The objective of this lesson: to stress the fact that responding to God's call involved a trip to the wilderness for Abraham, the man of faith.
In Genesis 12, God set in motion His plan to provide a solution to the problem caused by a perverted humanity who was deceived by evil. To initiate His plan, God made a covenant [a two way agreement in which one party keeps promises and the other party accepts responsibilities] with the man Abraham. In this covenant, Abraham's responsibility was to leave the place [country] that was his current home, leave his extended family, and go to an unspecified area [God would direct him to the area]. The promises God made were (1) He would make Abraham a significant nation; (2) He would make Abraham's name a great name; (3) He would make Abraham a blessing; (4) He would protect Abraham; (5) He would bring a worldwide blessing through Abraham.
God's successful reaction to resolving the perversion caused by the deception of evil in Genesis 3 began with His call to Abraham in Genesis 12. Beginning again through Noah and his family did not solve the problems created by humans yielding to evil's deception in Genesis 3. Though God was extremely patient as He refused to fail in ancient Israel's faithlessness [for centuries!], what God began with promises to Abraham produced an enduring solution in Jesus' death and resurrection, and still produces good results today. The promises to Abraham were step one on the long, long journey to recovery by salvation in Jesus Christ.
The first thing you are asked to note is this: the purpose of the nation was to serve as a vehicle for the worldwide blessing. Looking back, the Christian understands that the ancient nation of Israel was to serve as the vehicle to bring Jesus Christ to this world. The purpose of the Christ was to bring the opportunity for salvation to all people. Christians need to understand that what is obvious to us looking back was not obvious to Abraham, his extended family, or the ancient nation of Israel.
The ancient nation of Israel was not God's objective in the salvation journey. The original promise was that God would bring a blessing to "all families of the earth" through Abraham, not just a blessing to the ancient nation of Israel. The bridge from the faith of Abraham that would cross to the solution produced by Jesus' death and resurrection would be the ancient nation of Israel. Though that nation descended from Abraham through Isaac, that nation existed as a means to Jesus Christ. The goal was not the ancient nation of Israel. The goal was the Savior, Jesus Christ. Perhaps an accurate way to view God's intent is (1) find a man of faith; (2) through him produce a nation of faith; (3) through the nation of faith produce the Savior of faith; and (4) through the Savior of faith provide mankind the opportunity to respond to salvation in Jesus by having faith [trust] in Jesus as the way, truth, and life. [Please be aware of a statement God made concerning Abraham in Genesis 18:17-19. Especially note verse 19, "For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him." Also, be aware of the fact that a number of nations descended from Abraham {for examples, see Genesis 17:4; 21:13; Deuteronomy 2:3-5; 2:9; 2:12; 2:19; 2:21,22}.]
The second thing you are asked to note is this: the reality of the responsibility. In order to place the magnitude of God's call to Abraham in personal perspective, place yourself in Abraham's situation. Joshua 24:2 declares that prior to Abraham's call, his immediate family worshipped idols. Since Abraham's father [Terah] was the leader of the family, Abraham also worshipped idols prior to receiving the call from the living God.
The typical Christian is so aware of God's call to Abraham that he/she assumes answering the call was an easy decision for Abraham. Today's Christians have little concept of the magnitude of this fact: Abraham was called out of an idolatrous lifestyle to a new way of life. We have too little consciousness of this fact: an unknown deity asked him to transform his life in radical ways. For Abraham to yield to God's call required Abraham to abandon what his times and culture regarded to be prudent, secure, desirable ways to live life.
One of the facts concerning idols the Bible stresses is this: idols could not speak (1 Kings 18:26-29; Jeremiah 10:5). Abraham was accustomed to worshipping what he regarded to be gods, and they did not speak. Suddenly, the living God speaks to Abraham. If the living God spoke to you, and that was the first you heard God speak, how would you react? The living God was completely unlike any god Abraham knew or worshipped. The living God asked Abraham to trust Him enough to do something unthinkable: leave a civilized area and go to an uncivilized area. Leave security, leave development, leave a superior form of lifestyle, and travel to an unclosed destination.
Place yourself in this situation: you are accustomed to acknowledging and worshipping gods who never speak. Suddenly God speaks to you by voice in your language. He not only speaks to you, but this new God [Who does not function like gods you acknowledge] makes a request of you that is truly different, even strange. Your immediate dilemma/challenge: "How much confidence do I place in this God I have not known previously?" Remember, this is God's initial contact with Abraham. This is the beginning of God's solution to the perversion of evil in the lives of humanity.
