Abraham

As we continue in our timeline series, the next big event we'll encounter is the story of Abraham. This comes on the heels of what Randall talked about last week with the tower of Babel, where the rebellion was neigh all encompassing and both flesh and souls on the earth were yet again being corrupted.

Moreover, God had placed the kingdoms of the earth under the sway of these fallen angelic hosts that they sought to worship over YHWH. From that ordeal however, God will preserve for Himself a people through which Jesus will come as prophesied. Out of the pagan masses God chooses Abraham, and calls him.

Speaking though of Abraham, how many have heard of this guy? He's a major figure and a man about which much is written. If we tried to cover everything about him we'd either be here for the next year or so, or gravely fail to do it any justice.

In fact, try as I may, even with our limited selection of examples from Abraham’s life I’ll still struggle to get through this in our normal allotted time, so I’ll probably be talking a bit fast, but the notes are available if anyone’s interested afterwards.

That being said, Randall and I thought it would be in keeping with our series to focus in on a few key events in which amazing details can often be overlooked. From the events we chose to touch on, we’ll uncover something which illustrates an incredible picture of God’s patience, and Grace towards us; even allusions to Jesus showing up.

This entire story of Abraham, while containing various plot points of move, counter-move between God and the enemy, is essentially a GIANT move by God after the Babel incident to advance His pieces on the cosmic chess board.

Y’all ready? Let’s dig in with where else but the beginning of Abram’s story. We already mentioned that in God’s dispersing of the nations He had said He would preserve for Himself a people. Abram is the guy through whom God’s nation would come. I’m sure then we’d all expect Abram was a Godly man, like Noah, right?

Interestingly enough, Joshua clues us in to what the family was like prior to God’s call.

Joshua 24:2-3

And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

So it would seem that Abram was potentially familiar with God, but like the nations around him was serving other gods. According to other accounts it seems plausible that Shem was actively traveling and preaching YHWH from the time of the flood, and Shem, son of Noah, was in fact alive long enough to be able to have met Jacob; and he outlived Abraham!

Our main plot point here though, is God reaching out.

Genesis 12:1-4

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 show 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:

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

Clear enough, and something I think we’re mostly familiar with. Why then does this graphic have a question... Does Abram respond quickly? Sure sounds like it.

First clue to this question though, from where did Abram depart at 75 years old? Haran? Just a couple of verses earlier, at the end of chapter 11, it says that they started in Ur of the Chaldees, then went after Abram’s brother died as if they were going to Canaan but made it to Haran, and dwelt there instead.

Steven, in Acts, preaches a sermon which details Israel’s history and the common theme of repeatedly messing up the first time God calls them, then finally getting it right. His first example is Abraham.

Acts 7:2-4

And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

So God’s instruction was to leave his land, his people, his family, and go to a new land God would give to him. Rather than directly obey, he packs up his family, heads up river from Ur to Charan, then AFTER his dad dies he heeds God’s call and heads to Canaan. He didn’t actually leave his family like God had said.

You might wonder why God would ask him to forsake all and up and leave? Actually sounds familiar.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?

And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Remember the whole world was again pagan, and God was seeking to set apart a people for himself. It was critical that they remain separate from the world and from the idolatry that was characteristic of Abram’s culture, including his own family; but God needed to form a special family for Himself apart from that world.

“come out from among them, and be ye separate...” Abram, while eventually obeying, tarried to do so.

This turns out to be a fascinating picture of God’s patience, and of a concept we’re familiar with from all over scripture, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hebrews, Michah... that He will “remember our sins no more.” In the book Genesis, the story of Abram, and indeed in the book of our own lives, the faithful will be remembered as such, not on account of our faithfulness but HIS!

Our sins are remembered no more! Praise God.

The lesson here, which was one I really needed to learn a number of years back, is that just because you failed to commit to something you know God was calling you to before, doesn’t mean it’s too late. Surely we’re better o􏰀 if we listen immediately, but God will still honor you turning to Him now.

That voice which tells you you’re too late, or that you messed up too badly, is the voice of the enemy trying to keep you from your purpose. It’s never too late to repent and serve God, and the beautiful part of God’s Grace, modeled in the story of Abraham, is that the book written of your life will only include your obedience to, and walk with Jesus. Amen.

Fast forward now in Abram’s life, oh about 5 verses, and we encounter the first of 2 instances where Abram does something that, I think, he’s wrongly criticized for.

