1. Genesis 12-17 Genesis 12:1 Doctrine & Covenants 84:14 teaches that Abraham received the Melchizedek Priesthood from Melchizedek (We don’t know when). Genesis 12:10-20 Why did Abraham Call Sarah His Sister? Egyptian pharaohs had a strong aversion to committing adultery with another man’s wife, however they had no qualms about murdering the man to free his spouse for remarriage.

2. Three possible reasons as to why Abraham introduced Sarah as his sister: 1. To kill the husband in order to possess himself of his wife seems to have been a common royal custom in those days. 2. Another ancient custom permitted a woman to be adopted as a man’s sister upon their marriage to give her greater legal and social status. 3. It is not unlikely that when Haran died Terah legally adopted Haran’s children as his own, thus making Sarah Abraham’s sister.

3. How could Abraham’s action be justified?

4. His action was justified because Gold told him to do it. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught the following: “That which is wrong under one circumstance, may be, and often is, right under another. Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof till long after the events transpire” (Teachings, 256). Some scholars have noted that Abraham could validly state that Sarah was his sister. First of all, the Hebrew words for brother and sister were often used for other blood relatives (Genesis 14:14, in which Lot, Abraham’s nephew, is called “his brother”).

5. Genesis 13:1-13 Abraham was Rich! The incident between him and Lot provides an excellent insight into Abraham’s Christ like nature. By all rights Lot should have insisted that Abraham choose first. Abraham could have taken his rights and given Lot what was left. Instead his concern was only that “there be no strife” between them. There is no trace of resentment in Abraham. Principles come first and material things second to Abraham. Genesis 13:8 “For we be brethren”

6. Genesis 14:1-7 In this listing of conquests by the alliance of five kings, it must be remembered that anciently the most typical political entity was a small city-state wherein the king presided over one major city and the surrounding area. This territory was sometimes expanded, but kings in those days did not rule over large countries or kingdoms. Sodom had a king, Gomorrah a king, and so on.

7. Genesis 14:18 Who was Melchizedek? “To the man Melchizedek goes the honor of having his name used to identify the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God, thus enabling men ‘to avoid the too frequent repetition’ of the name of Deity (Doctrine & Covenants 107:2-4). Of all God’s ancient high priests ‘none were greater.’ He stood as a prototype of the Son of God himself. He was called the prince of peace!Why?

8. Alma 13:17-18 JST Genesis 14:25-40 In ancient Jewish traditions Melchizedek is often thought to be Shem, the son of Noah. Melchizedek is a title meaning, “king of righteousness,” even though it is also used as a proper name. A modern writer examined the question of whether Shem and Melchizedek could be the same person and concluded that, while we cannot say for sure, the possibility is clearly there. On the other hand, there is a case for their being two distinct personalities. Many persons believe that Doctrine & Covenants 84:14 is proof that there are perhaps several generations between Melchizedek and Noah.

9. Shem : Shem is the eldest son of Noah, he is the progenitor of Israel and the priesthood descended through him to all the great patriarchs after Noah (1 Chronicles 1:24-27). In the Patriarchal order of the priesthood, Shem stands next to Noah. Living contemporary with Shem was a man known as Melchizedek, who was also known as the great high priest. The scriptures give us the details of Shem’s birth and ancestry but are silent as to him ministry and later life. Of Melchizedek, however, the opposite is true. Nothing is recorded about his birth or ancestry, even though the Book of Mormon states that he did have a father.

10. The truth is that we don’t know the answer. The following are the reasons that seem to indicate that these men may have been the same: 1.The inheritance given to Shem included the land of Salem. Melchizedek was the King of Salem. 2. Shem reigned in righteousness and the priesthood came through him. Melchizedek appears on the scene with a title that means ‘king of righteousness.’ 3. Shem was the great high priest of his day. Abraham honored the high priest Melchizedek.

11. 4.Abraham stands next to Shem in the patriarchal order of the priesthood and would surely have received the priesthood from Shem; but Doctrine & Covenants 84:5-17 says Abraham received the priesthood from Melchizedek. 5. Jewish tradition identifies Shem as Melchizedek. 6. President Joseph Fielding Smith’s remarkable vision names Shem among the great patriarchs but no mention is made of Melchizedek.

12. 7. Times and Seasons (15 Dec. 1844, 746) speaks of Shem, who was Melchizedek. Genesis 16:1-3 According to the custom of the time, Sarah’s giving her handmaid, Hagar, to be a wife to Abraham was an expected and logical act (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 1:109-11; Doctrine & Covenants 132:1-2, 29-30, 34-35).

13. Genesis 16:11-12 The Hebrew word Ishmael literally means “God hears.” Genesis 17:1Walk Uprightly and Be Perfect JST Genesis 17:1 “Thou shalt walk uprightly before me, and be perfect”

14. This commandment has been given to the Saints in all ages: Deuteronomy 18:13 Matthew 5:48 3 Nephi 12:48; 27:27 Doctrine & Covenants 67:13 What does it really mean? Does God expect us to be perfect?

