Are you called by God? If you think you are called, what is your calling?

Bible Reading (Genesis 11:27-12:1-3).

Study the life of Abraham and understand his calling. Where did God call him from and where was God calling him to? What was the call about? (Genesis 15:7).

Compare his calling to other biblical characters and crosscheck it with your own life and calling.

Further Study

Bible verses and key words to meditate:

(“Foreknew”, “Predestined”, “Chosen”)

Romans 8:29-30

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

1 Corinthians 1:9

God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Galatians 1:15

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased

2 Thessalonians 2:14

To this He called you through our gospel, so that you may share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Jesus made it clear that His sheep hear His voice and they follow and they are able to distinguish
His voice from the voice of a stranger. How do I hear the voice of God, so that
I can follow Him (John 10:1-5)? Abraham heard the voice of God and followed
Him. How did Abraham hear the voice of God? Although the Bible didn’t tell us
how Abraham heard God’s voice ( I wish it did), however, there are markers to
knowing the voice of God. And these are some of the markers:

• The knowledge and the fear of
  God

• The content of the message
  (The voice of God contains:

1.  instructions

2. directions

3. promises

4. Mission

• The power of the voice

Now study Genesis 12:1-3 and identify the elements of God’s voice and compare with what you heard.

The blessing of hearing the voice of God and doing it.

“Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured
possession out of all the nations–for the whole earth is Mine.” Exodus 19:5

Prayer-lines: 

Lord, help me recognize Your voice in my life. 

Lord grant me strength to follow your voice. 

Lord, the voice of stranger I will not follow.

Genesis 12:4-9

The Bible says that Abraham departed as the Lord had spoken to him. The first step of faith is obedience. Obedience to a little demand of faith. It took over 40 years for God to demand Isaac from Abraham. Abraham could not have been able to take such a risk if he had not learned to take the first step of leaving the Ur of Chaldeans.

Points to Note:

• Listen to obey

• Every adventure starts with a step of Faith

• You experience God when you take a step of faith

• If need be God confirms your actions (Note: when Abraham got to Canaan God reappeared to him and confirm Abraham was in the right place.

• Listen, and listen, and listen again. Take one step, and another, wait and listen again and one more step. So the journey continues.

Prayer-Lines:

• Lord, I need Your reassuring voice.

• Confirm in my heart if I am in the right place, if this is what you call me to do.

Further Reading:

John 4:34

Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.

John 5:19

So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does.

John 6:38

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.

Read Genesis 12:7-9

It is important to note why Abram often raise altar wherever in went.  About four altars are associated with Abram which he built with his own hands. The first altar was in response to the God who appear to him  as a testimony to God’s faithfulness (Gen. 12:7). This altar could be called the altar of obedience. The second altar he built may be refer to as the altar of worship because there he call on the name of the Lord as a testimony to the only true God in the midst of widespread idolatry (Gen.12:9). The third altar we will call the altar of consecration or rededication because Abram return to the first altar and rebuilt it after he had escaped to Egypt and lied about Sarai. He came back to the promise land and reset the first altar. The last altar is the altar of sacrifice where Abraham completed his obedience (Gen. 22:9).

Reflection questions:

Why altars?

• Primarily an altar was a place of worship, a place of testimony to the only true God, and a place of communion between God and the worshipper, where instructions were often given by the Lord and received. It is certain that Abram knew who he was worshipping because his worship was initiated by the God who appear to him. Base on Abram’s experience what define a true worship? What does Jesus mean to worship in spirit and true (John 4:23; Eccl. 5:1-7)?

• Let us see how faith integrate with the altar. Can faith survive without altar? Abram received a command, he stepped out in faith, and God showed up. He then raised an altar in the very place where God shows up. What is the significance of that? On what should the altar of my faith be raised on? How does altar experience deepen my faith?

• In my faith experience and reality, in what ways can I build an altar, since I cannot do it the way Abram did his?

Read
Genesis 12:10-20

Key verse
(10):

“Now
there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for
a while because the famine was severe.”

