Part of God's promises to Abram consist of the assurance that He would bless him. I know it is tempting to look for temporal blessings and indeed, God does bless Abram in this manner. Sometimes this is in spite of Abram's behavior. For the next thing that we are told about Abram, in Genesis 12:10-20, is that he decides to leave the promised land for Egypt. Now, to be fair, on an intellectual level this is not a bad idea, for there is a famine in the land, and the Nile is a reliable source of water, and thus, sustenance. However, Abram has forgotten that God has promised to bless him. Abram has not yet learned that God is quite able to provide for him. In fact, Abram decides that he also needs to lie in order to protect his life. Realizing that the Egyptians can not help but notice that his wife is very attractive, Abram assumes that they will kill him in order to get him out of the way. So he asks Sarai to tell everyone that he is her brother.
Of course, when the couple arrive in Egypt, Sarai's beauty is immediately noticed, and Pharaoh's officials sing her praises until the Pharaoh sees to it that she is taken into the palace. In that culture, the brother of a woman often acted in a protective way and also had considerable say in choosing her husband, so Abram is treated well and acquires sheep, cattle, donkeys, male and female servants and camels as gifts. These were considered the wealth of a person, so Abram is doing very well materially. However, he finds himself without his precious wife. I don't mean to be sacrilegious, and it doesn't say so in Scripture, but I believe Abraham is kicking himself at this point. Lying and relying on himself for his family's protection has certainly seriously backfired. He probably never envisioned things progressing to this point. However, sin has a destructive way of infiltrating even the lives of those around us, and engulfing everything in its path.
"But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife Sarai." (Genesis 12:17 NIV) Apparently God was not pleased with the security arrangements which Abram had made. On an even more serious level, the plan of God for the salvation of the world was in danger of being interrupted. Of course, God is never limited. He could choose any line of human descendants to bring the Messiah. However, He has already chosen this line and committed Himself to Abram, so God intervenes.
We are not told exactly how these 'serious diseases' manifested themselves: illness? miscarriages? Whatever it was, Pharaoh seemed to know exactly who to confront with the problem. Egyptian ethics placed great value upon truthfulness. We can hear the indignation in Pharaoh's voice as he asks, "Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!" (Genesis 12:18-19 NIV)
Actually, things had been even worse than Abraham knew. With the benefit of hindsight, we know why God took this separation of Sarai from Abraham very seriously. Although Abraham didn't know it, the plan of God regarding the Savior/Messiah who was to come had been in serious jeopardy, at least from a human point of view. For if Abraham had lost Sarai to Pharaoh, how could all nations of the earth have been blessed through his descendants?!
Fortunately, God is absolutely faithful about keeping His commitments. Verse 20 of Genesis 12, and Genesis 13:1 indicate that Pharaoh sent Abram off with all of the gifts which he had been given. However, although Abram probably didn't realize it until much later, God's protective covenant relationship with Abram was his greatest treasure. He was indeed blessed.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Genesis 12:2 A Great Nation
"The Lord had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation...'." Genesis 12:1-2 (NIV)
Imagine Abram's thoughts when he first found out what God had promised him. He and his wife are old, and childless, yet here God is promising him not only an heir, but a nation, and a great one at that. He must have been thrilled, and puzzled. How would God bring this about? The seventy-five year old Abram set off for Canaan with his wife and nephew Lot and their possessions and servants. At Shechem, an important Canaanite city and the site of the great tree of Moreh, the Lord appears to Abram and tells him that He will give this land to Abram's offspring. (v.7) Abram builds an altar to the LORD, as if to acknowledge that he is continuing to trust and to serve the true God. He continues to travel until he comes to the place between Bethel (north of Jerusalem) and Ai, where he builds another altar. He builds several more of these altars as he travels (see Chapters 15, 18, 17, and 22), probably both to use for worship and also as if to say that this land belongs to God.
Flash forward to the present, where Israel is indeed a great nation, both in numbers and in its contributions to the world. More on this later. God always keeps His promises.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Genesis 12: God's Promises to Abram
God now outlines the benefits which Abram will receive from following Him:
There is a sevenfold structure to these promises. I will take it piece by piece and discuss each part.
1) I will make you into a great nation.
2) I will bless you.
3) I will make your name great.
4) You will be a blessing.
5) I will bless those who bless you.
6) Whoever curses you I will curse.
7) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
I remember that when I first read these promises, some of them sounded redundant, like they were just repeating the fact that Abram would be blessed. However, there are subtle differences. I will explain each one, and hopefully, not bore you to death with the details. Not that the details are boring -- just that I hope I can express them in a way that is interesting and accurate. I think we should be excited at this point, because God is beginning to explain exactly what it is that He is doing. Some of these things will take years to accomplish. However, God always keeps His promises. If Abram could have seen the entire picture of what God was planning, he would have been overwhelmed. Living in these days when we can see more of what God did through Abraham and what He was planning, we, also, could be astounded. Then, when we realize that we, too, do not see the entire picture yet, well....
"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
Genesis 12: 2-3 (NIV)
There is a sevenfold structure to these promises. I will take it piece by piece and discuss each part.
1) I will make you into a great nation.
2) I will bless you.
3) I will make your name great.
4) You will be a blessing.
5) I will bless those who bless you.
6) Whoever curses you I will curse.
7) All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.
I remember that when I first read these promises, some of them sounded redundant, like they were just repeating the fact that Abram would be blessed. However, there are subtle differences. I will explain each one, and hopefully, not bore you to death with the details. Not that the details are boring -- just that I hope I can express them in a way that is interesting and accurate. I think we should be excited at this point, because God is beginning to explain exactly what it is that He is doing. Some of these things will take years to accomplish. However, God always keeps His promises. If Abram could have seen the entire picture of what God was planning, he would have been overwhelmed. Living in these days when we can see more of what God did through Abraham and what He was planning, we, also, could be astounded. Then, when we realize that we, too, do not see the entire picture yet, well....
Genesis 12: Why leave Ur?
In my previous post, I discussed how we seldom think about the real-life implications of Abraham's (actually, at this point he is still called 'Abram', because God hasn't changed his name yet) obedience to God. He had to leave everything that was familiar and set out to follow God to an unknown place. If you have searched out information about Ur, where Abraham had lived, you have seen that he was leaving quite a significant city. Why did God make him leave in the first place? Aside from the obvious test of obedience that this action entailed, in the thinking of people in those times, a 'god' was usually associated with a place and a person or group of people -- like, say, the god of a certain city, or of the mountain, or of the desert, or of a certain family. Ur, for example, was known as the city of the moon 'god'. In this case, God is calling Abram to be the head of a people who will worship Him as the only true God, in a place which God will claim for His own. This would make perfect sense to the people who held such a mindset. It didn't make it any easier to leave, mind you, but Abram would know that in order to follow this God, he would have to go to wherever God commanded him to go. Of course, God is the creator and God of the whole world, but He would in some way be especially connected to the land where He was leading Abram. So Abram goes. He begins to follow the light which God has given him, and steps out of his idolatrous past and into the beginning of what God has promised him.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Genesis 12: The call of Abram
Genesis 12 is a pivotal chapter in the book of Genesis. First, (v.1) we are reminded that God has called Abram to leave his country, his people and his father's household and go to the land He would show Abram. Can we stop there a second? Sometimes we read things in the Bible and just coast right past them, forgetting that the individuals mentioned in the Biblical accounts were actual human beings, with the same attachments to home and family that we have. How would you respond if God asked you to leave country, people and relatives behind?
Also, God never told Abram beforehand just where it was that they were going. Leave everything behind and go 'who-knows-where'! Hebrews 11 in the New Testament is a chapter which outlines many examples of people who were fine examples of faith. Not surprisingly, Abraham figures prominently in this chapter. (See verses 8-19, which make up more than a quarter of the chapter!).
Remember, too, that Abram was not just some wandering herdsman. He had come from Ur, which was an impressive city for its time. (Look up "Ur" in your favorite search engine for some really interesting facts about this city. Look for information about how Ur was the city associated with the moon 'god', about the burial customs there, about the jewelry and pottery found in excavations, about its literature and history. Plenty of maps and pictures seem to be available, too.)
Also, God never told Abram beforehand just where it was that they were going. Leave everything behind and go 'who-knows-where'! Hebrews 11 in the New Testament is a chapter which outlines many examples of people who were fine examples of faith. Not surprisingly, Abraham figures prominently in this chapter. (See verses 8-19, which make up more than a quarter of the chapter!).
Remember, too, that Abram was not just some wandering herdsman. He had come from Ur, which was an impressive city for its time. (Look up "Ur" in your favorite search engine for some really interesting facts about this city. Look for information about how Ur was the city associated with the moon 'god', about the burial customs there, about the jewelry and pottery found in excavations, about its literature and history. Plenty of maps and pictures seem to be available, too.)
