The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his120/patriarc.lzh/PATRIARC.TXT

Text File | 1991-07-09 | 12.1 KB | 256 lines

HIS:Life of Abraham

   A LAND THAT I LAND SHEW THEE

   INTRODUCTION. I. ABRAM'S CALL AND COVENANT.

   A. GOD'S CALL OF ABRAM.

   B. GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAM.

   C. GOD'S PROMISE TO THE WORLD. II. ABRAM'S ENTRANCE INTO CANAAN.

   A. ABRAM'S PARTIAL OBEDIENCE.

   B. ABRAM'S COVENANT REAFFIRMED.

   C. ABRAM'S ALTAR TO GOD. III. ABRAM'S FAILURE IN EGYPT.

   A. ABRAM'S TESTING BY GOD.

   B. ABRAM'S SCHEME FOR SARAI.

   C. ABRAM'S SCHEME BACKFIRES.

   D. ABRAM'S CONDUCT REBUKED. IV. ABRAM'S RETURN TO THE LAND.

   A. ABRAM'S RESOURCES.

   B. ABRAM'S WORSHIP.

   C. ABRAM'S PRAYER. CONCLUSION.

   REFERENCES FOR STUDY: GEN. 12:1-13:4; NUM. 32:32; HEB. 11:8

   MEMORY VERSE:

   BY FAITH ABRAHAM, WHEN HE WAS CALLED TO GO OUT INTO A PLACE WHICH HE
SHOULD AFTER RECEIVE FOR AN INHERITANCE, OBEYED; AND HE WENT OUT, NOT
KNOWING WHITHER HE WENT (HEB. 11:8).

   INTRODUCTION.

   THE STORY OF ABRAM'S CONVERSION AND CALL BY GOD IS ONE OF THE MOST
REMARKABLE IN BIBLE HISTORY. IN MANY WAYS, ABRAM IS TYPICAL OF ALL OF
US. HIS LIFE EXHIBITED A COMING TO FAITH, A CRISIS OF FAILURE, AND A
RETURN TO FAITH. FOR THIS REASON NEARLY EVERY CHRISTIAN CAN IDENTIFY
WITH THE LIFE OF ABRAM.

   I. ABRAM'S CALL AND COVENANT (GEN. 12:1-3). A. GOD'S CALL OF ABRAM
(GEN. 12:1).

   WE ARE NOT TOLD UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IT HAPPENED, BUT THIS
EASTERN GENTLEMAN HAD A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE LORD GOD OF
HEAVEN. GENESIS 12:1 NOTES, "NOW THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO ABRAM, GET THEE
OUT OF THY COUNTRY, AND FROM THY KINDRED, AND FROM THY FATHER'S HOUSE,
UNTO A LAND THAT I WILL SHEW THEE." ABRAM HAD NOT WORSHIPED JEHOVAH
PREVIOUSLY, BUT WHEN THE LORD APPEARED TO HIM AND CALLED HIM TO
SALVATION, ABRAM IMMEDIATELY OBEYED. THAT OBEDIENCE IS A STRIKING
TESTIMONY OF FAITH. (COMPARE HEBREWS 11:8) ABRAM NEVER QUESTIONED GOD'S
CALL; HE MERELY OBEYED IT. HE IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE SHOULD RESPOND TO
GOD'S DIRECTION IN OUR LIVES.

   B. GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAM.

   IN RESPONSE TO ABRAM'S OBEDIENCE, GOD MADE TWO COVENANTS, OR
PROMISES, WITH HIM. THE FIRST CONCERNED THAT LAND OF HIS FUTURE
GENERATIONS. THE SECOND CONCERNED A GREAT BLESSING WHICH WOULD BE GOD'S
GIFT TO ABRAM'S OFFSPRING. COMMANDED TO LEAVE HIS NATIVE LAND AND TO GO
TO A PLACE YET UNREVEALED, ABRAM WAS PROMISED THE BLESSING TO THE LORD
JEHOVAH. HE COULD DESIRE NOTHING MORE. WHEN THE LORD CALLS, HE ALSO
PROMISES HIS BLESSING.

