Introduction:
God chose a man named Abraham about 1900 BC . He changed his name from Abram to Abraham. God’s purpose for Abraham was to become the father of a nation. God also planned a special destiny to Abraham. God made a covenant with Abraham. God promised that through his descendants all nations would be blessed.

“ And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee; and make thy name great; and Thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed” ( Genesis 12:2,3).

There are 7 fold blessings in this divine Promise: (1) I will make of you a great nation, (2) I will bless you, (3) I will make your name great, (4) you shall be a blessing, (5) I will bless them that bless you,(6) I will curse him that curses you, (7) In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

God confirmed this covenant to Abraham’s son Isaac and to his grandson Jacob. God changed his name to Israel. 430 years later, through Moses God made a further covenant with Jacob’s descendants, the nation of Israel, in which God gave them a complete set of laws and a fuller picture of their destiny. Later, God sent prophets to Israel who predicted how their destiny would be worked out.

Memory Work: Exodus 19:5-6

“ Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me, above all people; for all the earth is mine; And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel”( Exodus 19 : 5-6 ).

Study Questions and Answers

A. GOD’S PURPOSE REVEALED TO ABRAHAM

1. How many people did God promise Abraham would be blessed through him? (Gen.12:3)
   All the families of the earth shall be blessed through Abraham.
2. On what basis did God accept Abraham as righteous? ( Gen. 15:6) Abraham believed in God. ( Jesus said: Have faith in God). And the LORD counted it to him for righteousness.
3. To how many people did God promise to make Abraham a father? ( Gen.17:4-5) God said: You ( Abraham) shall be a father of many nations. That is how Abraham became. He became the father of Jewish people. He became the father of Muslim people. He became the father of all believers in Christ Jesus.
4. With whom did God make an everlasting covenant? ( Gen.17:7) God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham and his seed ( descendants).
5. What promise did God give to Abraham in this covenant? ( Gen. 17:7) God’s promise: I will be a God to you ( Abraham) and to your seed( descendants) after you.
6. Which two descendants of Abraham were later included by name in this covenant? ( Exo. 6:3-4) ( Lev. 26:42) The names Isaac and Jacob were included later in this covenant with Abraham.
7. What new name did God give to Jacob? ( Gen. 35:10) God called his name Israel. He changed his name from Jacob to Israel.
8. What two pictures did God use to show Abraham how numerous his descendants would be? ( Gen.22:17) Two pictures God used to show Abraham: (1) As the stars of heaven, (2) As the sand upon the seashore.
9. How many people did God promise Abraham would be blessed in his seed? ( Gen. 22:18) In Abraham’s seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.
10. Why did God promise this to Abraham? ( Gen. 22:18) Beause Abraham obeyed God’s voice, He promised this to Abraham.
11. What did God require Abraham to do for his children and his household in order to receive what God had promised him? ( Gen. 18:19) Abraham will command his children and his household that they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgement ( righteousness ).

B. GOD’S PURPOSE REVEALED TO MOSES

12. What were the first two demands that God made on Israel when they came to Mount Sinai ( Exo.19:5) (1) Israel should obey God’s voice, (2) To keep His covenant.
13. Provided Israel fulfilled these demands, what three things did God promise they would be? ( Ex. 19: 5_6) (1) Israel shall be a special treasure unto God above all people, (2) Israel shall be a kingdom of priests unto God, (3) Israel shall be an holy nation.
14. What else did God promise Israel on the same conditions? ( Deut.28:1) The LORD your God will set Israel on high above all the nations of the earth.
15. State two ways this would affect the attitude of other peoples toward Israel ( Deut.28:10) (1) They would see that they are called by the name of the LORD. (2) They shall be afraid of Israel.
16. What would the results of Israel’s keeping God’s covenant? ( Deut.29:9) Israel may prosper in all that they do/did. Doing God’s will leads to Israel’s prosperity, Exaltation and Blessing.

C. GOD’S PURPOSE REVEALED IN THE PSALMS AND PROPHETS

17. What are two ways in which God’s favour and blessing on Israel will affect the rest of the world? ( Ps. 67: 1-2) (1) God’s way will be known upon earth, (2) God’s salvation (health) will be known among all nations.
18. God promises to put His spirit upon His chosen servant. What will this servant do for the Genetiles? ( Is. 42:1) He shall bring judgement to the gentiles.
19. State two things which God will appoint this servant to be for Israel and for the Gentiles ( Isa. 42:6) (1) A covenant to the people Israel, (2) A light to the Gentiles.
20. What two things did God choose Israel to be for Himself? ( Isa. 43:10) God said: (1) Israel, you are My witness, (2) My servant (minister)
21. Name three ways in which God desired Israel to respond to His relation to Himself. Isa.43:10 (b) (1) You may know, (2) and believe Me (3) and understand that I am He. ( The disciples of Jesus knew, believed and understood that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Israel should know God, understand and believe on Him). The Prophets give a picture of a future period when God’s purposes for Israel will have been fulfilled. The following questions relate to this period.
22. For what two purposes will many people go up to the mountain of the Lord?( Isa. 2:2-3) (1) that He will teach us His ways and (2) we will walk in His paths.
23. What two things will go forth from zion and Jerusalem? (Isa. 2:3) (1) Out of zion shall go forth the law and (2) the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
24. At a time when the people of the earth are in deep darkness, what will the Lord do for Zion? ( Isa. 60:2) The Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee (zion).
25. How will the other nations and their rulers respond? ( Isa. 60:3) The gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
26. At the time when the land of Israel is restored and rebuilt, what two titles will be given to Jews? ( Isa. 61:4-6) (1) The Priests of the LORD, (2) The Ministers(servants ) of our God.
27. For what two purposes will many peoples and mighty nations come upto Jerusalem? ( Zech. 8:22) (1) To seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and (2) To pray before the LORD
28. What will men from other nations say to a Jew? ( Zech. 8:23) Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.

NOTES ON CORRECT ANSWERS – STUDY TWELVE

All the families of the earth shall be blessed through Abraham. God’s purpose included all the people of the earth. Abraham’s relationship with God was based on his faith in God. Abram means ‘exalted father’, Abraham means “ father of a multitude”. God’s Plan includes people from every nation.

A covenant is the most solemn commitment that God can make. Every permanent relationship with God must be based on a covenant. ( see 50:5) . God’s covenant was confirmed first to Isaac ( not Ismael); then to Jacob ( renamed Israel); then to the nation descended from Jacob and named Israel. Abraham cannot image or calculate the number of people who were to be blessed through him. Abraham obeyed God’s voice- even when that meant sacrificing his son. Abraham instructed and disciplined his household. That is why God chose him.

The key to all the blessings of God is to obey His voice ( compare Exo. 15:26 and Deut.28:1-2). God’s purpose for Israel is threefold ( Exo. 19:5-6). God intended Israel to be a leader and a pattern for all other nations. God intended that the blessings He would bestow on Israel would flow from them to all other nations. Ultimately, God’s purposes for Israel will be fulfilled through the chosen servant Jesus here described.

Israel should know, understand and believe God and fulfil His purpose. God intends Jerusalem to be a centre of spiritual teaching for all nations. This age will close with a period of worldwide distress and darkness, in the midst of which God will reveal His glory first to zion and then through zion to the nations and their rulers. The restoration of Israel will fulfil God’s original purpose stated in Exodus 19:6.