Many sons had father Abraham
"Torah" can rightly translated as "law," but the Torah is a lot more than just rules and regulations. "Torah" might also be translated as "rule," "instruction," or "principle," and it is sometimes useful to think of the Torah as simply "the way," i.e., instruction on the way we ought to live our lives.As you read through the life of Abraham in Genesis, do you see ways in which Abraham's life is a good example of '"torah" in this last sense? Is there a particular incident in the life of Abraham that stands out to you as especially important or interesting in connection with Genesis as a book of "law"?
posted by Ancient Art at 9:16 AM
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Two verses that stuck out while I was reading were Genesis 28:16-17 "When Jacob awake from his sleep, he throught, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it." He was afraid and say, "How awesome if this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven."
In my opinion, these two verses realy sum up the reading. God had promised Abraham that he would be with him and that his offspring would be has numerous as the stars. These verses show that God's promise was being carried hour. He was with Jacob and promised him the same thing. Even after Jacob and treated his brother unfairly, the Lord was with him, carrying out the promise of Abraham.
This entire reading is showing how the promsie is being carried out, even when it doesn't seem so. Abraham and his wife were old when they had their first child together. In the same way, Isacc and Rebekah had difficulty because Rebekah was barren. Even through hard times, God was keeping his promise and would continue to do so. Jacob was aware of this and in these verses he shows his faith.
The most memorable verses of this reading was Genesis 19:24-26, where God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. The slogan "fire and brimstone" associated with certain religious leaders gets its origins from the destruction of the two through sulphur and fire raining from the heaven.
Before destroying Sodom and Gomorrah, God warned Lot and his family to run away and not look back or stop until they reached their destination. Lot's wife disobeyed and was turned to salt. This example of disobedience served as a warning that the penalty is harsh for disobeying a direct order from God.
Odd enough, I believe Abraham gives the best concrete example of the way we ought to live in Genesis 17. This chapter speaks about Abraham circumsizing all the males in the household as an outward sign of the covenant with God. This outward sign continues on through generation after generation until we see it once again in the New Testament, when Mary circumsizes Jesus on His eighth day. It still continues on today in the Jewish community, and many other male boys become circumsized, but this is for medical reasons instead of religious ones. What a legacy Abraham created by simply following what God wanted him to do! When God told him to pack his bags and leave, he left. There was no quarreling or complaining. He simply did it. When God told him something would happen, it did. Abraham believed and did not doubt what God told him. This is an excellent example of the way we ought to live our lives. In doing simply what God tells us to do, we can leave our own legacy.
I did not focus on a particular line, but instead I fouund something that to me seems a bit ironic, or odd. There are two instances where Abraham goes to a different country and he tell the king that Sarah is his sister and not his wife. He also orders her to back up his story. Both times the kings of those countries are ounished, or warned by God that they will be punished for committing a sin, yet Abraham isn't punished for lying. His lie about Sarah being his sister and not his wife cause both kings to think that it would be ok to take her as their wife, since as far as they knew she was not married. Abraham's lie causes the two kings to committ a grave sin, adultery. Yet, they are punished and Abraham gets off scott free. But if he had told the truth about Sarah being his wife the king of Egypt and the king of Gerar would not have taken Sarah to be their wife. This does not make sense to me.
This may be an obvious Chapter to talk about but it shows the faith that Abraham had. In Genesis: 22 Abraham was tested by God. The test was to take Isaac up the mountain and offer him as a holocaust. Abraham listened and was going to go through with it, but God stopped Abraham right before he slaughtered his son. Then he offered a ram instead. l
This shows the faith in God that Abraham had. Isaac was the only son that Abraham had at that time. I don't know of anyone today that would do anything like that. Abraham was carrying out the path of God no matter what it called him to do. I think that Chapter was key to understanding Abraham and his dedication and faith he had for God.
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