Lesson 30: Genesis 20–22

“Lesson 30: Genesis 20–22,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Material (2018)

“Lesson 30,” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Material

Lesson 30

Genesis 20–22

Introduction

Abraham and Sarah journeyed to the land of Gerar. In this land, Isaac was born in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham (see Genesis 17:19, 21). Hagar and her son, Ishmael, were sent away from Abraham’s household into the wilderness but were not forsaken by the Lord. Abraham’s faith in the Lord and His promises was tested when he was commanded to sacrifice his covenant son, Isaac. When Abraham proved his faithfulness, the Lord spared Isaac and provided a substitute sacrifice.

Suggestions for Teaching

Genesis 20:1–21:8

Abraham and Sarah travel to Gerar, and Isaac is born in fulfillment of God’s promise

Ask students to imagine that someone has promised them a sum of money so large that they would never have to work to earn a living.

How would your relationship with this person influence whether you believed they would keep their promise?

As students study Genesis 20–21 today, invite them to look for a truth Abraham learned about God keeping His promises.

Summarize Genesis 20 by explaining that after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham and Sarah traveled to the land of Gerar. As he had previously done, Abraham referred to Sarah as his sister. Abimelech, the king of Gerar, desired Sarah as his wife and took her. However, God warned Abimelech in a dream that Sarah was really Abraham’s wife and that Abraham was a prophet. Abimelech restored Sarah to Abraham and was blessed.

Invite a few students to read Genesis 21:1–5 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for how God kept His promise to give Abraham and Sarah a son (see Genesis 17:19). Ask a few students to report what they find.

What can we learn from this account about God’s promises? (Students may use different words, but they should identify the following principle: God always keeps His promises to the faithful according to His timetable.)
How might knowing that God fulfills His promises to the faithful influence the choices you make?

Invite a student to read Genesis 21:6–8 aloud, and ask students to follow along, looking for how Sarah felt about the birth of Isaac. Ask students to report what they find. You may want to use footnote a in verse 6 to help explain that the word laugh in verse 6 also means “to rejoice.”

Genesis 21:9–34

Ishmael and Hagar are sent away into the wilderness

Explain that Genesis 21 offers another example of God fulfilling His promises. Briefly summarize Genesis 21:9–11 by explaining that Sarah saw Hagar’s son, Ishmael, mocking, or persecuting, Isaac (see Galatians 4:28–30). Sarah told Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away into the wilderness, which initially grieved Abraham.

Invite students to read Genesis 21:12 silently, looking for what God told Abraham to do. Ask students to report what they find.

Summarize Genesis 21:13–21 by explaining that God promised Abraham that Ishmael’s descendants would become a great nation. After giving Hagar and Ishmael some supplies, Abraham sent them away. When Hagar and Ishmael ran out of water, Hagar feared her son would die, but God promised her that Ishmael would become a great nation. With God’s help, Hagar soon found water. Ishmael eventually became the principal ancestor of much of the Arab world in fulfillment of these promises (see Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis–2 Samuel, 3rd ed. [Church Educational System manual, 2003], 71).

Genesis 22:1–14

Abraham is commanded to sacrifice Isaac

Write the following question on the board:

What do you think is the greatest lesson we can learn in mortality?

Invite a few students to respond to this question. Ask a student to read aloud the following statement by President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018):

“The greatest lesson we can learn in mortality is that when God speaks and we obey, we will always be right” (Thomas S. Monson, “They Marked the Path to Follow,” Ensign, Oct. 2007, 7).

As students study Genesis 22, invite them to look for how Abraham learned this lesson.

Draw a picture of an altar on the board.

Invite a student to read Genesis 22:1–2 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what the Lord commanded Abraham to do. Use footnote a in verse 1 to help students understand that the word tempt as used in verse 1 means to “test” or to “prove.”

What did the Lord command Abraham to do?
What words or phrases in verse 2 can help us understand how difficult this command must have been for Abraham?
What promises had the Lord made to Abraham that would have made sacrificing his son an even more difficult trial of faith than it already was? (The Lord had promised that through Isaac, Abraham would become a father of many nations and that He would establish His covenant with Isaac [see Genesis 17:15–21].)

Point out that in addition to the promises Abraham had previously received, the command to offer his son as a human sacrifice might have been especially difficult because Abraham himself was almost offered as a human sacrifice to false gods, but the Lord saved him (see Abraham 1:7, 15).