Abram is
confronted with a severe famine in the land God promised him. How did he respond?
Well, he escaped to Egypt. He is faced with hunger, safety, and death; but can
he trust God through this? He lied about Sarai his wife to gain favor. Sarai
could have been violated had God not intervened. It appears Abram is not the
perfect man we think he is. He is a man like every one of us, plagues with
fears, and mistakes, but courageous. 
What is happening here? Where is God? Does the present of problem
suggest the absence of God? The land God told him to go is faced with famine
why Egypt is prosperous. Where is the Lord God of Abram or should we say, where
is the Abram of the great God?

Did him
make a mistake of running to Egypt for the time being (Gen. 12:10)?

Up to this
time Abram had known God vertically but he needed to experience God horizontally
in relation to people and challenges around. He worships God but he is afraid
of Pharaoh. He knows he had favor with God, but does he have the faith to have
favor with Pharaoh? Though God promise Abram, “I will bless those who
bless you, and I will curse those who curse you” still why did he has to
lie? What do we learn from the weakness of Abram?

While in
Egypt Abram almost lost his marriage, he was separated from his wife. If things
have gone from bad to worse what could have happened to God’s plan for
Abram?  But then, mercy prevailed over
judgment. God punished Pharaoh and delivered Abram. What do you have to
say about this? What New Testament concept will you draw to this?

After
all that happened in Egypt, was God glorified? What lesson did Abram learned?
Now, enough of Abram. What about you? How do you fit into this situation? And
by the way, why did you lie the other day?

Hebrews
5:7-9

“During
the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud
cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard
because of His reverence. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what
He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal
salvation to all who obey Him…”

James 13-4

because
you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that
you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Read Genesis 13:5-13.

Key Verse (12): “So Abram settled in the land of Canaan, and Lot moved his tents to a place near Sodom and settled among the cities of the plain.”

Finding the path of peace in the midst of strive.

Here in this passage we are introduced to two characters (Abraham and Lot) that started out on the same course and the two choices that separated one from the other. When there is a strive do you find the path of peace and stay in God’s plan or decide otherwise?

Reflection Points:

1. At first, Lot was willing to partner with Abraham to establish God’s nation but what happened? Now
   Study the life of Lot and the choice he made to separate from Abraham. Note that your choices tell what you have inside and the vision you hold of the future. What does your choice reveal about you and where is it
   leading you? Do your choices express trust in God? Given the same situation, would you have done anything different from what Lot did?
2. The path of faith requires a lot of trust in God and character building. Abraham choice the path of peace and refuse to settle for a low life of quarrel and enmity. The journey of faith should grow your love for God and people in a deeper sense (read Galatians 5:6). Does your journey of faith create in your heart anger and bitterness because someone disappointed or offended you? Will you trust God and follow the path of peace even if you have to suffer a thing?
3. Note that God rewards a Abraham for every step of faith he took. What was God compensation for Abram after Lot separated from him?
4. Identify what kind of person you are becoming as you journey in your faith?

Further Bible:

Matthew 5:8-9

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”

Luke 6:35

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

James 3:17

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.

Hebrews 12:14-15

Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls

short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.…

Genesis 14:1-17

When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men who had been born into his house… Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and brought back his nephew Lot with his possession and all the women…

Reflection Thoughts:

In the journey of faith there are battles. How prepared are you? Can you imagine Abram trained his own men? He turned slaves into warriors. He was ready to defend himself anytime any day. The Bible says be on your guard, and train yourself in the amour of the Spirit. Do you think it is a lack of faith on the part of Abram to train himself for war? Can’t God defend him? What do you think?

Lot got into trouble and Abraham risked everything to rescue Lot at his own expenses to demonstrate that he was not offended by Lot’s greed and ingratitude. Do you rejoice and brag about your greatness because those brothers and sisters who defrauded you are under attack? Do you think God would have been angry if Abram did nothing to help Lot?

What do you think is the purpose of spiritual warfare? Is it only for the purpose of personal advancement or for the battle over the souls of people or the soul of the city? Is the exercise of faith not a fight for the weak? A man of faith is a man of war. A woman of faith is a fighter. What do you fight for?

Further Reading:

1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.

2 John 1:8

Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.

