Theme: Purpose of Election of Abraham
Text: Genesis 12:1--3
Introduction: I greet you all in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. The Lord is good, and His love endures forever.
Bible is the holy scripture. It does not give us sequences of what we want from it. But God has revealed at various seasons and at several times for the benefit of all. The careful reading and observing the Word of God unfold the revelation of God to all of us.
Today, we will meditate on the purpose of the election of Abraham. We can say it as a selection or an election. These words are synonymous to explain the work of Yahweh in the lives of the people. This passage had three great things: Great nation, great name and great honour.
1. Great Nation - One man to a Nation (Genesis 12:1-2)
I have plans to make great people from your descendants (Voice). I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation (GNT).
When this promise came to Abram, he was 75 years old, and his wife Sarai was barren. He had no circumstantial evidence to believe in it. But he believed in the promise to become a nation. By that time, there were several nations on the earth. The world has already thickly populated, and many countries have established their names for them.
Though Abram was an ordinary person born in Ur of Mesopotamia and died in Hebron of Canaan, he married Sarah, Hagar and Keturah. He lived for 175 years (Genesis 25:7), Terah, the father of Abram, lived 205 years. He had three sons Abram, Nahor and Haran (Genesis 11:25-26,32). Abram might have the influence of his forefather Enosh (Genesis 4:26) in worshipping YHWH and could have desired to be righteous like Abel (Matthew 23:35) and Noah (Genesis 6:9).
However, we miss the conversation of Abram with his parents and relatives regarding the religious faith. We cannot deny the truth that there were few godly people during his era. But he was exclusively chosen by YHWH. There was a priest known as Melchizedek during the time of Abram who also worshipped (Genesis 14:18-20).
Romans 4:18-21 describes this unwavering faith of Abraham and Sara) and his hope against hopelessness and belief that he would become the father of many nations. He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead.
The conversion of Abram with God became the seed of a new nation called the spiritual nation of chosen people. His conversion had unquestionable obedience, faith and commitment (Romans 4:3, Hebrews 11:8,17, James 2:21). He was a mighty man of prayer. His prayer had saved Lot, the estranged cousin, selfish brother and ungrateful relative (Genesis 18:23-33).
Those who leave their sins, and turn to God, will be unspeakable gainers by the change. The natural affection must give way to Divine grace. Sin and all the occasions of it must be forsaken and particularly bad company. Abram believed that the blessing of the Almighty would make up for all he could lose or leave behind, supply all his wants, and answer and exceed all his desires, and knew that nothing but misery would follow disobedience. (Matthew Henry).
Though Noah was the founder of the new people group, Abraham was the first Jew or a Hebrew and founder of the spiritual nation. We understand through Acts 7:2-4, God promised Abraham to bless him and make him great while he was in Mesopotamia.
Abram became a giant of faith and the father of the believing community (Galatians 3:7). Yet, he did not start as a hero of faith but he grew in faith and obedience.’(Enduring Word). Today, Abraham has been compared to a lofty mountain peak down the several sides which flow three great rivers of earth's populations: Jews, Arabians, and the entire Christian world. Muslims, Christians and Jews alike hail Abraham as a sacred ancestor of their religions (Ref:studylight.org/Coffman).
Today, you are called to lead a nation, form a nation create a nation of faith, the nation of love, the notion of obedience. One obedient person becomes the sources of blessings to the nations. Always obedience of one man brought a community of believers. The obedience of the Apostles established churches all over the world. The obedience of missionaries in the 18th and 19th centuries took the gospel to all over the world, especially in African Eastern Countries including India.
One small fire stick can cause vital changes. It can either dispel the darkness or can destroy the forest grandeurs.
2. Great Name - Abram to Abraham (Genesis 12:2)
‘I shall magnify thy name’ (Wycliff), ‘make your name famous and distinguished’ (AMPC), cause your reputation to grow so that you will become a blessing and example to others (voice). Abram means father of elevation. He is called Ibrahim in Islam, and Avaram in Hebrew.
This is fantastic to know how God deals with everyone. People at Babel joined to gather with the sole aim of establishing a tower and a name for them (Genesis 11:4). But God declares to Abram that he does establish Abram’s name into its beauty, and magnificently popularise (Genesis 12:2). According to Genesis 11:10-26, when Abraham was born, in the year 292 AF (AF = After the Flood), Noah was still alive and would live for another 58 years (Noah died in 350 AF, at age 950), Shem died in 502 AF, at the age of 600, but Abraham had already expired at the age of 175, in the year 467 AF. Abraham was survived by his great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather Shem (ref: abarim-publications.com).
