Vision Quest, Learning From Men Of Vision
Part 2 – Abram
May 26th, 2002
This morning we continue with part 2 of our series, “Vision Quest - Learning From Men Of Faith”. Today’s man of vision is Abram. I invite you to join me in Genesis 12:1-5:
Then the Lord told Abram, "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. [2] I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others. [3] I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you."
[4] So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. [5] He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—his livestock and all the people who had joined his household at Haran—and finally arrived in Canaan.
As we read this passage, the narrative seems straightforward enough, but when you stop and examine all that really took place here, it’s quite astonishing. First of all, let’s put this story in its proper context. Last Sunday we studied the man Noah and the vision God gave him to preserve mankind. God had chosen to flood the earth in an effort to wipe out the existing population due to its extreme perversion and sinful inclination.
So, God instructs Noah, the sole remaining worshipper of Jehovah, to build an ark. Noah obeys and mankind is preserved through Noah and his sons. However, as is man’s tendency, it isn’t long before things start getting out of control. The population is speaking a common language and has centered its civilization in a rather small and fertile plain know as Shinar. In their pride as a people, they decide to build a tower into the heavens. The Bible Knowledge Commentary describes it this way:
Written Babylonian accounts of the building of the city of Babylon refer to its construction in heaven by the gods as a celestial city, as an expression of pride (Enuma Elish VI, lines 55-64). These accounts say it was made by the same process of brick-making described in verse 3, with every brick inscribed with the name of the Babylonian god Marduk. Also the ziggurat, the step-like tower believed to have been first erected in Babylon, was said to have its top in the heavens (cf. v. 4). This artificial mountain became the center of worship in the city, a miniature temple being at the top of the tower. The Babylonians took great pride in their building; they boasted of their city as not only impregnable, but also as the heavenly city, babili, which translated means, (“the gate of God”).
God responds to this situation by confusing the languages of all the people so that they disperse from the plain of Shinar to different regions of the land. We find that Noah’s three sons go in different directions and from the line of Shem, Abram is eventually born. But what we must bear in mind is that mankind, at this point, has already become predisposed to rejecting their Creator. Scripture tells us that Abram’s father, Terah, was a worshipper of pagan gods.
Why is this significant? Because it is out of this background that God calls Abram to follow Him. Isn’t it amazing that a man born and raised in a culture of pagan religions and worship, hears the voice of God and responds by obeying God’s command? So here is Abram, he receives God’s Vision, and steps out in faith.
Faith. It is the foundation upon which our entire belief system is based isn’t it? The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:6: So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Now isn’t this precisely what Abram did! It’s utterly amazing! A man, who prior to God’s calling, probably never even heard the word “Jehovah” spoken, much less worshipped, should choose to believe there was a true God in heaven, and more than that, choose to obey and follow that God. Abram believed that there was a true God and when that God spoke to him, he responded out of faith.
Friday, Troy and I were discussing Abram spiritual pilgrimage and what impressed up both was how accurately Abram’s life parallels our own salvation process. Before I chose to accept Christ as my Savior, I had friends who had shared the Bible with me.
You know it’s just stunning when you think of how tenaciously God pursues us. I grew up in a thoroughly pagan home. My father was raised as a Muslim and my mother grew up pretty much oblivious to God. Yet, despite this, I cannot tell you how many different individuals God directed into my life to share His love with me. School teachers, neighbors, and friends. When I was preparing to transition from fourth grade to fifth grade, my homeroom teacher, Mr. Snell, gave each of us in his classroom a New Testament which he personally signed.
God pursued Abram, and by faith, Abram responded to God. Isn’t that what happened to many of us? I had no real exposure to Jesus Christ in my family. But slowly, God began to call me. The Lord exposed me to His people and His love. Each time God called, I moved a little close to Him until finally I believed the Gospel and received Christ’s sacrifice on my behalf.
Getting back to Abram. God called him out of Ur and into the land of Canaan. Along the way God gave this sojourner much encouragement. They finally reach Canaan and travel through this region to a place named Shechem. Listen to the account: Genesis 12:6-7: Traveling through Canaan, they came to a place near Shechem and set up camp beside the oak at Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites.
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.
God gave Abram a vision, “I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will make you a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you." What an amazing vision! Think about it. Through you Abram, I will bless all the families of the earth. I mean, what do you say to something like that?
This vision sustains Abram as he and his family of probably close to 1000 individuals travel several hundred miles into the wilderness.
