The Call and Faith of Abraham

INTRODUCTION

A careful study of the life of Abraham will provide many important applications in Christian living. His life depicts how a person has a close relationship with God. Although Abraham’s background was from the idolatrous family who worshipped other gods in Ur of the land of Chaldees, yet he learnt to trust the Lord as he followed God’s direction. God’s mercy was extended to Abraham, an idolater, by choosing him to be the person who carried out the salvation plan of God for human being. Abraham was not chosen for his intelligence but merely based on the sovereignty of God. Thus God called Abraham with a purpose.

It is important to understand that when the Lord called Abraham he was not yet a believer. His response to the calling showed that his faith was a genuine. Abraham did not ask any question when God asked him to leave his kindred but he trusted the Lord. He knew that the God who spoke to him was the true and the living God. Abraham then took a step to move on and follow the direction given by the Lord. This was the beginning of the growth of the seed of faith planted in him. He began to look upon the Lord in everything in his life and his faith increased in Him.

The promises given to Abraham were the very important foundations in his life (Gen 12:2-3). He believed that the Lord would fulfil them according to God’s time, including the born of his own son in his old age, Isaac. Although after having received the promised son, Isaac, the Lord then gave him a test of faith. However through the grace of God given to him, he was able to do what the Lord required of. The pass of the test was the proof of his great faith. Thus through this study one must agree to this conclusion that “Abraham’s life was an example of the development of the Christian’s growth in faith." The lessons from the call and faith of Abraham must be applied in the Christian living.

THE CALL OF ABRAHAM

The nature of his call

The study of Genesis 11:31 will show that Abraham received his call after he together with his father moved from Ur to Haran. Based on this passage, one could not defend that God had called Abraham from Ur. However, as the Holy Spirit revealed in another part of the Bible, clearly seen that Abraham received his call when he was still in Ur, the land of Chaldees. In fact the account of Stephen’s defence shows that “The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran” (Acts 7:2). In other words, when Abraham received his call in Haran, it was his second call. Quek rightly opines, "Abraham first received his called in Ur of the Chaldees. This fact cannot be determined from Genesis 11:31. Acts 7:2 tells us that God called Abram when he was in Ur of the Chaldees. (cf. Gen. 15:7; Josh. 24:2; Neh. 9:7) Thus the call of Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3 was a reiteration of that call at Ur."

On this regard, there was a delay on Abraham’s response to the call of God. The question might be raised; did Abraham disobey God about God’s calling? The answer was not possible. The delay of Abraham’s response to his first call definitely was not because of his disobedience. If that was the case the Lord must have said so in His only book, the Bible. However the suggestion given by Davis was considerable, when he said that, "The delay could well have been a result of personal or family consideration, such as Terah’s old age. It is not improbable that Abraham was awaiting the appropriate time to break with his family, and when that time came, God reiterated the call."

Thus Abraham never had the intention to delay the God’s call upon him

Looking at the content of the call it requires a man who has faith in the Lord. Genesis 12:1 says that Abraham must leave his own country, kindred, father’s house and go to the land which was in that point of time he did not know. Nevertheless the Lord promised that He would show him the new land which the Lord would give to him and his descendant forever. This same land would be an inheritance of Abraham’s descendant. In this regard, Abraham’s faith was not blind. He believed what the Lord had promised would come to pass though he was childless when he received the call (Gen 12:2-3). Nevertheless the Lord required the personal sacrifice on Abraham’s part by leaving his own country and kindred (Gen 12:1). Abraham must separate himself from his early life by following God’s call.

In addition to the promise of the new land the Lord would show to Abraham, the Lord also gave Abraham another sevenfold promise that the Lord Himself would fulfil. The Lord said “And will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen 12:2-3). To all these promises, Abraham had an unwavering faith in the Lord. Abraham by faith obeyed the Lord (Heb 11:8-10). As a result of his faithfulness to the Lord “Abraham was remembered as a great man of faith, the father of the faithful, and a ‘friend of God.’”

The most wonderful thing seen through the call Abraham received from the Lord was that Abraham had an unquestioning obedience to the Lord. In addition to this, the call of Abraham was the key to his life that the Lord would use to fulfil the salvation plan of God. This is to say that the call of Abraham includes the promise coming of Messiah namely the Lord Jesus Christ through whom all the families of the earth who believe in Him will be blessed.

