Study on Bible - Old Testament cont'd..Abraham, Isaac Jacob

1. Old Testament (OT) Journey
Lesson 6: Abraham – Soaring Faith
GOD’S TOUCHPOINTS
Old Testament Summary
The Patriarchal Ages
The Judges
The Reign of Royalty
The Prophetic Era

2. OT Walkthru- The Patriarchal Ages
1. OT Summary
2. Adam – A Fallen Faith
3. Noah – Surviving Faith
4. The World in Confusion – Babel
5. Job – Faith under Fire
6. Abraham – Soaring Faith
7. Isaac – Winging Faith
8. Jacob – Driving Faith
9. Joseph – Unwavering Faith
10. God’s Direct Interventions in Genesis
11. God’s Special Interventions in Genesis
12. Moses – Humbled Faith
13. Israel – Leanness of Soul
14. God’s Commandments

3. The Patriarchs of Israel
• Abraham - Soaring
Faith
• Isaac - Winging Faith
• Jacob - Driving Faith
• Joseph – Unwavering
Faith

4. Abraham – Soaring Faith
Objectives
To:
• Appreciate the consistently growing faith of Abraham
• Differentiate between Abraham and Lot’s approach to the
same journey
• Believe God fulfils His promises

5. Abraham – Soaring Faith
Presentation Overview
• Background of Abraham
• Abraham’s Journey
• Abraham’s Faith Chart – Soaring Faith
• Lot’s Faith Chart – Staggering Faith
• Abraham vs. Lot – A Common Start, An Opposite Finish
• God Fulfils His Promises
• Discussion
Note: Reference Material is available in the notes section of
this presentation

6. Background of Abraham
• Called from Ur of the Chaldees (probably in his sixties).
• Went to Haran with his father. Blessed by God.
• Answered God’s call on his father’s death at age 75.
• Continues to experience God’s providence.
• Gives birth to Ishmael in his mid 80s
• Finally gives birth to Isaac around the age of 100.
• Asked by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac as a test of faith.
Gen 12-23

7. Abraham’s Journey

8. Video Clip – Waiting…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxPzj_nBolI

9. Abraham’s Faith chart 1. God calls Abraham
2. Abraham takes his time to respond
3. Abraham moves but in a different
direction - towards Haran
4. God confirms his call to Abraham
5. God confirms Abrahams call
6. Abraham and Pharoah
7. Abraham and Lot
8. God confirms Abraham’s
descendants Abraham believes
9. Sarah asks Abraham to have son via
Hagar
10. God confirms Abraham’s
descendants
11. 3 angels confirm Abraham’s
descendents
12. Sodom and Gomorrah
13. Abraham and Abimelech
14. Isaac is born
15. Abraham sacrifices Isaac
16. Abraham gets a bride for Isaac
While our faith may be erratic, God’s faithfulness is always
constant/consistent
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0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Abrahams
Faith
God's FaithFulness
God's Faithfulness vs. Abraham's faith (not to scale)

10. Lot – Staggering Faith
1. Lot goes with Abraham
2. Lot claims Sodom and Gomorrah
3. Lot saves angel of God from inmates
4. Lot’s daughters commit incest – Moabites and Ammonites are born
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0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
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1.2
Lot's Faith
God's FaithFulness
God's Faithfulness vs. Lot's Faith (not to scale)

11. Discussion
• What do we learn about
God?
• What do we learn about
faith?

12. Abraham and Lot –
ACommon Start, an Opposite Finish!
Abraham Lot
Environment Both started out on the same
journey
Lot could have been a part of
Abraham’s great heritage but
chose a different path
Motive Abraham looked for a city with
foundations whose builder and
maker was God
Lot chose the lush, prosperous
plains of Sodom and Gomorrah
also rich in sin
Leadership Abraham exposes to the family
to his faith and maintains the
heritage of God.
Lot exposes his family to sin and
drunkenness destroying them in
the process.
Growth Abraham quickly corrects his
errors and grows
Lot repeats his errors and falls
Legacy Abraham’s descendants
maintain his faith.
Lot’s descendants (Moabites and
Ammonites) quickly turn away
from God.

