The Call of Abraham
Chapter one: THE CALL OF ABRAHAM
ABRAHAM is called the friend of God in three different places in God's word. (Isa.41: 8, 2; 2cor.20: 7; James.2: 23) The Lord Jesus Christ said in John 15.v.15 that he wants his disciples to be his friends. He wants us to know all his hearts secrets, for friendship always becomes stronger as friends share the secrets of their hearts. In Gen.18: 17 God said before he destroyed Sodom and Gomorah "How can I hide this secret from my friend Abraham?"
God wants us to be such friends of His, to whom, as we come under his heavenly plan, He can reveal hidden mysteries. Because we enjoy such fellowship with God, (Matt.13: 17) God intents that the things that are hidden from the wise and prudent should be revealed to us. In 1 Cor.1: 1."The things which the angels desire to look into". Refer to the mysteries, which are hidden from the angels and the God's prophets and great men, yet which are revealed to those who become the friends of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord appeared ten times to Abraham from Genesis 10 onwards. In chapter 12 he appeared twice. At each appearance He revealed a secret of divine a secret of friendship. It is a step revelation (cf. Gen.12: 1). To be true friends of the Lord Jesus Christ we must be delivered from all our old friendships and brought into new friendships. We must be completely plucked out from old friendships. In John 15:19 we realize that we have pulled out by God's mighty hand from the world, and worldly relations and friends, who cannot enjoys this friendship with God.
On many occasions the Lord said one word, or by one touch healed the sick. In the case in Mark.8: 23, however, He led out blind man by hand, showing us by this example how to be true disciple or a friend. Till that day relations or friends had led the blind man. But the day the Lord led him out, He was saying in effect: You must now let me help you and lead you day by day." So He took from old associations, not because He was afraid to perform the miracle, but for a purpose, the very same purpose for which Abraham had been compelled leave his kith and kin, and all his friends, and had been give new revelations. This is the first thing we have to learn if we want to enjoy God's divine friendship.
The Lord promised to Abraham a sevenfold blessing in chapter 12:2,3 " I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee I will make thy name great. Thou shalt be a blessing. I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee: and in thy name shall all the families of the earth be blessed." This sevenfold blessing is intended to any person who desires to be a friend of God. Let us look at it by phase by phase.
"I will make of thee a great nation."- Once you are saved then through you many more may be saved; and through them one by one, many more again may be saved. We shall all become a part of His family, and through our prayers, testimony, love and sacrifice, and other means others may be saved.
" I will bless thee"- We began to receive from God all kinds of eternal and special blessings day by day. Because of the new life and because of his love we have everlasting peace and eternal joy, love and friendship.
"I will make thy name great"- When a man dies he is forgotten completely, no matter how great he might be in this world, but a man who is born again, and all those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, will, at death, be welcomed in heaven as kings and priests.
" Thou shalt be a blessing"- Others on earth will be comforted and strengthened and encouraged through us.
" I will bless them that bless thee" -means exactly what the promise says, and "curse them that curseth thee", is a promise that he will not allow any weapon of the enemy to prosper against us.
" In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." That promise indicates we have a message to all nations. Whenever the Lord may take us, we can give the same gospel and the same message.
This sevenfold blessing is intended for everyone who is prepared to draw out from the world and worldly associations. In verse seven, God again appeared to Abraham. Abraham was learning how to worship God. When he first obeyed God and left everything behind, the Lord appeared to him and taught him how to worship. Now by the alter he was learning the simple lesson that somebody had to die to make him righteous. By ourselves that is by our own effort and labor, none of us becomes righteous. People remained in darkness because they have tried to be righteous by their own efforts. The alter shows the death and the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He came to the world to die in our stead, and for our sins, in order to make us righteous. The more we learned to worship God the more we will release how high a price He had to pay in order to make us righteous. That realization will make us more thankful and helps us to worship with all our hearts.
Because of the famine Abraham took his wife and went to Egypt (v.17). They Were only two in number, and there was a great danger; but God worked on their behalf and intervened and protected them. Similarly, in unseen ways the Lord protects us from many dangers. We do not become supernatural when we are bornagain .we have to face human problems. Our bodies remain bodies of clay and we are to face trails, sorrow and sufferings, sickness and all kinds of disappointments, yet we find God continues to protect us all the time. (1cor.10: 13; 2Cor.2: 9; Psa.24: 7) We need to remember whenever we find ourselves in great danger, temptations and trails due to human weakness that the Lord knows how to protect us.
Because of fear Abraham told a lie, or rather a half lie. He said of Sarah: " She is my sister, and in a way she was his sister (Gen.12: 12). We often in the beginning of any new path we are full of fears, but the Lord in His grace and mercy protects and saves us from these fears. We have to be faithful to Him, trust Him and obey Him. And them we discover step by step growth in spiritual life and faith.