The History of Restoration Abraham's Family 2

So we're looking then at Abraham. The big picture is that God wants to save humanity, and in order to send humanity, God needs to send the Messiah. But in order for God to be able to send the Messiah, there have to be conditions made to create a foundation to receive the Messiah. Those conditions are that the foundation of faith and the foundation of substance that Adam and Eve didn't make need to be restored. The central figure has to restore the foundation of faith, the foundation of substance, and restore the sorts of things that went on in Adam's family. Restoration means making a condition of indemnity to reverse what went wrong.

We looked last week at how Sarah was able to make that condition not to give in to the temptation from Pharaoh as Eve did with Lucifer, but to overcome that temptation. Abraham was able to reclaim Sarah from Pharaoh as if Adam was reclaiming Eve from Lucifer, and also reclaim a lot representing humanity. The Pharaoh gave them loads of wealth, which represented the creation. Abraham stands in the position of Adam and in the position of Noah, and he has to demonstrate the same faith that Adam had and the same faith that Noah had. So let's have a look at Abraham's faith in God.

God said to Abraham one day, 'Look toward heaven and number the stars if you're able to number them.' So how many stars are there? A hundred billion times a hundred billion. That's my last count. So basically, it's numberless; nobody can count them. God said to him, 'Look towards heaven and number the stars if you're able to number them.' Then he said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Abraham believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. So what do you think of that? How many stars are there? Countless numbers, billions. God said to Abraham, 'So will your descendants be.' Abraham believed. Is that an easy thing to believe or a difficult thing to believe? It's a difficult thing to believe. You're an old man in your 80s or 90s, your wife the same sort of age, a bit younger than him, and no children. Then God said your descendants will number the stars of heaven, and he believed him.

So why did Abraham believe what God said? He had faith. So what does that mean then to have faith? Is it believing impossible things? What's faith based upon? It's partly belief, but what is one believing? It's belief in God. But why should one believe in God? We looked at Abraham's faith; we looked at faith a lot, and we explained what faith is about. What's faith based upon? Logic or reason? Yes, experience, reason, and experience. So why should Abraham believe? This is when we looked at the story last week of how Abraham discovered God. He worked it out for himself; he found God. It's not that God called him or found him, but actually, he found God and worked it out logically: where did he come from? Cause and effect. There must be a beginning; it started off somewhere, and that is God. That's what he believed in.

His faith in God was based upon logic and also from his own personal experience. He knew God was Almighty; he knew God was powerful; he trusted God. So when God said this, he figured to himself, 'Well, God, the one who created the universe, surely it is possible for this to happen for me to have millions and billions of descendants. If God created the universe, nothing is outside of God's power.' His faith was based on his own personal experience; he trusted God. If God said something, then that was the basis of his faith.

Let's have a look at the next bit. God said to him, 'I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess, the land of Canaan.' But he said, 'Oh Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?' What do you think about his response here? He's saying he believed it, but then he's saying, 'Can you prove it to me? It's going to happen.' So he's saying, 'But how can I know?' In other words, he wants proof, evidence. At that point, for some reason, he wasn't able to have faith. He didn't say, 'Oh, that's wonderful, I believe.' Instead, he said, 'But how can I know? I need some evidence, some proof.' In that sense, he lost faith. If you lose faith, what do you need to do? You need to restore it, and so he had to restore this foundation of faith.

God said to him, 'I want you to bring me a heifer, a ram, a goat, a dove, and a pigeon.' This is the offering that God asked Abraham to bring to restore the foundation of faith. The foundation of faith requires a central figure, which was Abraham, and the symbolic object represented the cosmos. Just as the offerings that Cain and Abel made represented the creation, and just as the ark that Noah built represented the creation, so also these offerings represented the creation. Just as Noah's ark had three stories, here you have three different levels of creation: the foundation stage, the growth stage, and the completion stage. The heifer and the pigeon represent the old, new, and completed Testament ages. Why do you think you have two in the first two stages and only one in the top stage? Because it's quite huge; hard work already. I always feel that the intellectuality and spirituality of people must have been very low because Abram should have started from the bottom, and by the time he got to the end, he was tired.