   C. GOD'S PROMISE TO THE WORLD (GEN. 12:3).

   BECAUSE OF ABRAM'S OBEDIENCE, GOD NOT ONLY GAVE COVENANT TO ABRAM'S
PEOPLE, BUT TO THE ENTIRE WORLD AS WELL: "AND I WILL BLESS THEM THAT
BLESS THEE, AND CURSE HIM THAT CURSETH THEE" (GEN. 12:3). ISRAEL IS THE
APPLE OF GOD'S EYE. ANY NATION WHICH BLESSES ISRAEL, ABRAM'S POSTERITY,
IS PROMISED BLESSING BY GOD.

   CONVERSELY, ANY NATION WHICH CURSES ISRAEL IS PROMISED BLESSING BY
GOD. CONVERSELY, ANY NATION WHICH CURSES ISRAEL IS PROMISED THE CURSE
OF GOD. THIS IS A LESSON WHICH HAS BEEN TAUGHT TO ANCIENT BABYLON, TO
GERMANY, TO SPAIN, AND IT APPEARS INCREASINGLY, TO THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA. NO ONE CAN FORSAKE GOD'S PEOPLE OR CAUSE THEM HARM WITHOUT
PRECIPITATING THE WRATH OF GOD.

   II. ABRAM'S ENTRANCE INTO CANAAN (GEN. 12:4, 5).

   A. ABRAM'S PARTIAL OBEDIENCE (GEN. 12:4, 5).

   WHEN GOD CALLED ABRAM, HE COMMANDED THAT ABRAM SHOULD LEAVE HIS LAND
AND HID KINDRED BEHIND. ABRAM OBEYED, YET HIS OBEDIENCE WAS ONLY
PARTIAL. IN VERSE 4 THE WORDS, "AND LOT WENT WITH HIM" ARE INDICATIVE
OF ABRAM'S HUMAN CHARACTER, BUT NOT OF HIS WISDOM. HERE IS THE FIRST
CLUE OF A FLAW IN HIS CHARACTER. HE WANTED TO DO THINGS HIS OWN WAY. HE
HAD SOME IDEAS OF HIS OWN. HE WAS TOLD TO LEAVE HIS FAMILY, YET HE TOOK
WITH HIM HIS NEPHEW LOT AND ALL OF LOT'S FAMILY, SERVANTS, AND HERDSMEN
AND THOSE OF LOT. OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S COMMAND MUST ALWAYS BE TOTAL.

   B. ABRAM'S COVENANT REAFFIRMED (GEN. 12:6, 7).

   ALL OF US NEED REASSURANCE AT TIMES. WHEN ABRAM ENTERED THE LAND OF
SICHEM, OR SHECHEM, A PASTORAL VALLEY IN CANAAN, THE LORD APPEARED
AGAIN TO HIM AND SAID, "UNTO THY SEED WILL I GIVE THIS LAND" (GEN.
12:7). ABRAM WAS SO OVERWHELMED BY THIS SECOND MEETING WITH GOD THAT HE
BUILT AN ALTAR TO THE LORD AND WORSHIPED HIM THERE. WE TOO MUST BE EVER
THANKFUL OF THE REASSURANCES GOD GIVES US THROUGH THE PERSON OF THE
HOLY SPIRIT.

   C. ABRAM'S ALTAR TO GOD (GEN. 12:8, 9).

   WHEN ABRAM AND HIS FAMILY CAME TO A PLACE CALLED BETHEL, MEANING
"THE HOUSE OF GOD, " ABRAM TOOK TIME TO BUILD A SECOND ALTAR. IT WAS
APPARENTLY MUCH LARGER AND MORE ELABORATE THAN THE FIRST. HERE, FOR THE
FIRST TIME, IT IS RECORDED THAT ABRAM "CALLED UPON THE NAME OF THE
LORD" (GEN. 12:8). THIS SOLEMN ACT OF DEVOTION, AN OPEN PROFESSION OF
HIS FAITH IN THE LORD GOD JEHOVAH, ESTABLISHED HIS WORSHIP OF THE TRUE
GOD AND DECLARED HIS FAITH IN GOD'S PROMISE.

