God Calls Abram

Reading: Genesis 12

After the flood the world gradually became full of people again, but they were still wicked and did not obey God. There was one man, however, who was different. His name was Abram and he believed in and trusted the One True God.

Abram lived in Ur of the Chaldees, a fine city situated on the banks of the River Euphrates. Many sailing vessels came to Ur bringing goods from distant lands and rich and wealthy citizens like Abram lived in large comfortable houses.

But the people were idolatrous - they worshipped many false gods - and Abram was surrounded by wickedness in his family as well as in the city.

One day God gave Abram a special message. He told Abram to leave the country he lived in, to leave his home, friends and family, and to go to another land far away - a place God would show him. Abram did not know where this land was but he trusted God would be with him and show him the way. He had faith in god.

So Abram, his wife Sarai, his father Terah and his nephew Lot, with their many servants, flocks and herds, set out on the long journey. They probably followed the course of the River Euphrates as they travelled northwest, eventually arriving at a place called Haran where Terah died.

Abram then set off again with Sarai and Lot, travelling slowly with their many flocks and herds, servants and herdsmen, always moving nearer to the land of Canaan. At last they reached a place called Shechem and here God spoke to Abram again. This was the land, God told him, that He promised to give him. One day it would belong to Abram and to his family and it would belong to them forever.

And that wasn't all. God also promised Abram that He would

1) make Abram a great nation
2) bless him and make his name great
3) bless those who blessed him and curse those who cursed him
4) bless all the nations of the earth through Abram, and
5) give the land to his descendants.

What a wonderful promise! Of course, the land does not yet belong to Abram forever, but God does not break His promises and when He sends Jesus back to the earth, Abram will be raised from the dead and be given the land as God had promised him.