Today we will take a quick look at the promise that God made to Abram. I had a post that was titled "A Christian Life Is Found In The Commands And Promises Of God" a while ago and this falls directly into that category. It is important we remember that this promise to Abram has commands from God attached to it!
We see a four-fold command here. Far too often, people want to focus on God's promises and forget His commands. This will always lead one to to not trust God as they feel He has not kept His promises, but it us who have not met His commands!
COMMAND 1. Abram must renounce his country.
Abram was from Ur of Chaldean. It is an idol worshiping city. I always say that the meanings of these word are always significant. Abram is called from an idol worshiping city whose names mean fire and destruction. Ur = fire & Chaldean = destruction. Today, the Lord is calling us from the same thing!!!
We see that Abram listens to God and leaves in verse 4. Notice the city he leaves, Haran. This too, is an idol worshiping city. It means fruitless or parched in a mountain. God not only calls us from fire and destruction; he calls us from a fruitless place!
COMMAND 2. Abram must renounce his relatives.
Leaving his country wasn’t enough he must also leave his family. The word used here for relatives or kindred is significant. Lot, Abram’s nephew of Abram’s dead brother was like a son to him, was with them in Haran. The Hebrew word for son is BEN which is not used here. That means child of an intimate relationship. Lot is not his son. God says "relatives or kindred" as a direct reference to Lot.
We see a four-fold command here. Far too often, people want to focus on God's promises and forget His commands. This will always lead one to to not trust God as they feel He has not kept His promises, but it us who have not met His commands!
COMMAND 1. Abram must renounce his country.
Abram was from Ur of Chaldean. It is an idol worshiping city. I always say that the meanings of these word are always significant. Abram is called from an idol worshiping city whose names mean fire and destruction. Ur = fire & Chaldean = destruction. Today, the Lord is calling us from the same thing!!!
We see that Abram listens to God and leaves in verse 4. Notice the city he leaves, Haran. This too, is an idol worshiping city. It means fruitless or parched in a mountain. God not only calls us from fire and destruction; he calls us from a fruitless place!
COMMAND 2. Abram must renounce his relatives.
Leaving his country wasn’t enough he must also leave his family. The word used here for relatives or kindred is significant. Lot, Abram’s nephew of Abram’s dead brother was like a son to him, was with them in Haran. The Hebrew word for son is BEN which is not used here. That means child of an intimate relationship. Lot is not his son. God says "relatives or kindred" as a direct reference to Lot.
We know that Abraham ends up in two bad situations over Lot. In chapter 13, Satan tries to tempt the two to fight with Lot over land as they were abundantly blessed. In chapter 14, Lot is taken captive in the War of the Kings. Abram attacks in the night and rescues Lot.
So, how many battles are we fighting today because we didn’t obey God completely yesterday?
COMMAND 3. Abram must renounce his father's house.
At this point, his father is dead. This is a reference to all the idolatry and his father's lifestyle.
Did you happen to notice what Abram is told to leave. His country, relatives, and his father's lifestyle. THESE ARE THINGS THAT USUALLY SHAPE AND FORM ONE'S LIFE!! Jesus teaches a similar thing thin the New Testament in Lk 14:26,27
COMMAND 4. Abram must GO!
Just like all God’s other commissions. He must go! Isaiah 6, Mt 10, and Mt 28 all commissions and were told to GO! This is actually the first thing God says to Abram, but I decided to address it last. Now we will look at the promise that is attached to these commands. In verse 2 we see a three-fold promise.
PROMISE 1. It was a national promise.
God said “I will make you a great nation! Where do we see this fulfilled? ISRAELITES!
PROMISE 2. It was a personal promise.
God said "I will bless you." There is no doubt we are so very blessed as God's children.
PROMISE 3. It was an international promise.
In verse 3 God says, "...in you all families of the earth will be blessed."
This promise is amazing. I love the way this promise, and Gen 3:15 shapes our Bible today! If we look at the order of the books of the Bible we see the following:
In Gen we read about how Abram was blessed.
In EX, LEV, NUM, AND DEUT we see the great nation!
In JOS, JUD, AND SO ON we see the land that was given.
Then they get kicked out of that land.
In EZR & NEH they come back.
IN BETWEEN THEM FITS THE BOOKS OF THE PROPHETS.
Finally in the New Testament we see the seed bless all nations.
Also, consider the promise of a great name! Three major religious Books or religions claim and have Abraham as a great person in their Books. Those are JEWS, MUSLIMS, AND CHRISTIANITY
God is faithful to keep His promises. Are faithful to obey Hos commands?
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
Hear The Word- Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4
We Must Believe or Have Faith- Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31
We Must Repent- Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30
We Must Confess Christ Before Others- Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37
We Must Be Immersed Into Christ (Baptized)- 1Pe 3:21; Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38
We Must Remain Faithful- Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22
God's always keeps His promises!
ReplyDeleteAmen!!!
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