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An Introduction to Abraham's Life and Times |
11 |
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Career |
11 | |
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Abraham's Names |
12 | |
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Moon Worship in Ur and Haran |
12 | |
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Abraham's Religion |
13 | |
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Authorship of Genesis and the Pentateuch |
13 | |
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Dating of Abraham |
14 | |
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Chronology |
15 | |
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Chief Places Abraham Lived |
17 | |
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References and Abbreviations |
19 | |
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Commentaries |
20 | |
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#1. The Call of Abraham (11:27-12:9) |
22 |
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Abraham's Family (11:27-30) |
23 | |
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From Ur to Haran (11:31-32) |
24 | |
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The Call of Abraham (12:1-3) |
25 | |
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A Promise of Blessing (12:2-3) |
26 | |
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Abraham's Journey to Canaan (12:4-5) |
27 | |
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Camping at the Tree of Moreh at Shechem (12:6) |
28 | |
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The Lord's Promise of Land (12:7) |
28 | |
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At Bethel and the Negev (12:8-9) |
29 | |
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Calling Upon the Name of the Lord (12:9) |
30 | |
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#2. Sarah's Abduction (12:10-20 and 20:1-18) |
33 |
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Famine in the Land (12:10) |
35 | |
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Vulnerabilities of a Sojourner |
35 | |
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Abraham's Fear of Death (12:11-12) |
36 | |
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Sarah Becomes Pharaoh's Concubine (12:14-16) |
37 | |
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God's Judgment on Pharaoh (12:17-20) |
38 | |
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Abraham's Deception in Gerar (20:1-18) |
38 | |
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Are the Wife-Sister Stories "Doublets"? |
39 | |
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The Seriousness of Adultery (20:3-6) |
40 | |
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Abraham the Prophet and Healer (20:7, 17) |
41 | |
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Abraham's Excuses (20:11-13) |
41 | |
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Was Abraham's and Sarah's Ruse Ethically Wrong? |
42 | |
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Is This a Lapse of Abraham's Faith? |
43 | |
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#3. Abraham Rescues His Nephew Lot (chs.13-14) |
46 |
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Abraham Moves Back to Bethel (13:1-4) |
48 | |
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Is Material Wealth a Sign of God's Blessing? (13:2) |
48 | |
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Quarrelling over Pasture Land (13:5-9) |
49 | |
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Lot Chooses the Plain of Jordan and Sodom (13:10-12) |
50 | |
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Sinful Sodom (13:13) |
50 | |
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God Promises Canaan to Abraham (13:14-17) |
51 | |
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Abraham Moves to Hebron (13:18) |
51 | |
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Four Mesopotamian Kings Punish Rebellious Vassal Cities (14:1-12) |
51 | |
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Abraham's Allies (14:13-14) |
53 | |
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Abraham Attacks at Night (14:15-16) |
53 | |
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Abraham Meets Two Kings near Jerusalem (14:17-18) |
54 | |
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Abraham Is Blessed by Melchizedek (14:18-20a) |
55 | |
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God Most High -- El Elyon |
55 | |
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Abraham Tithes to Melchizedek (14:20b) |
56 | |
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Who Is Melchizedek? |
56 | |
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Abraham Refuses to Take from the King of Sodom (14:21-24) |
57 | |
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Lessons from Abraham's Foray into International Politics |
58 | |
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#4. God's Covenant with Abraham (ch 15) |
61 |
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Yahweh -- a Shield and Reward (15:1) |
62 | |
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Abraham's Longing for an Heir (15:2-6) |
63 | |
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Abraham's Faith Is Accounted as Righteousness (15:6) |
64 | |
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Taking Possession of the Land (15:7-8) |
66 | |
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Cutting the Covenant (15:9-11) |
66 | |
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A Thick and Dreadful Darkness (15:12) |
67 | |
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400 Years in Slavery (15:13-16) |