   III. ABRAM'S FAILURE IN EGYPT (GEN. 12:10-20).

   A. ABRAM'S TESTING BY GOD (GEN. 12:10).

   GOD ALWAYS KNOWS THE RIGHT TIME AND METHOD TO TEST OUR FAITH. FOR
ABRAM, WHO WAS ACCUSTOMED TO HAVING ALL HE NEEDED WHENEVER HE NEEDED
IT, THAT TESTING CAME BY A FAMINE. RATHER THAN TRUSTING GOD AND
REMAINING IN CANAAN, ABRAM WITHDREW TO NEIGHBORING EGYPT. IN TYPOLOGY,
EGYPT IS ALWAYS A SYMBOL OF THE WORLD. AGAIN, WE SEE THIS FLAW IN
ABRAM'S CHARACTER. HE WAS SELF-WILLED. HE SOUGHT HIS OWN SOLUTION, EVEN
THOUGH IT MEANT RUSHING HEADLONG INTO THE WORLD.

   B. ABRAM'S SCHEME FOR SARAI (GEN. 12:11-13).

   SEEKING A HUMAN SOLUTION BROUGHT ABRAM A WHOLE NEW SET OF PROBLEMS.
DOING THINGS OUR OWN WAY USUALLY DOES. AS ABRAM APPROACHED EGYPT, HE
BEGAN TO WORRY ABOUT HIS WIFE. SHE WAS APPARENTLY A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN,
AND ABRAM FEARED THAT THE EGYPTIANS WOULD KILL HIM AND TAKE HER FOR
THEMSELVES. ABRAM CONCOCTED THE IDEA OF TELLING THE EGYPTIANS THAT
SARAI WAS HIS SISTER, A HALF TRUTH, BUT NEVERTHELESS A DELIBERATE
DECEPTION. SUCH CONDUCT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE CHARACTER OF ONE WHO
HAS BEEN CALLED OF GOD; YET IT IS TOTALLY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE
ALREADY SEEN OF ABRAM. HE LOVED GOD, BELIEVED IN GOD, AND WORSHIPED
GOD; YET HE STILL INSISTED ON DOING THINGS HIS OWN WAY. BEFORE ABRAM
COULD BE USED BY GOD, THIS TENDENCY WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED.

   C. ABRAM'S SCHEME BACKFIRES (GEN. 12:13-17).

   SINCE ABRAM HAD MADE IT KNOWN THAT SARAI WAS HIS SISTER, AND SINCE
SHE WAS AN ATTRACTIVE WOMAN, PHARAOH DECIDED TO TAKE HER INTO HIS
HOUSEHOLD. SUDDENLY, ABRAM'S PROBLEMS HAD SNOWBALLED. HE HAD SOUGHT HIS
OWN SOLUTION INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR GOD'S DIRECTION. AS A RESULT, HIS
WIFE HAD BEEN PLACED IN A VERY COMPROMISING POSITION. THE EXACT THING
THAT ABRAM HAD SOUGHT TO AVOID HAD TO COME TO PASS. ONLY DIVINE
INTERVENTION SPARED SARAI FROM DISASTER. GOD WAS SHOWING ABRAM A
PAINFUL SPARED SARAI FROM DISASTER. GOD WAS SHOWING ABRAM A PAINFUL
LESSON THAT EACH OF US WOULD DO WELL TO LEARN: "BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL
FIND YOU OUT" (NUM. 32:23). OUR SOLUTIONS ALWAYS BACKFIRE.

   D. ABRAM'S CONDUCT REBUKED (GEN. 12:18-20).

   INCENSED THAT HE HAD BEEN DECEIVED, PHARAOH CALLED ABRAM AND
QUESTIONED WHY HE HAD LIED TO HIM. POINT BLANK, THE EGYPTIAN RULER
ASKED ABRAM, "WHY SAIDST THOU, SHE IS MY SISTER?" (GEN. 12:19).
SCRIPTURE RECORDS NO REPLY ON ABRAM'S PART.

   IT IS A SAD COMMENTARY ON THE LIFE STYLE OF MANY BELIEVERS THAT THE
WORLD HAS TO REBUKE THEM FOR THEIR CONDUCT. I'M SURE THIS IS AN
INCIDENT IN ABRAM'S LIFE THAT HE WOULD HAVE JUST AS SOON FORGOTTEN. FOR
A BELIEVER TO REBUKE THE WORLD IS NOT UNCOMMON; FOR THE WORLD TO REBUKE
THE BELIEVER SHOULD BE UNHEARD OF.