Friday, March 19, 2010
Recap: Shem to Abram
Here are some genealogical facts presented in Genesis 11:10-32. Although the line of Shem had already been covered in Genesis 10, the account had only gone up to the point of Peleg and Joktan (Genesis 10:25-26). Then the account of the Tower of Babel intervened. Now, in Genesis 11:10-32, the information about the line of Shem is recapped (with some new information), and, at the point where Peleg comes in, Joktan is not mentioned, because his descendants had already been covered in Genesis 10:25-26 and also, now the line which leads to the promised Messiah is being emphasized.
We are informed that two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he has a son named Arphaxad. Shem then lives for 500 more years, and has other sons and daughters.
When Arphaxad is only 35 years old, he fathers Shelah. Arphaxad lives 403 more years and also has other children.
When Shelah is 30, he fathers Eber. Shelah also lives 403 more years and has other children.
When Eber is 34, he has Peleg. He has other children during the following 430 years.
Peleg, at 30, becomes the father of Reu. He lives 209 more years, and has other offspring.
Reu, at 32 years of age, fathers Serug, and then lives for 207 more years and has other sons and daughters.
Serug, at 30, becomes the father of Nahor. The he lives 200 more years and has other sons and daughters.
When Nahor is 29, he becomes the father of Terah. He has other children during the remaining 119 years of his life.
Terah, at 70 years old, becomes the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. (Wonder if they were triplets, or if it just means that by the time Terah was 70, he had these three sons?) At any rate, the account has now narrowed considerably, to a particular family. Terah's son Haran dies before his father does, in Ur, the land of his birth. However, first he has a son named Lot. (v.27) Apparently, he also has at least two daughters, for we are told that he is the father of Milcah and Iscah. (v.29) Terah's son Abram marries Sarai (whose parents are not mentioned), and Nahor marries Milcah. Terah takes Abram, Sarai, and his grandson Lot, and moves from Ur to a place named Haran. (Yes, this seems to be a genealogist's nightmare, to have 1) an endogenous marriage and 2) a person and town with the same name in one account! However, in Hebrew, the name of the person and of the town are spelled differently, so that would help a bit.) Apparently, Terah's original destination was Canaan (v.31), but they stop in Haran. Terah lives to be 205, and he dies in Haran. (The place. Haran the son is already dead before Terah's trip started.) Other tidbits about Terah: Joshua 24:2 lets us know that Terah originally lived beyond the River (Euphrates) and worshipped other gods. The moon god was worshipped at Ur and also at Haran. We do not know if Terah at first intended to follow the true God when God revealed His plan for Abraham to leave his people and country and go to a place which God would show him. The account of Abraham's call comes up in Genesis 12, but Acts 7:2-4 asserts that God had spoken to Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia. It says:
"...The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. 'Leave your country and your people' God said, 'and go to the land I will show you.' So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living." (Israel, or, as it was known at that time, Canaan)
So, either Abraham had shared what God had said to him with Terah, and Terah went with Abram, Sarai and Lot to Haran as a step of obedience, but then died in Haran, OR Terah began well by leaving Ur and then could not take the final step of leaving his moon 'god' behind, and remained in Haran (and in his idolatry), where such a 'god' was worshipped. Then God continued to lead Abram on to Canaan after Terah's death. Or, perhaps it is something totally different. The account does say in verse 31-32 that "Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there." (Genesis 11.31-31 NIV) It is pretty sobering to think that perhaps Terah began to follow the light of the knowledge of the true God and then chose to remain in darkness. Whatever Terah thought he could not leave behind in Haran could not begin to equal what he may have had by following the true God. Not to even mention the eternal consequences. May we always follow the light we have been given so that we may receive further light to guide us until we are home with God.
We are informed that two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he has a son named Arphaxad. Shem then lives for 500 more years, and has other sons and daughters.
When Arphaxad is only 35 years old, he fathers Shelah. Arphaxad lives 403 more years and also has other children.
When Shelah is 30, he fathers Eber. Shelah also lives 403 more years and has other children.
When Eber is 34, he has Peleg. He has other children during the following 430 years.
Peleg, at 30, becomes the father of Reu. He lives 209 more years, and has other offspring.
Reu, at 32 years of age, fathers Serug, and then lives for 207 more years and has other sons and daughters.
Serug, at 30, becomes the father of Nahor. The he lives 200 more years and has other sons and daughters.
When Nahor is 29, he becomes the father of Terah. He has other children during the remaining 119 years of his life.