[Put up transparency]
Here is a map of the journey Abram made from Ur in the land of the Chaldeans all the way to Canaan. Now notice that the route would have been considerably shorter had He chose to cross the desert in a straight line there, but that route would have likely lead to death. Instead, God directs this band of travelers along the Euphrates river N.E. to Haran. From Haran they head S.W. along the Mediterranean Sea to Shechem.
Having established camp beside the oak at Moreh, the Lord decides to encourage Abram once more. Here God promises to give the land of Canaan to Abram’s offspring. Now watch how Abram responds… he builds an altar to the Lord. What are altars used for? Worship. Fascinating isn’t it? Bear in mind that Abram has taken significant steps of faith toward God, but we still aren’t told that Abram has been declared righteous. Despite this, Abram is starting to give God worth, which is where we get our word for worship.
Let’s read on… Genesis 12:8-9: After that, Abram traveled southward and set up camp in the hill country between Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar and worshiped the Lord. [9] Then Abram traveled south by stages toward the Negev.
Abram is at it again. His vision is pushing him onward. No sooner does he reach his next destination, than he’s erecting another altar to the Lord and here we are told specifically that he worshipped the Lord. As I studied Abram’s story, a pattern began to emerge. First, I became aware of how vital faith is to vision. Without faith, I cannot conceive God’s vision for my life. Then I was overwhelmed by Abram’s passion for worship. Nearly everywhere Abram goes, he build’s an altar to the living God and worships Him there. Here’s the equation, without faith, we cannot conceive vision. Without worship vision cannot be sustained in our lives. As I give myself to God more and more and more through my worship, God gives me more and more and more vision.
However, we find that Abram’s faith is not fully developed yet. In Genesis 12:10-20 we discover that there was a famine in the land of Canaan. In an attempt to provide food for his large family, Abram travels South to Egypt where he hopes to secure a place to stay and adequate provisions. However, he also realized that the Egyptians might recognize Sarai’s beauty and desire her. So Abram, now operating on the basis of fear rather than faith, concocts a scheme to avoid losing his life because another man might want his wife.
Sure enough, not long after entering Egypt, no less than the Pharaoh himself sets his sights on Sarai. Now Abram is in a serious dilemma. The lie has turned into a trap and what earlier had led to Abram’s prosperity as a result of the Pharaoh’s generosity, has now led to the real possibility that Sarai would be lost to him and thus the promise of God.
We sometimes operate like Abram. We receive God’s promise and vision, we pursue God until a specific situation enters our life. Suddenly we take matters into our own hands, we begin to operate out of fear or pride rather than faith. Before long, the walls start caving in all around us. Fortunately we serve a God of mercy Who will often bail us out just as He did Abram.
God sends a plague upon the Egyptians which is perceived as a curse of the gods, and subsequently Abram’s plot is uncovered. In the end, Abram is saved, but only by the gracious intervention of his newfound Lord. Lesson: we cannot lose sight of our vision in the midst of trials. If Abram would have kept his vision focused, he surely would have kept faith knowing that God had promised to make a great nation from his seed and that God would keep His word.
Abram left Egypt to return to Bethel. Upon his arrival back to the place where he had erected the second altar what does Abram do? Listen to Genesis 13:4: This was the place where Abram had built the altar, and there he again worshiped the Lord. Vision and mission restored. Abram chose to recenter himself upon God.
That’s all we need to do today. When we find ourselves off center and struggling to live life on our own strength, all we need to do is stop, recognize our foolishness, and then bow before God in worship giving Him control of our lives again.
In Genesis 13 we find Abram and his nephew Lot in a predicament involving land and water rights. Because the existing residents of the land possessed the best land, Abe and Lot were forced to share what land and water was left. This situation led to quarreling between herdsmen. Abram realizing this was not good, met with Lot. In an effort to maintain peaceful relations, Abram made a very generous proposal – he would give Lot first choice of the land. Lot could choose the fertile Jordan Valley or the plains of Canaan. Lot chose the green Jordan Valley close to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abram stayed in the land of Canaan. Abram’s vision is starting to direct his life and his decisions.
Now watch how God honors Abram’s decisions. Genesis 13:14-18
After Lot was gone, the Lord said to Abram, "Look as far as you can see in every direction. [15] I am going to give all this land to you and your offspring as a permanent possession. [16] And I am going to give you so many descendants that, like dust, they cannot be counted! [17] Take a walk in every direction and explore the new possessions I am giving you." [18] Then Abram moved his camp to the oak grove owned by Mamre, which is at Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord.
