Lesson for March 1, 2026

• Abraham’s Background and Desire for Priesthood (Abraham 1:1–4)
• Idolatry and Human Sacrifice in Chaldea (1:5–15)
• Abraham Receives a Divine Commission (1:15–19)
• God Reveals Egyptian Influence in Chaldea (1:20–28)
• Abraham’s Journey Begins (1:29–31)

• God Calls Abraham and Establishes the Covenant (2:1–11)
• Abraham Departs with Lot and Sarai (2:12–14)
• The Famine and Journey to Egypt (2:15–18)
• Abraham Receives the “Great Knowledge” (2:9–11, 2:17)
• Arrival in Egypt; Abraham as Teacher (2:19–25)

• God’s Call of Abram (Genesis 12:1–9)
• Abram and Sarai in Egypt (Genesis 12:10–20)

• Abram and Lot return from Egypt (13:1–4)
• Abram and Lot’s Herdsmen Quarrel (13:5–7)
• Abram Offers Lot First Choice of Land (13:8–13)
• God Reaffirms His Promise to Abram (13:14–18)

• The ‘Power play’ War: Four Kings vs. Five Kings (14:1–12)
• Abram’s Rescue Mission (14:13–16)
• Melchizedek and the Blessing (14:17–20)
• Abram Rejects the King of Sodom’s Offer (14:21–24)

• God’s promise of an Heir (15:1–6)
• God’s promise of Land (15:7–11)
• Prophecy of Israel’s Future Suffering (15:12–16)
• The Covenant Ceremony (15:17–21)

• Sarai’s Proposal for an Heir (16:1–3)
• Conflict Between Sarai and Hagar (16:4–6)
• The Angel of the Lord Meets Hagar (16:7–12)
• Hagar Names God (16:13–14)
• Ishmael’s Birth (16:15–16)

• God Appears & Names Abram Abraham (17:1–8)
• The Covenant Sign: Circumcision (17:9–14)
• Sarai Named Sarah, Promised Son (17:15–27)

• Three Visitors at Mamre (18:1–8)
• Promise of Isaac Reaffirmed (18:9–15)
• The Lord Reveals His Plan for Sodom (18:16–22)
• Abraham Intercedes (18:23–33)

• The Angels Arrive in Sodom (19:1–3)
• The Men of Sodom Surround the House (19:4–11)
• Warning to Flee (19:12–14)
• Lot Escapes Reluctantly (19:15–22)
• Destruction of the Cities (19:23–29)
• Lot and His Daughters (19:30–38)

• Abraham Moves to Gerar (20:1–2)
• God Warns Abimelech in a Dream (20:3–7)
• Abimelech Confronts Abraham (20:8–13)
• Restoration and Blessing (20:14–18)

• Birth of Isaac (21:1–7)
• Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away (21:8–21)
• Covenant Between Abraham and Abimelech (21:22–34)

• God’s Test/Journey to Moriah (22:1–8)
• God Intervenes (22:9–14)
• Covenant Reaffirmed with Oath (22:15–18)
• Return to Beersheba (22:19)
• Nahor’s Family Line (22:20–24)

• Sarah’s Death (23:1–2)
• Abraham Seeks a Burial Site (23:3–9)
• Negotiation with Ephron [Not Zach] (23:10–16)
• Burial of Sarah (23:17–20)

6 But I, Abraham, and Lot, my brother’s son, prayed unto the Lord, and the Lord appeared unto me, and said unto me: Arise, and take Lot with thee; for I have purposed to take thee away out of Haran, and to make of thee a minister to bear my name in a strange land which I will give unto thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession, when they hearken to my voice.7 For I am the Lord thy God; I dwell in heaven; the earth is my footstool; I stretch my hand over the sea, and it obeys my voice; I cause the wind and the fire to be my chariot; I say to the mountains—Depart hence—and behold, they are taken away by a whirlwind, in an instant, suddenly.8 My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning; therefore my hand shall be over thee.9 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee above measure, and make thy name great among all nations, and thou shalt be a blessing unto thy seed after thee, that in their hands they shall bear this ministry and Priesthood unto all nations;10 And I will bless them through thy name; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father;11 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal.

God told Abraham to “be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2). What do you think that means? How will you be a blessing?

15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

25 And Melchizedek lifted up his voice and blessed Abram.26 Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.27 And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch,28 It being after the order of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God;29 And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.30 For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of their course;31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.32 And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.33 And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace.34 And his people wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world;35 And hath said, and sworn with an oath, that the heavens and the earth should come together; and the sons of God should be tried so as by fire.36 And this Melchizedek, having thus established righteousness, was called the king of heaven by his people, or, in other words, the King of peace.37 And he lifted up his voice, and he blessed Abram, being the high priest, and the keeper of the storehouse of God;38 Him whom God had appointed to receive tithes for the poor.39 Wherefore, Abram paid unto him tithes of all that he had, of all the riches which he possessed, which God had given him more than that which he had need.40 And it came to pass, that God blessed Abram, and gave unto him riches, and honor, and lands for an everlasting possession; according to the covenant which he had made, and according to the blessing wherewith Melchizedek had blessed him.

1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.2 And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

What do you learn from Hebrews 11:8–13 about how Abraham and Sarah faced this trial?

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

How does the Savior help you “embrace” His promises, even if they are “afar off”?

Source: https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Ishmael.html, https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Samuel.html

1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

and…

15 ¶ And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?”18 And Abraham said unto God, “O that Ishmael might live before thee!”19 And God said, “Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.”22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

compare Genesis 17:17 to JST Gen 17:23

23 Then Abraham fell on his face and rejoiced, and said in his heart, “There shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old, and Sarah that is ninety years old shall bear.”

9 ¶ And they said unto him, “Where is Sarah thy wife?” And he said, “Behold, in the tent.”10 And he said, “I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.” And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also”?

And

14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

12 ¶ And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.15 ¶ And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.17 ¶ And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

And

9 And they said unto him, Stand back. And they were angry with him.10 And they said among themselves, This one man came in to sojourn among us, and he will needs now make himself to be a judge; now we will deal worse with him than with them.11 Wherefore they said unto the man, We will have the men, and thy daughters also; and we will do with them as seemeth us good.12 Now this was after the wickedness of Sodom.13 And Lot said, Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, plead with my brethren that I may not bring them out unto you; and ye shall not do unto them as seemeth good in your eyes;14 For God will not justify his servant in this thing; wherefore, let me plead with my brethren, this once only, that unto these men ye do nothing, that they may have peace in my house; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.15 And they were angry with Lot and came near to break the door, but the angels of God, which were holy men, put forth their hand and pulled Lot into the house unto them, and shut the door.

And

62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.32 Remember Lot’s wife.33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

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An early settlement and its tower near the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The course of these rivers largely defines the ‘’Fertile Crescent” (See images).

What is Ur?Chaldeas is a people group in the land that became Babylon.

Chaldeans are a people group that seem to predate the locations later called Babel, and later Babylon.In later use, the word “Chaldean” is functionally the same as “Babylonian”

What is Baylon?

What is Shinar?

Religious and Mythic Concepts Flowed Freely