father abraham

Nadya Suleman, the “Octo-Mom.”

Nadya Suleman, the “Octo-Mom.”She gave birth to octuplets on January 26, 2009.


Concerns have been raised about how she can raised

those 8 with the 6 she already had.




Controversy has also surrounded Dr. Michael

Kamrava, the physician who implanted the

embryos.






embryos.He is being investigated by the Medical Board of

California.






embryos.He is being investigated by the Medical Board of

California.

“How could a physician logically implant 8 embryos in

1 woman?”

Can you imagine the uproar if Dr.

Kamrava implanted a single

embryo in a 90 year-old woman?

In tonight‟s text, God promises a 99 year-old man

that his wife is going to conceive a child!!



Genesis 17:1-8.



Genesis 17:1-8. This text says only a little about Abraham.




This passage is all about God.




This passage is all about God. THE POWERFUL GOD.

THE PROSCRIPTIVE GOD.

THE PROMISING GOD.

vv 1, 5c

The Powerful God

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD

appeared to Abram and said to him, „I am God

Almighty‟” (v 1, ESV).



Almighty‟” (v 1, ESV).God reveals himself to Abraham as “God Almighty.”




God has great & awesome power.




God has great & awesome power.With his great power, God created the world.




God has great & awesome power.With his great power, God created the world. “You are the

LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of

heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the

seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them”

(Neh 9:6, ESV).





With his great power, God led the Israelites out of Egypt.






“You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of

Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there

with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (Deut 5:15,

ESV).






God is so powerful that he is commonly referred to as the

Almighty.







Almighty. “The Lord our God the Almighty reigns” (Rv 19:6,

ESV).







Almighty.

In this passage, God is going to use his great power to

enable Abraham & Sarah to have a son.

Moses records that God appeared to Abraham

when he was 99 years-old.


when he was 99 years-old. Why would Moses

even bother with Abraham‟s age?



even bother with Abraham‟s age? This shows that God doesn‟t always act according to

our timeline.




our timeline. It has been 24 years since God first

made this promise!!




our timeline. It has been 24 years since God first

made this promise!!

This also shows that God is going to do something

extraordinary in allowing Sarah to conceive.

Sarah is far beyond child-bearing years.

Sarah is far beyond child-bearing years.Prior to the Flood, people did have children at ages

well beyond what is now a normal lifespan.


well beyond what is now a normal lifespan. “When Jared had lived 162 years he fathered Enoch. Jared

lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons

and daughters. Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years,

and he died” (Gen 5:18-20, ESV).


well beyond what is now a normal lifespan. “When Jared had lived 162 years he fathered Enoch. Jared

lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons

and daughters. Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years,

and he died” (Gen 5:18-20, ESV).

While we don‟t know how old Jared‟s wife (wives?) was, it‟s

possible that she was quite, quite old.



Yet, after the Flood, the lifespan decreases as do

reproductive years.




reproductive years.

We know that Sarah was well beyond her reproductive

capability.




reproductive years.


capability. Abraham laughed: “Then Abraham fell on his face and

laughed and said to himself, „Shall a child be born to a man

who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety

years old, bear a child?‟” (Gn 17:17, ESV).




reproductive years.


capability. Abraham laughed.

Sarah also laughed: “So Sarah laughed to herself, saying,

„After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have

pleasure?‟” (Gn 18:12, ESV).

Only a God as powerful as our

God could cause a 90 year-old

woman to conceive!

God also tells Abraham: “I have made you the

father of a multitude of nations,” (v 5c, ESV).


father of a multitude of nations,” (v 5c, ESV).Notice the use of the perfect tense.


father of a multitude of nations,” (v 5c, ESV).Notice the use of the perfect tense.God doesn‟t say, “I am going to make you the father of a

multitude of nations.”




God says, “I have already made you the father of a





God says, “I have already made you the father of a


God is so powerful that his plan was as good as

accomplished.

We need to grasp God‟s power.

God can use his great power to help or to destroy.


“God has power to help or to cast down” (2 Chr

25:8, ESV).



25:8, ESV).

God has great power to help.



25:8, ESV).

God has great power to help.He will use that power when we pray.



25:8, ESV).

God has great power to help.He will use that power when we pray. Jesus to the disciples: “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will

receive, if you have faith” (Mt 21:22, ESV).



25:8, ESV).

God has great power to help.He will use that power when we pray. Jesus to the disciples: “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will

receive, if you have faith” (Mt 21:22, ESV).

When we face a crisis, do we pray & ask God to use his

great power?



25:8, ESV).


He will use that power when we are tempted.



25:8, ESV).


He will use that power when we are tempted. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to

man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted

beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also

provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure

it” (1 Cor 10:13, ESV).



