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Discussions Torah

Genesis 12–17: Instant gratification is never instant or gratifying

It’s not easy to leave one’s family, even at 75 years old, but God called Abram out of his father’s house for his own good. This was Abram’s first test. 

In the Torah passage לֶךְ-לְךָ Lech Lecha/Lekh Lekha (“go forth,” Genesis 12:1-17:27), we learn that Abram’s faith came from both hearing God’s instruction and doing it. Doing matters, not just hearing. Hearing is easy, doing is much more involved and more difficult. When our life is smooth and we get instant gratification, it’s easy to continue walking in a way that brings a quick blessing. But when we are doing something that is right but we do not receive instant gratification, it’s harder to continue doing what is right.

When God tells us to do the right thing but we don’t want to do it, it’s hard to do it anyway.

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Discussions Torah

Abraham: An example of hope and trust in God, part 2

This is a review of 11 examples of Abraham’s faith in God in Genesis 17-23. It culminates in his trusting God to resurrect the son of the promise, Yitskhak (Isaac), and in buying property in the Land to bury those also trusting in God to resurrect them.

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Discussions Torah

Abraham: An example of hope and trust in God, part 1

This is the first part of a recap of Abraham’s life, looking at about two dozen key events that show why God picked him to be the start of a special group of people on Earth and to be a key example of trust in God being considered righteousness.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

Genesis 21:10-21: God sends Ishmael away to become a great nation separate from that of Isaac

On the surface, Paul’s message about Sarah and Hagar in Gal. 4:22-23 doesn’t make sense. After all, we all know how a man and woman come together to make a child.

Sarah symbolizes Heaven, and Hagar symbolizes the Earth. In the last days, God will glorify Jerusalem.

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Apostolic Writings Discussions Torah

Genesis 21:1-13: Ishmael the son of human effort mocks Sarah the mother of God’s promise

Why did apostle Paul connect Hagar with Sinai and Jerusalem in Galatians 4? Was it to free believers in Yeshua (Jesus) as God’s Messiah from obedience to God’s Law?

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 21 part 3 — Abraham obeys Sarah and confronts Abimelech; Ishmael grows up

In part three of a study on Genesis 21, we read about the confrontation between the ruler Abimelech and Abraham. Meanwhile, Ishmael grows up and becomes a problem in Abraham’s household, so Abraham sends him and his mother away.

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Discussions Torah

Genesis 21 part 2 — Son of Promise, Son of Flesh

Genesis 21 has close parallels with apostle Paul’s illustration in Galatians 3-4 on the “son of the promise” from the “free woman” and the “son of the flesh” from the slave woman.