Terah, at 70 years old, becomes the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. (Wonder if they were triplets, or if it just means that by the time Terah was 70, he had these three sons?) At any rate, the account has now narrowed considerably, to a particular family. Terah's son Haran dies before his father does, in Ur, the land of his birth. However, first he has a son named Lot. (v.27) Apparently, he also has at least two daughters, for we are told that he is the father of Milcah and Iscah. (v.29) Terah's son Abram marries Sarai (whose parents are not mentioned), and Nahor marries Milcah. Terah takes Abram, Sarai, and his grandson Lot, and moves from Ur to a place named Haran. (Yes, this seems to be a genealogist's nightmare, to have 1) an endogenous marriage and 2) a person and town with the same name in one account! However, in Hebrew, the name of the person and of the town are spelled differently, so that would help a bit.) Apparently, Terah's original destination was Canaan (v.31), but they stop in Haran. Terah lives to be 205, and he dies in Haran. (The place. Haran the son is already dead before Terah's trip started.) Other tidbits about Terah: Joshua 24:2 lets us know that Terah originally lived beyond the River (Euphrates) and worshipped other gods. The moon god was worshipped at Ur and also at Haran. We do not know if Terah at first intended to follow the true God when God revealed His plan for Abraham to leave his people and country and go to a place which God would show him. The account of Abraham's call comes up in Genesis 12, but Acts 7:2-4 asserts that God had spoken to Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia. It says:
"...The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. 'Leave your country and your people' God said, 'and go to the land I will show you.' So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living." (Israel, or, as it was known at that time, Canaan)
So, either Abraham had shared what God had said to him with Terah, and Terah went with Abram, Sarai and Lot to Haran as a step of obedience, but then died in Haran, OR Terah began well by leaving Ur and then could not take the final step of leaving his moon 'god' behind, and remained in Haran (and in his idolatry), where such a 'god' was worshipped. Then God continued to lead Abram on to Canaan after Terah's death. Or, perhaps it is something totally different. The account does say in verse 31-32 that "Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there." (Genesis 11.31-31 NIV) It is pretty sobering to think that perhaps Terah began to follow the light of the knowledge of the true God and then chose to remain in darkness. Whatever Terah thought he could not leave behind in Haran could not begin to equal what he may have had by following the true God. Not to even mention the eternal consequences. May we always follow the light we have been given so that we may receive further light to guide us until we are home with God.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
The Tower of Babel
The account of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11 is one of those Bible stories which many people seem to have heard at some point in their lives. The world at first had a common language. Verse 2 states that people moved eastward and settled on a plain in Shinar (Babylon). Although God had told Noah (and by implication, his descendants) to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1), the people decided to build a city with a tower which "reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."(Genesis 11:4 NIV) This may have seemed like a logical thing to do. After all, there is strength in numbers. However, the very tone of this story in Genesis 11 is one of rebellion and pride. They knew God wanted them to move out and fill the earth. Instead, they sought a name for themselves, and tried to accomplish this in their own strength.
God saw what they were doing, and their lack of regard for His ways. He knew that united as they were, they would go on to accomplish even greater (and simultaneously, worse) things. In mercy, He confused their languages so that they would not understand each other. It became impossible to continue their project, and the peoples scattered. Babel, which in its Akkadian origin means 'gateway to a god', took on the meaning of a Hebrew word which sounds similar -- balal -- that is, 'confused'. Unless you live in a very insular community, you have probably experienced an occasion of hearing others speaking animatedly in a different language while you remain unable to understand it yourself. It is very easy to become frustrated and angry when you can't express the things which need to be expressed. It is not difficult to imagine the frustration these proud builders experienced, and to understand why the different groups soon scattered over the face of the whole earth.
God saw what they were doing, and their lack of regard for His ways. He knew that united as they were, they would go on to accomplish even greater (and simultaneously, worse) things. In mercy, He confused their languages so that they would not understand each other. It became impossible to continue their project, and the peoples scattered. Babel, which in its Akkadian origin means 'gateway to a god', took on the meaning of a Hebrew word which sounds similar -- balal -- that is, 'confused'. Unless you live in a very insular community, you have probably experienced an occasion of hearing others speaking animatedly in a different language while you remain unable to understand it yourself. It is very easy to become frustrated and angry when you can't express the things which need to be expressed. It is not difficult to imagine the frustration these proud builders experienced, and to understand why the different groups soon scattered over the face of the whole earth.
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