Abram’s Vision
Genesis 12:1-7
This morning we continue with part 2 of a series, where we are looking at the vision held by some of the OT fathers.
Today’s man of vision is Abram. In Abram’s story there are so many places where Abram looses sight of the vision and God gets him back on track. But, today we will just look at the initial event I am reading from Genesis 12:1-5
The Call of Abram
1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
2 "I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."
4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
The story is familure enough. Most of us can explain the story if we are asked and probably get it close enough that our telling would be true enough.
Sometimes we know the stories a little too well. We fail to look at the problems and the surprises in the scriptures. We tend to loose the WOW that the story contains.
I hope you will recall that a couple of weeks ago we talked about Noah and how his vision, involved using a period of time that we would picture as being a life time today and building a boat to save him and his family from the flood that was to come. We learned from Noah that we are call to a life time of service to our God because we are saved from hell and death.
Let’s connect the previous message to today. Noah’s vision physically saved mankind. God was going to destroy the earth because of the sinful extremes of mankind. And it would have happened except for one righteous man.
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. That is all in Chapter 11.
God responds to this situation by confusing the languages of all the people so that they take off in different directions. Eventually, Abram is born into a world that has only proven to be consistent in one thing - rejecting God.
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?
How does this Abram guy, a pagan, actually hear God tell him anything?
For heavens sake, I have been a believer for at least 3 quarters of my life and all I get are feelings that I credit to God speaking to me. I had trouble deciding to go 6 miles when I returned to church for the kids. As hard as that seemed, IT had to be easy compared to people that have no history or knowledge of what church is about.
But, somehow it happens every day. Everyday people in our time that were not raised in a church home hear God’s voice. Over all the noise of TV, sports and materialism folks end up responding to God. And far as I know, that voice comes through the actions and words of people that already have a relationship. People like you and me. People are saved from eternal death and destruction through relationships. That is what salvation is…the acceptance of the relationship that God offers.
In Abram’s case, perhaps he heard a voice….That would be sort of cool….and sort of frightening…to here the voice of God.
He reacts and packs up his stuff, and slaves and wife and heads off to…
1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
Here is the first WOW that I want you to remember. He responded and headed of with a moving van and he had no clue where he was going and what he would do there.
He did that because of the word of God….not stated as a promise just stated..
2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."
That does not sound bad at all.
Abram, some how hears from God and he hears “I will” and to him that means something. When I was younger, I remember people saying that in the old days, a man’s word was his bond. Even then they talked in the past tense, like it would be really nice if that practice had still been in effect. That if you said it, you meant it and it was life or death matter to keep your word……
I know that I try o keep my word and I am sure you do as well. However, I think that the value of a person’s word has slipped over time. Than opinion comes from people asking others to promise. (promise you will be there or do this or that). In court you are asked to affirm or swear what you say is going to be the truth….
Do you really think it was so different in Abram’s day? That you could believe everybody? Perhaps it was a little different, maybe more personal pride and value in keeping your word. Although, from the things we learn about Abram later, I wonder if he was one that could be counted on to keep his?
So, why does he respond to God’s I will statements?
I believe that it is because, he understands that God is a being that says what he means and means what he says. God does not have to say “I promise” for Abraham to believe him.
Here is the deal. Abram has faith in God and he responds to the direction he received. Pack the U-hall and go. I am going to make your family important. Your name is going to be a household word. I am going to bless you. In fact, If anyone blesses you I am going to bless them… and if people talk bad about you I am going to make them back down. I am going to bless the world through you.
If it came from any body else, we would probably think that they were talking big. There was no way that any man could keep the big promises, especially though future generations.
Have you ever had someone talk to you about a job or a trip that could make you almost see it in your head? Car dealers do it all the time, the commercials practically let you see and feel the new car….you can almost feel the steering wheel in your hands. Sniff and the memories of what a new car smells like come to mind.
Advertisers use every tool they have to give you a vision….if you have a vision you will have a desire to obtain what you see… you want it and you will do all you can to achieve the vision.
