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Divinely Appointed to a Life of Faith

Few men outside the Lord Jesus Christ himself have had such an impact on the history of the world as the man we're introduced to in Genesis 11–12. This dude is revered by over half the world's population. In our day, Abraham is held in the highest esteem by Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike. In ancient times, the Jews considered him almost worthy of their worship. And throughout the Bible, he is presented to us as a great example of a man who lived his life by faith.

Hebrews 11:8–12 sets the stage:

"By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore, from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven, and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore."

James 2 records the fact that Abraham was called a friend of God. A great portion of the first book of the Bible is devoted to his life, with further mentions throughout Romans, Hebrews, and other places. You might ask — why take the time to study a man who lived 4,100 years ago? First, because the Bible takes the time to speak about him, so we should take the time to study him. Second, the life of Abraham teaches us much about the matter of walking with God by faith — and after all, isn't that the goal? It's kind of the goal for all of the children of the Lord. God is calling every one of his children to live a life of faith, and this man teaches us how.

Romans 1:17 makes it plain:

"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.'"

Since we have trouble living that kind of faith out day by day, we need to hear what the Bible teaches us about Abraham's call to faith. Let's get into it.

Point One — Abram's Past Obscurity

There was a time in the distant past when Abraham was a mere nobody — just another nameless face in the crowd of humanity. His past was one of total obscurity. There are three things worth looking at here: the place of his original home, the issues with his original home, and the awfulness of his original home.

The Place of His Original Home

Ur of the Chaldeans was located in what we now call Iraq — the southeast corner, roughly 75 miles north of the Kuwaiti border, right in the middle of the area where the Gulf War was fought in 1991. In Abraham's time, Ur sat at the place where the Euphrates River emptied into the Persian Gulf. It was a bustling seaport where trade was conducted with India and Africa, even back in those ancient times.

History also tells us this city was a center of intellectual activity. A large public library was unearthed there containing thousands of ancient texts inscribed on clay tablets. And that region was well known for raising flocks and herds — which may account for the fact that Abraham was involved with sheep and cattle for the whole of his life.

The Issues in His Original Home

While the area Abraham was born into may have been prosperous, it was also perverted. The people of Ur were involved in some of the most wretched forms of idolatry known to mankind — inventing things that had never been invented before in ways to dishonor God. Ur was an important center for astrology and for the worship of the stars and the moon.

This is one of those moments where Scripture interprets Scripture. Joshua 24:2 confirms exactly what we're talking about:

"And Joshua said to all the people, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, long ago your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, and they served other gods.'"

Later in Genesis 31, we see that when Abraham was able to break free from the idolatry of the land, his relatives were not. Many years later, Isaiah reminded the nation of Israel to remember where God had brought them from. This is Isaiah speaking on behalf of God as a true prophet:

"Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him." — Isaiah 51:1–2

God called father Abraham out of the most pagan conditions, spiritually speaking.

The Awfulness of His Original Home

As you read through those early verses, the hopelessness of Abraham's years in Ur comes right to the surface. Verse 28 speaks of darkness and death. Verse 30 speaks of despair. No matter how you look at it, Abraham's early years were not great days. They were awful days.

And when you get right down to it, you and I are no different from Abraham. We might not have served stone gods or worshiped the heavenly bodies, but we were all trapped in the same darkness that engulfed the life of Abraham. Ephesians 2:1–3 tells us as much:

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience — among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind."

We serve a God who can reach into the blackest of hearts and turn on the light for his glory and his presence. He can take a life so hopeless and barren and turn it into one of the greatest examples of the power of faith and grace that can be found anywhere. Regardless of where we came from or what baggage we carry with us now, God is able to come where we are and change us for his glory. He doesn't come to make us good little boys and girls so that we now behave. He came to take us while we were dead and give us life. That's a much different understanding. And no one is beyond the touch of the Lord Jesus Christ — not even a pagan like Abram.

