Call of Abraham

Lot went with him

It can be hard for me to separate Abram and Abraham. I noticed as I began writing this week that the title is Abraham, but we know that at the time of this scripture he was called Abram. A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. (Proverbs 22:1, NIV) When we have the opportunity to name our children do we put a lot of thought into it? I have to admit I did not think real long. I think my wife had other things on her mind, like get this thing out of me. As for Abram, I would say that his parents perhaps were giving it a little more thought. Meaning of Abram-Abram is a male given name of Biblical Hebrew origin, meaning exalted father in much later languages. So, if as a parent you want your child to live into your given name and you name your son Abram what are your expectations for this son? ex·alt·ed /iɡˈzôltəd,eɡˈzôltəd,iɡˈzältəd,eɡˈzältəd/ 📷Learn to pronounce

adjective 1. (of a person or their rank or status) placed at a high or powerful level; held in high regard. "it had taken her years of hard infighting to reach her present exalted rank" Judging by the definition of exulted I would conclude that his parents had high hopes for their son. But then we find that God changed Abram’s name. Does this mean that God had a different plan for Abram?

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 12

12 And Yahweh said to Abram, “Go out from your land and from your relatives, and from the house of your father, to the land that I will show you.

It appears that Abram was still living with his parents. 1. Abraham was already an old man when God called him to leave his home.

In Sunday school, you probably learned that Abraham was an old man when God promised him a son. But Abraham was an old man before he even began his journey with the one true God.

At 75, Abraham (then known as Abram) was living in Haran when God made himself known and called Abram to leave. Even then—back when people lived a lot longer than they do now—75 was still a long time to settle into your ways. But God invited Abram into a new relationship with his Creator and into a whole new world and life view.

It was 25 years later—when Abram was even older—that he and his wife Sarah were finally gifted with Isaac. All of which is a great reminder that it’s never too late to submit to God’s plan for your life! https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/7-surprising-things-about-the-story-of-abraham-in-the-bible/

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 12

2 And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great. And you will be a blessing.

So, God asks Abram to leave his mother and father and he promises to make him a great nation. So, if Abram accepts this promise we could say that his name would then follow its course of greatness. I would think it would be difficult to attain greatness while staying at home. As we look at this let us consider also the impact that Abram’s father’s house would have had on Abram. 2 Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. So, God called Abram away from his father’s house at the ripe age of 75 and for his whole life he had been in a house that worshipped other gods.

One of the lessons we must learn in this passage is that God calls us to obedience. I think we can conclude that Abram was obedient to his father, but God now calls him to be obedient to him. Abram grew up in Ur, and grew old in Ur. What he would have known of the world was a seaside port city, and idol worship. What God was asking Abram to do was leave what he knew for what he did not know. To me this is called faith. Abram seemed to have a secure place in his father’s house but it was not a house of the one true God. Yet the one true God seems to be honoring his name and making him exulted.

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 12

3 And I will bless those who bless you, and those who curse you I will curse. And all families of the earth will be blessed in you.”

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 12

4 And Abram went out as Yahweh had told him, and Lot went with him.

Abram finally honors God’s request and he leaves the land of his father Terah, but his nephew Lot went with him. God does not appear, at least in the scriptures, to hold this as a disobedience, but Lot is not part of the promise to Abram, nor does he help his uncle but brings mostly trouble to the journey.

What should we take home with us today? 1. Obedience is of great importance. Not following God’s commands should be considered a non-option.

2. Adding Lot to his departure was perhaps at best a bad idea, but when has the journey been promised to us to be easy? 3. When we add to God’s commands we are willing to obey but with exemptions. God works with us but the journey can be tougher than it would have to be. As parents we can relate to our children who refuse to accept our teachings and instructions, meant to make their lives easy.