Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

THE PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH 12:3,’ 4
(Exo. 3:8, 17; Exo. 1,3:7; Deut. 8:7-9, 11:8-12; Josh. 5:6,
Jer. ll:J, Ezek. 20:6; 15; Num. 13:27). The low plains
yielded luxuriant crops of wheat and barley, of rye and
millet; on the table-lands with their equable and moderate
climate grew the vine, the olive, the fig, the almond, the
pomegranate; in the tropical neighborhood of Jericho
flourished the palm’tree and the balsam; while the noble
cedar waved on the mountains of Lebanon.” What a role
this laiid has played in the history of the world! aiid what
a role dt is still playiiig in our day!
5. Abram’s Respoizse to God’s Call (12:1-6).
V. ‘+--‘so Abram went, as Jehovah had spoken unto
him.” This statement gives us the key to Abram’s motiva-
tion throughout his entire life. When God spoke, Abram
acted accordingly (cf. Paul, Acts 22:10, 26:19). This
complete dedication to the will of God in all things, as
manifested by Abraham throughout his life, surely negates
the notion that he had become contaminated by the idola-
trous tendencies of his kinsmen. It was this very commit-
ment that caused his name to go down in the sacred
records as the Friend of God and the Father of the Faith-
ful (ha. 41:8, 2 Chron. 20:7, Jas. 2:21-24, John 8:39-40;
Rom. 4:4, 4:16-17; Gal. 3:5-9, Heb. 11:s-10, esp. John
15:14). This fact also tends to negate the view of some
commentators that two divine calls were necessary to move
Abram toward his ultimate destination. The record of
Abram’s life surely proves that it was not his custom to
delay obedience when God called, any longer than circum-
stances might necessitate. The Scripture record clearly
indicates that the place of his nativity was Ur, where he
lived with his father Terah, his brothers Nahor and Haran,
and where he married Sarai; that on the death of Haran, he
migrated with his father, his wife, and his nephew Lot
(son of Haran) to the geographical Haran in Upper
Mesopotamia (11:26-32) ; and that on the death of his
father he (Abram, now 75 years old) left Haran with
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