The Greeks appear to have thought that the first part of the name Zarathustra (Persian prophet Zarathustra or Zoroaster in Greek) was "Zara-" because they transliterated it as Zoroaster (Zoro Aster = Gold Star, the second part being similar to the name Esther, also Persian). Whatever the "Zarath-" or "Zara-" part of the name Zarathustra might have meant, it bears an uncanny resemblance to the name Sarai, belonging to Abram's wife and half-sister. (ref: abarim-publications.com).
Faith involves hearing followed by trusting and obeying. It’s never easy to leave the familiar surroundings. It’s even harder to go ahead to a place you have never seen, and harder still when there’s no one waiting for you. But imagine, Abraham had a trip of 800 miles. It began at Ur which is in Iraq.
God changed names and gave them new names to establish new identities. God changed Abram to Abraham (high father to father of a multitude) (Genesis 17:5). God changed Sarai (my princess) to Sarah (mother of nations) (Genesis 17:15). This name change took place when God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. Though when the name was changed their mission also was changed. Their destiny has changed. The new name is a way to reveal the divine plan, and also to assure them that God’s plan would be fulfilled in them (ref: gotquestions.org).
The name of Abram brings three important achievements in his life:
Obedience to the call to leave his native place (Genesis 12:1-4), his encounter with the 14 kings and won the battle (Genesis 14:14), and at Moriah, he offered his only son of the bosom (Genesis 22:1). Abraham as one obedient, faithful believer in the Lord became a great nation.
“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 22:1). Name is not a bunch of letters grouped to sound pleasant to the ears but is more than a convenience allowing people to talk to each other. Names are a gift from God. Names contain identity, character and power. They give meaning and brings to one mind an entire stature of a person, personality.
After marriage, a woman usually changes her last name to signify the beginning of the next chapter. We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s possession (1 Peter 2:9). We are a new creature, and new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are children of God (John 1:12). This is our name and identity in Christ.
3. A great honour to Bless & Curse (Genesis 12:3)
I shall bless them that bless thee, and I shall curse them that curse thee, and all kindreds of [the] earth shall be blessed in thee (and all the families on the earth shall pray to be blessed as thou art blessed/and through thee I shall bless all the nations of the earth). (Wycliff). ‘And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and [a]curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you’ (AMPC). him who is disesteeming thee I curse (YLT). I will place a curse on those who ·harm [or curse] you (ExB).
Abram was chosen because he would be a great and powerful nation, he would instruct his children to keep the way of the Lord and do the right and just things (Genesis 18:18-19).
God elected Abraham to be his follower, chose him to bless, and assured him to be with him and to perform great things through him. He was called to follow God, he became a dear friend of God (2 Chronicles 20:7, Nehemiah 9:7, Psalm 105:6). Abraham became a man whom God trusted, shared the secrets of life on the earth, the future of the world and the universe. Because, Abraham had obeyed God and kept his requirements, his commands, his decrees and his laws (Genesis 26:5).
Abraham was honoured to be a great personality in the history of three religions. Judaism, Christianity and Islam claim their roots in it and own him as the founder of their religions and the father of their nations. Also, we understand that the descendants of Keturah whom Abraham sent to the east to settle down while he was alive, today those nations are found in the Africa continent. (Genesis 25:6).
Peter was given the privilege of holding the keys of heaven and hell (Matthew 16:18-19). His faith, his confession, his repentance, his boldness established the Church on the earth.
The blessings of Abraham, the blessings of Peter has come upon the church. Church is nothing but you and me. We did not choose him but He chose us (John 15:16), even before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:3-4). As per Deuteronomy 6:1-13, we must take this gospel to all and teach them to obey. Matthew 28:18-20, to obey is very important in the mission of God.
What are our honours and privileges?
Are we utilising those blessings for the benefit of mission and personal use? Today, this blessing belongs to everyone who believes in Christ and continues in faith. ‘Historians mention in their writings of the awful punishments, judgments, and miseries that befell the notorious persecutors of Christianity like Nero, Domitian, Decius, Valerian, Aurelian, Diocletian, etc. (Ref:studylight.org/ Coffman).
Application:
God has chosen you and me to be the giant of faith among the faithless generation. We are called to be giants of truth, justice, mercy and love. We must become channels of mercy and blessings to others. You see people without integrity, love, care and concern. We are called to exhibit those qualities which we receive from Christ and pass on to the people around us. Unless the Lord builds our name, nation and career all our efforts result in vain.
We may work to establish a name, fame, popularity in association with wicked, ungrateful and evil people. But God would dispose of them and he would bring a name when we obey him and follow him to the unquestionable place. A day would come God would confuse and demolish the ungodly kingdom and he will overthrow the castle of wickedness and completely erase the mark from the phase of the earth. If our walks are pleasing to God, he would destroy the enemies and he would curse them for their iniquities against us and the things they plot against us.
