The Call of Abraham

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Introduction: The early history of Abraham (here, Abram) is a striking picture of what it means to leave the world and follow after God. He has delays and setbacks. He sometimes partially obeys and sometimes falls back from where he was. But he always finds a way with God’s help to get back on track. There is much we can learn from him.

I.           ABRAM’S FAMILY LINE (Genesis 11:26-32) 

A.    Family Members (v.26-30) 

1.   Father – Terah (v.26)

a.    Takes family from Ur to Haran (v.31)

b.    Dies in Haran (v.32; Ac.7:2-4)

2.   Brothers

a.    Haran

(1)  Dies in Ur (v.28)

(2)  City of Haran named after him (v.31)

(3)  Father of Lot (v.31)

b.    Nahor

(1)   Marries Milchah (v.29)

(2)   Dwells in Haran (v.31)

(3)   Father of Bethuel

(4)   Grandfather of Laban and Rebekah

(5)   Great grandfather of Leah and Rachel

3.   Nephew – Lot (v.27)

4.   Wife – Sarai (v.29)

a.    His half-sister (Gen.20:12)

b.    She had no child (v.30) 

B.    The Trip to Haran (v.31-32) 

1.   They came from Ur of the Chaldees (v.31)

a.    An ancient city-state in Mesopotamia on the Euphrates River

b.    Not too far from Babylon, the location of the confusing of the tongues and the scattering of the people (Gen.11:8-9)

c.    A place of idolatry (Josh.24:2)

2.   They left after Abram’s call (Gen.12:1 with Ac.7:2-4)

3.   They stopped at Haran (v.31)

a.    Located in upper Mesopotamia

b.    About halfway between Ur and the land later known as Israel

c.    NOTE: Not only did Abram stop when he was only halfway to where God wanted him, he also brought his family with him (see Gen.12:1) 

II.          ABRAM’S DIVINE CALL (Genesis 12:1-9) 

A.    The Fourfold Call (v.1) 

1.   Out of thy country

2.   From thy kindred

3.   From thy father’s house

4.   Unto a land that I will shew thee

5.   NOTE: It was not until Abram completed the first three commands (by separating from Lot) that God actually showed him the land that He had promised him (see Gen.13:14-15). When we refuse to complete what God has clearly shown us, we miss out on blessings He has for us. 

B.    The Sevenfold Promise (v.2-3) 

1.   I will make of thee a great nation

2.   I will bless thee

3.   I will make thy name great

4.   Thou shalt be a blessing

5.   I will bless them that bless thee

6.   I will curse him that curseth thee

7.   In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed

8.   NOTE: This promise has never been done away with or disannulled (see Gal.3:15-18). 

C.    Abram’s Sojourning in the Land of Canaan (v.4-9) 

1.   He comes to Canaan (v.4-5)

a.    At age 75 (v.4)

b.    With Sarai and Lot

2.   In the place called Sichem (v.6-7)

a.    God appears to him again

b.    He builds an altar to the Lord

3.   Between Bethel and Hai (v.8)

a.    He builds an altar

b.    He calls on the name of the Lord

    4.  He journeys on to the south (v.9) 

III.         ABRAM’S JOURNEY INTO EGYPT (Genesis 12:10-20) 

A.    Abram Journeys to Egypt (v.10-13) 

1.   He goes because of a famine in Canaan (v.10)

2.   He worries about his wife (v.11-12)

a.    She is very beautiful (v.11)

b.    He is afraid the Egyptians will kill him in order to get her (v.12)

3.   He instructs her to tell the Egyptians that she is only his sister (v.13)

4.   NOTE: In this, the first mention of Egypt in the Bible (v.10), Abram goes “down into Egypt.” Throughout the Bible, Egypt is a type of the world. The Israelites are in captivity in Egypt and must be redeemed from the land in Exodus. Isaiah (31:1) says, “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help.” This theme is continued throughout the Bible. Even in this story, Abram builds an altar at Bethel (v.8). However, there is not another altar until Abram comes back to Bethel after he leaves Egypt (13:3-4). 

B.    Abram in Egypt (v.14-17) 

1.   Sarai taken into Pharaoh’s house (v.14-15)

2.   Abram treated well for Sarai’s sake (v.16)

3.   Pharoah’s house plagued because of Sarai (v.17) 

C.    Abram Sent From Egypt (v.18-20) 

1.   Pharaoh reprimands Abram (v.18-19)

2.   Pharaoh sends Abram away (v.20) 

IV.        ABRAM’S SEPARATION FROM LOT (Genesis 13:1-18) 

A.    Abram Return to Bethel (v.1-4) 

1.   Abram comes out of Egypt as a rich man (v.1-2)

2.   Abram return to Bethel and builds an altar (v.3-4)

3.   Bethel means “house of God”

4.   For centuries, preachers have used Bethel as a picture of those who come back to God after leaving Him and getting in the world. Perhaps you have a student who needs to come back to Bethel. 

B.    Abram and Lot Separate (v.5-13) 

1.   There is strife between Lot’s herdmen and Abram’s herdmen (v.5-7)

2.   Abram offers Lot the first choice in the part of the land he wants (v.8-9; compare Rom.12:18)

3.   Lot chooses the plain of Jordan (v.10-11)

4.   Lot pitches his tent toward Sodom (v.12-13)

5.   NOTE: Lot made his choice on worldly terms and he paid the price later. He was drawn to the wicked men of Sodom (v.13) and ended up losing his family and his wealth (chapter 19). Many people today love the things of the world and are drawn to them but do they realize the price that must be paid for this love? [As a curiosity, Genesis 13:13 has 13 words.] 

C.    God Shows the Promised Land to Abram (v.14-18) 

1.   God renews His promise of the land (v.14-15)

2.   God renews His promise of a seed (v.16)

3.   God tells Abram to survey the land (v.17)

4.   Abram makes his base in Hebron (v.18) 

Conclusion: Abraham never took possession of the promised land while he lived on this earth (see Heb.11:8-16). Yet, he never stopped surveying it and seeking for it. He will yet get his land. In like manner, much of what we seek for will not be received in this life. But it is still worth the seeking. Let us rise and go after that for which God called us. Let us apprehend that for which also we were apprehended (Phil.3:12-14).

MEMORY VERSES:

1. Philippians 3:14

2. Genesis 12:3

3. Genesis 13:13