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Teaching And Research By: M. E. Arbaugh
Genesis
Chapter Twelve
The first portion of Genesis is very condensed. After chapter one, verses two, the first eleven chapters of Genesis covered a period of nearly two thousand years, the next thirty-nine chapters covered only about two hundred fifty years.
V 1. Now (in Haran) the Lord said to Abram, go for yourself (for your own advantage) out away from your country, from your relatives and your father's house to the land that I will show you. Hebrews 11:8-10
It does not say, "to a land that I will give you," but only, "to a land I will show you." Abram went, not knowing where he was going, but apparently knowing whom he was following.
The fifth dispensation, known as the dispensation of promise begins with the call of Abram. Great promises were based upon the terms of obedience to God and separation from that place. The name Abram is used in the first part of the record, it is later changed to Abraham by the Lord.
Now, God, draws from the main stream of life, one man. The Lord made His
call to Abram while he lived in Ur of the Chaldees. If Abram had refused
to go (as many of us do) then the call would have gone to someone else. The
selection of Abram had nothing to do with his worthiness. It was an act of
sovereign grace. The same thing is true of us. We are saved by grace, not of
works.
Ephesians 2:8-9.
Isaiah 65:1 I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.
Nehemiah 9:7 Thou art the LORD the God, who did choose Abram, and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham; (Also Acts 7:2)
Ur (the city) Chaldea (the state) Mesopotamia (the Country)
Ur was a large and prosperous city. It had a seaport and was a place of commerce. Since there were two rivers nearby, there was ample fresh water for crops. Ur was surrounded by fertile farms, that produced vegetables, grains and animals for market. A great deal of sheep wool went into the city to be woven into woolen cloth at the textile factories. The city had libraries, concert halls, theaters and schools. Pupils were taught reading, writing and arithmetic. They worked at square and cube root and learned multiplication and division tables.
Chaldea was also the center of moon worship. The major god worshiped was Sin, the moon god, who was called "the exalted lord and the beautiful lord who shines in the heavens." Each home had a private chapel where many gods, in addition to the moon, were worshiped.
In the center of town there was an area called the Temenos. This was the central location of all religious activity and housed various shrines. It was here that the people brought their offerings and taxes.
Middle income people lived in stone houses that had from ten to twenty rooms. The lower floor housed the servants. The second floor was for the family and had guest chambers and lavatory reserved for use of visitors. Sounds very pleasant for middle income.
There were cultural events, concerts and dances. Abram and Sarai were prosperous. Sarai probably belonged to the local country club, and had lunch and tea there with the other ladies. It was from this background of culture and idolatry that Abram was called.
I can visualize Abram coming home one day, and saying, "pack up Sarai, we are leaving." Perhaps she would reply, "Oh! where are we going? What kind of clothes shall I pack? How long will we be gone? Who will we be seeing? What will we be doing?"
Now Abram replies, "I don't know, hon, I heard a voice." Perhaps you can imagine your mate coming home and saying "I heard a voice, we are supposed to leave everything and go someplace. The voice didn't tell me where we are to go, but when we get there, the voice will tell me we are there."
That might be a little difficult to accept. There were steps of faith taken by both Abram and Sarai. She might have said,"I don't know this voice that you heard, but I know you, Abram. You've been good to me and you've always provided for me, so I'll go with you.
Abram was to leave his country, he did that. Abram, was to leave his kindred (family), he didn't do that. We see that Abram's response was slow and partial, but in the end he obeyed. In the New Testament, he is named in the list of the Heroes of Faith. Hebrews 11:8.
No mention is made of His sin, only of his faith. His sins though many, had been blotted out. Our Father in heaven does the same for us. If we have confessed our sin (or sins) it is remembered no more.
Hebrews 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Look also at Psalms 103:10-11.
Isn't that wonderful? God is not sitting in heaven with a big club, counting our sins. He does not say that's four this week, one more and "splat." As born again believers, when we go to the Lord and say, "Forgive me," He does. All that's left on the record is the good and obedient things that we have done.
V 2. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you shall be a blessing--dispensing good to others.
The same things that the people at Babel desired and did not get are now offered to Abram. This is a good example of the difference between the works of our own hands and the gifts of God. Unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain. Psalm 127:1.