How many recall the story of Abram and Pharaoh? I’ve heard many people talk about this like it might be a stain on Abram’s story, but did He really lie? And even if you think it’s a bit sketchy, was it actually honorable and wise?... Let’s see.

First it’s important to get some cultural context from that area and time. In these pagan nations, if a sojourner was come, they were not a􏰀orded the protections that a native would have. This was partly why God’s laws were such a radical departure from the norm when God gave protections for the sojourners among them in Israel.

It was their law, that if a man comes with his wife, you could legally kill him and take his wife as your own, assuming you were able. If you did that to someone of your own tribe, it would be your head in return. Stark di􏰀erence in they way they treated strangers.

However, if you came with a daughter, or sister, it was their law that they must bargain with you and make a mutual arrangement to acquire her from the father/brother. The father/brother was not at risk of being killed, rather coming out with a lucrative increase for allowing your sister/daughter to marry. We see this in Genesis 12:16

And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.

Genesis 20:12, amidst the second time recorded that Abram does this, tells us that Sarai was Abram’s HALF sister, same dad, di􏰀erent mom. He wasn’t technically lying, but playing his cards as to be cunning in dealing with hostile nations.

Nowhere in the scripture that I’ve found does God chastise Abram for doing this either. The incident in chapter 20 is more detailed, but in both instances God addresses the situation on their behalf and ensures they make it out INCREASED from how they came, with the blessing of the kings of those nations.

Seems to me there’s a lesson here for us, in fact it’s the same lesson Jesus taught.

Matthew 10:16-20Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: (sounds like the situation Abram

was in...) be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in

their synagogues;

And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

I don’t know about you, but I believe our God is the same today as yesterday as tomorrow, and it wouldn’t surprise me if God had counseled Abram on how to handle those situations, not just bailed him out from a mistake.

Moving on, the next part of the story we’ll cover is probably better known, but cool nonetheless. This and the next couple we’ll move through more quickly, to wrap on the last major highlight for the day.

The story in question is that of Lot being taken captive. This shows us another side of Abram. Dude rolls up like yo, some kings and armies and stu􏰀 took your nephew captive.

Now, my mental picture of Abram (probably from a children’s book growing up) was a humble man, quite quaint, sitting alone beneath a tree in the wilderness with his wife...

Genesis 14 however, shows a di􏰀erent side of him... OUT OF his multitude of servants, were 318 who could be armed and go to battle... dude has an army, which seemingly doesn’t even break a sweat wiping out the whole enemy camp.

Genesis 14:15

And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

That’s it. Easy peasy. Abram, was a warrior.

What stands out also in this story, is what happens on the way home. Abram runs into a guy, who would have otherwise been largely forgotten as a random figure in history, if not for being mentioned again in Psalms and Hebrews. Not just being mentioned... but the nature of HOW he’s mentioned.

Take Psalm 110 for example. It’s short so we’ll read it to make sure there’s no mistaking the context of what’s being said. Definitely a prophetic psalm of the Messiah.

Pslam 110

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.

He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

Jesus, by the way, quotes this to confound the Pharisees in Matthew 22, the entire context of which is assuming this is a messianic psalm.

Hebrews ties these together:

Hebrews 6:20 – 7:4

...even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek.

For this Melchisedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

So who WAS this guy??

Many conjectures, but what stands out is that unlike the Mosaic law, which separated the lines of who could be kings, and who could be priests, this man was both. If Melchizedek wasn’t a Christophany, (pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus) he was certainly someone unique, and Abram knew him.

Some people think he might have been a random king, and others Shem (Abram would have known Shem, who probably preached YHWH while they served other gods, and now that he too was serving YHWH makes sense he’d show reverence when meeting him again.)

IN any case, he serves a model, a type in the old testament of Jesus.

Next up: God’s covenant with Abram.

Chapter 15 includes an account of God’s unconditional covenant with Abraham, in which He details the land which is promised. (Spoiler alrert... Modern Israel isn’t even CLOSE to occupying the land that’s rightly theirs... but they will.)

So God promises all this to Abram, what’s in if for God? On the surface level, in keeping with the theme of this adventure we’re on, God is setting the stage for obtaining the family He’s been after.