   IV. ABRAM'S RETURN TO THE LAND (GEN. 13:1-4).

   A. ABRAM'S RESOURCES (GEN. 13:1, 2).

   AFTER THE REBUKE BY PHARAOH, ABRAM, SARAI, LOT, AND THEIR HOUSEHOLDS
ASCENDED TO THE LOWLANDS OF EGYPT TO THE LOWLANDS OF PALESTINE. THE
INCIDENT IN EGYPT DID NOT STOP GOD'S BLESSING OF ABRAM. IT MERELY
EMPHASIZED THE UTTER SENSELESSNESS OF ABRAM'S TRYING TO DO ON HIS OWN
WHAT GOD WAS ABLE TO DO FOR HIM. TODAY AN ARAB SHEIKH IS CONSIDERED
RICH IF HE HAS TWO HUNDRED TENTS, A HUNDRED OR MORE CAMELS, AND
THOUSANDS OF SHEEP AND GOATS. IN COMPARISON, ABRAM WAS "VERY RICH" NOT
ONLY IN CATTLE BUT IN SILVER AND GOLD AS WELL. HE WAS A MAN GREATLY
PROSPERED BY GOD. HE SUFFERED OCCASIONAL LAPSES, BUT ONLY WHEN HE
SOUGHT HIS OWN WAY. THESE LAPSES DIDN'T SEPARATE ABRAM FROM GOD'S LOVE.
THEY DID POINT OUT THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF DEPENDING ON JEHOVAH. GOD
DOESN'T QUIT LOVING US WHEN WE FAIL. HIS GRACE IS GREATER THAN OUR
FAILURES.

   B. ABRAM'S WORSHIP (GEN. 13:3).

   ABRAM'S RETURN TO CANAAN WAS NOT JUST A PHYSICAL RETURN BUT A
SPIRITUAL RETURN AS WELL. HE HAD EXPERIENCED A GREAT FAILURE IN EGYPT.
HE HAD FAILED HIS WIFE. HE HAD FAILED HIS FAMILY. MOST IMPORTANTLY, HE
HAD FAILED IN HIS DEPENDENCE ON GOD. GOD HAD GIVEN ABRAM A TEST, AND HE
HAD FAILED. YET, IT CAN BE SAID THAT THE TEST ACCOMPLISHED THE PURPOSE
FOR WHICH IT WAS INTENDED. GOD, WHO KNOWS ALL, KNEW WHAT ABRAM WOULD
DO. HE KNEW HOW ABRAM WOULD REACT TO THE FAMINE. HE KNEW THAT ABRAM
WOULD FLEE TO EGYPT, LIE TO PHARAOH, AND BRING GRIEF AND REBUKE TO HIS
ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD. GOD KNEW THAT ABRAM WOULD FAIL THE TEST; YET HE SENT
HIM ANYWAY. WHY? GOD SENT THE TEST SO ABRAM COULD LEARN WHAT GOD
ALREADY KNEW; SO THAT IN THE FUTURE ABRAM WOULD DEPEND ON GOD'S
DIRECTION, EVEN WHEN HUMAN REASON CRIED OUT TO SEEK ITS OWN SOLUTION.
IT HAD BEEN A PAINFUL LESSON, BUT ONE THAT WOULD SHAPE THE REST OF
ABRAM'S DAYS. THUS, IN FAILURE, HE RETURNED TO CANAAN, TO BETHEL, AND
TO THE ALTAR HE HAD BUILT EARLIER TO GOD. REPENTANT, HE WAS READY TO
WORSHIP GOD "WHERE HIS TENT HAD BEEN AT THE BEGINNING" (GEN. 13:3). HE
HAD FORSAKEN HIS OWN EFFORTS TO RETURN TO THE PLACE OF GOD'S BLESSING.
HE WAS READY AGAIN TO WALK WITH GOD.

