Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

12:l-20 GENESIS 6
family, and confines itself to Abram. It is no part of the
design of Scripture to trace the development of worldiness.
It marks its source, and indicates the law of its downward
tendency; but then it turns away from the dark detail,
to devote its attention to the way by which light from
heaven may again pierce the gloom of the fallen heart.
Here, then, we have the starting of a new spring of
spiritual life in the human race.”
Note the following also (SIBG, 230): “V. 1. While
Abram was in Ur of the Chaldees, God appeared to him,
probably in human shape, Acts 7:2, as He did at least
eight times afterward (Gen. 12:6-7, 13:3-4, lJ:l, 17:1,
18:1, 21:12, 22:1, lr), and called him to leave his country
and his father’s house, which, for some time past, had been
infected with idolatry (Josh. 24:2, 2 Cor. 6:17, Rev.
18:4, Isa. 41:2, Neh. 9:7). He, readily surrendering all
for the sake of Christ, (Psa. 45:lO-11, Luke 14:26), in
obedience to the divine command, and relying on His
direction and protection, went forth, not knowing whither
the Lord intended to lead him (Heb. 11:8). But as they
had stopped too long in Haran, I suppose the call here
mentioned was one which he received anew after the death
of his father.” (This last view, of course, has always been
a matter of controversy.) Payne (OHH, 36) : “Abraham
grew up in Ur just before the rise of Dyn. I11 and the
Sumerian renaissance. Here, in a center for the worship
of the moon god Sin, God called Abraham to a life of
pilgrimage to the celestial city (Heb. 11:13-16). Gen.
15:7 (cf. Neh. 9:7) notes that God was responsible for
Abram’s movement from Ur; but there is no information
in the 0.”. on the precise form of the call. Acts 7:2-4
reveals, however, that God appeared to him there and told
him to move out. It was by faith (Heb. 11 : 8), the destination
not yet given. (This verse must apply to the call in
Ur, for by Haran he knew where he was going, Gen.
12:5); and Abram obeyed. He seems to have persuaded
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