A Friend Of God Series

Introduction:

Would YOU be willing to go anywhere God wanted you to go? Would YOU be willing to do anything God asked you to do? What would happen if God asked YOU to trust Him day by day as He showed you from the Bible what to do?

Abraham was a man of faith. He had to live by faith. The Bible calls Abraham “The Friend of God” because at 75 years old, when most of us would think our lives were almost done, Abraham trusted God to take care of him and bless him. Friendship includes trust and faithfulness.

Abraham was 75 years old when God called him.

Abraham was 86 years old when Haggar had Ishmael - Gen. 16:16

Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born – Gen. 21:5

Abraham was gathered with his people at the age of 175 - Gen. 25:7

Abraham trusted the Lord as he travelled 500 miles from his home in Ur, all the way to Canaan. Let us look the life of Abraham, the friend of God, and consider his great trek to the land of Palestine.

I. God’s Request

A. WHY WAS PALESTINE CALLED THE PROMISED LAND? God designed a land that helped His people live by faith as they trusted in

i) His promises. Here are some observations about the Promised Land:

It was the land promised to the seed of Abraham.

ii) You must live by the promises of God in the Promised Land.

“A land flowing with milk and honey,” refers to goat’s milk and the life of a nomad.

iii) The Promised Land was in the middle of two warring nations: Egypt and Babylon.

iv) The Promised Land had no natural water supply.

B. GOD TOLD ABRAHAM TO SEPARATE FROM THE WICKEDNESS OF THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM. Genesis 12:1-3. SEE Joshua 24:2, 3. To use us, many times God has to take us out of our surroundings, what we are used to and our bad influences, so that we can focus on Him.

II. God’s Promises

A. GOD PROMISED ABRAHAM ALL THE LAND OF PALESTINE, AND DESCENDANTS TO OCCUPY IT. Genesis 13:14-17.

B. GOD PROMISED ABRAHAM SPIRITUAL DESCENDANTS, LIKE THE UNCOUNTED STARS. Genesis 15:3-6. The Israelites were Abraham’s physical seed; we are Abraham’s spiritual seed. We are not Jewish in skin colour, but if we have put our trust in Jesus Christ, we are spiritual children of Abraham. God told Abraham that in him would all nations be blessed because the Messiah or salvation would come through his seed. SEE Galatians 3:7-9, 29.

C. ABRAHAM WAS TO BE THE FATHER OF 3 NATIONS.

a. Israel – Jacob

b. Edom – Esau

c. Arabs - Ishmael

Eleven years after the Lord called Abraham at the age of 86, he decided not to live by faith but tried to do things his way, and he had a child named Ishmael with an Egyptian woman named Hagar. Ever since then, the Arabs and the Israelites have fought!

III. Abraham’s Obedience

A. ABRAHAM LEFT ALL FOR GOD’S WILL. God had to prepare Abraham for the great blessings He had for him. Abraham was to leave:

i) His country

ii) His kinfolk

iii) His Father’s house

iv) SEE Luke 14:33.

B. CIRCUMCISION WAS GIVEN AS THE MARK OF THE COVENANT OF A SEPARATED PEOPLE. Genesis 17:9-14; Romans 4:11-12. Abraham’s circumcision was used as a seal to mark his conversion; Baptism does this for us in the New Testament.

C. ABRAHAM HAD TO GROW IN FAITH. Abraham was 75 years old when God called him. Twenty-five years later God’s promise was fulfilled of giving him a son. God had to teach Abraham to live by faith and trust Him and believe that He would do what He said He would do. “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” (Hebrews 10:36)

D. FAITH TO LEAVE HOME, COUNTRY, KINFOLK, SECURITY, AND ALL THINGS, DEVELOPED SLOWLY. Abraham wanted to please the Lord and intended to go to any length to do the will of God. God had to have time to prepare him. No Christian in the world turns out to be a full-grown, greatly developed Christian the day he is saved.

i) God had a time period to prepare Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt at eighty years of age.

ii) God took long years to get King David ready to be King of Israel.

iii) Jesus had to grow the apostles for at least 3 years.

iv) The Apostle Paul had to spend 3 years training after he was saved.

v) God called Abraham out of Ur in Gen 12 and Abraham believed God and was saved in Gen. 15.

E. ONCE ABRAHAM GREW IN FAITH, THEN GOD TRIED HIS FAITH. Genesis 22:1-10. SEE Hebrews 11:17-19.