The Blessings of Abraham are yours!Genesis 11:27-12:9, Acts 7:2-3

The Life of Abraham

Genesis 11:27-3227 This is the account of Terah’s family line. Terah

became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.And Haran became the father of Lot.28 While hisfather Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur ofthe Chaldeans, in the land of his birth.

29 Abram and Nahor both married. The name ofAbram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’swife was Milkah; she was the daughter of Haran,the father of both Milkah and Iskah.

30 Now Sarai was childless because she was not ableto conceive.

Genesis 11:27-3231 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of

Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife ofhis son Abram, and together they set out from Urof the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when theycame to Harran, they settled there.

32 Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Harran.

Genesis 12:1-91 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your

country, your people and your father’s householdto the land I will show you.

2 “I will make you into a great nation,and I will bless you;

I will make your name great,and you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,and whoever curses you I will curse;

and all peoples on earthwill be blessed through you.”

Genesis 12:1-94 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot

went with him. Abram was seventy-five years oldwhen he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wifeSarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions theyhad accumulated and the people they hadacquired in Harran, and they set out for the landof Canaan, and they arrived there.

Genesis 12:1-96 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of

the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that timethe Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORDappeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring Iwill give this land.” So he built an altar there to theLORD, who had appeared to him.

8 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.

9 Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.

Acts 7:22 To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to

me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran. 3 ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’

• Harran was the midpoint the crossroads of Abraham’s life and not where Abram was called.

Harran• חרן

• charan

• khaw-rawn'

• From H2787; parched; Charan, the name of a man and also of a place: - Haran.

• הרן

• haran

• haw-rawn'

• Perhaps from H2022; mountaineer; Haran, the name of two men: - Haran.

Harran• חרר = root word of חרן charan

• charar

• khaw-rar‘

• that is, literally (to dry up) or figuratively (to show or incite passion): be angry, burn, dry.

• Note: Abraham lived a life of achieving, strife which led to being dry and burned out. God called him from a life of strife to a life of rest.

At the crossroads• Harran = Angry, dry and burn out.

• Abraham had no citizenship,

no descendant, no household.

He had no significance, no identity.

Everyone had died.

• Abram’s confidence laid in what he could gather.Note how he gathered all that he could after Godsaid to him “I will bless you”.

• Abram meant “exalted Father”. Since he waschildless. His name became a joke.

• His wife was barren. At that time it was consideredthat Abraham and Sarai were under a curse.

At the crossroadsGenesis 12:2-3 (Amplified Bible)2 And I will make of you a great nation,

and I will bless you [with abundant

increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others].

3 And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves]

From crossroads to certainties• Dry and burned out?

God will give him a “land I will

show you”. A land flowing with milk and honey.A land of rest. (Heb 4)

• Heading nowhere in an insignificant life?

He will be made Abraham “a great nation”.

• Have to gather to accumulate?

He will bless Abraham [with abundant increaseof favors]

From crossroads to certainties• Name a joke?

He will make your name famous

and distinguished.

• Feel like you are under a curse?

Abraham will be a blessing [dispensing good to others].

• And God will bless those who bless Abraham [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse those who curses or uses insolent language toward Abraham.

Great for Abram. What about me?

Seed of AbramRev 1:8 (NLT) 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega —the beginning and the end,” …

Footnotes: (Greek) referring to the first and lastletters of the Greek alphabet.

Rev 1:8 (The Message)8The Master declares, "I'm A to Z.

Revelation 22:4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.

• When Jesus signs His name next to yours, it is an endorsement of blessings and favour!

Seed of AbramGenesis 12: 6 Abram traveled through the land as faras the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. Atthat time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 TheLORD appeared to Abram and said, “To youroffspring I will give this land.” So he built an altarthere to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

• This verse is important to us because this iswhere the promises of Abraham was given tohis seed!

Promises of Abram for his seed

Promises of Abram for his seedGalatians 3:16 The promises were spoken toAbraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say“and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and toyour seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Moreh• מורה

• moreh

• mo-reh'

• From H3384; an archer; also teacher or teaching; also the early rain (see H3138): - (early) rain.

