A LAND THAT I SHEW THEE

INTRODUCTION.

I. ABRAM'S CALL AND COVENANT.

A. GOD'S CALL OF ABRAM.

B. GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAM.

C. GOD'S PROMISE TO THE WORLD.

II. ABRAM'S ENTRANCE INTO CANAAN.

A. ABRAM'S PARTIAL OBEDIENCE.

B. ABRAM'S COVENANT REAFFIRMED.

C. ABRAM'S ALTAR TO GOD.

III. ABRAM'S FAILURE IN EGYPT.

A. ABRAM'S TESTING BY GOD.

B. ABRAM'S SCHEME FOR SARAI.

C. ABRAM'S SCHEME BACKFIRES.

D. ABRAM'S CONDUCT REBUKED.

IV. ABRAM'S RETURN TO THE LAND.

A. ABRAM'S RESOURCES.

B. ABRAM'S WORSHIP.

C. ABRAM'S PRAYER.

CONCLUSION.

REFERENCES FOR STUDY:

GEN. 12:1-13:4; NUM. 32:32; HEB. 11:8

MEMORY VERSE:

BY FAITH ABRAHAM, WHEN HE WAS CALLED TO GO OUT INTO A PLACE WHICH

HE SHOULD AFTER RECEIVE FOR AN INHERITANCE, OBEYED; AND HE WENT

OUT, NOT KNOWING WHITHER HE WENT (HEB. 11:8).

INTRODUCTION.

THE STORY OF ABRAM'S CONVERSION AND CALL BY GOD IS ONE OF THE MOST

REMARKABLE IN BIBLE HISTORY. IN MANY WAYS, ABRAM IS TYPICAL OF

ALL OF US. HIS LIFE EXHIBITED A COMING TO FAITH, A CRISIS OF

FAILURE, AND A RETURN TO FAITH. FOR THIS REASON NEARLY EVERY

CHRISTIAN CAN IDENTIFY WITH THE LIFE OF ABRAM.

I. ABRAM'S CALL AND COVENANT (GEN. 12:1-3).

A. GOD'S CALL OF ABRAM (GEN. 12:1).

WE ARE NOT TOLD UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IT HAPPENED, BUT THIS

EASTERN GENTLEMAN HAD A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE LORD GOD OF

HEAVEN. GENESIS 12:1 NOTES, "NOW THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO ABRAM,

GET THEE OUT OF THY COUNTRY, AND FROM THY KINDRED, AND FROM THY

FATHER'S HOUSE, UNTO A LAND THAT I WILL SHEW THEE." ABRAM HAD NOT

WORSHIPED JEHOVAH PREVIOUSLY, BUT WHEN THE LORD APPEARED TO HIM

AND CALLED HIM TO SALVATION, ABRAM IMMEDIATELY OBEYED. THAT

OBEDIENCE IS A STRIKING TESTIMONY OF FAITH. (COMPARE HEBREWS 11:8)

ABRAM NEVER QUESTIONED GOD'S CALL; HE MERELY OBEYED IT. HE IS AN

EXAMPLE OF HOW WE SHOULD RESPOND TO GOD'S DIRECTION IN OUR LIVES.

B. GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAM.

IN RESPONSE TO ABRAM'S OBEDIENCE, GOD MADE TWO COVENANTS, OR

PROMISES, WITH HIM. THE FIRST CONCERNED THAT LAND OF HIS FUTURE

GENERATIONS. THE SECOND CONCERNED A GREAT BLESSING WHICH WOULD BE

GOD'S GIFT TO ABRAM'S OFFSPRING. COMMANDED TO LEAVE HIS NATIVE

LAND AND TO GO TO A PLACE YET UNREVEALED, ABRAM WAS PROMISED THE

BLESSING TO THE LORD JEHOVAH. HE COULD DESIRE NOTHING MORE. WHEN

THE LORD CALLS, HE ALSO PROMISES HIS BLESSING.

C. GOD'S PROMISE TO THE WORLD (GEN. 12:3).

BECAUSE OF ABRAM'S OBEDIENCE, GOD NOT ONLY GAVE COVENANT TO

ABRAM'S PEOPLE, BUT TO THE ENTIRE WORLD AS WELL: "AND I WILL BLESS

THEM THAT BLESS THEE, AND CURSE HIM THAT CURSETH THEE" (GEN.

