai when she arrived in Egypt? (Gen.12:14-15)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:14-15 | Parallel Texts: James 1:19-20; Proverbs 15:1; Ephesians 4:31-32
Biblical Answer 10
How did the Egyptians treat Abram? (Gen.12:16)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:16 | Parallel Texts: Galatians 3:8; Acts 3:25; Genesis 18:18
Biblical Answer 11
What did the Lord do to Pharaoh and his household? (Gen.12:17)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:17 | Parallel Texts: James 1:19-20; Proverbs 15:1; Ephesians 4:31-32
Biblical Answer 12
Why did Pharaoh and his household get sick? (Gen.12:17)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:17 | Parallel Texts: Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6; Hebrews 7:1-3
Biblical Answer 13
What did Pharaoh do when he discovered that Sarai was Abram's wife? (Gen.12:18-20)
Key Scripture: Genesis 12:18-20 | Parallel Texts: James 1:19-20; Proverbs 15:1; Ephesians 4:31-32
Commentary Summary
In Genesis 12:1-20, The Call of Abram highlights doctrinal themes such as God’s character, human accountability, and the certainty of His redemptive purpose. But Abram's life was not simply a straight line of ever-increasing faith. The emphasis is theological, asking what the text teaches about creation, covenant, judgment, grace, salvation, and the trustworthiness of God. This summary is designed to identify the major truths being taught, not merely repeat the narrative details. It therefore reads as a concise doctrinal overview suitable for the commentary summary section.
In The Call of Abram, the flow of Genesis 12:1-20 emphasizes practical faith, obedience, and response to God. As the very next incident in his life demonstrates, he, like all believers, struggled with the challenges of life. The focus here is pastoral and applicational, showing how the lesson challenges the reader to trust, repent, endure, worship, and walk in obedience. This summary is intentionally more devotional and exhortational so it does not simply duplicate the doctrinal wording used in the other commentary summaries.
Within the broader storyline of Genesis and the Bible as a whole, Genesis 12:1-20 helps move forward the pattern of promise, failure, mercy, and restoration that runs through Scripture. These challenges led him to rely on cunning and deception rather than simply trusting that God would keep his promise of blessings and curses on those who interacted with Abram (12:3). This summary is shaped to sound more like a Bible Project overview by emphasizing literary flow, biblical themes, and how the lesson contributes to the unified story of Scripture. The goal is to locate the passage in the wider narrative rather than repeat the same doctrinal or devotional emphasis.
Last Week
How wicked and rebellious is the natural heart of man! It is not long since the flood, and yet man is again rebelling. Our own hearts will always naturally turn from the Lord's love and grace to our own schemes of self-exaltation.
This Week
But Abram's life was not simply a straight line of ever-increasing faith. As the very next incident in his life demonstrates, he, like all believers, struggled with the challenges of life. These challenges led him to rely on cunning and deception rather than simply trusting that God would keep his promise of blessings and curses on those who interacted with Abram (12:3).
Next Week
God's promises to multiply Abram's offspring and give them dominion over the land found partial fulfillment in the days of Solomon. But they point further to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Those who follow in the footsteps of Abram's faith are being multiplied in every nation and will one day inherit the earth.
.png)
Comments
Post a Comment