Often we talk about how Satan invaded at the top of the growth stage, so in that sense, the completion stage wasn't invaded by Satan; that's why you only had one. A dove is a symbol of peace, and what kind of bird is a pigeon? A flying rat; it's a messy, dirty bird. What about a ram and a goat? How do they differ? A ram represents masculinity, while a goat is just the name of the species. The ram is certainly male. If you remember the Day of Judgment, Jesus said the King God will separate the sheep from the goats. Sheep represent the good side, and the goats represent the bad side. Jesus was described as the Lamb of the world, who takes away the sins of the world. In the formation stage, you have the good and the bad; in the growth stage, you have one good and one bad. The dove represents the Old Testament age, so when John the Baptist baptized Jesus, a dove appeared, representing the Old Testament receiving and inheriting the whole Old Testament foundation through being baptized by Jesus.

The heifer is a female cow and represents marriage and blessing. He needed to cut these animals up into two, separating good from bad, and letting the blood drain out. He cut up the heifer, the ram, and the goat, but he didn't cut up the dove and the pigeon. The Bible says that he just fell asleep; he was obviously tired. Can you imagine? They didn't have the sharp knives in those days. What age was this? Maybe the Stone Age? As far as I know, they didn't have metal at that time; they used flint. You think that was easy or hard? It was hard work, and he was a really old man. It's not good to judge him but to feel compassion that he really tried his best. It wasn't that he lost faith; he just became tired and maybe needed to plan it a little differently or get some help.

This is a very important offering, and it also represented restoring the 400 years that went before. It was an incredibly important offering or gift that he needed to give. It said there he did not cut the birds, and when birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. These birds of prey symbolize Satan wanting to invade the offering and claim it. Dividing something in two is a normal way in which people in the Middle East would make a deal; they would cut an animal in two, sit between it, and close a deal. That's just the way a covenant was made. God said to him, 'Your descendants will be enslaved and mistreated for 400 years.' You might think, do you think that's fair or unfair? What God said to him sounds rather harsh, doesn't it? So why is it so harsh? When you make a foundation of faith, this foundation determines ownership, deciding whether you belong to God or to Satan. Both God and Satan were watching to see what Abraham was going to do because it's like a sort of agreement between God and Satan.

The deal was like this: if Abraham made this offering successfully, then God would be able to give an extraordinary blessing to Abraham's descendants, and they would be able to live in the land of Canaan for 400 years, blessed by God and becoming incredibly prosperous. If you remember, Abraham asked, 'How am I to know my descendants are going to possess this land?' If he made the offering successfully, then his descendants would have possessed this land and prospered there for 400 years. But Satan said, 'Okay, if he doesn't make it successfully, then I can have them for 400 years instead of living in Canaan for 400 years. They're going to live somewhere else for 400 years, and I can do my worst to try and break their faith.' That's what Satan tried to do; he tried to destroy the Hebrews, the descendants of Abraham, so that after 400 years, there would be nobody left to take out of Egypt into Canaan. He was trying to destroy their sense of identity.

During this period of slavery, when the Egyptian Pharaoh wanted to make all the Hebrews into slaves, the Hebrews had a choice. They could either remain Hebrews and keep their identity, even if it meant being turned into slaves, or they could say, 'Well, actually, I think I'll take out Egyptian citizenship, please, and then I can be like everybody else.' They had that choice, and if they had all assimilated and become Egyptians, then after 400 years, there would be nobody left to bring out of Egypt into Canaan. This 400-year period was crucial; they had to restore the foundation of faith, which meant keeping their faith even through incredible difficulty and suffering. They still needed to maintain their faith in God, even when everything seemed to be going wrong. They had to keep their faith in God because they knew God was real.

If Abraham had made his small offering successfully, he could have received a huge blessing from God. However, because he didn't, it became a condition of Greater Indemnity. To restore that small offering, they had to go through a period of 400 years before they could return to the beginning, going back into Canaan, which is where they were supposed to be in the first place. God said to Abraham, 'You and your descendants will live in Canaan,' and that was the intended outcome. Unfortunately, Abraham had some doubts and didn't make the offerings successfully, leading to their difficult 400-year journey. It's a bit like snakes and ladders; you can climb high but then have to work hard to get back to that position again.

