Genesis 12: God Promises a Nation to Abram
Genesis chapter 12 tells us the story of Abram. It shows us what God is promising to Abram and what his calling is in the generations to come. Let's begin...
The Lord told Abram, "Leave your country, your family, and your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12: 1-3)
Let's recap.
When God called him, Abram moved out in faith from Ur to Haran and finally to Canaan. God then established a covenant (there's that word again) with Abram, telling him that he would found a great nation. Not only would this nation be blessed, God said, but the other nations of the earth would be blessed through
Abram's descendants. Israel, the nation that would come from Abram, was to follow God and influence those whom it came in contact. Through Abram's family tree, Jesus Christ was born to save humanity. Through Christ, people can have a personal relationship with God and be blessed beyond measure.
Cool huh...
Back to the story...
So Abram departed as the Lord instructed him, and Lot went with him. Abram took his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth, his livestock and all the people who had joined his household at Haran, and finally arrived in Canaan. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, " I am going to give this land to your offspring." And Abram built an altar there to commemorate the Lord's visit. After that, Abram traveled southward and set up camp in the hill country between Bethel and Ai. There he built an altar and worshiped the Lord. Then Abram traveled south by stages toward the Negev.
Why did Abram built an altar for the Lord? Altars were used in many religions, but for God's people, altars were more than places of sacrifice. For them, altars symbolized communion with God and commemorated notable encounters with him. Built of rough stones and earth, altars often remained in place for years as continual reminders of God's protection and promises.
Abram regularly built altars to God for two reasons: (1) for prayer and worship and (2) as reminders of God's promise to bless him. Abram couldn't survive spiritually without regularly renewing his love and loyalty to God. Building altars helped Abram remember that God was at the center of his life. Regular worship helps us remember what God desires and motivates us to obey him.
This part of the chapter is when Abram and Sarah goes to Egypt cause there was great famine in the land. When the famine struck, Abram went to Egypt where there was food. Why would there be famine in the land where God had just called Abram? This was a test of Abram's faith, and Abram passed. He didn't question God's leading when facing his difficulty. Many believers find that when they determine to follow God, they immediately encounter great obstacles. The next time you face such a test, don't try to second-guess what God is doing. Use the intelligence God gave you, as Abram did when he temporarily moved to Egypt, and wait for new opportunities.
As Abram and Sarah was approaching the borders of Egypt, Abram said to Sarah, "You are a very beautiful woman. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife. Let's kill him; then we can have her!' But if you are my sister, then the Egyptians will treat me well because of their interest in you, and they will spare my life."
And sure enough, when they arrived in Egypt, everyone spoke of her beauty. When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to their king, the pharaoh, and she was taken into his harem. Then Pharaoh gave Abram gifts because of her. Sheep, cattle, donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.
What you think the Lord was thinking when all this was happening?
The Lord sent a terrible plague upon Pharaoh's household because of Sarah, Abram's wife. So Pharaoh called for Abram and accused him sharply. "What is this you have done to me?" he demanded. " Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? Why were you willing to let me marry her, saying she was your sister? Here is your wife! Take her and be gone!" Pharaoh then sent them out of the country under armed escort. Abram and his wife, with all their household and belongings.
Abram, acting out of fear, asked Sarah to tell a half-truth by saying she was his sister. She was his half-sister (see 20:12), but she was also his wife.
Abram's intent was to deceive the Egyptians. He feared that if they knew the truth, they would kill him to get to Sarah. She would have been a desirable addition to Pharaoh's harem because of her wealth, beauty, and potential for political alliance. As Sarah's brother, Abram would have been given a place of honor. As her husband, however, his life would be in danger because Sarah could not enter Pharaoh's harem unless Abram was dead. So Abram lost faith in God's protection, even after all God had promised him, and told a half-truth. This shows how lying compounds the effects of sin. When he lied, Abram's problems multiplied.
The Lord told Abram, "Leave your country, your family, and your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12: 1-3)
Let's recap.
When God called him, Abram moved out in faith from Ur to Haran and finally to Canaan. God then established a covenant (there's that word again) with Abram, telling him that he would found a great nation. Not only would this nation be blessed, God said, but the other nations of the earth would be blessed through
Abram's descendants. Israel, the nation that would come from Abram, was to follow God and influence those whom it came in contact. Through Abram's family tree, Jesus Christ was born to save humanity. Through Christ, people can have a personal relationship with God and be blessed beyond measure.
Cool huh...
Back to the story...
So Abram departed as the Lord instructed him, and Lot went with him. Abram took his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth, his livestock and all the people who had joined his household at Haran, and finally arrived in Canaan. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, " I am going to give this land to your offspring." And Abram built an altar there to commemorate the Lord's visit. After that, Abram traveled southward and set up camp in the hill country between Bethel and Ai. There he built an altar and worshiped the Lord. Then Abram traveled south by stages toward the Negev.
Why did Abram built an altar for the Lord? Altars were used in many religions, but for God's people, altars were more than places of sacrifice. For them, altars symbolized communion with God and commemorated notable encounters with him. Built of rough stones and earth, altars often remained in place for years as continual reminders of God's protection and promises.
Abram regularly built altars to God for two reasons: (1) for prayer and worship and (2) as reminders of God's promise to bless him. Abram couldn't survive spiritually without regularly renewing his love and loyalty to God. Building altars helped Abram remember that God was at the center of his life. Regular worship helps us remember what God desires and motivates us to obey him.
This part of the chapter is when Abram and Sarah goes to Egypt cause there was great famine in the land. When the famine struck, Abram went to Egypt where there was food. Why would there be famine in the land where God had just called Abram? This was a test of Abram's faith, and Abram passed. He didn't question God's leading when facing his difficulty. Many believers find that when they determine to follow God, they immediately encounter great obstacles. The next time you face such a test, don't try to second-guess what God is doing. Use the intelligence God gave you, as Abram did when he temporarily moved to Egypt, and wait for new opportunities.
As Abram and Sarah was approaching the borders of Egypt, Abram said to Sarah, "You are a very beautiful woman. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife. Let's kill him; then we can have her!' But if you are my sister, then the Egyptians will treat me well because of their interest in you, and they will spare my life."
And sure enough, when they arrived in Egypt, everyone spoke of her beauty. When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to their king, the pharaoh, and she was taken into his harem. Then Pharaoh gave Abram gifts because of her. Sheep, cattle, donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.
What you think the Lord was thinking when all this was happening?
The Lord sent a terrible plague upon Pharaoh's household because of Sarah, Abram's wife. So Pharaoh called for Abram and accused him sharply. "What is this you have done to me?" he demanded. " Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? Why were you willing to let me marry her, saying she was your sister? Here is your wife! Take her and be gone!" Pharaoh then sent them out of the country under armed escort. Abram and his wife, with all their household and belongings.
Abram, acting out of fear, asked Sarah to tell a half-truth by saying she was his sister. She was his half-sister (see 20:12), but she was also his wife.
Abram's intent was to deceive the Egyptians. He feared that if they knew the truth, they would kill him to get to Sarah. She would have been a desirable addition to Pharaoh's harem because of her wealth, beauty, and potential for political alliance. As Sarah's brother, Abram would have been given a place of honor. As her husband, however, his life would be in danger because Sarah could not enter Pharaoh's harem unless Abram was dead. So Abram lost faith in God's protection, even after all God had promised him, and told a half-truth. This shows how lying compounds the effects of sin. When he lied, Abram's problems multiplied.
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