Abraham Bible Study (Pt. 1)

Introduction

Gen 1-12 Briefly covers roughly 2000 years of History.

God now changes his focus on key people that he will use more in depth to show how common men and women THROUGH FAITH and OBEDIENCE to GOD can make a difference for the cause of Christ.

Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Abrahams Early Life

Life at Ur of the Chaldees and Haran

Both places were known for Idolatry

Mainly sun and moon worship (The creation and not the creator)

When you worship gods without personality and rules it comes with impurity of all categories.

Terah was an idolater and led his family to do the same.

Joshua 24:2 “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.”

Now we see that Abraham doesn’t come from a “Godly family”

GOD STILL WANTED TO USE HIM

GOD DIDN’T JUST THROW HIM AWAY AND SAY YOU PAST IT TO STAINED!!

GOD WANTS TO USE YOU!!!

Abraham Called

Abrahams First Calling

Before we dive into Genesis to learn about to calling on Abraham life we must first go to Acts 7.

Acts 7:2–3 “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.”

Abrahams first calling not mentioned in Genesis??

This is not an error in your bible!!

Notice how the Word of God says Genesis 12:1 “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 shew thee:”

However this does reveal a reality about Abraham.

Abraham was plagued with Partial obedience.

At first glance of reading Gen. 12:1-4 It appears that Abraham had perfect obedience to the Lord. But let’s dissect what really happens.

Abraham was 1st called when he was still in Ur, Approximately 1000 miles away from where God called him to.

I believe he Probably told his father about what God called him to do and maybe got excited and thats why it says in Gen. 11:31 “Terah took”.

BUT GOD DID NOT CALL TERAH TO LEAD. HE CALLED ABRAHAM.

Maybe he consoled to let family go because it seemed like they were willing to go to Canaan.

a lot of people may seem like they are all in for God but in time it shows.

And if you read what God said to Abraham carefully He didn’t even tell Abraham to take his father.. He told him to LEAVE him!

This partial obedience took him 600 miles N.E. to Haran. (Partial obedience will always lead you to partial fulfillment)

Now living in partial obedience in Haran for some time.. tragedy strikes. Gen 11:32

I wonder how long Abraham would have lived in partial obedience if God didn’t take his dad.

How sad that some Christians wait so long to live for God that it takes a tragedy to move them.

“Partial obedience only takes to part of the way”

Abrahams Second Calling

After Abrahams father died God reinstates his calling on his life.

Genesis 12:1–3 “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 shew 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.”

The Prerequisites of Abraham

Separation

From his Family

From his Country

Some may argue that Abraham left one idolatrous place to another BUT..

He wasn’t there to commune with them

Yes, there were necessary covenants and business transactions between some that dwelt in Canaan.

BUT… He remained a stranger tot he people of the land.

ABRAHAM WAS IN THE WORLD, BUT NOT OF THE WORLD

Notice that the separation commanded his is that Abraham was to “come out” that he might “go in”.

Separation is supposed to be this way!!

You don’t just get called out to quit you get called out that you might better qualify yourself for God’s service.

Many Christians get this part wrong. They understand the don’t and even obey it, but they just stop there. They don’t understand that when we DON’T do they things of the world we should be DOING the things of God!

Sacrifice

In order to obey God’s prerequisites Abraham would have to much sacrifice.

The land of his nativity

his friends

his family

Without much sacrifice in a Christian’s life, they greatly limit there ability to serve God.

Labor

imagine all that would have to be moved

His huge flocks, tents, and furnishings

Faith

“Unto a land that i will show thee.”

God ordered Abraham to go to a place where God didn’t even reveal to him. (moving my family example)

God did not show him everything at once. God gave him one piece of information at at time.

It is much like that still today in our walk with Christ. One piece of information at a time to believe by faith and to follow and to be obedient in what he has shown us thus far.

The Promises to Abraham

“I will make of thee a great nation”

“I will bless thee”

I will… make thy name great”

“Thou shalt be a blessing”

“I will bless them that bless thee”

“I will curse them that curseth thee”

“In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed”

Comparing the prerequisites to the promises God’s promises ALWAYS out number the Prerequisites

God promises us abundant life!!

“I will make of thee a great nation”

Abrahams circumstances were contrary to God’s promise

Sarah was Baren!! WHAT FAITH!!

“In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed”

This is the Gospel in the promise.

Galatians 3:8 “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.”

John 8:56 “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.”

The Position of Abraham

He was in disobedience

He was still an Idolator

But God wanted to use him!

A lot of Christians think they have to have some sort of status or requirement for God to call them

God calls everyone to some service, BUT how you respond to the call determines the outcome of the service.

Wether you wait with out working. (We saw what happened to get Abrahams attention)

The Problem of Abraham

He was half-way in.

Gen 12:1 says “Get THEE out”

God’s command was declared.

Out of your COUNTRY, away from your KINDRED, and from your FATHER’S HOUSE!

Gods command was disobeyed

But Gen 12:4 says “and Lot went with him”

Okay so maybe it was Lot going against Abrahams wishes since it said “and LOT WENT WITH HIM”

BUT… vs. 5 says “ and Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son…”

The command was get THEE out

But Abraham took Lot with him

Instead of being THEE he settled for being THEY

Genesis 12:5 “And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all THEIR substance that THEY had gathered, and the souls that THEY had gotten in Haran; and THEY went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.”

The Predicament of Abraham

Since Abraham left Haran with Sarah and Lot, God hasn’t said a whole lot.

God Confirmed that he was on the right track in verse 7 but that is it.

Then Abraham built an alter unto the Lord.

What a good reminder to remember the places God does big things in your life.

“and he removed thence” but we need to keep moving.

“DON’T GET CAUGHT UP WITH THE PLACES GOD MOVES BUT KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE GOD THAT MOVES”

But God didn’t say a word more to Abraham until Gen 13:14-17.

So what happened?

Their was strife between Abraham’s herdsman and Lot’s Herdsman.

And Abraham told Lot to choose where he would lodge.

Then and only them Abraham was separated from his Kindred and his father’s house.

God needed to bring Abraham into full obedience to him before he could show him what is next.

To be the THEE God wants you to be, you need to leave the THEY that God told you to leave.

And when that happened God told him.

Genesis 13:14–17 “And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.”

“Lift up NOW thine eyes”

Now that You are in full obedience to me.

God showed him even more then he knew before

Is God silent with you right now? Maybe examine yourself and see if you are in full obedience to him and are right where God wants you to be.