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The Solution Begins (Genesis 12-50)
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Dr. Lennox calls God’s calling of Abraham the “hinge” of the Bible. It is the beginning of a turning point that will culminate in Christ. The hinge centers on two promises that God makes to Abraham:
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:2-3
Not only does God promise to make Abraham great and the people that will be descended from him. God also promises to bless the rest of the world through him.
From a Christian perspective, this blessing of the whole world came through Jesus as the ultimate “seed” of Abraham (cf. Gal. 3:16). All who trust in Jesus become the children of Abraham (cf. Rom 4:11-12; 4:16-17).
In his video, Dr. Steve Lennox examines the transition from Genesis 11 to Genesis 12, marking a significant shift in the Biblical narrative. Genesis 11 concludes with humanity in despair, distant from God, each other, themselves, and the world, entrapped in a seemingly hopeless situation. This bleak setting sets the stage for the profound transformation heralded by the opening of Genesis 12. Here, God’s words to Abraham introduce a hopeful and promising new chapter.
Despite the significant obstacles and improbabilities, including barrenness and moral failures among Abraham’s descendants, God pledges to make Abraham the father of a great nation, and through his lineage, all nations on earth will be blessed. This promise, as Dr. Lennox denotes, acts as a pivotal hinge in the Bible, turning the narrative from the unsolvable problem of human sin and separation to God’s divine solution and the unfolding of his plan for redemption.
Dr. Lennox emphasizes the difficulties in the inception of this nation. There is, for example, the barrenness of Sarah and Rebekah. There are the moral failures of Abraham’s descendants, including deception and Jacob’s betrayal of his brother Esau. Despite these setbacks and a seemingly dubious beginning, we realize that God is intent on building not just any nation, but a nation of believers. Improbable circumstances and moral lapses do not stop the plan. Rather, the faith of Abraham’s descendants increases, culminating in a community of individuals like Jacob and Joseph who hold firm to the belief in God’s greater plan and purpose.