His response to the call

Receiving a call at the age seventy-five to move to the new land that Abraham himself did not know was not a simple thing, but required a great faith. Leaving the city of Ur with her luxurious prosperity was the hardest thing which ever done by natural man. Without the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of Abraham, leaving the city such as Ur, which was protected with walls and her building so beautifully made was impossible. Nevertheless, Abraham obeyed the call of the Lord. He brought all the things he possessed in the city of Ur and departed to the new land which the Lord would show him. He had no question concerning the land but submitted his whole life to the Lord. Davis further said, "Abraham’s decision to forsake the wealth and security of Mesopotamia can hardly be regarded as purely natural. From a human point of view, the advantages of remaining in Mesopotamia far outweighed those of going to Palestine. Furthermore, it should be remembered that Abraham is cited not just for a single act of faith but for an attitude and life of faith (Heb. 11:9,10)."

Finally from Haran moved to the new land with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot and a considerable number of servants (Gen 12:5). They went forth to the land of Canaan which the Canaanites lived. They passed through the land and stopped at Sichem (Gen 12:6). During his stay in this place the Lord appeared to Abraham for the first time since he departed from Haran. Indeed this was the reiteration of God’s promise to Abraham about the land (Gen 12:7). As a response to God’s appearance Abraham built an altar unto the Lord, as “a visible evidence of the strength of his faith.”

After the Lord had reaffirmed His promise to Abraham in the land of Sichem, Abraham continued to journey to Bethel. In this land, again Abraham pitched his tent as a temporary structure for his own comfort and built an altar for worshipping God. Nevertheless though Abraham had arrived in the new land the Lord had promised, yet there was no sign of wealth and prosperity in his part. An altar that he built was only the sign to show that Abraham was still under the direction and protection of the Almighty God whom he worshipped. However his faith in the Lord never wavered. He trusted in the Lord in every circumstance that he went in. Despite of the many difficulties he faced both from other nations and his own nephew, Abraham continued to look upon the Lord and wait for the promises.

THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM

His faith seen in his weaknesses

The faith of Abraham depicts a true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Had Abraham believed God based on what the Lord told him, then Christians ought to believe God in the same way. In fact the writer of Hebrews gives the definition of faith as this “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). However, from human’s perspective, the people in the New Testament are supposed to be much easier to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is because the Holy Scripture is available in their hands. On the other hand, Abraham knew nothing about the written Word of God. His belief was based on what the Lord told him and yet he believed God whole-heartedly.

The faith of Abraham, since the beginning of the call of God had begun to grow one step at the time. Departing from the luxurious city to the unknown city at the age of seventy-five was unthinkable but not for Abraham. Abraham believed that God would be with him in every circumstance. His relationship and worship were very crucial to him. Thus every time God spoke to him, he would indicate it with the building of the altar which he acknowledged as the place of worship (Gen 12:8; 13:3-4, 18).

Although Abraham was honoured as the father of the faithful and a friend of God, yet through the journey of his life, it depicts that he was truly a believer with human’s weaknesses. Abraham failed to ask the Lord when he wanted to move to Egypt (Gen 12:10-13). As a result he did tell a lie because of the fear of men. In another occasion, he committed the same sin when he was in Gerar (Genesis 20:1-18). However, this did not cause him to be a faithless people but rather he continued to trust in the Lord. He learnt a lesson from a mistake or failure that he committed.

Based on the study of the faith of Abraham, a believer in the New Testament will be depicted in the same way. No one who will never fail in his journey in this world since his conversion, but rather there will be a time where he disobeys and distrusts the Lord. Nevertheless when someone comes to the Lord with a contrite heart, asking for forgiveness, the Lord is faithful to forgive such a person (1 John 1:9). Christian should not have in mind that the failure he has in this life in following the Lord, will cause the Lord to reject him. Christian must be like Abraham for he learnt from his failure, yet he was never doubt on the faithfulness of God upon him.

His faith seen in his obedience

What a joyful it was for Abraham and Sarah to have a son in their old age! The son whom the Lord had promised twenty-five years before finally was in their bosom. The world could not think how a barren woman had a child. It was merely the Lord’s doing. Abraham and Sarah were just the recipients of the blessing.

The born of Isaac in the family was Abraham’s faith to test. The Lord did not tempt Abraham to evil but challenged his faith. As James said “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed” (Jam 1:13-14). Thus God required of him to offer his only begotten son whom he had waited for a long time, as a burnt offering to the Lord. In this junction it is necessary to understand that when God gave a promise of a child to Abraham, the Lord did not attach any description of what would happen when he got that child. It was a sudden that the Lord required of him to offer his son as a burnt sacrifice (Gen 22:2).

The answer of Abraham was clear and without question. He obeyed the Lord faithfully, knowing that the Lord was the one who gave his son and when the Lord required he was willing to return him to the Lord. Thus “Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him” (Gen 22:3). This was the difficult time for Abraham because the son whom he loved must be offered as a burnt offering. However Abraham knew what the Lord was doing. He did not ask the Lord why this thing must happen but rather he submitted himself to the high authority, the Lord Himself.

