A man named Terah, a descendant of Shem, set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. He took with him his son Abram, his grandson Lot and his daughter-in-law Sarai. Then Lord said to Abram:
Genesis 12:1-3
[1]The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.
[2]I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.
[3]I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
God promised to make a great nation of His own out of Abram, the descendant of Shem, son of Terah, the son of Noah. Noah was the man whom God saved from the flood because God counted him as righteous because Noah believed and had faith in God and His promises.
God promised to bless, protect and make Abram's name great. Through Abram, God would also bless mankind.
Do you think Satan would like for God to bless mankind? Will Satan prevent the establishment of God's nation through Abram? Will Abram obey God and go to the land where he has never been before?
Because Abram believed and had faith in God and His promises,
Genesis 12:4-6
[4]So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
[5]He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran—and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan,
[6]Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites.
By his obedience, Abram showed that he was sure he would receive what God promised, even though he had not seen the land before. This is faith. Faith is being sure that we will receive we hope for (Heb.11:1) even if this may still be in the future. Abram had Faith or trusted God because he knew that God cannot lie and will always fulfill His promises. After Abram came to the Land...
Genesis 12:7-8
[7]Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the lord, who had appeared to him.
[8]After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord.
God confirmed His promise by appearing to Abram. Not only did God promise that Abram will own Canaan, but also Abram's descendants. God blesses the Obedient like Abraham.
How can God fulfill His promise to give the land of Canaan to Abram and his descendants when there are people living there? What do you think Satan will do to Abram now that he is in Canaan?
Genesis 12:10
[10]At that time a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner.
famine drove Abram out of Canaan and he went to Egypt. But remember, God's promise to make Abram into a great nation will be fulfilled only in Canaan. Now, how can God make Abram return to Canaan?...and what will Satan do to Abram in order to hinder God's plan?
Genesis 12:11-13
[11]As he was approaching the border of Egypt, Abram said to his wife, Sarai, “Look, you are a very beautiful woman.
[12]When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have her!’
[13]So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.”
Abram began to be afraid and fear for his life. Didn't God promise to protect him? Who is causing fear in Abram?
Abram began to make a plan to save his life. Abraham proceeded to tell a half-life so that he could be saved. Didn't God promise to protect him? Who do you think was tempting Abram to lie? Remember Satan? He told Eve a half-life when he tempted her. Satan is clearly causing Abram to fear so that he will lie and deceive people.
Genesis 12:14-16
[14]And sure enough, when Abram arrived in Egypt, everyone noticed Sarai’s beauty.
[15]When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to Pharaoh, their king, and Sarai was taken into his palace.
[16]Then Pharaoh gave Abram many gifts because of her—sheep, goats, cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.
The king of Egypt took Abram's wife Sarai. Clearly Satan was stirring the Egyptians to destroy Abram's family. Abram's family is God's hope to establish a nation of His own in Canaan, but Pharaoh took Sarai. What do you think will happen now?
Genesis 12:17-20
[17]But the Lord sent terrible plagues upon Pharaoh and his household because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
[18]So Pharaoh summoned Abram and accused him sharply. “What have you done to me?” he demanded. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?
[19]Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ and allow me to take her as my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and get out of here!”
[20]Pharaoh ordered some of his men to escort them, and he sent Abram out of the country, along with his wife and all his possessions.
God punished the Pharaoh of Egypt for siding with Satan's plan by sinning against Abram. However, God did not destroy Pharaoh because he repented of his sin. He was about to make Sarai as his wife but was not able to because God intervened and saved Sarai from Pharaoh.
How about us....do you think God will punish us too, if we side with Satan by sinning against our fellowman and God? Yes! God will always punish sin because God is All-Righteous and He Hates Sin. However, God is willing to forgive if we repent of our sin and stop siding with Satan.
So Abram went back to Canaan with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. Abram became very wealthy in livestock and silver and gold. They lived in the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the Lord.
Abram is back in Canaan as a wealthy man. God materially blessed Abram as He promised using King Pharaoh who repented of his sins.
What will happen now that Abram is back in Canaan? What will Satan do now that he failed to keep Abram from returning to Canaan?
Any thought?
Let's have a coffee
Hari
Enjoy reading...Blessings