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Abraham was born Abram in the city of Ur in Chaldea. Ur was on the main trading route between Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean. It is at the head of the Persian Gulf, in what is now Iraq. In Genesis chapters 10 and 11, wrapped around the Tower of Babel story, the Bible shows that Abram is a descendent of Shem, one of Noah’s sons. Not just any one of Noah’s sons, definitely not the cursed one – Canaan. As a descendent of Shem, Abram is identified racially as a Shemite (Semite).
One of the many misconceptions about the call of Abram is that he was called from Ur to Canaan and dawdled in Haran. He was already in Haran long before he knew about God’s plans for him. In fact, Abram was seventy-five years old when God called him away from his home in Haran. Why was he in Haran? Many years ago his father, Terah, moved the family to Haran. Speculation on the reasons for the move center on the fact that these were nomadic tribesmen and they followed the weather and the best sources of food.
Abram settles in Haran, married to Sarai, whom we are informed is barren and can’t have children (Gen. 11: 30). Abram stays in Haran until his father dies. It may have been important for his father to pass away before he went on his mission for God. This prevented the possibility of divided loyalties. It is only after Terah dies and Abram has been living in Haran for many years that Abram first hears from God.
The call comes in Genesis 12, as soon as we are told that Terah has died at the end of Chapter 11. This is the message Abram received from God:
“Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”(Gen.12: 1-3)
The importance of the call was not lost on New Testament writers. Paul wrote in his epistle to the Romans about "Abraham, who is the father of us all”. Hebrews 11 has been called the Heroes of Faith chapter. Abraham is of course there and in the eighth verse, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called…he went out, not knowing where he was going”.
What is the importance of the call of Abraham? The first ten chapters of Genesis are quite depressing. God has given us a world to manage and we’ve managed to make a mess of it. Adam and Eve failed in the Garden, Cain killed Abel, the world became so corrupt that God brought on a flood that killed almost everyone. Noah and his family are saved in the Ark but we get a glimpse of Noah getting drunk and naked which serves as a hint that Noah won’t work out much better. Early in chapter eleven, the story of the Tower of Babel lets us know how the world is doing while Noah’s family multiplies and Abram is born.
Abram is called out because God has decided to make a people for Himself. There is no other way. This people will receive the Law, witness to the world about YHWH and provide the family tree for the coming Messiah. A close reading of the Old Testament will reveal that the Hebrews were less than perfect and obedient. Within that nation though, there was always someone like Abraham or Moses or David or Isaiah to carry the special flame for God.
Paul’s statement in Romans that Abraham is “father of us all” means that the scope of Abraham’s willing faith goes further than just an old story. Abraham is the father of all Jews, Christians and Muslims since all trace their lines back to him. Hebrews are Abraham’s tribe. Muslims trace their ancestry to Ishmael, the son of Hagar. Christians trace from Abraham but include Mary, Joseph and Jesus in the genealogy and the line ends with Jesus.
For a Christian, the seed promised to Abraham: “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them…So shall your descendents be.” (Gen.15: 5) and “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Gen.12: 3) point to the coming of Jesus and the Christian Era. The blessing is passed from the Jews to the Gentiles.
Abraham is a type of person who is not happy with the world as it is. They listen to the voice of God and dedicate their lives to his service. Abraham followed God because he believed God. He was justified by faith (Gen.15: 6), which is a standard Christian doctrine. If works could not justify him it is because God doesn’t work that way.
Abraham left a lot to be desired in some areas of his life. He lied to Pharaoh and Abimelech, telling them Sarah was his sister so that he wouldn’t be killed. He made a baby, Ishmael, with Sarah’s maid because he didn’t really trust God to bring him a son even though God promised one. I am sure that Abraham was overwhelmed with all that happened to him.
God had determined to bring a Redeemer into the world through Abraham’s seed. Even though Abraham risked that seed by getting Sarah involved in a Harem and almost getting himself killed, God protected Abraham and His plan went through. Isaac was born, then Jacob, then Jacob’s twelve sons: The twelve tribes of Israel. The call of Abraham is the founding moment in Judaism and Christianity.
Scripture quotations from: The New King James Bible
Thomas Nelson, 1982
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