67 | |
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The Sin of the Amorites (15:16) |
67 | |
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A Blazing Torch Passes between the Pieces (15:17-18a) |
68 | |
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A Covenant Promise of the Land (15:18-21) |
69 | |
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The Bottom Line for Disciples |
70 | |
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#5. God Speaks to Hagar, Abraham's Other Wife (Genesis 16) |
73 | |
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Sarah Gives Hagar to Abraham (16:1-4a) |
74 | |
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Hagar Despises Sarah and is Driven Away (16:4b-6) |
75 | |
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Hagar Is Met by an Angel (16:7-10) |
76 | |
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The Angel's Promises to Hagar Regarding Ishmael (16:10-12) |
77 | |
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The God Who Sees Me -- El-Roi (16:13-14) |
78 | |
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Ishmael is Born to Abraham and Hagar (16:15-16) |
79 | |
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Lessons for Disciples |
79 | |
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#6. The Covenant of Circumcision with Abraham (ch 17) |
82 |
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El Shaddai |
83 | |
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Walk Before Me and Be Blameless (17:1-2) |
83 | |
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God's Side of the Covenant: Promises (17:3-8) |
84 | |
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A New Name to Recall the New Promise (17:5, 15) |
85 | |
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Abraham's Side of the Covenant: Circumcision (17:9-14) |
86 | |
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Circumcision in the Ancient Near East |
86 | |
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The Meaning of Circumcision |
87 | |
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The Sign of the Covenant (17:11) |
87 | |
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Sarah, the Mother of Nations (17:15-16) |
87 | |
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Why Not Bless Ishmael? (17:18-22) |
88 | |
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Abraham Circumcises the Males in His Household (17:23-27) |
88 | |
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Circumcision of the Heart |
89 | |
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The Circumcision Controversy in the Primitive Church |
90 | |
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Circumcision and Baptism |
91 | |
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Does Baptism Function Identically to Circumcision? |
92 | |
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Should Christians Be Circumcised? |
92 | |
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What Do We Learn from Chapter 17? |
93 | |
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#7. Abraham Intercedes for Sodom (ch 18) |
95 |
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Abraham at Mamre (18:1) |
97 | |
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Abraham Shows Hospitality to the Three "Men" (18:2-8) |
97 | |
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A Promise that Sarah Will Bear a Son (18:9-10a) |
98 | |
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Sarah Laughs (18:10a-15) |
98 | |
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Is Anything Too Hard for the LORD? (18:14) |
99 | |
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Refusing to Believe a Miracle |
99 | |
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Faith in the God of the Impossible |
100 | |
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God's Choice of Abraham (18:16-19) |
101 | |
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Keeping the Way of the Lord (18:19) |
101 | |
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The Sins of Sodom and Gomorrah (18:20-21) |
102 | |
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Will Not the Judge of All the Earth Do Right? (18:22-25) |
103 | |
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Abraham Intercedes for Sodom (18:26-33) |
104 | |
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The Purpose of Prayer |
104 | |
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#8. The Destruction of Sodom (ch 19) |
107 |
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The Angels Arrive in Sodom (19:1) |
109 | |
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Lot's Hospitality (19:2-3) |
109 | |
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Homosexuality in the Ancient Near East |
110 | |
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Aggressive Homosexuality (19:4-11) |
111 | |
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Summoning Lot's Family (19:12-14) |
113 | |
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Hesitating in the Face of Imminent Destruction (19:15-16) |
113 | |
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Lot Flees to Zoar (19:17-23) |
114 | |
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The Geology of the Dead Sea |
114 | |
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Fire and Brimstone (19:24-25) |
115 | |
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Remember Lot's Wife (19:26) |
115 | |
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Abraham Sees the Destruction (19:27-29) |
116 | |
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Lot's Daughters Get Pregnant by their Father (19:30-38) |
117 | |
