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.
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 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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 5