Bible Overview: Sin and God's Desire to be the God of His People - Part 2

Sin and God's Desire to be the God of His People - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Esau

Abram (Abraham) and his wife Sarai (Sarah) had faith in God (Hebrews 11:8-11) because they did as He commanded them to do when He called them to leave their country for another. God promised Abram, "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:2-3).

After Abram arrived in the country that God led him to, there was a conflict between him and his nephew Lot regarding not having enough land to support all of their livestock. To resolve the problem, Abram suggested separating, so Lot went and dwelt in the city of Sodom because it appeared to be the better option. However, "the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord" (Genesis 13:1-13). 

One day, *three men came to visit Abraham and Sarah to announce to them both that they would have the son that He previously promised to Abraham. Afterwards, the LORD went down to destroy Sodom because His people were crying out to Him against them because of their grievous sin. As soon as they arrived, they encountered Lot whom they went to stay with. But as soon as the men of the city heard that Lot had guests in his home, they came and surrounded the house, demanding Lot to bring them out so they could have sex with them. Lot refused to give them the guests, but instead insisted that he give them his two virgin daughters. The men refused his offer and began trying to break down the door of the house, saying they were going to do even worse to him than they do to his guests. Fortunately the LORD was there to save Lot and his family, but He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, "the cities of the plain"  (Genesis 18-19).

Through Abraham and his descendants, God's everlasting covenant would be established. Abraham's descendants, who would be as numerous as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5), would live among and serve a people who would cause them great pain and suffering for four hundred years. However, God would judge the nation whom they served, and they would come out with great possessions, including a large region of land already inhabited by various tribes of people (Genesis 15:13-14; 18-20). Abraham and Sarah would be the father and mother of many nations. Kings would come from them and God would make him abundantly fruitful. God would give Abraham and his descendants all these things, plus He would be their God in the land which He will give to them. (Genesis 17:1-8, 15-16). Abraham and Sarah's son through whom God's covenant would come was named Isaac, "the son of promise" (Genesis 17:19-22).

Even though God's covenant was through Isaac's descendants, sin was still rampant within the family and his descendants. Isaac and his wife Rebekah had twin boys named Jacob and Esau, whom God said “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger" (Genesis 25:23). Rebekah also favored Jacob over Esau (Genesis 25:28). Because of the sin of deception, which Jacob apparently inherited from Rebekah, these two nations would oppose one another.

One day when Esau came in from hunting and was exhausted, Jacob tricked him into trading his birthright for a bowl of stew (Genesis 25:29-33). Then when Isaac was old and blind, Rebekah encouraged Jacob to deceive him by pretending to be his brother Esau, and stealing his blessing. Because of his deception, Esau vowed to kill Jacob.

Jacob's life recorded in Genesis was filled with deception and deceit. Despite this, many years later, God promised Jacob the same thing He promised Abraham, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land” (Genesis 35:9-13).

* "the LORD" - could this possibly be the Trinity?