13. God Fulfils His Promises
• God took 36 years to fulfil his promise. During which time,
he:
• Led Abraham to the promised land
• Built Abraham’s faith
• Enlarged Abraham’s territories
• Strengthened his equation with neighbours
• Prepared Abraham to father the nation of God
• Are we ready to wait for the fulfilment of God’s promises?
While we are waiting God is working

14. Activity
• As for two volunteers. Blindfold one and ask the other to
lead the first on a walk
• When walk is done ask feelings of both
• Both volunteers share experience
• Others talk about how they felt when they surrendered
phones
• Talk about surrender to God….
• Summarize with importance of surrendering to Lordship of
Christ

15. Old Testament (OT) Journey
Lesson 7: Isaac – Winging Faith
GOD’S TOUCHPOINTS
Old Testament Summary
The Patriarchal Ages
The Judges
The Reign of Royalty
The Prophetic Era

16. OT Walkthru- The Patriarchal Ages
1. OT Summary
2. Adam – A Fallen Faith
3. From Fall to Flood
4. Noah – Surviving Faith
5. The World in Confusion – Babel
6. Job – Faith under Fire
7. Abraham – Soaring Faith
8. Isaac – Winging Faith
9. Jacob –Driving Faith
10. Joseph – Unwavering Faith
11. God’s Direct Interventions in Genesis
12. God’s Special Interventions in Genesis
13. Moses – Humbled Faith
14. Israel – Leanness of Soul
15. God’s Commandments

17. The Patriarchs of Israel
• Abraham - Soaring Faith
• Isaac - Winging Faith
• Jacob - Driving Faith
• Joseph – Unwavering Faith

18. Isaac – Winging Faith
Objectives
To:
• Realize the value of what God has entrusted to us and be
good stewards
• Receive/ propagate the legacy he has given us

19. Isaac – Winging Faith
Presentation Overview
Isaac was “winging it” or “gliding” on the faith of his father..we
do not see any additional spectacular demonstrations in his
faith.
• Born by (his father’s) faith
• Blessed by (his father’s) faith
• Bonded by (his servant’s) faith
• Blunders overruled by (God’s) grace
• Discussion – Stewards of God’s Grace

20. Born by (his Father’s) Faith
Gained life by faith
After decades, the faith
child was born.
Regained life through
fire
God gave him life, God
has the right to take away.
Isaac
trusted his father
completely and obeyed
even through threat of
death.

21. Born by (his Father’s) faith
When we receive, to
what level are we
prepared to obey and
give?
We are only stewards
and not owners of
God’s blessings.

22. Blessed by (his Father’s) faith
Inherited his father’s blessings
“Abraham was now an old man.
God had blessed Abraham in
every way” Gen 24 v 1 MSG.
Isaac was the sole inheritor of
those blessings. “But Abraham
gave everything he possessed to
Isaac…he gave gifts to the sons
he had by concubines…but then
sent them away…putting a good
distance between them and his
son Isaac” Gen 25.

23. Blessed by (his father’s) Faith
• “I’ll bless you and make
your children flourish
because of my servant
Abraham”. (Gen 26)
• Isaac makes the same
mistakes of his father.
(Gen 26:7-10)
• He has his father’s
generosity eg. well
disputes. God prospers
him. (Gen 26:17-32)

24. Blessed by (his father’s) Faith
• He prays for a son when
his wife is barren (Gen
25:21)
• He also has a spirit of
gratitude and builds an
altar when God blesses
him. (Gen 26:25)
• He has peaceful
relations with neighbours
(Gen 26:28-30)

25. Blessed by (his father’s) Faith
The influence of godliness
(and sin) extend beyond an
individual to his family to
generations.
On the flip side every
individual is 100%
responsible for good or evil
in their lives (Ezekiel 18:20)

26. Video Clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLSXLW3cYvE

27. Overruled by God’s Grace
Double blindness
• Isaac is physically blind
– cannot see his sons
• He is spiritually blind in
the context of blessing.
Though God tells
Rebekah that Jacob will
rule Esau (Gen 25:23),
he plans to give the
prime blessing to Esau
based on physical
appetite.

28. Overruled by God’s Grace
Double reversal of his children’s blessings:
• The blessing meant for Jacob was being planned for Esau.
• The blessing he thinks he is giving Esau is given to Jacob
Rebekah helps Jacob outsmart Esau’s validation strategy
God’s choice for the blessing was Jacob, so the reversal was
actually God’s plan
Did Isaac have the right to decide who the blessing went
to?
We are only stewards of God’s gifts.

29. Bonded by (his servant’s) Faith
Won his bride
Abraham’s servant prays for
God’s leading to find a bride for
Isaac, a task entrusted by
Abraham. Isaac wins a beautiful
bride of God’s choice. He is
comforted in his mother’s death.
Acquired Children by Faith
Like his mother, his wife is barren.
He prays and gets children by
faith.
God takes away and God gives …

30. Stewards of God’s word
“This, then, is how you
ought to regard us: as
servants of Christ and
as those entrusted with
the mysteries God has
revealed. 2 Now it is
required that those
who have been given
a trust must prove
faithful.”
1 Cor 4:1,2

31. Activity
• Put papers / post- it’s
with people’s names on
wall
• As team to write under
names giftings they see
(in others)
• Sit in circle – ask each
person how they use
these giftings
• Pray for each others
giftings that they will use
their gifts for the purpose
created.

