Shadowland: Beginnings: Week 17

Genesis 12

The Calling of Abram

• 12:1 As Acts 7 confirms, this command came while Abram was still in Ur. Terah means "delay". God spoke to him while he was still in Ur, saying "leave your father's house". He did not immediately or fully obey. He followed Terah to Haran, still on the other side of the Euphrates, Joshua 24:2. Haran means "parched". It is a type of the spiritual famine that results from not following God with our whole heart.

  "Out of thy country." Only a few generations after the dispersal of Babel, idolatry was already widespread. As we learned in Daniel, the city of Ur worshipped the moon god Sin, and Terah was no exception. Romans 1 describes Genesis 11 - "When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

• 12:2 God promises to bless Abraham, and there are no conditions. When Abraham lies in this same chapter, God still blesses him.
• 12:3 "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee."
  Ezekiel 34:17-31 "I will judge between the rams and the goats."
  Matthew 25 "He will judge between the sheep and the goats."
  While Matthew 25 is often interpreted to refer to individuals and their attention to the poor (and that is also valid), the context actually refers to the judgement of nations according to their treatment of Israel.

  Discuss the fall of nations in history and their policy toward Jews.

  "In thee all the nations of the earth will be blessed." Looking ahead - 18:18 22:18 26:4 Revelation 7:9
  Galatians 3:8 "Preached the Gospel unto Abraham" - Abram was an idol worshipping gentile before God gave him the good news of salvation.

• 12:4 Despite Abram's failure to immediately and fully obey, Hebrews 11:8 as here records only that he obeyed. Taking Lot, however, was a compromise that would cause trouble later - for Lot even more so than Abraham.
• 12:5 Abram (finally) crosses the river Euphrates.
• 12:6-7 "Appeared unto Abram." Obey the light that you have, and He gives more light. The name "Ur" (אוֹר) means "light". The name "Moreh" means "instruction". (Sichem means "ridge" or "shoulder".)
• 12:8 Pitched his tent - lived as a pilgrim. Between Bethel (house of God) and Hai/Hat (ruins) - between the spirit and the flesh. Built an altar - separated unto God. A picture of the life of the believer.
• 12:10 God did not tell Abram to go to Egypt. There are consequences. It often takes more faith to *stay* in Caanan than to get there. Abram stumbles, and those around him suffer. Sarai, Hagar, Lot, Pharaoh. Isaiah 31
• 12:13 "sister" - Sarai is actually Abram's half sister, 20:12.
• 12:15 Here Sarai acquires a handmaiden named Hagar.
• 12:16 Lot is contaminated by a love of riches, as we see next chapter.
• 12:17 Abram lied, Pharaoh gets the plagues.
• 12:18 Pharaoh understood God's message, and rebukes Abram.
• 12:20 Abram is right back were he started - 13:4. Egypt is a type of the works of the flesh - it wastes time, and makes things worse.