At this stage, Abraham is 85 years old, and his wife Sarah is 76, well past childbearing age. You can imagine them wondering how God's promise to them would come about. Sarah suggested to Abraham that he have a child with her maid, Hagar. Under the laws of that time, if a slave had a child, that child would belong to the slave owner. So, Sarah proposed that since she couldn't have a child, they could have one through Hagar. This situation is somewhat similar to modern surrogate motherhood, except without the medical technology. Sarah offered her maid to Abraham, and eventually, Hagar became pregnant.

This raises a moral question: was it right or wrong for Abraham to have a child with Hagar? According to the customs of that time, it was an accepted practice, so it wasn't considered immoral. Abraham did not take the initiative out of lust; it was Sarah who organised it as a way for them to have a child. From God's perspective, their motivations were pure. Although some might argue that it showed a lack of faith, in those days, having a child through a maid was a common solution for couples who could not conceive. They were trying to figure out how God would fulfil His promise, and it was a different cultural context.

When Hagar became pregnant, she began to show contempt for Sarah, thinking she would replace her in Abraham's affections. This contempt hurt Sarah deeply, leading her to treat Hagar harshly. Eventually, Hagar decided to run away into the desert. An angel appeared to her, instructing her to return to Abraham and Sarah and informing her that her son would be named Ishmael and that God would bless him. It is said that Hagar was of royal lineage, possibly the daughter of Pharaoh, which made her situation even more complex. She had gone from being a princess to a maid, and now she thought she could supplant Sarah by bearing Abraham's child.

Ishmael was born, and Hagar became like a concubine to Abraham. Thirteen years later, God spoke to Abraham again, promising that Sarah would bear him a son, who would be the mother of nations. At this point, Abraham was 99 years old, and Sarah was 90. When Sarah overheard this, she laughed, thinking it was impossible for them to have a child at their age. Yet, she did become pregnant and gave birth to Isaac, whose name means 'laughter.' As Ishmael and Isaac grew up together, Sarah became concerned about Ishmael mistreating Isaac and feared that Ishmael might inherit everything from Abraham, leading her to suggest that Hagar and Ishmael be cast out.

Abraham did not want to send Ishmael away, as he loved him dearly. He argued with God about it, asking why Ishmael could not also be blessed. God instructed Abraham to listen to Sarah and assured him that He would bless Ishmael and make him fruitful, but the covenant would continue through Isaac. If Abraham had established the foundation of Faith, Isaac could have stood as Abel, with Ishmael in the position of Cain. However, because Abraham did not restore this foundation, Isaac could not take that position, leading to the eventual separation of Ishmael and Hagar.

After Sarah's death, Abraham sought out Ishmael in the desert and found that he was prospering. Together, they built the Kaaba, the first house of worship for God. The Kaaba, located in Mecca, is a significant site for Muslims. This act continued the story of Abraham's legacy through Islam. God then gave Abraham a second chance to restore the foundation of Faith, instructing him to walk before Him and be blameless. This meant that Abraham had to listen to his conscience and work out what was right for himself, rather than simply following orders.

God made promises to Abraham, including that his descendants would number the stars of heaven. This promise has been fulfilled, as the descendants of Abraham today include Jews, Christians, and Muslims, amounting to billions of people worldwide. This historical promise made 4,000 years ago has indeed come true, demonstrating the long-lasting impact of Abraham's faith and actions.

If you actually look into the sky with your naked eye, there aren't hundreds of billions of stars, but still, it's more than one can number, so it's numberless in that sense. The story of Abraham is often considered incomplete because he created three lineages, not two. He produced Isaac, who is the father of the Jewish people, and in his old age, he took a third wife, Keturah, who had six sons. These sons were supposed to have moved east, and I believe that when proper research is done, we will discover that the Koreans actually come from the lineage of Abraham. Many people are aware of this point, but I think we need to bring it out at some point. It's often thought that Keturah was Hagar or perhaps another woman, but I believe she was a different young woman. There is speculation that Keturah is just another name for Hagar, but there are also claims that her other children went on to found various religions in the East, including in India and further east. However, this is all speculation, as we do not have any texts or books that confirm these connections. It's simply unprovable one way or the other.

