Genesis 18–23: Lesson 25

Genesis 15–18; 21

“The Lord Did … as He Had Spoken”

The Lord has made glorious promises to the faithful, but sometimes the circumstances of our lives can lead us to wonder how these promises can possibly be fulfilled. Abraham and Sarah may have felt that way after the Lord promised in their old age that Sarah would have a child. This lesson can help students increase their trust that the Lord will keep His promises.

Student preparation: Invite students to memorize and reflect on the first line found in Genesis 18:14: “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” You could encourage them to think of times they have seen the Lord accomplish seemingly impossible things in the scriptures, their own lives, or the lives of others.

Possible Learning Activities

The Lord’s promises to us

Display the following scenarios to illustrate why a person might question whether God will keep His promises. For another scenario, you could watch “Continue in Patience” (2:41), from time code 1:07 to 1:55. This video is available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. You could also invite students to create their own, similar scenarios.

1. A young woman has chosen to be honest in her schoolwork, believing the Lord will bless her. She notices her grades are worse than other students who are cheating.

2. A young man received his patriarchal blessing, which states that he will serve a full-time mission. During a medical exam, doctors discover he has physical complications that will not allow him to serve.

3. A young woman has put Moroni’s promise to the test by reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know that it is true. She feels she has not received an answer.

   • What are some questions these young people might have about God and His promises?

Invite students to think of situations in which they or people they know could have a difficult time seeing how the Lord will fulfill promised blessings. Consider inviting students to write about these situations in their study journals. They might also write any questions they have.

Encourage students to put forth effort that can invite the Holy Ghost into their learning. Testify that as they do so, the Holy Ghost can help them find answers to their questions and increase their trust that the Lord will fulfill His promises.

The Lord’s promises to Abraham and Sarah

As students study the account of Sarah and Abraham, you could help them practice reading the scriptures within the appropriate context. The following paragraph can introduce students to this skill:

As we study the scriptures, it can be helpful to understand the context (circumstances or background surrounding a particular passage). The context can clarify and bring a deeper understanding to the stories or teachings in the scriptures. For example, while studying the story of Abraham and Sarah, it can be helpful to know that for much of his life, Abraham desired to be a father (see Abraham 1:2). But as he and his wife Sarah aged past normal childbearing years, it appeared that they would not experience the promised blessings of having children of their own during their mortal lives.

The handout titled “The Lord’s Promises to Abraham and Sarah” can help students practice using context to better understand what they are reading in the scriptures. You could model this by studying Genesis 15:1–6 as a class. You could then place students in small groups to study the other verses.

Before students study, you might explain that as part of His covenant with Abram and Sarai, the Lord changed their names to Abraham and Sarah (see Genesis 17:5, 15). You could also explain that the word laugh in Genesis 17:17; 18:12; and 21:6 comes from the Hebrew root tzachak, which can also mean “to rejoice” (see also Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 17:23).

After students have studied and discussed with their groups, consider inviting a few volunteers to share their insights with the class. You could then ask the following questions:

• How do you feel the context helped you understand what you studied?

• How might you have felt if you had experienced what Abraham and Sarah did in these verses?

The Lord keeps His promises

Read Genesis 21:1–6, looking for how the Lord kept His promises to Abraham and Sarah.

• What truths do you learn about the Lord from this account?

When students state converting principles in their own words, it can deepen their understanding of the scriptures and the words of the prophets. Sometimes students may struggle to identify truths from a scripture passage. Providing a prophetic statement like the following can help clarify what they are learning and help them be successful in stating truths. (For additional training on helping students state converting principles, see “Focus on truths that lead to conversion and build faith in Jesus Christ” in Teacher Development Skills.)

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, shared a lesson he learned about God’s promises:

God’s promises are not always fulfilled as quickly as or in the way we might hope; they come according to His timing and in His ways. (“Continue in Patience,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 58)

One truth students could identify is that the Lord fulfills His promises in His time and in His way.

• How can we benefit from times when the Lord’s promises are not immediately fulfilled in our lives?

• What do you know about the Lord that could help you while you wait for His promises to be fulfilled?

Students might benefit by looking for scriptures about the Lord that could help them answer the previous question. Possible passages could include John 14:18; 1 Nephi 9:6; Mosiah 24:14; Doctrine and Covenants 24:8; 68:6.