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#9. Isaac Born, Ishmael Banished (ch 21) |
120 |
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The Birth of Isaac to Sarah (21:1-7) |
121 | |
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Ishmael Mocks Isaac (21:8-10) |
122 | |
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God Consoles Abraham regarding Ishmael (21:11-13) |
124 | |
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Abraham Sends Hagar and Ishmael Away (21:14-16) |
126 | |
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An Angel Helps Hagar and Ishmael (21:17-21) |
126 | |
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Abraham Swears Faithfulness to Abimelech at Beer-sheba (21:22-24) |
127 | |
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Abimelech Acknowledges Abraham's Ownership of a Well (21:25-32) |
128 | |
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Abraham Calls on El-Olam in Beer-sheba (21:33-34) |
129 | |
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The Eternal God (21:33) |
129 | |
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#10. Abraham Offers Isaac on Mt. Moriah (22:1-19) |
133 |
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God Requires Abraham's Only and Beloved Son (22:1-2) |
134 | |
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Human Sacrifice in the Ancient Near East |
135 | |
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Abraham Heads for Mt. Moriah (22:3-5) |
136 | |
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God Will Provide the Lamb (22:6-9) |
137 | |
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Abraham Prepares to Sacrifice His Son (22:9-10) |
137 | |
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The Angel Restrains Abraham (22:11-12) |
138 | |
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God's Testing and Forming of His Servants |
138 | |
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The Significance of Abraham's Faith |
140 | |
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Jehovah-Jireh, The Lord Will Provide (22:13-14) |
140 | |
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I Will Surely Bless You (22:15-19) |
141 | |
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Analogy to God Giving His Only Begotten Son |
142 | |
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Lessons for Disciples |
143 | |
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#11. Death of Sarah and Abraham (22:20-25:1-11) |
146 |
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Abraham's Relatives in Haran (22:20-24) |
146 | |
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Sarah's Death and Burial (23:1-2) |
147 | |
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Purchasing a Burial Spot from the Hittites (23:3-20) |
148 | |
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Abraham Seeks a Wife for Isaac (24:1-67) |
150 | |
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The Servant's Journey to Aram Naharaim (24:10-11) |
151 | |
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The Servant's Prayer (24:12-14) |
151 | |
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Rebekah Is the LORD's Answer (24:15-27) |
152 | |
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The Servant Is Shown Hospitality (24:28-32) |
153 | |
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The Servant Shares His Mission and Its Fulfillment (24:33-49) |
153 | |
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This Is from the LORD (24:50-54a) |
154 | |
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The Servant Is Eager to Return (24:54b-61) |
155 | |
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Isaac Marries Rebekah (24:62-67) |
155 | |
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Abraham Marries Keturah (25:1-6) |
156 | |
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The Death of Abraham (25:7-8) |
157 | |
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Abraham's Burial (25:9-11) |
157 | |
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Summary of Abraham's Faith and Achievements |
157 | |
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Appendix: Discussion Questions |
160 |
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Discussion Questions: #1. The Call of Abraham (11:27-12:9) |
161 | |
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Discussion Questions: #2. Sarah's Abduction (12:10-20 and 20:1-18) |
162 | |
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Discussion Questions: #3. Abraham Rescues His Nephew Lot (chs 13-14) |
163 | |
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Discussion Questions: #4. God's Covenant with Abraham (ch 15) |
164 | |
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Discussion Questions: #5. God Speaks to Hagar, Abraham's Other Wife (ch 16) |
165 | |
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Discussion Questions: #6. The Covenant of Circumcision with Abraham (ch 17) |
166 | |
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Discussion Questions: #7. Abraham Intercedes for Sodom (ch 18) |
167 | |
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Discussion Questions: #8. The Destruction of Sodom (ch 19) |
168 | |
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Discussion Questions: #9. Isaac Born, Ishmael Banished (ch 21) |
169 | |
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Discussion Questions: #10. Abraham Offers Isaac on Mt. Moriah (22:1-19) |
170 | |
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Discussion Questions: #11. Death of Sarah and Abraham (22:20 - 25:1-11) |
171 | |
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About the Author |
172 |
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