Vision is about deciding to start. It is about picking a direction – not a destination.
Vision always requires faith because it is normally just clear enough to be scarey and maybe look impossible.
God doesn’t seem to put a sales pitch on Abram, he only offers directions and some vague picture for a vision. His statements offer success, blessings and protection. However, there is not set salary, place to live or even a time for delivery.
Abram responds anyway. He responds without knowing ever detail of God’s plan. Somehow he knows that if God wants it for him that it will be worth having.
-- If a pagan can respond to a partial vision from God, how do you think we should respond?
Abram because of his vision is the direct link to the salvation of mankind. Noah’s was physical…it began with the saving of the righteous. Abram’s is the salvation of the non-righteous. Thoes that are unable to stand up under the pressures of the world but, do respond however imperfectly and show faith in God.
Let’s get the family picture straight – Terah is the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. Abram is the oldest son and is married to Sarai and they have no children. The middle brother Nahor is married and has children and the youngest brother dies and has at least one son Lot. Abram and Sarai pack up their stuff and Abram’s nephew Lot joined in all the excitement. Perhaps Lot has a special attachment to his uncle, we really don’t know.
From the description in scripture, Abram and family were doing ok. They sound pretty rich to me but they still were camping in tents, working very hard. It has to be rough. Abram is said to be 75 years old.
They start this journey that probably lasted for months; they did not travel like we do today. The trip is about 1000 miles if you take a direct route. I guess it would have been extra hard as they did not know where they were really headed.
In our scripture just says and they arrived there… that seems a little abrupt. A trip that takes months…did nothing miraculous happen… Maybe not, perhaps God’s blessings just let them have a comfortable safe trip. When you travel over 1000 miles on foot with no mentionable problems perhaps that is fantastic enough.
Let me read a few more verses of scripture: 6 Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
When the group arrives, they travel until the perfect camp site. The scripture says that God APPEARS to Abram…. That is even more fantastic that hearing His voice. And he says that he is going to live this land to his offspring.
His OFFSPRING….What about Abram? What is he going to get out of all this trust and effort?
If you read all the chapters directly related to Abram, you find that he never receives anything tangible or permanent in the terms that we use today. He even purchased the place to bury Sarah. He was blessed, he had stuff. He had power. But all of that disappears with time. If Abram did not have children his mark on the world would disappear forever shortly after his death.
What he did receive was a form of immortality. The understanding of the day was that there would be no eternal future; the only way you carried on was through your family…children. Their lives and successes were yours. He had no way of understanding what faith in God and his word would really mean.
His acceptance of the vision was limited because he would never have considered the faith of non-family members to be of any credit to him at all…
---However, God’s full and perfect vision could see it completely.
In the story of Abram, we see that God gives vision for his will in steps. He gives them in a logical “relatively” easy process. He only gave what needed to be done next. He also did not give exact details … not every detail, just the direction.
I think that is what scares me most about reviving a vision or direction from God.
All too often it does not seem to be enough information and sometimes just the opposite. This can be far scarier. When we reject God’s vision, by ignoring, fearing or specifically saying no we are as a group rejecting God’s direction, blessings and protection.
There is so much that we can learn from Abram, both good and bad that we could easily spend months examining doubts, fears, and impatient personalities, and choices. But, today we are only looking at the first step in his process.
Without Abram’s acceptance of God’s vision, he would have lived a life with normal expectations and troubles.
-He would have never come to understand the creator of the world. He would have never been so greatly blessed.
-He would not been the recognized father of the nation of Israel and ultimately the father of all of our salvation from God.
What can we learn from Abram regarding vision?
Vision comes from faith.
If I have trouble believing in 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.
Vision supported and empowered through worship. Alters were setup to mark the presence of God. When Abram met God he marked the occasion and the remembrance helped him through the harder days. The notice and worship of God kept the vision and promises alive in their hearts and minds.
Vision frees us to let God control our lives. Vision let Abram leave the set future as the main inheritor and leader of the family for something vague. Something he had to trust God in order to receive.
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.
All Glory be to God!