   C. ABRAM'S PRAYER (GEN. 13:4).

   BACK AT THE PLACE OF WORSHIP AND PRAYER, GOD'S MAN DID NOT HESITATE
TO CALL AGAIN ON THE NAME OF THE LORD. HERE WAS A MAN WEALTHY IN
CATTLE, SILVER, AND GOLD---A MAN WHO HAD LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT
MATERIAL WEALTH AND HUMAN REASON ARE WORTHLESS WITHOUT DIVINE
DIRECTION. HE GAINED GREATER WEALTH THAN GOLD IN THIS PRECIOUS TIME OF
FAILURE AND RESTORATION TO GOD. HIS HUMILITY AND PENITENCE FOR HIS
MISCONDUCT IN EGYPT ARE EVIDENT. HIS SELF WILL, A FLAW WHICH HAD
PLAGUED HIM FROM THE START, HAD BEEN EXPOSED AND CRUSHED. NOW HE WAS
BACK ON TRACK AND PREPARING TO OFFER SACRIFICES TO JEHOVAH.

   HOW MUCH ABRAM IS LIKE EACH ONE OF US. WE FAIL. WE FALL INTO SIN.
BUT, UNLIKE ABRAM, WE OFTEN DO NOT LEARN THE LESSON OF THE FAILURE. HOW
MUCH ABRAM IS LIKE EACH ONE OF US. WE FAIL. WE FALL INTO SIN. BUT,
UNLIKE ABRAM, WE OFTEN DO NOT LEARN THE LESSON OF THE FAILURE. ABRAM
SAW THAT HIS VERY BEST ATTEMPTS TO DEAL WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE
HAD LED TO MISERABLE FAILURE. WITHOUT GOD, HE WAS UNABLE TO ACCOMPLISH
ANYTHING. AS A RESULT OF WHAT HE HAD LEARNED, ABRAM WENT BACK TO
BETHEL. LIKE ABRAM, WHEN WE FAIL AND FALL INTO SIN, WE SHOULD REALIZE
THAT IT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE LEFT BETHEL. WE HAVE GONE FROM GOD'S PLACE
OF BLESSING AND TRIED TO LIVE OUR OWN WAY. GOD IS AT BETHEL, NOT IN
EGYPT. WE MUST RETURN TO BETHEL AND CALL UPON THE LORD. ONLY THEN CAN
WE KNOW THE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD THAT MAKES LIFE A PROGRESSION OF
GLORIOUS VICTORIES INSTEAD OF A STRING OF DISASTEROUS FAILURES.

   CONCLUSION.

   LIKE ANY OF GOD'S CHOICE SERVANTS, ABRAM'S LIFE HAD ITS UPS AND
DOWNS. HE SHOWED GREAT FAITH IN ANSWERING POSITIVELY GOD'S CALL TO GO
TO A STRANGE LAND. YET, HE WAS SELF-WILLED. WE SEE THIS FLAW IN HIS
PARTIAL OBEDIENCE, HIS VENTURE INTO EGYPT, AND HIS LIE TO PHARAOH. HE
STILL THOUGHT THAT HE COULD SOLVE HIS OWN PROBLEMS. MANY TIMES WE ARE
JUST LIKE ABRAM. WE HAVE, BY FAITH, ACCEPTED JESUS AS SAVIOR. YET, WE
ARE SELF-WILLED. WE TRY TO SOLVE OUR OWN PROBLEMS AND LIVE OUR LIVES IN
OUR OWN WAY. OUR GOD, HOWEVER, IS A GOD OF LOVE AND GRACE. HE ALLOWS US
TO TRY OUR OWN WAY AND THEN CAUSES OUR EFFORTS TO FAIL. FINALLY, WHEN
WE HAVE UTTERLY FAILED, HE DOES NOT TURN HIS BACK ON US. INSTEAD, WITH
LOVING ARMS, HE WELCOMES US BACK TO BETHEL. WITH ABRAM, WE SHOULD ALL
LEARN THIS IMPORTANT TRUTH. GOD OFTEN ALLOWS FAILURE AS HIS METHOD OF
REVEALING OUR WEAKNESS AND CALLING US BACK TO HIS PLACE OF SPIRITUAL
BLESSING.

   COMPUTERS FOR CHRIST BBS Jacksonville, FL 32202