Hardly any other chapter in the Bible describes faith so marvelously. Here was the patriarch as a genuine believer in and worshiper of Yahweh - whose faith functioned in a conflict. Lot, walking by sight, chose on the basis of what appealed to him. His choice was self-seeking and self-gratifying. But such a choice became dangerous and short-lived, for all was not as it appeared to be on the surface. Abram, on the other hand, walking by faith, generously let Lot choose first. Abram was unselfish, trusting God. He had learned that it was not by his own plan that he would come into the possession, or by jealously guarding what was his. He acted righteously and generously. One who believes that God is pledged to provide for him is not greedy, anxious, or covetous.
Faith and Worship acting in unison. By faith, Abram chose to give Lot first choice. At the conclusion of the matter what does Abram do? He builds an altar to the Lord. Our vision, our lives are guided by faith and sustained through worship.
In Genesis 14 Abram discovers that his nephew Lot has been captured and taken away. Immediately he gathers his men and allies and leaves to take back his family. God grants Abram the victory and upon his triumphal arrival home, he is greeted by two kings. These kings could not be more different. The first king is king to greet Abram is Bera king of Sodom. Next, Melchizadek, King of Salem, greets Abram. What makes this scene so significant is that Abram is confronted with two choices, one of which would compromise his vision and mission.
Upon receiving a rich blessing from Melchizadek, king Bera steps in and offers Abram a deal. Bera states that if Abram will return all his people to him, Abram can keep all the loot he had captured from the invading armies. Now we must bear in mind that the recovered booty was, more than likely, a very large amount. At this point it would not surprise me if Abram had decided to go along with Bera’s offer. After all, it was Abram who gathered an army, set out after the invaders and defeated them in battle. Wasn’t Abram entitled to the loot?
Let’s freeze this moment… Abram is standing between two kings representing two diametrically opposing standards. Bera, king of Sodom, was an evil king who ruled an excessively wicked city. On the other hand there was Melchizadek, who was a completely righteous King. In fact, Some Bible students believe Melchizedek was a theophany, or an appearance of the preincarnate Christ.
This incident was a test of Abram’s faith after a great victory. Bera, Sodom’s king, offered a most appealing deal. But Abram, knowing what he did about the king of Sodom, felt that keeping Sodom’s loot which he captured would make him subject to Bera. He wanted something far more enduring than possessions and wealth; he wanted the fulfillment of God’s miraculous and enduring promise. Faith looks beyond the riches of this world to the grander prospects God has in store.
Abram knew that he would become more prosperous, and he knew who was blessing him. He intended to receive everything from God and not even a thread from Sodom. Obedient believers frame their lives so that for all success, joy, comfort, and prosperity they depend on God—but their faith is like Abram’s, deeply rooted and growing stronger rather than brief and weak. The king of Sodom was obviously a wicked man over a wicked empire; Abram discerned that dealing with Bera would compromise the vision God had given him. Abram could have reasoned that God was seeking to bless him by means of this offer. But he could not bring himself to equate the blessing of God with the best that Sodom had to offer.
Look at Genesis 15:1 and follow along with me: After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great."
We’ve just watch Abram stand firm in his faith full of vision for what God had promised him. Now, Abram is in doubt. He is fearful of the future, worried about whether or not God will keep His promises and give him a son.
Listen to verses 2-3: But Abram replied, "O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since I don’t have a son, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. [3] You have given me no children, so one of my servants will have to be my heir."
You’ve got to give Abram credit here, he didn’t hide from God or make half-hearted excuses, he simply poured out his heart to God. Abram holds back nothing when he essentially says, “Lord all of your blessings are great, but, but, You still haven’t given me the greatest of these blessing, my heart’s greatest desire… a son.”
Sometimes my God-given vision can get dim. I find myself in a very discouraging place, my spirit is low and I just need to hear from God again. In my humanity I long for God’s touch again. Watch how God responds…
Genesis 15:4-6
Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir." [5] And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be." [6] Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
What can we learn from Abram regarding vision?
1. Vision is born from faith. If I have trouble believing God, I will never be able to receive His vision for my life.
Abram chose to obey God and travel hundreds of miles to a land he had never seen because he had faith.
2. Vision is sustained through personal worship. My love, my passion for God is expressed through worship.
Abram was able to keep going through the difficult times because of his love for God and passion for worship.
3. Vision enables us to release control of our lives to God. In the beginning Abram struggled with a “control issue”.
Abram learned that when he kept focused upon his vision, God directed and blessed every situation in his life.
Challenge: Have you discovered God’s vision for your life? Will you release control of your life to God today? Let Him direct things and simply follow His lead this week. Then, next Sunday please tell me what you experienced.
Let’s pray…
