Note: This article is part of Ron Bartanen’s series, “Christ in Genesis,” that he is teaching in Florida. He included it last week in his ezine, “The Sower.”
The gospel of Matthew appropriately stands at the head of the New Testament, (Matthew 1:1), focusing upon Abraham at the head of the genealogy of Christ, the long-awaited Messiah, the “King of the Jews.” He is introduced to us as a dweller in Ur of the Chaldees, a city in Mesopotamia, noted for its culture and luxury. It was also noted as a city given to idolatry and the worship of the moon god known as Nanna in Sumerian and Sin (or Suen) in Akkadian/ Babylonian. It is surprising that he himself “served other gods” before God called him (Joshua 24:2). He was wed to his half-sister, Sarai, his father’s daughter by another wife (Gen. 20:12).
Abraham stands as the first of the three main roots for the Jewish nation—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He was called of God to leave Ur and go to the land of Canaan (11:31-32) with Sarai, his father Terah, and his nephew Lot. They began their journey, but stopped at Haran where his father died. He was called a second time to continue his journey to the land of promise, giving His blessing upon Abraham’s heritage (12:1-3). God’s promises in these verses are the first 7 of 17 he received in chapters 17 to 27. The promise that “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” is primarily a prophetic blessing to be fulfilled with the coming of Christ.
There was one serious problem however. Sarai was barren (11:30). Such was a testing of their faith in God to fulfill His promises of a large posterity and the land of promise. With the choice of either the luxury of Ur or a land he had never seen, he chose God’s promise by faith.
It would seem that his faith was like a river that deepens and widens, gaining strength as it flows. He had ties with family members and friends to hinder him. But he had God’s promise: “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (12:3).
Can we see the fulfillment of this promise in America’s history? From the founding of our nation, even till now, America has been a friend to both Jews and Christianity and our nation has been blessed of God as none other in history. At the same time, the many empires and nations that have shown hostility to both Jews and Christians have fallen under God’s curse.
The book of Hebrews honors Abraham for his obedience to God’s call though “not knowing where he went” (11:8). Believing God, relatives and friends could not detain him. His faith didn’t put on its brakes at Canaan, “for he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (v, 10)—beyond earthly hopes. And let’s not forget barren Sarah, who believed God’s promise of their descendants and their habitation in Canaan, and “was delivered of a child when she was past age because she judged Him who was faithful who had promised” (v. 11).
Hebrews 12:2 to 3 identifies the first 7 of 17 promises Abraham received within chapters 12 to 22:
- a heritage of a great nation (Israel);
- blessings from God in his own life;
- his name would be great (his name being honored by Christians, Jews and Muslims);
- blessings upon those who bless Abraham, including his “seed”;
- a blessing through his seed (Israel and Christ cf. John 4:22);
- a curse upon all who would curse him and his seed; and
- the universal blessing of all families—all of humanity through Abraham’s seed, physical and spiritual (Israel, Christ and Christians).
A similar blessing was pronounced upon Jacob (Israel) in Gen. 27:28 to 29, Abraham’s departure from Ur to Canaan was an action of obedient faith in God’s word (Heb. 11:8).
His unhesitant compliance with the will of God is an example for us. The gospel is good news for all who will heed God’s call for departure from sin and follow Him in the path of faith and obedience to God. He looked beyond the promised land of Canaan, for “he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:10).
Are you looking for that city—a heavenly city? Those who are are those who are willing to leave the sin-city of Ur in obedience to the call of the gospel, following Him who took the burden of our sins to Calvary’s cross, died for those sins, and was raised, victorious over death, sharing with all who follow Him His righteousness and glory. We’re called to faith and repentance, committing our lives to Him in being “buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).
God’s call to all today surpasses His call of Abraham. Ours is a call to share in heaven’s glory.
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