Genesis 11:26-27 “And Terah lived 70 years
and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.” “…and Haran begat Lot.”
Abram or Abraham?
Abram: (the original name of Abraham before God changed
it) meant father of heights or lofty
father
Abraham: Heb. ab means
“father”; hmn (ham) means “multitude”, hence Abraham means “father of a multitude”. Gen.17:5
Names, particularly biblical names, are not
without meaning. Even today one can research any given name and discover the
exact meaning of the name and perhaps more importantly, why the name was given
in the first place. So it was with Abram. While his name isn’t bad or
associated with any sort of evil yet God chose to change it in ch.17:5, as a
token of the promise between God and Abraham.
While
the saga of Abraham begins with his birth in Gen.11:26 and continues through
and ends with his death, Gen.25:8 “Then
Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in good old age, an old man, and full of
years; and was gathered to his people.” And yet, though he is dead, yet he
is spoken of with high regards throughout the Scriptures, and is regarded as
not only the father of Israel, but also the father of the faithful [those full
of faith]. When one stops to consider the sheer numbers of Israelites plus all
those who come under the umbrella of his name by faith, the name Abraham is more than fitting. Psalm
139:18 “If I should count them, they are
more in number than the sand…”; Isaiah 10:22 “For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant
of them shall return:…”. That’s just Israel and doesn’t count those of the
Christian church who are of Abraham’s seed by faith in Christ.
In
Abraham we can learn much about this thing called faith. Abraham was a flesh
and blood man full of shortcomings just like you and me. But as we study the
saga of his life, through all his ups and downs, we can see why God chose him
to be the patriarch of Israel and the Christian church.
Out of Ur of the Chaldees
Being
“called out” is a theme which runs throughout Scripture. To be “called out”
one, obviously and by necessity, needs to be somewhere; Abraham’s homeland was
Ur of the Chaldees. A simple geographical study reveals that Ur was located in southern
part of the Babylonian empire in Mesopotamia. The “land of the Chaldees” was
located between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. The Chaldeans were very learned
in religion, history, and science. It was here that Daniel and his friends,
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (later renamed after the Babylonian gods,
Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego) were held captive along with the inhabitants of
Jerusalem for 70 years, as foretold by Jeremiah the prophet Jer. 25:11.
A common
misunderstanding is to think of the United States as being the center of world
history. However, nothing could be farther from the truth. The land from the
Mediterranean Sea, eastward to the Tigris River; south to the Persian Gulf,
north to Turkey, and west to Egypt is the axis upon which biblical history
revolves, even from the times of Adam and Eve.
Now we
know from whence Abraham was called. Where was he to go? Ch.11:31 says that his
destination was the land of Canaan, to the north, approximately 600 miles from
his homeland.
Genesis 12:1-20
No one likes to be called out or separated
from everyone else. And yet that is exactly what happened to Abram. God called
him to leave his beloved homeland and all his kindred saving his wife Sarai and
nephew Lot. Every believer will be
called out of their comfort zone, that’s the nature of being a child of God.
Moreover we are often not told where we will be going. God told Abram that He
would show him where to go.
When I
was called out at the ripe old age of 33, in 1974, I hadn’t a clue where God
was taking me. [I had never even heard His voice before. I’d been erroneously
taught that God does not speak so that one might hear Him] He called me out of
my “comfort” zone into a very uneasy but ever learning journey of life. I had
to leave my friends and family and the religious upbringing I was so accustomed
to. My whole family, including my second wife and young son at the time; all
forsook me thinking I had gone mad! However, I was thrust into the midst of
people who’d likewise been called out. What a blessing and they began to mentor me!
But
Abram’s calling included a promise unlike any other. He was promised to inherit
a land he did not know, and promised to be the patriarch of a great
nation—Israel. Furthermore, he became the father of all those who were to
believe and place their unfailing faith in the work of Christ on Calvary. No
one else in all of history can make that claim.
He was
promised to have a great name, Abraham, and all those who blest him would
likewise be blessed. Likewise those who cursed him would also be cursed. The
Christian inherits the same blessings and curses.
Like any
good story teller, God sort of jumps ahead a bit in vs. 6-7 showing him the
land of the Canaanites that would be his and his posterity forever. It is here
that Abram builds his first recorded altar to worship the Lord God. You and I
are to worship the Lord God as well, no matter our circumstances, whether good
or bad. He built his second altar of worship at Bethel which means house of God. Worship may also mean that
you are seeking direction and leading from God.
Your
journey of faith may take you into hostile territory from time to time. Abram
went south to Egypt and obtained favor from Pharaoh until he was found to have
lied about his wife, calling her, Sarai, his sister [his first slip of faith].
[Faith is a never ending growth process. It takes faith to first believe Him,
however as we journey our faith becomes stronger and stronger as we encounter
more and more difficult challenges Rm.5:1-5]. As a result Pharaoh drove him out
of Egypt being good to him and his possessions. Evidently Pharaoh had a sense
of moral integrity since he would not touch Abram’s wife Sarai because of the
plagues come upon him. [Plagues are curses in this case, because Pharaoh was
about to sin against Abram by discovering his wife].
No matter what the circumstances you must remain faithful
to Him who has called you.
It has
been said that if a person has not turned to the Lord by their mid 30s the
chances of their salvation gets slimmer and slimmer. I don’t k now where the information
comes from but I do know that Abram was 75 years old when God called him.
However, Abram was a worshiper before his calling, as I was. The difference is
that I was not saved until my calling.
Faith
Building Practice and Review
1. What
does Abram mean?
2. What
does Abraham mean?
3. Name
the promises God gave to Abram.
4. Why
did Pharaoh drive Abram from Egypt?
5. Do
you see God’s provision for Abram and his company and family?
6. Where
is the land of Ur located?
7. What
do Abram’s altars signify to us today?
8. Name
and explain any other indicators of God’s persona in this lesson
Knowing
God
A brief [not complete, add
to the list] synopsis of the persona of God:
·
Love
·
Gracious
·
Merciful
·
Righteous
·
Longsuffering
·
Gentle
·
Faithful
·
Compassionate
·
Forgiving
·
Friend
The ultimate goal of Bible study is to
know God and not to merely memorize Bible trivia. As you study, identify the
attributes of God. For instance: make a note when you read of God extending His
forgiveness or compassion, and remember how He has done the same for you.
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