Display the picture Abraham Taking Isaac to Be Sacrificed (Gospel Art Book [2009], no. 9; see also lds.org/media-library). Invite a student to read Genesis 22:3 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for how Abraham responded to the Lord’s command.

What stands out to you about Abraham’s response?
What can we learn about Abraham from his response to this heart-wrenching command?

Invite a student to read Genesis 22:4–8 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Isaac asked his father. Invite students to report what they find.

How did Abraham respond to Isaac?

Invite a student to read Genesis 22:9–10 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Abraham did when they arrived in the land of Moriah. Invite students to report what they find.

Why do you think Abraham was willing to obey the command to sacrifice his son Isaac?

Invite a student to read Genesis 22:11–12 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what happened next.

How do you imagine Abraham and Isaac might have felt after receiving this message?
Through his willingness to sacrifice Isaac, what had Abraham shown about his feelings toward God?

Explain that Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that although “we generally interpret the word fear as ‘respect’ or ‘reverence’ or ‘love,’” we should also “so love and reverence [the Lord] that we fear doing anything wrong in His sight” (D. Todd Christofferson, “A Sense of the Sacred” [Church Educational System fireside for young adults, Nov. 7, 2004], 6, 7, speeches.byu.edu). You may want to suggest that students write this explanation in their scriptures.

What can we learn from Abraham and Isaac’s experience about what we can do to show the Lord that we love Him? (Students may identify something similar to the following principle: When we are willing to do what the Lord commands us, we show our reverence and love for Him.)

Invite several students to come to the board and write one or two of God’s commandments above the drawing of the altar. You may want to add some commandments to their list based on the needs of your class (such as reading the scriptures, partaking of the sacrament weekly, sharing the gospel, or keeping the law of chastity).

How does our willingness to obey these commandments show the Lord that we love Him?

Invite a student to read aloud the following statement by Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Ask the class to listen for why it is important that we willingly obey God.

“The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we ‘give,’ brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him!” (Neal A. Maxwell, “Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 24).

Refer to the list of commandments on the board, and ask students to answer the following question in their class notebooks or study journals:

Which commandments can you begin obeying or obey more willingly to show your love for the Lord?

You may want to invite a few students to share what they wrote. Encourage students to pray for help to willingly obey the Lord.

Display the picture The Crucifixion (Gospel Art Book [2009], no. 57; see also lds.org/media-library). Explain that in the scriptures a type is a person or an event that is similar to or points toward a greater person or event in the future. When we study a type, we learn more about the greater person or event to come. Point out that Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac is a type of Heavenly Father’s sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Invite students to review Genesis 22:1–12 with a partner. Ask them to look for details in the verses that show similarities between Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac and Heavenly Father’s sacrifice of Jesus Christ. You might suggest that they consider marking the similarities in their scriptures, or you could ask them to write what they discover on a piece of paper. It might help them to organize what they find in a chart like the one that follows. Some examples have been provided.

Similarities between the Two Sacrifices

Abraham’s Sacrifice of Isaac	Heavenly Father’s Sacrifice of Jesus Christ
Isaac was to be sacrificed in place of a lamb	Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God and was sacrificed for our sins
Abraham willingly	Heavenly Father willingly
Isaac carried	Jesus Christ carried

What can Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac teach us about Heavenly Father’s sacrifice of Jesus Christ?
Who was Heavenly Father showing His love for by sacrificing His Son, Jesus Christ? (Students may use different words, but help them identify the following truth: Heavenly Father demonstrated His love for us through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.)
How does the sacrifice of Jesus Christ demonstrate Heavenly Father’s love for you?

Consider sharing your testimony of Heavenly Father’s love for each of the students in your class.

Ask a student to read Genesis 22:13–14 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what God provided as a sacrifice in the place of Isaac. Ask students to report what they find.

Genesis 22:15–24

The Lord reconfirms the promises of the Abrahamic covenant

Summarize Genesis 22:15–24 by explaining that because Abraham demonstrated his willingness to do what the Lord commanded, the Lord reassured him of the blessings promised in the Abrahamic covenant.

After Abraham returned home, he learned about children born into the household of his brother Nahor. One of these children had a daughter named Rebekah, who would play an important role in the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises to Abraham.

Conclude by sharing your testimony of the principles discussed today.

Commentary and Background Information

Genesis 20:2. “She is my sister”

In some ancient cultures if a king wanted to marry a woman and she was already married, the king might have her husband killed so he could take her as his own wife (see Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis–2 Samuel, 3rd ed. [Church Educational System manual, 2003], 65–66). It appears that Abraham feared this might happen to him. Abraham may have also been relying on the instructions the Lord had given him when he was in a similar situation in Egypt (see Genesis 12:11–15; Abraham 2:22–25).

