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With still no heir, Abram and Sarai resort to Abram conceiving a child with servant Hagar. But the sinful plan backfires when pregnant Hagar despises Sarai, and Sarai in turn mistreats Hagar. God’s grace saves the day when He sends runaway Hagar back to her mistress, as well as assuring Hagar that He would bless her soon-to-be-born son.

The years are zipping by, and Abram still has no heir. The LORD dismisses Abram’s solution to the problem, promising him as many descendants as the stars in the sky. Abram believed the LORD and it was counted to him as righteousness. Even in Old Testament times, salvation came by faith alone.

When his nephew Lot is taken captive, Abram goes on a daring rescue mission, in which God grants him great success. The story ends with mysterious Melchizedek, a king and priest who prefigures the coming Savior. See Hebrews 7 for more details.

Abram shows his confidence in the LORD to provide by allowing Lot to have first dibs on the grazing land. We Christians are usually quick to express confidence in the LORD as our Savior, but sometimes we show a lack of trust in Him as our Provider. But as we seek God’s kingdom first, we can trust Him to provide for all our earthly needs.

Chapter 12 places our attention on one family, the family of Abram (Abraham). Through his family line the Offspring of the Woman (the Savior) will come one day as a blessing for all people. The chapter ends with the painful reminder that even believers like Abraham are prone to sin and great weakness. We ALL need a Savior!

God puts a stop to the tower rebellious man attempts to build to his own glory. By confusing their languages, the people are divided and forced to spread out over all the earth. It’s only through the Gospel of Christ that people are truly unified in a way which glorifies God.

Chapter 10 is one of those genealogy chapters we might be tempted to skip over. But chapters like this, as with all Scripture, are written for our learning. This chapter shows God’s sure hand in guiding the course of history. History is His Story, which reveals how God tirelessly works out His plan of salvation, a plan centered in a Savior for all people.

We appreciate the beauty of a rainbow in the sky, also remembering how LORD attached a promise to it: “The waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” The LORD has kept that promise, as He does all His promises. We marvel over the beauty and wonder of all His grace filled promises, promises we can count on no matter.

These days we hear much talk about global warming. While Christians, more than anyone, want to be good stewards of our planet, we need not give into all the climate change fear mongering. We have God’s promise: “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”

The Genesis flood was worldwide, rising above the mountains by more than 20 feet. Every person, land animal, and bird were wiped out. Only those aboard the ark were kept safe. Only those people who know Christ by faith will escape the final judgment. Before that day, give us strength, Lord, to share your Gospel with any and all.