1 Peter 5:8

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Ephesians 6:10-20

Genesis 14:18-24

Faith in God is celestial (heaven-ward). But for it to be earthly effective, it must have an earthy priesthood (a mediator) that has God’s approval to invoke the mutigenerational blessing. God’s redemptive plan that secures multi-generational blessings, did not originate with Abram. It was already set-in motion even from the very beginning (Genesis 3:16). At some point, Abram was called into it by God’s divine choice. The day Abram met Melchizedek; it was his official inauguration after he had won the election. Melchizedek blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth”. Here Melchizedek stands in the stead of Christ to mediate or transfer the dominion of the earth to Abram. In turn, Abram gave a tithe as a pledge of loyalty and honor to the One who owns all things. Read Hebrew chapter 7 and try to figure out the spiritual significant of what Abram did when he gave a tithe to Melchizedek?

Take note that Melchizedek was king of Salem, a city that later became Jerusalem, which David conquered and became the spiritual capital of Israel. What do you read into this? The talk about heavenly Jerusalem (read Hebrew 12:22-24). This same Bible passage in Hebrew spoke about, Jesus, “the mediator of the new covenant” but what can you make out of all this?

 Who is the priest of your faith? How do you connect to the highly priestly ministry of Jesus Christ? Do you have a God ordained priest in your life?

Further Reading

Psalm 110:4; Hebrew 7

Hebrew 7:24-26

But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. 25Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.

Genesis 15

Abram had just returned from war. He brought Lot back, refused to accept a gift from the king of Sodom, met with Melchizedek, and then God came down to him. Now, let us reflect on the conversation between Abram and God. Just before we proceed, take note that until this point, all we have seen in most cases God shows up to Abram, he did most of the talk. The only thing we read of Abram doing was build altars and worship. But this time he did not build altar rather he engaged God in a confrontational dialogue. 

Reflection Thoughts:

1.       Faith talks, it is conversational, and it does not deny reality. Faith does not presume but confront reality. Here Abram is confronting the reality of his situation and talking it over with God. It shows that when we confront issues with God it may lead to God throwing more light on the issue and clearing our doubts. Can you discuss on that?

2.       Verse 1 of chapter 15 begins with God offering himself as a shield and a reward to Abram, yet Abram seems to turn down the offer in his response “what is the use of this blessing when I have no child to inherit it…? Did Abram put God on a defense?

3.       What did God do to show how He feel about Abram’s confrontation? Many things happened on that day after Abram laid his complain before God. Can we discuss on that? What is the implications of God cutting a covenant with Abram and Swearing an oath to Abram?

Further Reading:

Hebrews 6:17-19

“So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath. Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,”

Genesis 16

Reflections thoughts:

Sarai

After Abram’s encounter in chapter 15, it became clear that his heir will come from his own flesh and not Eliezer his servant (Gen. 15:4). “His own flesh” by this time it wasn’t specific it was through Sarai; so Sarai, after 10 years of being without children (10 years since the promise was given), figured it out to offer her slave to Abram and build a family through her. The plan succeeded but Sarai regretted ever taken that step because she became despised and dishonored by Hagar, her servant. So she rejected that plan and fall back to God. It took another fourteen years of waiting before Sarai became pregnant of Isaac. What we have seen in this journey with Abram is that every time he made an attempt to protect and help himself it always backfire on him. Can a man help God? Let us pause and examine what Sarai did: What do you think she was afraid of that made her took such step?

Hagar/Ishmael

Hagar put up attitude when she became pregnant. It appears she wanted something more. What do you think? Sarai stood her ground and Hagar fled and now we are introduce to the God who sees and hears through Hagar’s encounter with an angel. What do you learn from the instruction the angel gave to Hagar and the promise concerning Ishmael (Genesis 15:9-12)?

Hagar and  Sarah (Galatians 4:21-31)

The Apostle Paul uses the struggle between Hagar and Sarah as an allegory to explain the struggle between the flesh and the spirit. On one side, the flesh produces Ishmael which is born of the law and enslaves, and on the other side, the Spirit produces Isaac which is born of the promise and sets free. “But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman (Galatians 4:30).” In light of this understanding, can we identify the works of the flesh and distinguish it from the works of the spirit? Try and go a little bit deeper than just calling out a list of sins, you may even give a personal examples, because some works of the flesh may not outrightly be a sin. 