Abraham is indeed referred to as the father of many nations, including Israel, Arab countries, Muslim countries, Christian countries, and nations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America, South America, and some countries in Asia. These are all literal or spiritual descendants of Abraham. The Covenant God made with Abraham is everlasting, and it has persisted for 4,000 years. God promised that Abraham's descendants would live in the land of Canaan, and today, Jews, Christians, and Muslims inhabit that land. God made a sign of the Covenant with Abraham, which was circumcision. One might wonder if Abraham liked the idea of circumcision. He did not dislike it personally, but he questioned whether it would help in witnessing to others about God. He argued with God, expressing concern that requiring circumcision might deter people from joining his religion.

God responded to Abraham, saying that he had no defect, but that through circumcision, he would become complete. The meaning of circumcision is quite interesting. In Hebrew, the word for foreskin is 'Ola,' which also means 'tree.' A tree bears fruit, and the male sexual organ is the means through which one multiplies and bears fruit. Thus, God said to Abraham, 'I will make my Covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.' The Covenant that God made with Abraham is, in a sense, a covenant with his sexual organ. This biblical understanding highlights the significance of the Covenant in relation to Abraham's identity and purpose.

Furthermore, Hebrew letters have numerical values assigned to them. At one point, Abraham's name was Abram, which has a numerical value of 243. Jewish tradition states that the human body has 248 limbs or organs. Before circumcision, Abraham had control over 243 limbs, but after God changed his name from Abram to Abraham, he received an additional letter, 'h,' which has a value of five. This brought the total to 248, symbolising complete mind-body unity. The additional five limbs are interpreted by rabbis to include two eyes, two ears, and the sexual organ, indicating that after circumcision, Abraham had complete control over these aspects of his being.

The Covenant is also a sign of identity. Just as people express their belonging to a group through clothing or symbols, circumcision became a badge of identity for those who followed Abraham. It was a clear indication of who belonged to God's side. For Jewish people, circumcision was often performed at great personal risk, especially during times of persecution. By circumcising their sons, they affirmed their identity as God's chosen people, even at the risk of their lives. This lineage was passed down from generation to generation, and it was a significant act of faith and commitment to God.

God declared that circumcision is the everlasting sign of the Covenant between Abraham and his descendants. Jewish boys are circumcised on the eighth day, which aligns with the tradition of dedication ceremonies for blessed children. Muslims also practice circumcision, with Ishmael being circumcised at 13 years old and Isaac at eight days old. For Muslims, circumcision is a significant event, often celebrated as a coming-of-age ceremony. While many Christians are circumcised, it is generally not for religious reasons, as St. Paul argued that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised to follow Christ. This made it easier for many to accept Christianity without the requirement of circumcision, leading to a distinction between Jewish and Christian practices regarding this tradition.

God also made promises to Sarah, telling her that she would have a son and be the mother of many nations. The Old Testament highlights the important roles of women, not just men. God instructed Abraham to listen to his wife, and He made promises to several women throughout the Bible. After establishing the Covenant with Abraham, God informed him of His intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah due to their wickedness. These cities were not wicked in the modern sense but were known for their rampant crime and immorality. Abraham, living nearby, was a righteous man and likely faced mockery from the inhabitants of those cities. When God revealed His plan to Abraham, one might expect him to respond with indifference, but instead, he engaged in a dialogue with God about the fate of the cities.

Imagine a scenario where you witness families behaving badly, perhaps scratching your car, bullying your children at school, or causing chaos in your neighbourhood. One night, you have a dream where God reveals that due to a gas leak, these families will face destruction. Your initial reaction might be one of justice, thinking they deserve it. However, what is extraordinary about Abraham is that he did not react in that way. Instead, he challenged God, asking, 'Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Shall not the Judge of the earth do right?' Abraham's heart was filled with compassion; he did not want bad things to happen to even those he considered enemies. He wanted to witness to them and save their lives, demonstrating a profound love for others, even those who had wronged him.

Consider the courage it takes to argue with God, especially when you believe He is wrong. Imagine if a figure of authority, like a father, expressed a desire to punish a group unjustly. Would you stand up and challenge that authority, insisting on fairness? Abraham exemplified this kind of bravery, willing to risk his life to advocate for the innocent. He had a plan in mind, believing there were at least ten good people in the city of Sodom, including his nephew Lot and his family, who were known for their hospitality. This tradition of welcoming strangers was deeply ingrained in Abraham's family, reflecting a commitment to love and care for others, even those who might be considered enemies.