Point Two — Abram's Partial Obedience

Some call this the wasted years. In Genesis 11:31–32 and into 12:1, you can see it clearly.

We are not told exactly how the call came to Abraham. But we are told that God spoke to this man in his darkness and called him into the light — to follow a new path. Abram was called to leave behind everything he loved and everything that had shaped his life to that point. He was ordered to leave his religion, his region, and his relatives. He was issued a call to follow by faith and to a new future, not knowing where he was going or when he would arrive. He was simply told to leave all the matters in the Lord's hands.

Why Did God Choose This Man?

The call to Abram raises some questions the Bible does not fully answer. Why did the Lord pick this man out of all the men on earth? Why didn't God choose some other inhabitant of the world for this adventure called faith?

The honest answer is — we don't know, and we never will. The same mystery applies to any of us. Why did God call you and not your neighbor? Why did he call you and not your coworker? To answer those questions, we have to accept the fact that the answer dwells in God's sovereignty. It is not ours to know.

Romans 9:18–21 is about as direct as Scripture gets on this:

"So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. You will say to me then, 'Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?' But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?' Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?"

We are taught in America that we are so special — that we're unique just like everyone else. It is hard for us to get our minds around God's sovereignty, especially when his sovereignty has us doing things we don't particularly care for. But here is what happens in those moments when you're faithful: your heart changes.

Regardless of why God calls who he does, those who have been called by him should rejoice in the fact that they are saved and secure in the blood of the Lamb — that their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Because at the end of the day, that's the whole game. Your name is in, or your name is not.

The Nature of the Call

When the call of God comes to a life, it is a call to sever ties with the past. It is a call to new life with new priorities and a new Lord. His call is for total commitment — and we don't always like that, because we want to follow our own hearts. We want to be in control of our own destiny.

Matthew 16:24 is one of the hardest verses in the Bible for a believer to sit with:

"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'"

His call is for the believer to leave the old life behind and begin a new life of faith — where every moment is lived in utter dependence on the Lord alone for every need. His call is for you to follow without being concerned about the destination. His call is for you to leave the details to him. His call is for us to surrender to him and his ways, regardless of what it costs, where it leads, or how much it hurts. His call is still the same: follow me.

The Compromise

But notice what happens in Genesis 11:31. The call of Abram was for him to go. Yet when they left, the text says they went. Abram compromised by not separating from his family as he had been told. They came to Haran and dwelt there.

Look at any map and you will find that Haran sits north and east of the Promised Land. This was not where God called Abram to be. He had not gone all the way for the Lord.

Always remember this: partial obedience is simply disobedience. Until you have done all that God says to do, you haven't done what God has said to do.

The Meaning of Terah — and the Cost of the Delay

A quick note worth making: Haran the city and Haran the brother are two distinct and different words in the Hebrew. They are actually spelled differently, but the English translation comes out looking like the same word — so just know they are not the same.

Now, the name Terah — Abram's father — actually means a station of delay. It carries the idea of a stopping place, a rest area, a roadblock. Terah was evidently a roadblock between Abram and the doing of the will of God. Abram did not leave Haran and fully follow the Lord's command until after his father's death. There may be a Terah in your life as well — something that, until it is dealt with and considered dead to you, will produce nothing but starts and stalls in your walk with God.

What is your Terah today?

The delay was costly. Abram lingered in Haran and precious years passed by — years that could have been spent enjoying the best God had to offer. The work of God is too precious, and time is too short, for us to hesitate in carrying out the orders we receive from heaven. Every day brings us one day closer to the grave.

God was patient in his dealings with Abram — just as he is patient with us. He gave Abram time to get things squared away. But it is far better to hear his voice and respond in immediate action for the glory of the Lord. Have you been putting something off that God has prompted you to do or be a part of? If so, maybe the time for delay has passed. Delay is dangerous, and it is costly.