• A hill

Shechem• שכם

• shekem

• shek-em'

• From H7925; the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens; figuratively the spur of a hill: -back, portion, shoulder.

Great tree• Root word “great tree”

• From the same as H193; properly strength; hence anything strong; specifically a king (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pole/pillar(as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree: -mighty (man), lintel, oak, post, ram, tree.

• Abram’s blessing was conferred to his seed because of the burden that was carried by the King, the ram on the pole, which was also a strong Tree!

• The tree was on Moreh, a hill!

• איל

• 'ayil

• ah'-yil

Promises of Abram for his seedGalatians 3:16 The promises were spoken toAbraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say“and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and toyour seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Galatians 3:29 If you belong to Christ, then you areAbraham’sseed, andheirsaccordingto thepromise.

• Youareincluded!

Nation• גי גוי

• goy goy

• go'ee, go'-ee

• Apparently from the same root as H1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence a Gentile.

Galatians 3:14 (NIV, 2010)14 He redeemed us form the curse of the Law in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Genesis 12:66 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.

• I believe Abraham was humiliated, but he DID NOT realise he was dwelling among those who were humiliated because of the great tree.

• Note Abraham descended to the South and, eventually, Egypt, a place called double stressed.

• כנען‘

• kena‛an

• ken-ah'-an

• From H3665; humiliated; Kenaan,

Genesis 12:88 From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east

• Ai

• עי

• ‛ıy

• ee

• From H5753; a ruin (as if overturned): heap.

Haran• Har = root word of Haran

• הר

• har

• har

• A shortened form of H2042; a mountain or range of hills.

• Although Abram did not go back to Harran, he did not stay in Moreh. He was between “God’s house” and “rubble of ruins”. Abraham was in mixture.

• Further he also had Lot with him.

Lot• לוט

• lot

• The same as H3875; Lot, Abraham’s nephew: - Lot.

• From H3874; a veil: covering.

• It was because of this that Abram descended South to the land of Double Stress!

Veil Removed2 Corinthians 3:14-17 (NIV, 2010)14 But their minds were made dull, for to this daythe same veil remains when the old covenant isread. It has not been removed, because only in Christis it taken away.15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil coverstheir hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to theLord, the veil is taken away.17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit ofthe Lord is, there is freedom.

How is the promise made worthless?Romans 4:13 It was not through the law thatAbraham and his offspring received the promise thathe would be heir of the world, but through therighteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those whodepend on the law are heirs, faith means nothingand the promise is worthless, 15 because the lawbrings wrath.

• How then do we appropriate the blessings ofAbraham into our lives?

By the seed of Abraham, the Aliph Tav!

Appropriating the blessingsEph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our LordJesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritualblessing in the heavenlies in Christ;

• ευλογια

• eulogia

• yoo-log-ee'-ah

• From the same as G2127; fine speaking,

• Eu = good Logia= Logos = Word

• Speak the blessings into your life!

Appropriating the blessingsRomans 10:6 But the righteousness that is by faith says…8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”…9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 It is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

The promises given to Abraham1. A land flowing with milk and honey. A land of rest!

2. You will be a great nation.

3. Bless with unmerited favour

4. Make your name great

5. You will be a blessing

6. I will bless them who bless you

7. I will curse them who curse you

8. In you all everyone will be blessed

9. I will give this land to your seed

10. I will make your seed numerous

11. I am your shield

12. I am your great reward

13. Your own son shall be your heir

14. Your seed shall be as the stars

The promises given to Abraham15. I will bring your seed out of bondage

16. I will bless your seed with material substance

17. You will have long life

18. My covenant with you is forever

19. Your children will multiply exceedingly

20. I will make you exceedingly fruitful

21. Kings shall come from you

22. I will be your God

23. I will bless your wife

24. I will give you a son

25. I will not destroy you

as you are righteous

This the Year of Abundant Increase!

The blessings of Abraham are Yours!