32. Stewards of God’s gifts - Discussion
• In what instances was Isaac a good steward?
• In what instances was Isaac a poor steward?
• What were the reasons for poor stewardship?
• Fear (with Abimelech)
• Flesh (with blessing)
• Others?
• What challenges do we face with respect to stewardship
and how do we overcome them?

33. Old Testament (OT) Journey
Lesson 8: Jacob – Driving Faith
GOD’S TOUCHPOINTS
Old Testament Summary
The Patriarchal Ages
The Judges
The Reign of Royalty
The Prophetic Era

34. OT Walkthru- The Patriarchal Ages
1. OT Summary
2. Adam – A Fallen Faith
3. Noah – Surviving Faith
4. The World in Confusion – Babel
5. Job – Faith under Fire
6. Abraham – Soaring Faith
7. Isaac – Winging Faith
8. Jacob – Driving Faith
9. Joseph – Unwavering Faith
10. God’s Direct Interventions in
Genesis
11. God’s Special Interventions in
Genesis
12. Moses – Humbled Faith
13. Israel – Leanness of Soul
14. God’s Commandments

35. The Patriarchs of Israel
• Abraham - Soaring faith
• Isaac - Winging faith
• Jacob - Driving faith
• Joseph – Unwavering faith

36. Jacob – Driving Faith
Objectives
To
• Understand Jacob’s
strong driving forces
• Be clear on our
purpose and direction

37. Presentation Overview
• Jacob’s story - snapshot
• Jacob’s driving forces
• What to fight for
• When to make peace
• Who to cling to
• Where he belonged
• How to maintain his legacy
• Why he was working
• Discussion
• Reflection
Note: Reference Material is
available in the notes
section of this presentation

38. Jacob’s Story
Fighter Spirit
• Fights in the womb
• Fights for birthright
• Fights for blessing (of father)
Flees
• Works for Rachel
• Works for Rachel again
• Works for possessions
Returns and reconciles
• Fights with God
• Fights for blessing (of God)
• Fathers the tribes of Israel
Settles in Egypt

39. Jacob’s Driving Forces
Jacob knew:
• What to fight for
• When to make peace
• Who to cling to
• Where he belonged
• How to maintain his legacy
• Why he was working

40. Knew what to Fight for
• Fights for birthright
(25:31,32)
• Fights for blessing (of
Father) (27)
• Fights for blessing (of
God) (32:26)

41. Knew what to Fight for
Jacob crosses the line and
twists his father’s arm in the
aspect of his blessing.
What are the consequences
of Jacob cheating Esau of
blessing?
What are the consequences
of Esau despising his
birthright?

42. Knew when to Make Peace
• With Esau (Gen 33)
• With Laban (31:55)

43. Knew Who to Cling To
• Read Gen 32:22-32
• Jacob clung to God
• Sought his name
• Sought his blessing
• Why did God fight with Jacob
and injure him?
• Why does He fight with us?

44. Video Clip:Guidance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xwLvq44Gsk

45. Knew where he Belonged
He flees from Canaan but
returns to the land of his
legacy
3 Then the LORD said to Jacob,
“Go back to the land of your
fathers and to your relatives,
and I will be with you.’ (Gen
31)
He leaves for Egypt but insists
that his bones are buried in the
promised land
29 Then he gave them these
instructions: “I am about to be
gathered to my people. Bury
me with my fathers (Gen 49)

46. Knew how to Maintain the Legacy
• Joseph maintains his faith
in Egypt
• Aligned to God even in
his old age (48:13)
Note: Jacob falls into the
pit of favoritism. What are
the consequences?

47. Knew why he was Working
• For the woman he
loved
• In line with his
mother’s desire to
marry within the
community
(Gen 28:6,7)
His purpose drove him
and made his long
years appear short
(Gen 29:20)

48. Discussion
Contrast the following example of
trust with Jacob’s:
http://bibletransforms.com/2013/05/
the-essence-of-trust/.
1. What do you believe is the ideal
trust model – clinging to God or
“letting go and letting God”?
2. What are the pro’s and cons of
each model? How do we strike a
balance?
3. In Ruth 4:11 Rachel and Leah
are setup as role models. “... May
the LORD make the woman who is
coming into your home
like Rachel and Leah” What would
Jacob’s family life have been like?
What can we learn?

49. Reflection – What drives us?
• What do we fight for?
• When do we make peace?
• Who do we cling to?
• Where do we belong?
• How do we maintain legacy?
• Why do we work?

50. Activity
• Divide into two groups
• Ask one group to perform a mime in today’s scenario of a
person who accepts Christ but gets lured by other
attractions of the world.
• Ask the second group to mime a life with Christ rejecting
other attractions of world and surrendering to Christ
(Note for leader: As aids provide blank placards and pens
for groups to write words and use as flashcards)
Reiterate importance of giving in to Lordship of Christ