Hebrews 11:9-10 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Note that God never asks us to give up something, without giving us something better. Abram was asked to give up his kindred and promised a great nation. For his city, he was promised a heavenly city and for his country a promised land.
When we are asked to leave our land of Egypt (symbol of sin), we are given (in exchange), a promised land. We know we have arrived in the promised land, when the promises of God become facts in our lives. We exchange our citizenship in Egypt for citizenship in the heavenly city of God. If you have left behind (temporarily) your family because they have not seen Jesus (as you have seen Him), even though you are bereaved, you can rejoice. God has promised you a vast kindred. The brotherhood of Christ.
V 3. And I will bless those who bless you [confer prosperity or happiness upon you], and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you shall all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed---by you they shall bless themselves. Gal. 3:8-9
The promises as they were first given, are seven fold.
(1) "I will make of thee a great nation." This has been fulfilled numerically. It is also fulfilled in the amount of clout that Israel has. Israel is a very small country, the countries around it are much larger, yet it's influence on the affairs of the world is tremendous.
(2) "I will bless thee." Abram was blessed in cattle, silver and gold and spiritually as well. These blessing have been shared by his descendants, when they have called upon the covenant.
(3) "I will make your name great." Abraham is revered today by Jew, Arab and Christian. For the Christian, he is the father of the faithful. The Jews claim him as their father because of Isaac. The Arabs claim him as father, because of Ishmael.
(4) "Thou shalt be a blessing" Fulfilled many times in Abraham's life, but this also refers to the missionary purpose for Israel, to the world at large.
(5 and 6) "I will bless them that bless, and curse him that curse thee" Observable in Abraham's lifetime and in later years it has been apparent that countries that have treated the Jews well, have prospered. Our own prosperous country has always supported Israel. I believe that we reap benefits in this land that are a result of the covenant that God made with Abraham.
(7) "In thee all families will be blessed" It is through Abraham's family that the Savior of all the world would come.
V 4. So Abram departed, as the Lord had directed him, and Lot [his nephew] went with him. Abram was 75 years old when he left Haran.
This is still only partial obedience, because he still had family with him. There are many places in the Bible, where we are told of men, advanced in age, who were called for difficult tasks. Apparently, God does not consider 75 old. We are to have a Caleb kind of spirit concerning age. Caleb (age 85) said, "With God, I am well able to take this mountain." If the Lord spoke to most of us at age 75, we would likely say, "But Lord!!! I'm already retired, my bones ache, I'm not up to an extended camping trip." This extended camping trip lasted about 100 years. Abram and Sarai left the comfort of an established civilization for the un-certainty of travel and ever-changing circumstances. Accustomed to living in a very nice home, they willingly moved into a tent. Age was not a problem nor an excuse.
V 5. Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot, his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the persons [servants] that they had acquired in Haran; and they went forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,
Even though Abram had not obeyed completely, he prospered. Allowances are made for the beginner in the walk of faith.
V 6. Abram passed through the land to the locality of Shechem, to the oak or terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
Shechem, means strength, a place of rest where one would gain strength. Moreh means instruction.
V 7. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, I will give this land to your posterity. So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, Who had appeared to him.
The Lord (Jesus, who came to reveal God's ways to Abram, Hebrews 1:3) said, "Go to a land which I will show thee." When Abram arrived in Canaan, God speaks again and says, "This is it". What happened after this, was probably nothing. The land was already inhabited by a race of large people who did not want to pack up and leave. Still Abram believed, and offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving. No wonder Abraham is called the father of the faithful.
V 8. From there he pulled up [his tent pegs] and departed to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.
Bethel means house of God. Ai means heap of ruins. In the middle, between the two, was Abram. Abram was a man of altars, wherever he pitched his tent, he also built an altar.
V 9. Abram journeyed on, still going toward the South.
The South led to Egypt. The next verse says that there was a famine in the land, and Abram was already pointed in the direction of the bread basket of the world.
V 10. Now there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to live temporarily, for the famine in the land was oppressive (intense and grievous).
Talk about a test of faith, this would be it. God said, "This is the promised land I told you about. The land that I give to you and your seed." If Abram had chosen to act on what he could see, he might have turned around and headed back to Haran. The land was occupied by the wicked Canaanites and had a severe famine.
