We continue our lesson about Abraham and Sarah

Adventures of Abraham (Part 2)

In this part of our lesson, we include chapters 18-20 of Genesis which leave the main story of Abraham and Sarah in order to tell us about some adventures of Abraham's nephew Lot. Then in chapter 21 we return to Abraham and Sarah.

3 Symbols of God’s Son

God waited until Sarah and Abraham were well beyond the years of producing children. Then God worked a miracle so Isaac was conceived and born.

This, combined with the later story of Abraham offering Isaac as a sacrifice, is strikingly symbolic. Isaac was a unique and special Son. Abraham loved Isaac very dearly. He believed that if he were killed, God would raise him from the dead (Heb 11:17-19).

After the birth of Isaac, Ishmael (Abraham's son by Hagar) was cast out of the family. Paul shows us that this story, although true, is also an allegory (Gal 4:21-31).

Even long before the conception of Isaac, Abraham and Melchizedek met. The transactions between them were symbolic, and God's oath recognized this (Gen 14, Heb 5-8, Psa 110:4)

So these real events in Abraham's life are "types" or figures of the time when Abraham's more distant son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross and made eternal life possible for all (Jhn 3:16).
 

4 Bible Summary (Genesis 18-22)

• God determines to destroy Sodom (18)
• Abraham pleads for the few righteous (18)
• Lot entertains angels whom Sodomites try to molest (19)
• Flight from Sodom; Lot's wife looks back (19)
• Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed (19)
• Lot's daughters become pregnant to him (19)
  [Hence the Ammonites and Moabites]
• Abraham misleads Abimelech about Sarah (20)
• Sarah bears Isaac (21)
• Hagar and Ishmael cast out (21)
• God provides for Hagar and Ishmael in the desert (21)
  [Hence the Edomites]
• Abraham and Abimelech make a pact at Beersheba (21)
• Abraham commanded to sacrifice Isaac (22)