The Book of Genesis
Part 24
Our inquiry into the life of Abraham in our studies in the Book of Genesis will furnish us with many illustrations of the Divine principles by which God deals with His own. It will also reveal to us many of the current weaknesses of humanity. The particular period that is now before us, that which is recorded in chapters 11:27-12; 9, gives us certain details into God’s request of the Patriarch, and the Patriarch’s response to God.
The Request of God
To us it may seem unusual that God should call one man from among all the nations of the earth. Undoubtedly, He had a plan for the called one; moreover, it appears likely that God found a peculiar pleasure in that person whom He had thus singled out from the masses. There is no question but that the Lord longs for fellowship with man, but it is with a man wholly separated to Himself. In our former studies, we encountered other characters with whom God sought intimate fellowship, characters like Enoch, Noah, and, of course, Adam. Eventually, there came to earth one perfect Man in Whom God found perfect and supreme delight, the Man Christ Jesus.
In this Divine call of Abraham, there appear three very important points, and time spent in the investigation of these would be worth while.
The purpose of God: This we see in Gen. 12:3, “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” God’s call for separation on Abraham’s part was objective. Abraham thereby was to become a channel of blessing to others. This surely is a Divine principle. If we are to be a blessing to others, we must walk in separation from all defilement and in purity with God. Thus it was in the life of the Apostle Paul (Gal. 1:15-16). This is the principle that Paul places before his spiritual son in the last letter that he wrote to him (2 Tim. 2:20-21).
The patience of God: It appears as if God called Abraham twice, first in Ur of the Chaldees (Acts 7:2-4), and then a second time at Haran (Gen. 12:1). Some consider that the last passage refers to the first call, but from the margin it seems to be a repetition of the call received at the beginning. How patient of the Lord to call Abraham twice, especially when there was some hesitancy on Abraham’s part to obey! The Apostle Paul when he exhorts the Roman Christians to be patient, reminds them of the God of patience (Rom. 15:4-5), for it is as such that He deals with His own.
The purport of God: There are two very significant factors which we should consider in this call of Abraham. First, the Divine command: “Get thee out of thy country,” the breaking of national ties; “And from thy kindred,” the breaking of natural ties; “And from thy father’s house,” the breaking of nearest ties. Such are God’s demands in a life of separation. Many a young Christian has been forced to break all earthly ties because of separation with his Lord. It is said that John Nelson Darby was disinherited by his family because of his separation to the Lord.
The Easterner moves more easily than the Westerner. He is not afraid to go far. He has no furniture to carry except a carpet and a few pots. He has no trouble about meals for he is content with bare necessities. He is careless as to where he sleeps, provided his family is about him. He is indifferent to all that the Westerner considers comfort. Would to God that we held this world with as light a hand as the Easterner, held even what we call real estate in this way. Should we do so, it would be easier to separate ourselves from many things which are dishonouring to God.
In writing to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul tells them not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:147:1). The word “unequally” is actually the word “diversely,” and definitely refers to the Levitical law which forbade the yoking together of different animals (Deut. 22:10). There was with the Corinthians, as there is with all Christians, the danger of yoking together, not different animals, but different moral qualities: righteousness with unrighteousness, different types of actions; light with darkness, different characters; Christ with Belial, different leaderships; the believer with the unbeliever, different convictions; and the temple of God with idols, different forms of worship.
In the life of Abraham, God provides a perfect illustration of what He means by not being diversely yoked with the ungodly. Notice Gen. 11:29-12:9. In second place, we must consider the Divine compensation: separation to God on Abraham’s part meant that he must leave his country, but God offered him a better land (Gen. 12:1). It also meant separation from his kindred, but God promised to make him a great nation (Gen. 12:2). Separation likewise meant leaving his family behind, but God promised, “In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). Here then we have the Divine compensations which more than repay any sacrifice made for the Lord.
Once upon a time the Lord asked for a disciple’s boat, and the use of it was repaid by a miraculous draught of fish (Luke 5). The Apostle Paul gave to the Lord a drink offering, the smallest offering possible, and for this he will receive a crown (2 Tim. 4:6-8).
Our next study, in the will of the Lord, will cover the response of Abraham to this Divine call.