In Genesis 18:17-19 God could not hide from Abraham what he was about to do. v18 There was a covenant in place that God would make him a GREAT nation, and all nations of the earth will be blessed through him.

But why Abraham?

In v19, God had singled him out so that he would direct his sons and families to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just.

**Abraham can be traced by the altars he built and not houses or garages. [Build an altar before building a garage]

**Abraham would set a tent and an altar unlike Lot

**An altar is a place where a believer meets with God through worship and consecration [A set a part place]

**An altar requires a sacrifice

Abraham’s altars:

1. Altar by the oak tree at Moreh near shechem. In Genesis 12:6 – 7, he built an altar to God who had appeared to him.
2. ) Altar t Bethel. In Genesis 12:8, he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD.
3. He came to the Altar at Bethel again after coming from Egypt. In Genesis 13:4, there Abram called upon the name of the LORD.
4. Alter at Mt. Moriah in Genesis 22:9. There Abraham built an altar and there arranged the wood on it.

In Genesis 12:10, when there was famine in Canaan, instead of Abraham turning to Bethel, he headed to Egypt. No altar is mentioned in Egypt, and it was here that Pharaoh wanted his wife and he had to lie. It was also here that Pharaoh gave him Hagar as a gift (**Hagar was an Egyptian**).

**Abraham was found in trouble when he was removed from the altar.

**The enemy gets a loophole when we leave the altar of prayer bible study, fellowship, worship and holiness.

Directing children, households, sons, families in the WAY of the LORD.

– The faith that was in Abraham was also in Isaac.

– Timothy’s sincere faith first lived in his grandmother Loise and Mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5)

Parents who failed to Direct their households:

1 Kings 1:5-6 – When king David was very old, and could not keep warm, Adonijah his son set himself as king.

v6 – His father had never rebuked him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?”

1 Samuel 2:29 – “Why do you give your sons more honour than you give me?” Punishment was declared in v30-36.

1 Samuel 3:11-14 (v13) “I have warned him that judgement is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.”

How to Direct children, households, sons, families in the WAY of the LORD.

– Deuteronomy 6:6-7

– Proverbs 22:6

– Proverbs 23: 13-14

– Proverbs 22:15

– Proverbs 29:15

– Proverbs 29:17

– Colossians 3:21

– Ephesians 6:4