Genesis 17

By the time we arrive at chapter 17, by now Abram is 99 years old. He now has a son of his own flesh call Ishmael. Somehow, both Abram and Sarai had figured it out that Ismael might be a plan to fulfil God’s promise concerning them. So, God came down to explain the terms of the covenant he had made with Abram in Chapter 15. First, He needed Abram to align with His plan and be on the right track (Genesis 17:1). He then reaffirmed his promise to Abram. He also disapproved of Abram’s choice of Ishmael as his heir. In this same chapter God let the cat out of the bag and reveal the secret, the straw that broke the camel’s back, that Sarai will have a son called Isaac as heir of the promise. However, the key factor in this chapter is the terms of the covenant.

Reflections Thoughts:

In verse 4, God begins the terms of the covenant with His own part, “As for me…” what was God’s part in the covenant? What is God committed to do as far as the covenant is concerned? Take note that every time God refer to the covenant from this point on, he always says, “My covenant”. Why My covenant? Why not “our covenant” or “your covenant” with Me?

In Verse 9, God explains Abram’s part of the covenant: “As for you…”.  What is Abraham told to do as his commitment to the covenant God has made with him? In verse 13b, what do you understand by what God said, “My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant”?  Can you throw light on the spiritual significance of circumcision (Romans 2:28-29, Philippians 3:3 and Colossians 2:11)?

In verse 15, God reveals Sarai’s role of the covenant: “As for Sarai…”. Notice that Sarai was not given any job to do other than to carry the seed of the promise. Why do you think God changed her name as well as the name of Abram?

Verse 17 is very crucial. After Abraham heard Sarah’s part of the covenant he fell on his face and laughed. God heard what was on his heart and responded to him and reassure Abraham that He will establish his covenant with Isaac whom Sarah will born to him.

Notice how the Bible stop using the name Abraham from the moment God changed it. The terms covenant and circumcision became the vocabularies of Israel from this moment… Let us discuss on this…

The feast of faith – the communion of faith, the fellowship of faith…

Key Verse Genesis 18: 8 – When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.

We have now arrived at chapter 18 and we see Abraham taking some fresh air under the terebinth trees at the heat of the day. As he raised his head, three men were standing before him. Before we realize what is happening, he is already serving as a host and a waiter to the three visitors that appear to be passing by.

Reflection Thoughts:

How did Abraham receive the visitors? What did he do? Take note of the clauses: “he ran”, “bowed himself…”, “wash your feet…”, “Abraham hurried…”, “Quickly make ready…”, “Abraham ran…”, “he hastened…”, “he stood by them…”. What do you make of these clauses and their implications?

When Abraham bowed before the visitors, he said, “My Lord…”, one would have expected him to say “my lords” since they were three. What do you think is happening here? Does it mean Abraham knew this is God? If he knew somehow this is God, why did treat them as though they were passing by (Gen 18:5)?

Let us fast-forward a bit, Jesus had several feasts with different people most especially with His disciples. Can you identify some of the things that happen in those meetings? And compare them to what happen here with Abraham.

We can say God’s Presence is not only at the Altar, but He is also present at the feast. So, what will the feast of faith mean to you? Why was Abraham standing by the men while they were eating? How do I feast with God?

Genesis 18:14

Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed
time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

God is inviting Abraham and Sarah to believe for what is humanly
impossible. They are both confronted with the question, “Is there anything
too hard for the LORD?” This is a kind of mathematical question and both
Sarah and Abraham tried to solve it. They added and subtracted and for them the
answer was “IMPOSSIBLE.” And so, they laughed, but God had a
different answer…

Reflection Thoughts:

In our previous discussions, a brother asks a question, “why does God
delay so much?” Looking at the case of Abraham, is it true that God delay
so much? Are there other cases in the Bible in which it appears God delays? And
if there are, what do you think are God’s reasons?

In the conversation with Abraham, the Lord referred to “the appointed
time”. What time was he referring to (Gen 17:21; 18:10,14)? Is there God
appointed time that we can settle for?

Matthew 19:26

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with
God all things are possible.”

Luke 1:37

For no word from God will ever fail.”

Job 42:2

“I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be
thwarted.

Galatians 4:4

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of
woman, born under the law

Psalm 102:13

You will arise and have mercy on Zion;

For the time to favor her,

Yes, the set time, has come.

Takeaway:

·        
Time cannot defile the power
of faith.

·        
No situation is beyond
redemption.

·        
We called to have faith for
the impossible.

