Genesis 12:4-9 The call of God must rank above all human obligations
Genesis 12:4-9Genesis 12:4-9 The call of God must rank above all human obligations
So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew, and all their possessions which they had accumulated, and the persons which they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land of Canaan. 6 Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanite was then in the land. 7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him. 8 Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. 9 Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the Negev.
Background
The divine word sees Abram leaving his father’s house despite his obligation to serve out his duty as a filial son to his father; God’s call to build His kingdom far outweighs Abram’s duty to serve his family. He leaves behind his father with his brother Nahor and sets out to accomplish a grand vision that will bring salvation to all humanity. Today’s devotion teaches us to follow in the footsteps of Abram; to place God’s call as the highest call in our lives. The call of God must rank above all human obligations.
Observation
So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him…
Abram, upon hearing God’s instruction: “Go” uproots himself from his father’s house and community. Abram’s unreserved obedience attests to his reverence towards God. “Seventy-five years old” infers Abram’s departure from Haran when his father, Terah is 150 years old, some fifty years before his demise. This again speaks of Abram’s righteousness in putting the call of God above all other priorities in life. In primeval traditions where fidelity towards one’s parents is sacred, leaving one’s parents before their death is considered inhuman. Abram’s decision to obey God notwithstanding the controversies that may arise surrounding the nature of God’s call and his own reputation is commendable. However, never does Abram expect that God will again test his propensity to radical instructions at the mountains of Moriah (see Genesis 22).
Abram, being a righteous man, bids his father farewell, gathers his wife, Sarai and Lot, his nephew and all that he possesses and embarks on a one way trip to Canaan. Abram sacrifices what the world considers as a life of normality and bliss so that he may live a bold and nebulous existence, and perhaps in his own right, an eternal kind of life.
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.”
Abram passes through the land of Canaan until he reaches Shechem (see the map below). At that time, there is no law from God that prohibits interaction with the natives of Canaan. Thus, it can be assumed that Abram lives amongst the indigenous community and allies with them (see Genesis 14:13). The oak of Moreh are tall common evergreen oak trees found in the a place called Moreh in the vicinity of Shechem. Moreh literally means “teacher” which suggests a place where divine oracles can be obtained. God’s appearance to Abram at this point is monumental in that it puts to rest all uncertainties surrounding the exact location of the Promised Land. This is a divine and definitive revelation of God’s plans concerning the future nation of Abram: To your descendants I will give this land.
God’s appearance brings to Abram no more details other than His expressed intention to endow Canaan to His descendants; there are no specifics to Abram’s next steps pertaining to acquisition of the Land. However, Abram’s subsequent movements does impress upon the readers his apparent confidence in carrying out this preparatory work. Abram proceeds to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent suggests a brief residence there. Thereafter, he journeys towards the Negev down south. At each place of residence, Abram erects an altar to the Lord and worships Him. The erection of altars reflects Abram’s lifestyle of worship and reverence towards God. The narrator’s formulaic mention of building altars throughout Abram’s journeys suggests the primeval movement of the gospel message. Abram’s righteousness and unique rituals of worship is in itself an unmistakable act of evangelism.
Truth
All human obligations must be subordinated under the call of God.
God’s instruction for Abram to leave his father’s house seems to contradict the basic principles of filial piety. Shouldn’t a son look after his father and remain loyal to him until the day he dies? However, a divine instruction always ranks above the obligations and traditions of man. Similarly, Jesus makes the decision to leave his own mother in order to fulfil God’s will at the cross. For those who desire to follow Jesus, He teaches this principle: all human obligations must be subordinated under the call of God. Jesus says,
If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. Luke 14:26-27.
Many churchgoers are fervent in fulfilling the demands of church attendance, bible studies and prayer meetings and can appear exceedingly pious. However, it is unfortunate that many still fall short of obtaining Abram’s blessing because they uphold their obligations towards man as higher than the call of God. Such operate within confines determined by people whom they deem as important to them: father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and these must be pleased at all cost. They pay dearly by sacrificing their divine calling in exchange for peace and tranquility at home. They are at best affable Christians who pose zero threat to the devil. Such live in make-believe peace, in a cosy comfort zone when in reality a disaster is imminent.
Spouses keep their significant other from a deeper walk with God fearing a commitment to God’s call may cause the family to drift apart. Subtle strategies like keeping the other from reading the word, inconveniencing the other from attending bible studies and cell groups are common in lukewarm families. Some even cite the threat of doctrinal error as a pretext to hinder the other from pursuing the things of the Spirit. I have also seen parents pressuring their children to pursue career paths that seem more lucrative and glamorous.
The fear of God unites a family in the Spirit of love under God’s vision. Whereas the fear of man precipitates all kinds of strife and manipulation within the family. Abram, because he fears God, is able to overcome the fear of man, the threat of conflicts and controversies. By putting the pursuit of God as supreme, Abram not only brings himself, but his entire family and descendants to fulfil the call of God in the Promised Land.
The believer’s righteousness and lifestyle of worship is in itself an active and authentic act of evangelism.
Abram’s subsequent travels from Bethel to Negev arise from the vision of possessing the land of Canaan for God. The possession of Canaan involves uniting the natives towards the worship of the Lord, and to live in His ways. Abram, after receiving the divine word at the oak of Moreh gets down to the work of spreading the good news. At that time, the church and her message is at its primeval state and also at its purest. There are no rituals to follow, no bible studies, and no sophisticated worship concerts. Just an altar and the simplicity of hearing and living according to God’s instructions. People respond to Abram because they see his righteous works and his intimate reverence toward God. The reality of a godly life manifested in Abram is in itself the good news. Those who approve of Abram replicate themselves after Abram’s righteousness and his worship of God.
The church today has in many ways deviated from the simplicity of Abram’s gospel. The church for the most part has developed into a sophisticated preaching machine purposed to increase its membership by the lure of unconditional forgiveness. Churchgoers seek forgiveness and escape from hell’s punishment, but have no intention of committing to a life of godliness and worship. The church reinforces the spirit of self-centeredness and worldliness by encouraging their members to seek out the blessings of God.
The church must return to the simplicity of the gospel of Christ as in the days of Abram. The message of the gospel in essence is to:
a. Repent and receive Christ’s virtues and righteousness into your life (see Matthew 3:2).
b. Receive your adoption as children of His kingdom (see John 1:12).
As long as you endeavour to give up your old ways and live by the truth, you will be saved. For God looks not only to your works but more importantly at the posture of your heart (see Luke 23:39-43).
Application
Are you held back from pursuing God by those who are close to you? Some times, you may need to travel the road alone. When they see you living the fulfilled life, and the glory of Christ in you, they will start to question the validity of their belief system. Write down a list of things that hinders your pursuit of God’s call for your life. Perhaps, certain relationships are not meant to be. When you seek God’s kingdom first and His righteousness, all things needed for abundant living (including relationships) will be added to you (see Matthew 6:33).
Dear Lord, I have decided to place the fulfilment of my divine calling as the highest purpose in my life. I will start by putting church worship services and bible reading above my other priorities. As I live out the righteousness of Christ, use me to evangelise my community and bring them into your kingdom. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.