The request was even more significant. "Leave a settled, secure lifestyle and be a nomad. Leave your extended family and go to the area I, God, will disclose to you." Leaving the extended family was similar to our leaving accident insurance, medical insurance, the protection of Medicare, and the protection of Social Security. The roles of the extended family included providing care and protection to family members. To leave family was to leave the people who would care for and protect you in difficult times. Would you accept God's challenge? Would you regard God's challenge to be opportunity?
The responsibility God required Abraham to accept in this covenant relationship was a huge, significant responsibility. It required much more than a flippant, thoughtless response of "Oh, yes, I'll do that."
Typically ,Christians consider Abraham to be a wealthy man who basically "had it made." He was wealthy! However, in his situation, wealth may have created increased risk! He lived as a nomad in Canaan. He did not belong there. He owned no property there. He had no kindred there. Thus in an area that was ruthless, Abraham existed as prey in the eyes of many. The powerful of the area wanted Abraham's wealth! Would you trust the promise of a "just-met" living God to protect you in those circumstances? Perhaps Genesis 20 and the incident with Abimilech [perhaps not a name but a title indicating royalty] and Sarah reveals that Abraham was quite conscious of the physical dangers surrounding him.
In many Americans' thought processes and evaluations, having wealth is the solution to anything and everything. "What could be a more certain path to one's goals than receiving a huge inheritance, being the victor in a lucrative lawsuit, or winning a huge lottery?" Commonly, wealth creates as many problems as it solves. Among the first [if not the first!] is this deception: "I can now believe in myself and the power of my wealth. I do not need God any more!" Remember Luke 12:13-21?
Please note: Abraham's call to follow God's directions and instructions involved an immediate trip to the wilderness. Was it a call to convenience? No! Was it a call to an easy life? No! The strife between his herdsmen and Lot's herdsmen (Genesis 13, especially note verse 8); Abraham's rescue of the captured Lot (Genesis 14:1-16); and Abraham's intercession for Lot and his family (Genesis 18:22-33; 19:27-29) were extremely stressful times in Abraham's life. All the strife surrounding Ishmael and his birth mother Hagar, and Isaac and his birth mother Sarah, were stressful times for Abraham (Genesis 21:8-21). Ishmael was Abraham's son! Sarah's request to send Hagar and Ishmael away violated appropriate behavior in their culture! Because the account is brief is not evidence that this episode was a matter of indifference to Abraham! Genesis 21:11 states that the situation distressed (was very grievous to) Abraham. The fact that Abraham had wealth did not remove him from the wilderness or stressful situations.
The point to stress in these illustrations: Abraham's wilderness experiences were filled with crises and stress. Having wealth did not remove crisis or stress.
Being called by God often confronts a person with wilderness experiences. Wilderness experiences commonly involve stressful situations and temptations. In a wilderness experience we must decide who is our source of strength: God, some human(s) we love, or circumstances. Abraham went to the wilderness--and stayed! He literally lived his life as God's nomad.
It is not uncommon for God to lead His people into wilderness experiences. It is in those experiences we rely on and nurture faith.
THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
God set in motion the journey toward Jesus Christ and the solution to the perversion of creation produced by evil's deception.
Abraham assumed the responsibility to go to an area that God would show him. Going to this land meant leaving extended family and the help/security they represented.
God would make him a great nation, bless him, make his name great, protect him, and bring a blessing to all families of the earth through him.
The purpose of the nation God would bring into existence through Abraham would be the vehicle to the blessing to people worldwide.
The reality of responsibility.
He and his family [and likely all people they knew] worshipped idols, the gods.
The discussion should include that idols were entirely the product of human hands and depended on human caring.
This involved leaving the security of the extended family.
This involved being prey in the eyes of the powerful who greedily coveted Abraham's wealth.
Abraham's willingness to make personal sacrifices to end and prevent strife between his and Lot's herdsmen illustrates Abraham's great love for Lot (Genesis 13). Their separation, Lot's capture, and the danger Lot faced in Sodom's destruction (Genesis 19:1-26) was a source of anxiety and stress for Abraham.
Forcing your son and his mother to leave your home/family was a traumatic experience for Abraham.
Those experiences demand we determine the source of our faith, depend on that source by nurturing faith, and define fundamental concepts of life on the basis of faith.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 5