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The Bible Teaching Commentary on Genesis: The Book of Foundations
Commentaries that specialize on training the teacher!
Redemption Through The Scriptures: The Purpose of Redemption
#3 The Proclamation of Redemption
Paul J. Bucknell
#1 Theme of Redemption | #2 Purpose of Redemption
#3 The Proclamation of Redemption
Social media like Facebook flourishes because friends talk to each other. A key demonstration of God’s love for us is found in the way He regularly, repeatedly and through various means speaks to us His people. Is it to control and manipulate us? Hardly.
Instead, as a friend and someone genuinely concerned for our lives, God is interested in helping us experience the best lives possible. Rather than being far off and unattached as many believe, God is closely involved in our world and lives. Discover God’s love through the way He speaks His Word to us and implements His marvelous redemptive plan through His Word.
In this chapter, we look at the manner God speaks and then various situations in the Old and New Testament times when the Lord speaks. Of most importance is to see what happens when people respond to God’s word. The church now can listen and obey God’s word, and thus, fulfill God’s great redemptive plan which He has again involved us in.
The Way God Speaks
God differently relates to individuals and yet most of it is through communicating His ideas, plans and thoughts to us. This is especially seen in how He speaks to us. Each word from Him indicates something significant in the way He is revealing and completing His ultimate plans. I remember when in college how much I treasured receiving personal letters from my girlfriend (now my wife). Most of them are still in a box stored away. 
However much God may speak to us, and He does speak much, the degree that we understand and embrace His thoughts (i.e. truth) affects our relationship with Him. What if I didn’t open ten percent, fifty percent or the majority my girlfriend’s letters? My disinterest in her communication would denigrate our relationship.
The fundamentals of following Jesus Christ is not relegated through religious activity but our heart’s entertainment of hearing from and responding to the Lord.
The term ‘God’s Word’ is commonly heard among believers. We are to ‘hear from God’s Word’, but few of us have thought through the implication of what this means. God is using His words to convey His authority and thoughts. Words are the means by which we can know what God is thinking. The same is true with us. We communicate our thoughts by speaking or writing words.
Genesis 12 God speaks to Abraham
With the flood and the following rebellion of man shown through the Tower or Babel, we are astounded that God still speaks here to Abram. But He doesn’t just speak, but calls. He differently elicits Abram’s response to follow His words.
“Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. (Genesis 12:1-4).
God, in one big swoop of words, invites Abram on a big journey of faith to go where he had never been. He promises him great things if he would be obedient. Abram was far from perfect as is revealed in later chapters, but he did obey. “So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him.” Abram heard God’s Word and responded to it. God upped the promises and engaged Abram in His plan, which forms one key block in the great redemptive plan.
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Scriptures typically quoted from the New American Standard Bible unless noted:
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