Genesis 18:16-33 & 19:1-29

The Prayer of faith can save the wicked.

Genesis 19:29

“So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.”

It appears it hasn’t been that too well with Lot since he moved from the nomadic life of Abraham to the flamboyant life of the cities of well-watered plain (Sodom). Once, the city was attacked and Lot was carried captive and Abraham risked everything to rescue him. Now the city is under judgment and Abraham is pleading with God on behalf of Lot and the righteous to spare the city. God rescued Lot because of Abraham’s prayer.

From verse 16 to 33, there was a long discussion between God and Abraham over the destiny of Sodom. None of the people of Sodom knew what was coming to them but God revealed it to Abraham. Abraham had the opportunity to intercede and if possible, avert the judgement. Why will God reveal his plan to Abraham (Gen. 18:17-19; Amos 3:7)? What do we learn about God in verse 20 of chapter 18? What do we learn from Abraham’s intercessions and God responses?

Look at Genesis 18:20-21, it appears God is not quick to judge without first investigating. What do you think? And what does that suggest about God? Also, compare this to Jonah 4:11?

In Chapter 19, after Sodom and Gomorrah have been destroyed, in verse 27, what do you think of Abraham rising very early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord? Was Abraham a compassionate intercessor?

Ezekiel 22:30 (read also 29 &31).

“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.

Genesis 21:1-7

Key Verse (Gen 21:6): Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”

Today we are now holding in our hands the promise miracle child. Finally, laughter is born. Waiting is over. Faith will always laugh at the end.

The Lord bless you with laughter. This is your year of laughter. This is your set time. It is not just a coincidence that this year is our year of laughter. It is a divine set up by God to put laughter in your mouth.

Today you will prophecy and declare God’s praise

Bible Reading:

Job 8:21 He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.

Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.

Jeremiah 33:11 the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying, “Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever.” For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,’ says the LORD.

Genesis 21:8-21

 Key Verse (Gen 21:10) – and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”

Point of caution here: Just before we talk about inheritance, let us not take Sarah’s actions (Gen 16:6; 21:10) to suggest she was the pushing or nagging type. The Bible said, she called her husband “Lord” (1 Peter 3:6). In every case she never did anything of her own without first bringing the matter to her husband. And that was respect. Also, Ishmael was blessed because he was a seed of Abraham, but the covenant blessing was reserve for Isaac.

 Reflection Thoughts:

•  When Sarah told Abraham to send away Hagar and Ishmael, it did not go down well with Abraham but then God steps in. From what God told Abraham (Genesis 21:12), what do you think is the difference between the blessing He gave to Isaac and the blessing He gave to Ishmael?

•  What Sarah demanded from Abraham was hard; the step Abraham took to send Ishmael and Hagar away was hard too, yet God supported it. Is God wicked? Why is God allowing this? As you respond to this, think about God’s sovereign choice, His eternal purpose, and the power of his grace (Roman 9:6-14).

 Considering this story how would you interpret the following Bible verses together?

• John 3:6 “Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:49-50 “And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man. Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.”

 Discuss your inheritance in Christ (Ephesians 1:11-17)?

Genesis 22:12,15-17.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him,” said the angel, “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from me”… And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time, saying, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies…”

Reflection Thoughts:

In Genesis 15, God sworn an oath to Abraham after Abraham questioned the certainty of the promise. Now in chapter 22 God by himself reaffirmed His oath, this time, to multiply Abraham’s seed because Abraham has demonstrated that he fears God. What do you make of the oath God made in chapter 15 and the one He made in chapter 22?

The day Abraham ‘sacrificed’ Isaac, that was the day God became the Father of Isaac. God becoming the father of Isaac is the only way to guarantee the continuity of the covenant and the promise. Maybe Abraham have come to the realization that he cannot keep Isaac and that he must trust Isaac and the future of Isaac to the God who called him and who alone can keep His word (Hebrews 11:10; Roman 1:4). What do you think of the statement: “Genesis 21 Isaac was to Abraham and Genesis 22 Isaac was born to God”?

Fast forward and read the Verses below and respond to: when did Jesus become the Son of God?

John 12:24

“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

Romans 1:4

“and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Colossians 1:18 (cf Revelation 1:5)

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Romans 6:4,5,9-11

Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life…