25:8, ESV).


He will use that power when we are tempted. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to

man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted

beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also

provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure

it” (1 Cor 10:13, ESV).

When facing temptation, do we avail ourselves of God‟s

“way of escape”?



25:8, ESV).


God has great power to cast down.



25:8, ESV).


God has great power to cast down.When Nadab & Abihu worshiped inappropriately, fire

came from the LORD & consumed them.



25:8, ESV).




When Korah rebelled against Moses, the earth opened

& swallowed Korah and those with him.



25:8, ESV).




When Korah rebelled against Moses, the earth opened

& swallowed Korah and those with him.

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living

God” (Heb 10:31, ESV).

Will God use his power to help

you or to cast you down?

vv 1-2

The Proscriptive God

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord


Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I

may make my covenant between me and you, and

may multiply you greatly‟” (vv 1-2, ESV).

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord


Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I

may make my covenant between me and you, and

may multiply you greatly‟” (vv 1-2, ESV).

Here, God proscribes the way that Abraham was to

live.

Abraham was to walk before God.

Abraham was to walk before God.Walking before God indicates a relationship.

Abraham was to walk before God.Walking before God indicates a relationship. “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him”

(“Gn 5:24, ESV).


(“Gn 5:24, ESV).

“These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous

man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God”

(Gn 6:9, ESV).


(“Gn 5:24, ESV).



(Gn 6:9, ESV).

God wants a relationship with us.


(“Gn 5:24, ESV).



(Gn 6:9, ESV).

God wants a relationship with us.

The construction in Hebrew points to an ongoing process.


Abraham was to be “blameless.”


Abraham was to be “blameless.” The Heb term for “blameless” is the same term used to

speak of sacrificial animals.




This obviously doesn‟t mean “perfect.”




This obviously doesn‟t mean “perfect.” “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is

not in us” (1 Jn 1:8, ESV).




This obviously doesn‟t mean “perfect.” “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is

not in us” (1 Jn 1:8, ESV).

Abraham was far from perfect—He lied & when told to leave his

country & his father‟s house, he took his father & nephew with

him!





The idea is obedience to God.





The idea is obedience to God. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered

up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along

with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the

Scripture was fulfilled that says, „Abraham believed God, and it

was counted to him as righteousness‟—and he was called a

friend of God” (Js 2:21-23, ESV).





The idea is obedience to God. Js 2:21-23.

“I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt” (Ps

18:23, ESV).





The idea is obedience to God. Js 2:21-23.

“I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from my guilt” (Ps

18:23, ESV). Notice that David describes being blameless as

keeping himself from guilt.

Only if Abraham followed God‟s proscribed

behavior would God establish his covenant with

him—“that I may make my covenant between me

and you, and may multiply you greatly” (v 2, ESV).

Only if Abraham followed God‟s proscribed

behavior would God establish his covenant with

him—“that I may make my covenant between me

and you, and may multiply you greatly” (v 2, ESV).

If Abraham had not lived according to God‟s

standards, Jesus Christ would not have descended

from him!

Obedience to the PROSCRIBING GOD is

absolutely essential to receiving God‟s blessings.


absolutely essential to receiving God‟s blessings. “If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my

covenant, you shall be my treasured possession

among all peoples, for all the earth is mine” (Ex 19:5,

ESV).


absolutely essential to receiving God‟s blessings. “If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my

covenant, you shall be my treasured possession

among all peoples, for all the earth is mine” (Ex 19:5,

ESV).

“Whatever we ask we receive from him, because we

keep his commandments and do what pleases him” (1

Jn 3:22, ESV).

Are you following the

PROSCRIBING GOD?

vv 4-8

The Promising God

“Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the

father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your

name be called Abram, but your name shall be

Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude

of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I

will make you into nations, and kings shall come from

you. And I will establish my covenant between me and

you and your offspring after you throughout their

generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to

you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to

you and to your offspring after you the land of your

sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting

possession, and I will be their God” (vv 4-8, ESV).

This is quite a lengthy list of things God promised

Abraham.


Abraham. I almost feel as though I‟m reading the campaign

promises of a politician.




But, God carries out every promise he ever makes.




But, God carries out every promise he ever makes. “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people

Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has

failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his

servant” (1 Ki 8:56, ESV).




But, God carries out every promise he ever makes. 1 Ki 8:56.

“No distrust made [Abraham] waver concerning the promise

of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to

God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had

promised” (Rom 4:20-21, ESV).

Do we rest on God‟s promises?

father abraham

Spiritual

proscriptive god

promising god

god almighty v

powerful god vv

great awesome power

withhis great power

years old

almighty reigns rv