Genesis 21:13, 17–21. Ishmael

Ishmael eventually became the principal ancestor of much of the Arab world in fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham (see Genesis 21:13; Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis–2 Samuel, 3rd ed. [Church Educational System manual, 2003], 71). President Howard W. Hunter (1907–95) taught:

“It should be manifestly evident to members of the Church that our Father loves all of his children.

“He desires all of them to embrace the gospel and come unto him. …

“Both the Jews and the Arabs are children of our Father. They are both children of promise, and as a church we do not take sides. We have love for and an interest in each” (Howard W. Hunter, That We Might Have Joy [1994], 73–74, 75).

For more information about Ishmael and his descendants, see “Ishmael, Our Brother” (James B. Mayfield, Ensign, June 1979, 24–32).

Genesis 22:1–2. Why did the Lord ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac?

It can be difficult to understand why the Lord would command Abraham to do something so challenging as sacrificing his son. President George Q. Cannon (1827–1901) of the First Presidency said:

“Why did the Lord ask such things of Abraham? Because, knowing what his future would be and that he would be the father of an innumerable posterity, he was determined to test him. God did not do this for His own sake for He knew by His foreknowledge what Abraham would do; but the purpose was to impress upon Abraham a lesson and to enable him to attain unto knowledge that he could not obtain in any other way. That is why God tries all of us. It is not for His own knowledge for He knows all things beforehand. He knows all your lives and everything you will do. But He tries us for our own good that we may know ourselves” (George Q. Cannon, in Gospel Truth, comp. Jerreld L. Newquist, 2 vols. [1974], 1:113).

Lectures on Faith states:

“Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation. … It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God” (Lectures on Faith [1985], 69).

Brigham Young University Professor Truman G. Madsen (1926–2009) wrote about a time when he was with President Hugh B. Brown of the First Presidency in Hebron, near the tomb of Abraham:

“I [asked President Brown], ‘Why … was Abraham commanded to go to Mount Moriah and offer his only hope of posterity?’

“It was clear that this man, nearly ninety, had thought and prayed and wept over that question before. He finally said, ‘Abraham needed to learn something about Abraham’” (Five Classics by Truman G. Madsen [2001], 232).

Genesis 22:2. The land of Moriah

The land of Moriah (see Genesis 22:2), where Isaac was to be offered as a sacrifice, included the places that would later be called Gethsemane and Golgotha, where Jesus Christ would suffer and be crucified almost 2,000 years later (see Old Testament Student Manual: Genesis–2 Samuel, 3rd ed. [Church Educational System manual, 2003], 77). Additionally, Abraham’s name means “father of a multitude” (Bible Dictionary, “Abraham”), which parallels Heavenly Father being the father of all spirit children.

Genesis 22:9–12. Abraham’s faith in God

According to Hebrews 11:17–19, Abraham had faith that when Isaac was sacrificed, God would be able to raise him from death to life. President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) explained:

“Knowing that God would make no capricious nor unnecessary demands, that the lad could be raised even from death if necessary, Abraham obeyed. A ram was provided” (Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference Report, Oct. 1954, 52).

Genesis 22:13–14. “A ram … offered … in the stead of his son”

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency explained another layer of symbolism found in the account of Abraham sacrificing Isaac:

“This story also shows the goodness of God in protecting Isaac and in providing a substitute so he would not have to die. Because of our sins and our mortality, we, like Isaac, are condemned to death. When all other hope is gone, our Father in Heaven provides the Lamb of God, and we are saved by his sacrifice” (Dallin H. Oaks, “Bible Stories and Personal Protection,” Ensign, Nov. 1992, 37).

Elder Melvin J. Ballard (1873–1939) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained how Heavenly Father might have felt as His Son was being crucified.

“In that hour I think I can see our dear Father behind the veil looking upon these dying struggles … , His great heart almost breaking for the love that He had for His Son. Oh, in that moment when He might have saved His Son, I thank Him and praise Him that He did not fail us. … I rejoice that He did not interfere, and that His love for us made it possible for Him to endure to look upon the sufferings of His [Only Begotten] Son and give Him finally to us, our Saviour and our Redeemer. Without Him, without His sacrifice, … we would never have come glorified into His presence. … This is what it cost, in part, for our Father in heaven to give the gift of His Son unto men” (Melvin J. Ballard: Crusader for Righteousness [1966], 137).