Experiences and testimonies

To help students reflect on what they have learned, consider displaying the following statement or watching “Good Things to Come” (4:55), available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Invite students to think of personal experiences that could relate to the statement or video.

President Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared the following insight about the Lord’s promised blessings:

Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. (“An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 38)

• What experiences have you or others had that have helped you believe that the Lord will keep His promises in His way and in His time?

Prepare students to testify of the truths they have learned or felt. You could do this by displaying the following instructions:

Choose one of the following activities to complete in your study journal:

1. Reflect on the scenarios that were shared at the beginning of the lesson. Write a letter to one of those individuals, and include why you believe the Lord will keep His promises.

2. Write a short paragraph in your journal. Include things you have learned and felt today that could help you when you are waiting for the Lord’s promises to be fulfilled.

Invite a few volunteers to share their feelings with the class. You could conclude by sharing your witness that the Lord will keep His promises.

Additional Resources

How can my life be influenced by believing God’s promises?

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

Believing Him is trusting that His bounteous blessings are available and applicable in our individual lives and families. Believing Him with our whole soul [see Omni 1:26] comes as we press forward along the covenant pathway, surrender our will to His, and submit to His priorities and timing for us. Believing Him—accepting as true His power and promises—invites perspective, peace, and joy into our lives. (“If Ye Had Known Me,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov 2016, 105)

How can an eternal perspective help me trust God’s promises?

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles promised:

Sometimes life seems very unfair—especially when our greatest desire is to do exactly what the Lord has commanded. As the Lord’s servant, I assure you that this promise is certain: “Faithful members whose circumstances do not allow them to receive the blessings of eternal marriage and parenthood in this life will receive all promised blessings in the eternities, [as] they keep the covenants they have made with God” [Handbook 2: Administering the Church (2010), 1.3.3]. (“Children,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2011, 30)

Genesis 16:1–3. Why did Abraham marry Hagar if he was already married to Sarah?

Abraham married Hagar, the servant of his wife Sarah, because he was commanded to do so (see Doctrine and Covenants 132:34–35). Plural marriage is forbidden unless the Lord commands it through His prophet (see Jacob 2:27–30). For more information about the practice of plural marriage in Church history, see the Gospel Topics essay “Plural Marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Genesis 17:20. Who are the descendants of Ishmael?

According to Islamic tradition, Abraham brought Ishmael and his mother to Arabia and settled them near what was to become the great city of Mecca. Eventually the descendants of Ishmael’s 12 sons began to fill the Arabian Peninsula.

Hagar and her son Ishmael are revered in the Islamic faith as ancestors of Muhammad, the founder of Islam. Muslims (followers of Islam) also honor Abraham as a prophet.

For more information, see “Ishmael, Our Brother,” James B. Mayfield, Ensign, June 1979, 24–32.

Supplemental Learning Activities

Cross-references

To illustrate the faith Abraham and Sarah demonstrated in the Lord, invite students to link one or more of the following passages to Genesis 21:1–2:

• Romans 4:16–22

• Hebrews 11:11

• What do you learn from these verses that can help you have faith that God will keep His promises?

Joseph Smith Translation

As part of your study of Genesis 15, consider explaining that the Joseph Smith Translation teaches that Abraham also had questions about the Lord’s promise of providing a land of inheritance.

Read Joseph Smith Translation, Genesis 15:9–12 (in the Bible appendix), looking for what the Lord taught Abraham that helped him believe in the promise.

• What did you find?

• Why do you think learning about the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ was helpful to Abraham at this time?

• How can an eternal perspective help us when we feel promised blessings are not being fulfilled?

Learning from scripture examples

There may be times we anticipate certain things happening in our lives, only to encounter unexpected challenges or circumstances.

Invite students to ponder the following question:

• Who do you know whose circumstances in life may be different than they expected?

Choose one of the following people to study. Look for things this person from the scriptures might want your friend or family member to know about the Lord.

1. Abraham (Genesis 15:1–6)

2. Hagar (Genesis 16:3–11)

3. Sarah (Genesis 18:9–14; 21:1–2)

4. Ishmael (Genesis 21:9–20)

   • How can remembering that the Lord knows the challenges you face help you during difficult times?