15. “Salvation does not come all at once; we are commanded to be perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect. It will take us ages to accomplish this end, for there will be greater progress beyond the grave, and it will be there that the faithful will overcome all things, and receive all things, even the fullness of the Father’s glory. “I believe the Lord meant just what he said: that we should be perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect. That will not come all at once, but line upon line, and precept upon precept, example upon example, and even then not as long as we live in this mortal life, for we will have to go even beyond the grave before we reach that perfection and shall be like God.

16. “But here we lay the foundation. Here is where we are taught these simple truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in this probationary state, to prepare us for that perfection. It is our duty to be better today than we were yesterday, and better tomorrow than we are today. Why? Because we are on that road, if we are on that road to perfection, and that can only come through obedience and the desire in our hearts to overcome the world” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:18-19).

17. Genesis 17:2-14 The word circumcision comes from the Latin words meaning “to cut around.” What do we learn from the JST Genesis 17:3-7, 11? 1. Before instituting the law of circumcision, the Lord explained why he was establishing this token of the covenant. 2. The people had left correct principles and forsaken the true ordinances.

18. 3. Baptism was one ordinance being incorrectly observed. 4. The people were washing their children and sprinkling blood in remembrance of Abel’s blood, which they taught was shed for sins. 5. They misunderstood the relationship between accountability of children and the atonement of Jesus Christ.

19. 6. Because of this apostasy, circumcision was instituted. a. It was a covenant token b. It was for the seed of Abraham c. It signified that children were not accountable until they were eight years old (Doctrine & Covenants 68:25). Other scriptures make it clear that it was not the act itself but rather what it stood for that gave circumcision its greatest significance. In many places the Lord speaks of true circumcision as being the circumcision of the heart.

20. The heart that is “circumcised” is one that loves God and is obedient to the Spirit. Genesis 17:18-21 The birthright was given to Isaac, the first son of the first wife, rather than to Ishmael, who was the first son of Abraham and Hagar and was about fourteen years older than Isaac. The Lord made it clear that in accordance with the original promise Abraham’s son by Sarah would bear the covenant responsibility. Yet Ishmael, through his twelve sons, would also be the father of a great nation.

21. Abraham was one hundred years old before his covenant son, Isaac, was born. Abraham had eight sons in all; however, from Isaac the covenant people developed; through Ishmael came many of the Arab nations.

22. Ishmael’s Separation From His Father : After years of childlessness, Sarai begged Abram to take her handmaid, Hagar, to wife, that by chance through her she might supply Abram with children. Abram hearkened to his wife and received Hagar as a second wife. Hagar conceived and bore Ishmael, as commanded by the Lord. Genesis 17:18 “O that Ishmael might live before thee” Genesis 17:20 The Lord promised that he would make him fruitful, the father of 12 princes and of a great nation.

23. Genesis 17:21 But he announced that the covenant he was making with Abraham would be renewed through Sarah’s son, whom they were to call Isaac. Genesis 21:8-10 Sarah saw Ishmael --- by then about 16 --- mocking Isaac. The scriptures do not say what Ishmael said or did. Sarah took great offense at it and demanded that Abraham cast out Hagar and Ishmael from among them. This was very grievous to Abraham. Of course it would be, only a few short years earlier it had been his hope to have the Lord’s covenant established through Ishmael.

24. Ishmael had been his only son --- in his mind, the only child he would ever have. He must have put everything he had into raising and teaching the boy. Ishmael must have been precious to him beyond measure. Sarah was demanding that Abraham cast him out, that he sever his relationship, that Ishmael, in effect, be no more accounted Abraham’s son! In effect, she was asking Abraham to sacrifice the boy. Evidently downtrodden, he took the matter to the Lord in prayer. Probably to his surprise, the Lord added to his grief. He directed Abraham to do as his wife had said! Would Abraham’s feelings with regard to Ishmael have been much different from the grief he felt years later when the Lord demanded that he sacrifice his second son as well?

25. Most people have pondered the story of Abraham and Isaac. But what about the story of Abraham and Ishmael? In both stories Abraham is commanded to sacrifice a son. In both stories he is grieved, but rises up early in the morning to prepare provisions. With Isaac, he is saved from separation by a last-second intervention by an angel. With Ishmael, there is no intervention. Hagar and his beloved Ishmael trudged over the horizon and out of his sight. Is it possible that Ishmael might be a type or shadow of something? It is well known that Isaac is in similitude of Christ!

26. Consider the following elements of the Ishmael story : 1. He committed sin. 2. He was cast out of his father’s presence as a result of that sin. 3. He was not, himself, the heir of is father; heir-ship was instead through the only begotten son. 4. He inhabited the lone and dreary world. 5. He was subject to death, with no independent power of life. 6. God Sent messengers to teach him. 7. God rescued him from death.

27. It seems that Ishmael can be considered a type. Ishmael is in similitude of us --- of fallen man. Consider that not only is Isaac Christ, but that we are Ishmael. The Isaac story --- the story of redeeming atonement --- appears immediately after the Ishmael story --- the story of the fall and separation.