BEMA Episode Link: 9: Letting Go
Episode Length: 40:59
Published Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2016 01:00:00 -0800
Session 1
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings talk about Genesis 12–14: the call of Abram and his initial adventures in the land of Canaan.

Discussion Video for BEMA 9

Transcript for BEMA 9

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

• Genesis 12, 13, 14
• Gen 12:1 Avram leaves the house of his father.
  • This is unheard of. The house of a father was everything. EVERYONE lived under this patriarchal umbrella.
    • Beit Av, “House of the Father”
    • Decendants are there to further their father’s legecy. That is their identity until their father dies.
    • A father provides everything for his children, even his gods.
    • The entire ancient world was like this. It is the Western world that brings this sense of individuality and moves away from this sense of family and community.
  • There is a story about Avram, on the night that he leaves, he breaks all of this father’s idols with an ax except for one that Avram places the ax in its hands.
  • Avram pitches a tent implying he’s mobile and is ready to move whenever G-d asks him to.
  • There ends up being a famine in Cannan and so Avram goes to Egypt.
    • Balance between trusting G-d and doing the responsible thing.
    • This ends up being a bad move.
  • Avram and Sarai have a plan to be treated well and leave with riches.
    • Avram has the upper hand with everyone one in Egypt except for one person, Pharoah.
    • Their story backfires in Gen 12:14-15.
• Problems and Questions:
  • Why mention the Cannanites and Perizites? They are uneccessary in this story.
  • The mention of the tree… or something. Go back and listen for this. ~20-25 min mark.
  • Does the author want us to notice the chapters 12 and 13 as being related.
  • Avram said to Lot that they were brothers (close relative).
    • He also mentions that Sarai is his sister (close relative).
  • Why is Lot of Avram? He technically belongs to Terah at this point.
    • Avram was promised a great nation by G-d.
    • Avram out of faithfulness and trust in G-d, he takes Lot along with him believing that it will be through Lot that his great nation comes.
    • Avram and Lot part ways meaning he gives up his great nation AND he puts Lot first.
      • He continues to put others first.
  • Lot and his family is captured by Kings.
    • Avram rescues Lot and his family.
      • But then Avram gives his Lot back a second time.
• Chiasms
  • Center - 12:14-15

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