In 1969, 7 -year old Niki was in the hospital having some tumors removed from her throat. While in the hospital she met Charita, another girl her age, who had a rare form of cancer. Niki found out that because of the cancer Charita would never be able to have children of her own. The two girls formed a friendship, and one night while the two of them were alone in their hospital room, Charita was crying. Niki came over to Charita’s bedside to comfort her. She told her not to cry and that when she got married and had her own baby she would let her mentor her baby and if it was a girl would even name it after her.

Image © Pacific Press

After their stint in the hospital Niki and Charita kept in touch until 6 months later when Charita’s family moved from Los Angeles to New Mexico. In 1983 Niki married and in 1987 had a daughter whom she named Charita. Niki then went on the Unsolved Mysteries show looking for her childhood friend Charita so she could help mentor little Charita. In 1990 Niki and Charita were happily reunited.

In a world where people will make empty promises just to get whatever they want, 7-year old Niki stayed true to her promise even as an adult, married and with a child. While it’s true that our promises are like ropes of sand and we can only trust God’s promises (2 Peter 1:4), we may still, by God’s grace, like Jesus and 7-year old Niki, stay true to our word. After all, even while the Bible teaches us not to put trust in ourselves or anyone else, the Bible also speaks of those who “keep their promises even when it hurts.” Psalm 15:4 NLT

This week we are studying the promises God made to Abraham. One of the ways we reflect the image of God is by being men and women of our word. Sure, we make mistakes and have made promises only to break them. This is one reason why I am careful about making promises. Instead of promising to help a friend, I tell them I will try, but make it clear I am not making a promise.

While God’s promises are the only promises we can rely on, by God’s grace, we can be men and women of our word. By God’s grace, we can be faithful to our promises even if it hurts.

Can you share a time when someone showed you God’s love by staying true to their promise?

Amen!(1)

The post Promises Kept appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/promises-kept/

Read Genesis 24:67-25:8. What is the meaning of these final events in the life of Abraham?

After Sarah died, Abraham married again. Like Isaac, he is comforted after the death of Sarah (Genesis 24:67). The memory of Sarah must still surely be vivid in the mind of the patriarch, as it is for his son.

Image © Krieg Barrie at Goodsalt.com

Yet, the identity of his new wife is unclear. The fact that the chronicler associates Keturah’s sons together with Hagar’s sons, without mentioning the name of Keturah, suggests, however, that Keturah could (as some have suggested) be Hagar. We just don’t know. It is also significant that Abraham behaves with Keturah’s sons the same way as he did with Hagar’s son: he sends them away to avoid any spiritual influence and make a clear distinction between his son with Sarah and the other sons.

He also gives “all that he had unto Isaac” (Genesis 25:5) while he “gave gifts to the sons of the concubines” (Genesis 25:6, NKJV). The classification of “concubines” may also imply that Keturah’s status, like Hagar, was that of a concubine. The potential identification of Keturah as Hagar may also explain the subtle allusion to the memory of Sarah as a prelude to his marriage with Keturah-Hagar.

What’s interesting is that in Genesis 25:1-4, Genesis 25:12-18, a list of the children that Abraham had with Keturah, as well as a list of Ishmael’s children, is given. The purpose of the genealogy after Abraham’s marriage with Keturah, who gave him six sons, versus his two other sons (Isaac and Ishmael), is perhaps to provide immediate evidence of God’s promise that Abraham would father many nations.

The second genealogy concerned the descendants of Ishmael, who also composed 12 tribes (compare with Genesis 17:20), just as what would happen with Jacob (Genesis 35:22-26). Though, of course, God’s covenant will be reserved to the seed of Isaac (Genesis 17:21), not Ishmael, a point that Scripture is very clear about.

The report of Abraham’s death sandwiched between the two genealogies (Genesis 25:7-11) also testifies to God’s blessing. It reveals the fulfillment of His promise to Abraham, made many years earlier, that he would die “at a good old age” (Genesis 15:15, NKJV) and “full of years” (compare with Eccles. 6:3).

In the end, the Lord remained true to His promises of grace to his faithful servant Abraham, whose faith is depicted in Scripture as a great example, if not the best example, in the Old Testament of salvation by faith (see Romans 4:1-12).

