Lights of the World: Abraham

Part 1

Abraham was reared in the city of Ur (Genesis 11:27-31), in the land of the Chaldeans. The city of Ur was dedicated to Nannar, the moon god. The city was laid out like a medieval castle; its inner fortress was the temple of the moon god, but the ziggurat was the city’s chief splendor. Nannar was considered the king and the landlord of the people In the book Archaeology and the Old Testament by Unger, it is said that the moon god “owned their farms, their shops and their wealth.” But there were other gods too, and their temples and shrines were scattered throughout the city.

Abraham’s family did not escape the corruptions of idolatry. Terah, his father, “served other gods.” (Joshua 24:2) There is no disputing that what we become as adult has been is largely influenced by how we were raised. The Bible teaches this: (Proverbs 22:6) Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it. But just because we were raised in a certain way doesn’t mean that as adults we can’t learn better or worse? Though raised by godly parents many have chosen not to walk in the way of righteousness as adults; they chose the path of death instead. Likewise, children who were raised by ungodly parents – parents who have no fear of God, no love for righteousness – can and do chose the way of righteousness as adults. Just because you were raised a certain way doesn’t mean that as an adult you cannot chose better or worse.

Abraham was born in a city of idolaters and was raised by a man who “served other gods.” Yet he himself chose to serve Jehovah; and he made this choice while living in his father’s house, while living in a city of idolaters. For according to Stephen it was while living in Mesopotamia that God first called Abraham to “go to a land that I will show you.”

Acts 7:2-4 … "Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, 'LEAVE YOUR COUNTRY AND YOUR RELATIVES, AND COME INTO THE LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU.' Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. From there, after his father died, God had him move to this country in which you are now living.

After the death of Terah the Lord once again spoke to Abraham saying: (Genesis 12:1) "Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you." In speaking of Abraham’s response to this calling the Hebrew writer says: (Hebrews 1:8) "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going."

Abraham made his decision to believe God – to trust Him – even while living among idolaters. Furthermore, once he understood that it was the will of the Lord that he leave his country, his relatives and his father’s house he left “not knowing where he was going.” What might his family thought of this? They must have thought that he had lost his mind! But his faith in Jehovah gave him confidence; it enabled him to see beyond what human sight perceives.

There were certainly objections that Abraham might have offered had he been inclined to do so. He might have reasons that God's plan was too inconvenient. But faith is based on conviction not convenience. He might have argued that the sacrifice was too burdensome. However, true faith concentrates on the promises of God, not on what we are required to give up. Abraham might have pleaded that there was danger involved in accepting God's assignment. A stranger in a foreign land could appear vulnerable to hostile inhabitants. But Abraham had the protection of the Almighty. One one occasion God told him: (Genesis 15:1) "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great."

Abraham tore himself from his family and familiar surroundings. He trusted in the Lord to guide, protect and sustain him in a strange land. God's directive was: "Get your of your country...." By faith Abraham "went out," he obey God. And mind you, it was this obedience which perfected his faith - which completed it and caused him to be justified. As James says: (James 2:22) "You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected." Any faith that does not produce obedience is a faith good for nothing. It is not a justifying faith. It is not a faith that saves. For it is written: (James 2:14, 17, 20, 26) "What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? ... Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. ... But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? ... For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead."

But Abraham's decision to believe God also caused him to believe when, from a human standpoint, it appeared to be a hopeless cause.

(Romans 4:18-20) In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE." Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God.

This man of God believed even when he did not understand how God would fulfill His word. We see this in regard to the birth of Isaac. However, it was also this way with God told him to sacrifice his son - the son of promise. How could God fulfill His promise if he obeyed this command? Abraham thought of a way, but in the end he was wrong: (Hebrews 11:17-19) "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, "IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED." He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type."

A person of faith is not only known by what he does, but also by the way he waits. Patient waiting is an essential ingredient of faith. This was a lesson learned by Abraham. For though God made promises to give him the land of Canaan, to make him into a great and mighty nation and to bless all the world through his seed, Abraham (like the other patriarchs): (Hebrews 11:13-16) "... died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them."

Abraham could have stopped believing had he wanted to; he could have returned to the land from whence he came. But he had no desire to turn back. This shows the depth of his faith. It was one thing to launch out with God, but it was quite another thing for him to continue with Him, especially when it became evident that he would not live to see any of God's promises fulfilled. But even when this became evident the patriarch: (Romans 4:20-21) "... did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform." Abraham's initial decision to believe God and his determination to continue to believe affected the whole course of his life, left its mark on Old Testament history, and set an example for all future believers.

• Following in the Steps of Abraham's Faith

We are all being called to imitate Abraham - to make a decision to believe God and, afterward to walk in the steps of his faith (cf., John 8:39). But unless we believe in Jesus, our faith in God is nothing but a pious fraud. It is as Jesus told the Jews: (John 8:19a) "You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also." In another place Jesus also said: (John 12:44-45) "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me." One cannot know the Father without knowing the Son. John repeats this truth in his first epistle: 1 John 2:22-23) "Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also."

It is our faith in Jesus that gives us the right/power to become a son of God (John 1:12). But it is only after our faith causes us to be baptized that we actually become His child: (Galatians 3:26-27) "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." But once we make the decision to believe God - to be immersed into Christ - we must continue to live by faith; to walk in faith. It was Jesus who first said: (John 8:39) "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham." Paul also said that Abraham is the father of those "who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised" (Romans 4:12)

Abraham;s initial decision to believe God and to keep on believing affected the whole course of his life. It will be the same for us if we follow in his steps. Our lives will be different from those living about us because from henceforth we will be listening to the sound of a different drummer - Jesus Christ. Our friends will not understand why you attend assembly every Sunday and why you go to Bible class in the mid-week and why you read and meditate daily upon the scriptures. They will not understand why you no longer drink, why you no longer fornicate and why you no longer cuss with them. They will accuse you of being brainwashed - of being a religious fanatic and they may even speak evil of you. (cf. 1 Peter 4:3-5). But I imagine that the world teated Abraham in much the same way.

We too live in the midst of an unbelieving people, a people who worship many gods: pleasure, money and earthly wisdom, with a little dab of God just in case. Like Abraham God is calling us to: (2 Corinthians 6:17) "Come out from among them and be separate." To those who heed this call God promises: (2 Corinthians 6:16, 18) "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. ... I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me ...."

What choice shall you make? Will you follow in the steps of the faith of Abraham - a light of the world? Will you walk the path he walked, a path that will eventually take you into the presence of his God? Or shall you decide on another road? You have no other choices to chose from. I pray that you will choose well.