When the angels arrived in Sodom, Lot met them at the gate and invited them to dinner, adhering to the tradition of hospitality. However, the culture of Sodom was starkly different; it was a place where strangers were often harmed rather than welcomed. Lot's invitation was met with hostility from the townspeople, who demanded that he hand over the angels. In a desperate attempt to protect his guests, Lot offered his two virgin daughters instead, adhering to the law of hospitality that prioritises guests over family. This extreme situation highlights the moral dilemmas faced in dire circumstances. Lot's actions were driven by the principle of hospitality, which dictated that he must protect his guests at all costs.

The angels, witnessing Lot's offer, intervened by striking the mob blind, allowing Lot and his family to escape. This act of divine intervention was contingent upon Lot's willingness to uphold the law of hospitality, demonstrating how critical decisions can alter the course of events. Unfortunately, despite Lot's efforts, there were not enough righteous people in the city; only Lot, his wife, and two daughters were left to flee. The angels warned them not to look back as they escaped, but Lot's wife turned around, becoming a pillar of salt. This transformation symbolises the dangers of attachment to the past and the inability to move forward. Her regret and longing for what she left behind rendered her spiritually stagnant, illustrating the importance of letting go.

The story of Lot's wife serves as a powerful lesson about the consequences of clinging to the past. When we become attached to people or things, we risk being trapped in bitterness and resentment. This attachment can hinder our spiritual development and prevent us from embracing new opportunities. A personal anecdote comes to mind of a young man who, after a minor accident, felt his life was ruined because he could no longer ride his scooter. Despite being only seventeen, he was consumed by his loss, unable to see the possibilities that lay ahead. This illustrates how easily we can become fixated on setbacks, allowing them to dictate our future.

The concept of loving your enemies more than your children can be challenging to grasp. It requires a distinction between emotional love and the actions we take. While it is natural to love our children deeply, true love can also manifest in how we treat others, including our enemies. This principle is about prioritising the well-being of others, even those we may not have a personal connection with. The law of hospitality teaches us to put guests before ourselves, reflecting a selfless love that transcends familial bonds. It is a reminder that love is not just a feeling but also a commitment to act in the best interest of others, regardless of our personal attachments.

I felt really embarrassed. I thought, no, you shouldn't be like that. I don't know, five or six, seven, something like that, but I just remember feeling it burning inside me. This isn't right; you should actually love your children more than their friends. In that sense, she really loved me far more than this person, but she had to deny that, and that was really difficult. It's not an easy thing to do, but that is the law of hospitality.

When I went to my friend's house, I went to his uncle's house. He went into the living room, and the uncle poured him a glass of lemon juice. I was shocked. If you genuinely loved your children's friends more than your own children, it would be easy to do that, but actually, it's not easy. It means going against what you would really like to do. We talk about a father loving his children; if he genuinely loved and liked ordinary members and guests more than his own children, that would be wrong because it's not natural. The painful thing is having this overwhelming love for someone but doing it for that person instead of your family. That is, in that sense, going the way of the Cross.

In order to restore the foundation of Faith, Abraham went through the same things he experienced with Abimelech, the king of Gerar. He told Sarah to pretend she was his sister, and she was invited in. Sarah faced the temptation to marry the king, but Abraham overcame that temptation. She purified herself, and Abraham was able to reclaim Sarah from Abimelech. It's like Adam restoring Eve from Lucifer. Abimelech also gave them many slaves and wealth. Sarah was remarkable; she overcame these temptations and restored the position of Eve. She was a mother of Israel, incredibly hospitable, loving all the beggars and strangers who came to her home. She always embraced them, fed them, and took care of them, and there was a bright light over her and her tent, which was always open. She had a wonderful character.

Not very many questions today, but that's alright. One question is why did this process happen twice? This is for a second chance. The first time was about restoring the foundation of Faith, but because Abraham didn't make the offering correctly, it meant restoring the foundation of Faith a second time. You have to go through it all over again, which leads to the offering of the son, which we will discuss next week.