Lesson 23

Abraham 2; Genesis 12

Prepare to Learn

Prepare your mind and heart to learn. Music, especially the hymns of the Church, can invite the influence of the Holy Ghost. To help you feel reverent, consider listening to a hymn before you begin your study.

Begin your study with prayer.

Heavenly Father answers our prayers. Often He answers our prayers through other people. Have you ever thought about how you might be the answer to someone else’s prayer?

Listen to this account from Elder Brent H. Nielson of the Quorum of the Seventy. How did Heavenly Father answer Elder Nielson’s prayer? You can read the text for this video here: “A Call to the Rising Generation,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 95–97.

A Question to Ponder—Who Are You?

1. Imagine that someone asked, “Who are you?” How would you answer?

An Explanation of Who We Are

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the following about who we are:

“You may enjoy music, athletics, or be mechanically inclined, and someday you may work in a trade or a profession or in the arts. As important as such activities and occupations can be, they do not define who we are. First and foremost, we are spiritual beings. We are sons [and daughters] of God and the seed of Abraham” (David A. Bednar, “Becoming a Missionary,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 47).

The seed of Abraham refers to his posterity or descendants. As you study Abraham 2, consider why it is important to know that you are the seed of Abraham.

The Lord’s Promise

In Abraham 2:1–5 we read that Abraham married Sarai and then the Lord led them and members of Abraham’s extended family, including his nephew Lot, out of Ur and toward the land of Canaan. The travelers stopped for a time in a land they named Haran. Look closely at map 9 of the Bible Maps (“The World of the Old Testament”). Can you find Ur, Haran, and Canaan?

Read Abraham 2:6, 9–11, looking for what the Lord promised Abraham while he was in Haran.

The Abrahamic Covenant

The Lord’s promise recorded in verses 6, 9–11 is part of what is known as the Abrahamic covenant. The Abrahamic covenant refers to all of the covenants and promises God offered to Abraham and his seed.

Quiz 1

1. According to Abraham 2:6, 9–11, which of the following are responsibilities associated with the Abrahamic covenant? Select all that apply.

   1. Be a minister of Jesus Christ

   2. Sacrifice the firstlings of the flock

   3. Hearken to the Lord’s voice

   4. Bless all the families of the earth

2. According to Abraham 2:6, 9–11, which of the following are blessings associated with the Abrahamic covenant? Select all that apply.

   1. Become wealthy and prosperous

   2. Receive land for an everlasting possession

   3. Become a great nation

   4. Enjoy the blessings of the gospel

The Seed of Abraham

Notice in Abraham 2:10 that those who receive the gospel of Jesus Christ will be “accounted” as the posterity of Abraham and be heirs to the promises the Lord made to him. The land Abraham was promised would be an “everlasting possession” (Abraham 2:6), which means that it would be his for eternity. The earth will eventually become the celestial kingdom, which the obedient will inherit (see D&C 88:17–20). The phrase “a great nation” in Abraham 2:9 refers to Abraham’s posterity, which would be as innumerable as the grains of sand on the earth (see Abraham 3:14).

How would you summarize from Abraham 2:6, 9–11 what we, as the seed of Abraham, are to do for others?

Our Responsibility

As we read Abraham 2:6, 9–11, we can learn that as the seed of Abraham, we have a responsibility to minister to and bless all the families of the earth with the blessings of the gospel. President Russell M. Nelson explained our responsibility:

“Ours is the responsibility to help fulfill the Abrahamic covenant. Ours is the seed foreordained and prepared to bless all people of the world [see Alma 13:1–9]. That is why priesthood duty includes missionary work. After some 4,000 years of anticipation and preparation, this is the appointed day when the gospel is to be taken to the kindreds of the earth. This is the time of the promised gathering of Israel. And we get to participate! Isn’t that exciting? The Lord is counting on us and our sons—and He is profoundly grateful for our daughters—who worthily serve as missionaries in this great time of the gathering of Israel” (Russell M. Nelson, “Covenants,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 88).

2. Besides serving as full-time missionaries, how else can we bless the families of the earth? What can we do to bless our own families and the families of our friends and neighbors?

The Crowning Blessings

The crowning blessings of salvation and eternal life identified in Abraham 2:11 can be gained only through receiving and keeping the ordinances and covenants of the temple.

3. Please answer the following questions:

• How do you feel about being numbered among the seed of Abraham?

• What will you do to help bless the families of the earth? This can include helping your own family or neighbors.

Earnest Obedience

What do you think it means to do something earnestly?

The word earnest means sincere, serious, or intense. What might be the difference between someone who obeyed his or her parents earnestly compared to someone who obeyed halfheartedly?

Abraham’s Example of Earnest Seeking

Read Abraham 2:12–13, looking for what Abraham learned from his experience with the Lord.

From what you have studied in Abraham 1–2, how did Abraham seek the Lord earnestly?

What can we learn from Abraham’s example of earnestly seeking the Lord (see Abraham 2:12)?

An Important Truth—Earnestly Seeking and Finding the Lord

As we read Abraham 2:12, we can learn that if we seek the Lord earnestly, we will find Him.

4. Please answer two of the following questions:

• What are some ways we can earnestly seek the Lord?

• What do you think it means that we will find the Lord?

• When have you earnestly sought the Lord and found Him?

A Question to Ponder—What Will You Do?

Seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost as you decide what you will do to more earnestly seek the Lord. As you follow the promptings you receive, you will feel the Lord near and experience His love more fully.

You may want to record what you will do in your Notes on LDS.org or in a study journal.

An Example of Faith

In Abraham 2:14–25 and Genesis 12:14–20, we read that Abraham and his family traveled to Egypt. Before Abraham entered Egypt, the Lord warned him that the Egyptians would see how beautiful Sarai was and that they would kill Abraham so they could take her. To save Abraham’s life and protect Sarai, the Lord instructed Sarai to say that she was Abraham’s sister. Because Sarai and Abraham acted in faith, the Lord delivered them.

Truths Identified

The following truths were identified in this lesson:

• As the seed of Abraham, we have a responsibility to minister to and bless all the families of the earth with the blessings of the gospel.

• If we seek the Lord earnestly, we will find Him.

You may want to write down what you will do to apply these truths in your life and refer to this plan regularly.

Answer Key

Quiz 1: (1) a, c, d; (2) b, c, d