Sermon Tone Analysis

TEXT: Genesis 12:1-3

TOPIC: America, Terrorism and Israel

Pastor Bobby Earls, First Baptist Church – Icard, NC

September 16, 2001

Most of us will never forget the moments just before 9:00 a.m.

Eastern Time, September 11, 2001.

The images and messages coming from our televisions and radio broadcasts on that fateful morning has left an indelible scar that may never heal in our lifetimes.

If you were like most Americans, you struggled to grasp the reality that our beloved nation of freedom loving people was under attack.

How could other human beings be so cruel and ruthless as to slaughter innocent men, women and children?

Why would anyone ever do such a thing?

The attack on the World Trade Center in New York, combined with the subsequent assault on our nation’s military base of operations, the Pentagon, in Washington, DC, and yet a fourth hijacked jet, that crashed outside Pittsburgh, PA, an apparent failed fourth terrorist attempt, has left hundreds dead and thousands presumed dead or missing.

Again we might ask, “How could this happen?”

“Why did this happen?”

I am amazed at the relevancy and timing of God’s word to us.

For as we have read our assigned 10 chapters of Genesis 11-20 this week, whether we realize it or not, the answers, at least in part, to the how and why questions are clearly understood.

SLIDE 1

Today, I want to spend a few minutes sharing a message with you concerning the following subject: America, Terrorism and Israel.

It is impossible to understand the meaning of all that has transpired this past week, why America is under the assault of terrorists from the Middle East without understanding something about the history of the nation of Israel and the relationship our country shares with Israel.

And that’s where Genesis 12 begins.

SLIDE 2 – GENESIS 12:1-3

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.2

I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.

3 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.”

NKJV

Now the first thing we must see this morning is God’s Call of Abram.

I. GOD’S CALL OF ABRAM

Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

Notice the grace of God in the call or selection of Abram.

At the time of Abram, idolatry was at its zenith.

Ur, of the Chaldees, Abram’s home city practiced “Moon” worship.

Abram and his family were idol worshippers.

It was the grace of God that Abram was selected by God.

But God chose Abram.

II.

GOD’S COVENANT WITH ABRAM

God established a Covenant relationship with Abram.

In Genesis 12, God promises to Abram, the Father of Jewish nation of Israel, seven things.

1.

I will make you a great nation

2. I will bless you

3. I will make your name great

4.

You will be a blessing

5.

I will bless those that bless you

6.

I will curse those that curse you

7. In you shall all the families of the earth be blessed

Look at Genesis 17.

1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.

2“And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

3Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.

5“No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.

6“I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.

7“And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

8“Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

What God is saying here is going to help us to understand what is happening this day, this tragic time period we’ve been forced to accept. A. The Promise Now, there are several things I want you to notice.

First of all I want you to notice the promise in the first three verses of Genesis 17.

The bible says that God is going to make a covenant in verse two between God and Abraham.

And it is to be an unbreakable covenant.

It is an unchangeable covenant.

It is an immutable covenant.

It is a promise that will last unconditionally.

B. The Principle Not only do I want you to notice the promise but, I want you to notice the principle.

It is a covenant promise that is based on the principle of grace.

It is not due to anything that is inherent in Abraham.

Not anything that Abraham has done, or will do.

As a matter of fact, God is doing all of the talking.

Abraham is on his face just listening as God makes with Abraham a covenant that is based upon the principle of grace.

C. The People I want you to notice also not only the promise and , but the people.

Notice in verseseven he says, " “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.

Now, what “descendants” is he talking about.

He's talking about the Hebrews, he's talking about the Jewish race.

Look if you will in verse twenty-one of this same chapter, "But my covenant will I establish with Isaac which Sarah shall bear at this set time in the next year."

He's talking not about Ishmael, who is the progenitor of the Arab race, but he's talking about Isaac, who is the progenitor of the Jews.

D. A Period Not only is he talking about a promise, a principle, of people, but he's also talking about a period, a period of time.

Notice in verse seven.

It should be an everlasting covenant.

That is, it'll never grow old.

it'll never wear out.

It'll never be changed.

It is everlasting, therefore an irrevocable, unchangeable covenant.

E. The Place And I want you to notice one other thing.

I want you to notice the place that is involved, because not only does it involve the people, it also involvesa place.

Look if you will in verse eight.

“Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

God said I'm going to give this land, the Middle East, Palestine, as some call it,the Holy Land, as others call it, Israel as others call it, God says, I will give it to you Abraham, and to your seed, your descendants through Isaac for an everlasting possession.

Now that my dear friends is what all the fuss is about.

That is what all the fighting is about.

What an important place is Israel, the state of Israel.

I'm talking about that real estate that God calls here the Land of Canaan, that he gave to Abraham and to Abraham's descendants.

I want you to see how it is the very center of the earth.

There's an interesting verse over in Ezekiel chapter five, verse five where God says I have set you in the midst of the nations.

You see, this little insignificant, seemingly insignificant parcel of ground is the hub of three mighty continents, Africa, Asia and Europe.

It is an ancient military and economic crossroad and it is, has been called by some the naval of the earth.

It is the geographical center of the earth.

It is the revelationary center, or the revelation center.

It was from this place that Moses wrote.

It was from this place that the prophets spoke.

It was from this place that we receive the bible.

And, not only is it the geographic center and the revelation center, it is therefore the spiritual center because it was here that Jesus Christ was born.

It was here that Jesus Christ lived and walked and taught.

He never left this place until he left it to go to heaven.

It is here that Jesus died, here that Jesus rose, was buried, here that Jesus rose, and to the land of Canaan, Jesus Christ is coming again.