Always remember that eyes were not made for believing. Abram looked past the problem, he looked unto the problem solver, God.
It is a Thomas kind of faith that says, "unless I see it and touch it, I will not believe." Jesus said that we would be blessed if we believe with out seeing.
Many new converts turn back because they look at the life of faith and see there are battles to be fought. When there is a famine of teaching in the church (read 2 Kings 22:8-11 and note that the word of God had been lost in the house of God.) New believers do not always understand that, they will not be alone in the battle. Sometimes we believe and teach for eternal things and fail to teach and believe for provision for the journey. Psalms 23:1, Psalms 37:25 and Psalms 34:10.
V 11. And when he was about to enter into Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, I know that you are beautiful to behold.
Remember now, Sarai is 65 years old, yet she is beautiful to behold. Knowing that the Lord is not a respecter of persons, ladies, repeat after me...."Be it unto me according to thy word."
V 12. So when the Egyptians see you, they will say, This is his wife, and they will kill me, but they will let you live.
Abraham had evidently forgotten or did not yet believe that God would make of him a great nation or he would have known that they could not kill him. He was making a decision while in fear.
V 13. Say, I beg of you, that you are my sister, so that it may be well with me for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you.
the Enemies
of Health
Tablets have been unearthed that speak of the people who lived in and around Haran. Here, the marriage vows were very solemn and gave to the wife the same legal standing that she would have had as a blood relative. The status was one of sister. The word wife and sister were inter changeable in official use.
Having lived in Haran, it is probable that Abram was familiar with this law. Sarai was his half sister.
Abram's fear was well founded. The Pharaohs ruled as gods, their every wish obeyed. The Pharaoh's men stood at the city gate, making recommendations, for the Pharaoh's harem.
Abram's lack of courage and trust in God, his willingness to spare himself at the expense of Sarai, were all unworthy acts and not to be condoned, but understood. The Bible paints a true picture of the people of God, warts and all. It was a fairly simply matter to get Abram out of Haran, but difficult to get the customs of Haran out of Abram.
When Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb, Lazarus was literally raised from death unto life, but the grave clothes were still binding him. The trappings of death did not automatically fall from his body. Jesus told those who were there to loose him. When we are born again, we are raised from death to new life, yet some of the trappings of death still cling to us. The church (born again believers) when true to it's calling, will gently and lovingly assist in the removal of these trappings. We are not to bang people over the head and say, "listen dude, you're sinning". Instead we are to lead to the word of God which cleanses.
Jesus knows everything about us. Every thought, every action, every word, still we are called the righteousness of God. He lifts up a standard of Godliness and says, "You can do it, I'll help you." We are to do the same for others. Jesus doesn't say clean up your life, get your act together, then come to me. He says, "I take you as you are and here is the holy standard." Then out of love for the Son of God and what He has done for us we begin to reach for the standard. Moving from glory to glory, that we might become.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he [power to become the sons of God], <even> to them that believe on his name:
V 14. And when Abram came into Egypt the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.
A good place to reflect that our God is not a respecter of persons. Sarai was at this time 65 years old, and beautiful. Again, ladies, make this confession.....God is not a respecter of persons, as Sarai was beautiful at 65, so shall I be.
V 15. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her, and commended her to Pharaoh. And she was taken into Pharaoh's house [harem].
Another instance of what is imagined and spoken coming to pass. Abram imagined this thing happening and it did.
V 16. And he treated Abram well for her sake; he acquired sheep, oxen, he-donkeys, menservants, maid servants, she-donkeys, and camels.
A type of dowry, given to the "brother" as payment for the hand of his sister. I admire Sarai, who kept silent, and I feel sorry for Abram. He probably felt like someone was hitting him, each time a new gift from the Pharaoh arrived. At this point he was very likely crying out to God for help and forgiveness.
V 17. But the Lord scourged Pharaoh and his household with serious plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
V 18. And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Psalms 105:14
The bigger question is, what has Abram done to Abram? We diminish our opinions of our self worth when we stoop to deception.
V 19. Why did you say, She is my sister, so I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and get away [from here]!
V 20. And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they brought him on his way with his wife and all that he had.
Another instance of God's mercy. Thank God, we do not get what we deserve.
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2007
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Teaching And Research By: M. E. Arbaugh
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January 1, 2007
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