Point Three — Abram's Precious Opportunities

At the age of 75, this man named Abram finally makes a break with the old life. Genesis 12:1–3 shows us what happens next. He leaves Haran and steps onto the great adventure of faith. After all the years of defilement and all the wasted years of delay, God reserved some wonderful years of fulfillment for this old servant.

Walking in the Presence of God

Abram was called out of the gross darkness of sin to walk in the presence of the Lord. Genesis 12:1 implies that God himself intends to lead Abraham in the way he should go — personally directing this man's path. Later in the narrative, God comes down and has supper with Abraham. There is nothing in this world more precious than walking with God in faith. The faith walk puts you in a place of dependence on the Lord — and he will not let you down. You may let yourself down in the middle of all that, but God will not let you down.

Hebrews 13:5–6 puts it plainly:

"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'"

Those who lean solidly upon the Lord never need to fear that he will leave them or desert them. They never need to fear that God will fail them as they lean upon him.

Seeing God's Providence

Look at the promises God made to Abram in Genesis 12:1–3. He promised to give him a new home. Many offspring. Great blessings. A great name. Abraham himself would be a blessing. God would protect him from his enemies, bless his friends, and curse those who dishonored him. And all the families of the earth would be blessed through Abram's faith.

Abraham had no idea how God was going to work any of it out. But his faith had grown to the place where he was willing to trust God and just leave the details in the providence of the Lord. He was willing to live his faith out day by day as the Lord worked out his plan and purpose in his life.

Everything God promised to Abram, he gave him. He did it. He kept his promises to the letter. Some of those promises are still being worked out today, and God will faithfully continue to work them out as we see throughout Scripture. That is where he wants to take each of us as well — to a place where we can simply take him at his word and be satisfied in our hearts that he will do what he has promised. Regardless of what the devil, the flesh, or the world tell us, we can trust God. Every one of his promises is true. We can depend on him to take care of us if we will live our lives by faith.

The Fulfillment That Came

When Abram left Haran, he left with all of his hopes hidden in his heart. He held all the unseen things of the future in the hands of faith. He trusted God to take care of it all — and the Lord fulfilled every promise just as he said he would.

When Abraham died one hundred years later at the age of 175, he still did not have a full answer for how God had pulled it all together. But he died in faith. That faith was counted for righteousness in Genesis 15. When he died, he went to a place called paradise — and there he watched Jesus die on a cross for the sins of everyone who would believe in him. Abraham watched the last piece of the puzzle get put into place. This descendant of his — who is actually part of the triune Godhead, Jesus Christ, who descended from Abraham through his mother Mary — was the one who would make Abraham a blessing to all the families of the earth.

The People God Uses Greatly

There will be days when we wonder how God could ever do anything with the likes of us. But he does. There will be times when we have to walk by faith and not by sight. And in many different situations, if we can't see how something should be done, we won't do it. If we can't explain it, we tend to avoid it. The reality is — when we do that, we stunt our growth at a minimum.

The people God uses greatly are those who will walk obediently wherever the path of God leads them. These are the ones who get to see the Lord part the seas. They get to see the multitudes fed. They get to walk on the water. They get to walk unharmed through the fiery furnaces and the lion's dens of life. They live life by faith, and they get to see the Lord do the impossible over and over and over again.

There is an old saying that the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. It took Abram a while, but he made that step. And when he did, he saw God do things that amazed him until the day he died.

The same invitation stands today. Have you made that first step of faith — the step of faith for salvation? Have you made the step of faith to total surrender to Jesus Christ — trusting him as your substitute for the wrath you deserve? Have you made the step of faith that takes you beyond the humdrum, ordinary, run-of-the-mill life and into that other-worldly realm where God operates and uses people just like us for his glory?

It is an amazing place to be, and it is hard to stay there once you get there. Which is exactly why we come back to the Lord day by day, hour by hour — walking by faith, because faith pleases the Lord. We will never be all we can be for him until we cut ties with this world and go all in with him by faith.