Yes — the nation of Israel originated when God called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees and promised to make a great nation from him.
God's call to Abram in Genesis 12 was the starting point. The promise was passed through Isaac and Jacob, and Jacob's twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel. The family went down to Egypt, and during about 400 years there, Israel became a nation of people before being brought out under Moses.
Genesis 12:1-3 — God's direct call to Abram and the promise to make him a great nation is the starting point of Israel.
Genesis 46:3 — God tells Jacob in Egypt that He will make a great nation of him there, showing where Israel came into bloom.
Genesis 12:1-3 records God's call: "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing." This is where the nation of Israel begins, with God's covenant promise to Abram. Later, as Jacob prepared to leave the land for Egypt, God reaffirmed the national promise: "I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation" (Genesis 46:3). The Scripture also shows the line through which the nation would come: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob's twelve sons, who became the twelve tribes of Israel.
Les teaches that Israel's origin goes back to God's call of Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees, when the whole human race was steeped in paganism and idolatry. God saw in Abram a potential for faith, revealed Himself to him, and told him to leave his family and go to a land He would show him — the land of Canaan. Les calls the Abrahamic covenant at Genesis 12 the most important thing in the Old Testament for bringing about the nation of Israel. The nation then develops through Abraham's son Isaac, Isaac's son Jacob, and Jacob's twelve sons, from which we get the twelve tribes of Israel. Those twelve sons ended up in Egypt during the famine. God told Jacob not to fear going down into Egypt, saying, "I will there make of thee a great nation." Les points out that this is where the nation of Israel began to come into bloom. Israel remained in Egypt roughly 400 years and during that time became a nation of people, later brought out supernaturally under Moses.
God first spoke to Abram when he was still in Ur of the Chaldees. He commanded Abram to leave Ur and his family and go to a land He would show him, which later proved to be the land of Canaan. Les emphasizes that the whole human race was steeped in paganism and idolatry at that time, and no one had a knowledge of the one true God. God saw in Abram a potential for faith and revealed Himself to him.
The nation of Israel comes about by Abraham's son Isaac, Isaac's son Jacob, and Jacob's twelve sons. Those twelve sons become the twelve tribes of Israel, and it is those same twelve sons who will end up in Egypt. God's promise of a great nation was carried through these generations.
God told Jacob, "Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation." Jacob's family went down during the famine — about 70-some souls — and remained in Egypt for roughly 400 years. In that period of time, Israel became a nation of people. Les stresses that this statement shows where the nation of Israel began to come into bloom: in Egypt.
From Genesis 12 onward, God is working to bring about the nation of Israel. Les gives the timeline: Abram came on the scene at about 2,000 B.C., and roughly 500 years later Israel was now a nation, having come out of Egypt under Moses and received the Law at about 1,500 B.C. The first 11 chapters of Genesis cover the first 2,000 years of human history, and then in Genesis 12 God gave the Abrahamic covenant to bring about the nation of Israel.
God's First Call to Abram in Ur
Les locates the beginning of Israel at Genesis 12, when God spoke to Abram in Ur of the Chaldees and commanded him to leave for a land God would show him.
Abram Called Out of an Idolatrous World
Les stresses that the whole human race was steeped in paganism and idolatry, and God saw in Abram a potential for faith, revealing Himself and telling him to leave Ur and his family.
Israel Becomes a Nation in Egypt
Les shows that Jacob's family went down into Egypt during the famine, and that over about 400 years in Egypt, Israel became a nation of people.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the 12 Sons
Les outlines the family line of the nation: Abraham's son Isaac, Isaac's son Jacob, and Jacob's 12 sons who produced the 12 tribes and later went into Egypt.
The Supernatural Formation of Israel
Les notes that God supernaturally brought about the nation, from calling Abraham, to the supernatural birth of Isaac, to the miraculous exodus under Moses.
The Abrahamic Covenant at 2,000 B.C.
Les identifies Genesis 12 and the Abrahamic covenant as the point of Israel's origin, calling it the most important thing in the Old Testament for bringing about the nation.
Timeline from Abram to Moses
Les gives the timeline: Abram at 2,000 B.C., Israel becoming a nation about 500 years later as they came out of Egypt under Moses around 1,500 B.C.
Egypt: Where Israel Came Into Bloom
Les points to God's words to Jacob in Genesis 46 — "I will there make of thee a great nation" — as the place where the nation of Israel began to come into bloom.
Genesis 12:1: Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
This is God's opening command to Abram and the starting point of the nation of Israel.
Genesis 12:2: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
God's covenant promise to Abram that he would become a great nation.
Genesis 46:3: And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation:
God reassures Jacob about going to Egypt and reveals that the nation would be made great there.
Yes. Les explains that the whole human race was steeped in paganism and idolatry, and no one had a knowledge of the one true God. God saw in Abram a potential for faith and revealed Himself to him, calling him out of Ur and away from his family.
Jacob had twelve sons, and from those twelve sons we get the twelve tribes of Israel. It is those twelve sons who ended up going down into Egypt.
Les says the family went into Egypt as about 70-some souls and remained there about 400 years. In that period of time, Israel became a nation of people.
In Egypt. God told Jacob, "Fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great nation," and Les points to that as where the nation of Israel began to come into bloom.
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