Bible History

History of the Patriarchs

I.  THEIR NAME

A.       Patriarch Refers to the Founding Fathers of Israel

B.       Bible References (Acts 2:29; 7:8; Heb.7:4)

II.  THEIR IDENTITY (Gen.12-50) 

A.                 Abraham

B.                 Isaac

C.                 Jacob (Israel)

D.                 Twelve Sons of Israel

III.  THEIR TIME 

A.                 Fourth Dispensation (Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, Patriarchs or Promise)

B.                 Lasted From the Call of Abraham (about 2100BC) to Death of Joseph (about 1800BC) –note: dispensation lasted until the giving of the law 

IV.  THEIR COVENANT –THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT 

A.                 Its Promise 

1.       A seed

2.       A nation

3.       A land

B.                 Its Proclamation 

1.       Genesis 12:1-3 (Abraham)

2.       Genesis 15:18-21 (Abraham)

3.       Genesis 17:1-8 (Abraham)

4.       Genesis 22:15-18 (Abraham)

5.       Genesis 26:2-5 (Isaac)

6.       Genesis 28:13-15 (Jacob)

7.       Genesis 35:9-12 (Jacob) 

C.                 Its Purpose – to establish a chosen people (Gen.46:1-7, 26-27) 

V.  THEIR CHRONOLOGY (given in years from creation) 

A.                 Birth of Abraham – 2,009

B.                 Birth of Isaac – 2,109 (Gen.21:5)

C.                 Birth of Jacob – 2,169 (Gen.25:19-26)

D.                 Entrance Into Egypt – 2,299 (Gen.47:7-9)

E.                 Death of Jacob – 2,316 (Gen.47:28) 

VI.  SONS OF ISRAEL 

A.                 To Leah 

1.       Reuben

2.       Simeon

3.       Levi

4.       Judah

5.       Issachar

6.       Zebulon 

B.                 To Rachel 

1.       Joseph

2.       Benjamin 

C.                 To Bilhah, Rachel’s Maid 

1.       Dan

2.       Naphtali 

D.                 To Zilpah, Leah’s Maid 

1.       Gad

2.       Asher 

VII.  WHAT REUBEN LOST (Gen.49:3-4) 

A.                 He Lost His Double Portion (Deut.21:15-17; I Chron.5:1; Gen.48:5)

B.                 He Lost His Spiritual Leadership (Num.3:11-13; 8:18)

C.                 He Lost His Secular Rule (I Chron.5:1-2; Gen.49:8-10) 

VIII.  THE TRIBES NAMED 

A.                 After the Exodus (Num.1:5-15,47-49) 

1.       The standard Old Testament numbering of the tribes

2.       Levi not counted

3.       The sons of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) counted as two tribes 

B.                 In Revelation (Rev.7:4-8) 

1.       Dan replaced with Levi (Gen.49:16-17; I Kgs.12:26-30)

2.       Ephraim replaced with Joseph (Hos.4:17) –even though the tribe of Manasseh is also listed