In this regard, there is no way to say that Abraham must have forgotten the promise given of the Lord that through his seed, Isaac, his descendants would become a nation. He knew all these things and yet there was no doubt in Him that if the born of Isaac was a miracle then the Lord Himself was able to do another miracle even if Isaac must be sacrificed. He believed that God would resurrect him from the death in order to fulfil His promise. In fact the writer of Hebrews said “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure” (Heb 11:17-19).

The faith of Abraham was not only expressed in the New Testament but rather in the same account of this historical event, Abraham told to his young men by faith that He and the lad would come back to them. Their purpose to let them stay behind was that Abraham and the lad would worship the Lord (Gen 22:5). How true it was, the faith of Abraham was truly great. There was no doubt in his part to sacrifice his son, Isaac as a burnt offering. In fact he did as what the Lord had commanded. Then “Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me” (Gen 22:9-12).

Because of the faith that he had in the Lord, Abraham was willing even to offer his son as a burnt offering. The Lord honoured his faith by providing a ram to be offered as a sacrifice to the Lord (v. 13). As a result of Abraham’s obedience, the Lord reaffirmed His covenant with Abraham (Gen 22:15-18).

His faith seen in his expectation on the Promised Land and coming Saviour

It is important to know that although Abraham had reached to the land of Canaan, as the Lord told him (Gen 12:6-7) that this land would be given to Him and his descendants, yet Abraham seemed still living in the strange country. He was still hoping that Promised Land that the Lord would give to him. Knowing that at this point of time Abraham did not have any indication that the land belonged to him and his descendants. In fact when his wife passed away, he wanted to buy a piece of land for a burial for his wife (Gen 23:1-20). This showed that he was a stranger in the land. Hebrews 11:9-10 says “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

Based on Hebrew 11, it is clear that Abraham was hoping not merely the physical land that God promised to him but also the spiritual land. He was hoping that he would be in the city whose builder and maker is God. His faith on this regard was not blind. Christians who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ would have the same hope as Abraham had. Believers need to know that the world is not their homes but it is a strange land. They need to know that their citizenship is not of this world but of heaven.

Another aspect of Abraham’s hope, which the Lord Jesus Christ revealed in the New Testament Scripture, was the hope of the coming Messiah. Notice that when God called Abraham, God gave him sevenfold promise (Gen 12:2-3). The last promise in this passage given was that all families of the earth would be blessed in the Abraham. How will it happen? The answer is that through the seed of Abraham, the salvation plan of God to send His begotten son will come through his line (cf. Matt 1:1; John 3:16). Abraham had no doubt on this promise. He believed God whole-heartedly that it would come to pass.

In relation to this, the Apostle John wrote in his gospel the account given by the Lord Jesus Christ with reference to Abraham’s faith. He said “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56). This is absolutely true and there is no doubt in it because the Lord Jesus Christ knew Abraham very well. In fact Christ appeared to him in the form of theophany. He knew the faith of Abraham and his heart that Abraham himself was hoping for the coming of the Messiah to save the world from sins. One rightly said, “Abraham was overjoyed to see the fullness of time when the Messiah would indeed be a spiritual blessing.” Thus because of his great faith in the Lord, Abraham was called the father of faithful.

CONCLUSION

Having seen the life of Abraham described both in the Old and New Testament one must have convinced that Abraham’s faith was an example of the true believer in the Lord even in this generation. The call that he received was the key of his life in order to follow the Lord’s direction and live under God’s providence. It was truly the help of the Holy Spirit for a person such as Abraham who trusted the Lord without the help of the Written Word. He believed that the Lord who called him to come out from the land of Chaldees was the Almighty God who created heaven and earth (Heb 11:9).

It is necessary to note that the Lord did not call Abraham with a promise that miracles would come as a sign to confirm that the Lord wanted him to move to the new land. However he trusted the Lord because the Lord was the one who gave him faith that he might follow His commandments. The Holy Spirit who indwelled in him helping him to understand and convince that the God who appeared to him was the true and living God.

When Abraham took the first step to move from Ur to Haran, Abraham began to wait upon the Lord in many circumstances. His faith grew one step at a time. His faith was confirmed in the Lord. He continued to wait for the promises given to him. His faith grew as he communed with the Lord in many difficulties. This was clearly seen when the Lord required his beloved son, Isaac, to be offered as a burnt offering. On the other hands, Abraham’s faith was not only on the physical promises but also on the spiritual promises namely the Promised Land and the coming Saviour. The New Testament Scriptures revealed that Abraham was not hoping for the Physical blessing but also the spiritual one and the coming of Messiah.