<–Wednesday Friday–>

Amen!(0)

The post Thursday: A Wife for Abraham appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/thursday-wife-for-abraham/

Genesis chapter 24 tells the story of the marriage of Isaac after Sarah’s death. The two stories are related.

Read Genesis 24:1-67. Why is Abraham so concerned that his son not marry a woman from the Canaanites?

Just as Abraham wanted to acquire the land in order to bury his wife, because of God’s promise to his descendants that they would have this land, he now insists that Isaac not settle outside of the Promised Land either (Genesis 24:7).

Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com

Also, Isaac’s move to bring his bride to Sarah’s tent, and the note that Rebekah comforted Isaac “after his mother’s death” (Genesis 24:67) point back to Sarah’s death, implying Isaac’s pain at the loss of his mother.

The story is full of prayers and fulfillment of prayers and rich with lessons about God’s providence and human freedom. It begins with Abraham’s words. Swearing by “the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth” (Genesis 24:3, NKJV), Abraham is first of all acknowledging of God as the Creator (Genesis 1:1, Genesis 14:19), with a direct bearing on the births of Abraham’s descendants, including the Messiah Himself.

The reference to “His angel” and to “the LORD God of heaven” (Genesis 24:7, NKJV) points back to the Angel of the LORD who came from heaven to rescue Isaac from being slaughtered (Genesis 22:11). The God who controls the universe, the Angel of the LORD who intervened to save Isaac, will lead in this question of marriage.

Abraham leaves open, however, the possibility that the woman will not respond to God’s call. As powerful as He is, God does not force humans to obey Him. Although God’s plan for Rebekah is to follow Eliezer, she retains her freedom of choice. That is, it was possible that this woman would not want to come, and if not, she would not be forced to.

Hence, we see here another example of the great mystery of how God has given us, as humans, free will, free choice, a freedom that He will not trample on. (If He did, it would not be free will.) And yet, somehow, despite the reality of human free will, and many of the terrible choices humans make with that free will, we can still trust that in the end God’s love and goodness, ultimately, will prevail.

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

Amen!(0)

The post Wednesday: A Wife for Isaac appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/wednesday-wife-for-isaac/

Join the Hit the Mark Sabbath School Panel as they have a lively, interactive discussion of the week’s lesson, “The Promise.”

Amen!(0)

The post The Promise – Hit the Mark Sabbath School appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/the-promise-hit-the-mark-sabbath-school/

Key Thought: Abraham arranges the marriage of his son to Rebekah and Abraham marries Keturah. But the promise of an heir was Jesus, which Abraham didn’t understand at that time..
May 21, 2022

1. Have a volunteer read Genesis 22: 1-12.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What was the meaning of this test for Abraham and Isaac? What spiritual lessons come from this amazing event?
3. Personal Application: What does the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah say to you about your faith and how you manifest it? Share your thoughts..
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Why would God put Abraham through that experience? It seemed like God was asking Abraham to do something the pagan did – offer their children in the fire to Molech. How could Abraham differentiate between the two?’” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Genesis 23.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What function does the story of Sarah’s death and burial play in the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham?
3. Personal Application: What does this tell us about what kind of reputation Abraham had? Why is this important in understanding what he was used by the Lord to do? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “What does Eliazer’s prayer have to do with Abraham getting a wife that was suitable for him? Was this God’s will and answer to his prayer or just circumstantial? In other words, was the prayer necessary, or was God going to give him the right one anyway?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Genesis Genesis 24.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. Why is Abraham so concerned that his son not marry a woman from the Canaanites?
3. Personal Application: Why is it so comforting to know that while not all things are God’s will, He is still in charge? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “Why are you people so stuck on the idea of free will? Why can’t you accept the fact that God can do what He wishes regardless of what you want?” How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Genesis 24:67-25:8.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What is the meaning of these final events in the life of Abraham?
3. Personal Application: Does God only use those of good character, or does He use those willing to trust and obey regardless of past character? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

Amen!(1)

The post 8: The Promise – Teaching Plan appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/8-the-promise-eaching-plan/