There’s something else here though too, which I find fascinating. God says something that we easily overlook. God tells Abram about the captivity in Egypt, the exodus, and the conquest of Canaan in advance. Moreover, if you’re diligent to examine the names, recall the genealogy and how names have meanings?... You realize God is also getting a nation and an army to represent Him in the war against the gods and their o􏰀spring.

Gen 15:13-14, 16

And He said unto Abram, know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall a􏰀lict them four hundred years;

And also that nation, whem they shall serve, will I judge: and afterwards shall they come out with great substance.

But in the forth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

It then goes to list a names of tribes in the land of Canaan that God wants to judge, but not yet... there’s something they’ve been working on that God wants to let play out so He can judge them and destroy them.

Who are the Amorites? Well they include the people of Bahan... the ruler of which will be Og when the Israelites return, who is a giant, a Nephilim.

Some of the names are benign, literally sons of someone in the genealogies, but other... not so much. Rephaim, for instance, is a plural word which collectively refers to races of giants. In later scripture, we see specific names which translate “walking dead” or “those who make (strange) noise,” or the “long necks.”

God saw what these were doing, in fact it’s my conjecture that when God called Abraham and promised the land, Satan set to work setting landmines to prevent Abram’s seed from ever being able to possess it. God, of course, was 10 steps ahead with a plan.

Moving along, Sodom and Gomorrah. There’s a lot to this story, but the part I want to focus on is the conversation God has with Abraham ahead of time. The question that lies underneath this, is can we actually bargain with God??

So God tells Abraham the sin of these cities is great, and He’s going to destroy them. Abraham then asks God, knowing that Lot is among them in the city, and Lot is righteous, “wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?”

What follows is a back and forth from “what if there’s fifty righteous?” down to ten. Now, let’s be clear, God didn’t need Abraham’s cool head to temper His wrath... rather in the furtherance of their relationship God was allowing Abraham to pursue this train of thought to teach him about His character.

The other gods Abraham served in his youth would have been vengeful and pernicious, but this interaction, while it doesn’t outright say it, is showing Abraham that God is unwilling to destroy even one righteous.

God knew what was on Abraham’s heart, his nephew Lot, and already had an escape plan for him before sending the judgement. The conversation was a way to teach Abraham in a relational way about His justice being fair and His Grace being perfect for those who love Him.

In like manner, God will often entertain our questioning, not so that we can change His mind, but to patiently work with us through the process of knowing Him more deeply, and learning to trust His good nature.

Our last stop along the road of Abraham’s life today, the Akedah, the offering of Isaac. The question here, was Isaac ever meant to be the sacrifice?So God speaks clearly to Abraham:Gen 22:2

And He said, take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and o􏰀er him there for a burnt o􏰀ering upon on of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

No ambiguity here. Despite the chilling request, Abraham “rose up early in the morning and seto􏰀.”

Now, striking is how Abraham tells the others about what’s going on.

Gen 22:5

And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the donkey and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come to you again.

Wait, did Abraham, knowing that God said Isaac was to be a burnt o􏰀ering, just say they’d be coming back together??... interesting.

Verses 7 and 8, give me chills every time I read them.

And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt o􏰀ering?

And Abraham said, My son, God will provide HIMSELF (,) a lamb for a burnt o􏰀ering: so they went both of them together.

We all know what happens next... God doesn’t allow Abraham to go through with it, and a ram is found stuck and o􏰀ered in Isaac’s place, but I can’t get passed the way verse 8 is phrased, and I believe this story is more than symbolic, but directly prophetic, like the names of the forefathers, about Jesus.

God will provide himself, Jesus, the lamb, for the o􏰀ering.

We have good reason to believe that the mountain in question God showed them is the same mountain upon which Jesus was crucified... That day a father was spared from having to o􏰀er his son, but nearly 2000 years later, and 2000 years ago today, another Father DID o􏰀er His Son as the Lamb for an o􏰀ering upon that very rock.

Man appointed mortal sorrow, the Blessed God shall come down teaching HIS death shall bring the despairing rest.

God’s plan was laid out before the foundations of world, and reiterated throughout the generations, and Abraham’s walk with God over the years had taught him to trust and believe that very plan. Abraham understood, and was faithful. Moreover, God is faithful.

Jesus is God in flesh, and Jesus is the Lamb who was slain. But death could not keep Him, the grave could not hold him, for He is risen and alive today and forevermore, and He is our rest and our salvation, if we surrender ourselves to Him, our LORD and King, AMEN!