12:3). ISRAEL IS THE APPLE OF GOD'S EYE. ANY NATION WHICH

BLESSES ISRAEL, ABRAM'S POSTERITY, IS PROMISED BLESSING BY GOD.

CONVERSELY, ANY NATION WHICH CURSES ISRAEL IS PROMISED BLESSING BY

GOD. CONVERSELY, ANY NATION WHICH CURSES ISRAEL IS PROMISED THE

CURSE OF GOD. THIS IS A LESSON WHICH HAS BEEN TAUGHT TO ANCIENT

BABYLON, TO GERMANY, TO SPAIN, AND IT APPEARS INCREASINGLY, TO THE

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. NO ONE CAN FORSAKE GOD'S PEOPLE OR

CAUSE THEM HARM WITHOUT PRECIPITATING THE WRATH OF GOD.

II. ABRAM'S ENTRANCE INTO CANAAN (GEN. 12:4, 5).

A. ABRAM'S PARTIAL OBEDIENCE (GEN. 12:4, 5).

WHEN GOD CALLED ABRAM, HE COMMANDED THAT ABRAM SHOULD LEAVE HIS

LAND AND HID KINDRED BEHIND. ABRAM OBEYED, YET HIS OBEDIENCE WAS

ONLY PARTIAL. IN VERSE 4 THE WORDS, "AND LOT WENT WITH HIM" ARE

INDICATIVE OF ABRAM'S HUMAN CHARACTER, BUT NOT OF HIS WISDOM.

HERE IS THE FIRST CLUE OF A FLAW IN HIS CHARACTER. HE WANTED TO

DO THINGS HIS OWN WAY. HE HAD SOME IDEAS OF HIS OWN. HE WAS TOLD

TO LEAVE HIS FAMILY, YET HE TOOK WITH HIM HIS NEPHEW LOT AND ALL

OF LOT'S FAMILY, SERVANTS, AND HERDSMEN AND THOSE OF LOT.

OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S COMMAND MUST ALWAYS BE TOTAL.

B. ABRAM'S COVENANT REAFFIRMED (GEN. 12:6, 7).

ALL OF US NEED REASSURANCE AT TIMES. WHEN ABRAM ENTERED THE LAND

OF SICHEM, OR SHECHEM, A PASTORAL VALLEY IN CANAAN, THE LORD

APPEARED AGAIN TO HIM AND SAID, "UNTO THY SEED WILL I GIVE THIS

LAND" (GEN. 12:7). ABRAM WAS SO OVERWHELMED BY THIS SECOND

MEETING WITH GOD THAT HE BUILT AN ALTAR TO THE LORD AND WORSHIPED

HIM THERE. WE TOO MUST BE EVER THANKFUL OF THE REASSURANCES GOD

GIVES US THROUGH THE PERSON OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

C. ABRAM'S ALTAR TO GOD (GEN. 12:8, 9).

WHEN ABRAM AND HIS FAMILY CAME TO A PLACE CALLED BETHEL, MEANING

"THE HOUSE OF GOD," ABRAM TOOK TIME TO BUILD A SECOND ALTAR. IT

WAS APPARENTLY MUCH LARGER AND MORE ELABORATE THAN THE FIRST.

HERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT IS RECORDED THAT ABRAM "CALLED UPON

THE NAME OF THE LORD" (GEN. 12:8). THIS SOLEMN ACT OF DEVOTION,

AN OPEN PROFESSION OF HIS FAITH IN THE LORD GOD JEHOVAH,

ESTABLISHED HIS WORSHIP OF THE TRUE GOD AND DECLARED HIS FAITH IN

GOD'S PROMISE.

III. ABRAM'S FAILURE IN EGYPT (GEN. 12:10-20).

A. ABRAM'S TESTING BY GOD (GEN. 12:10).

GOD ALWAYS KNOWS THE RIGHT TIME AND METHOD TO TEST OUR FAITH. FOR

ABRAM, WHO WAS ACCUSTOMED TO HAVING ALL HE NEEDED WHENEVER HE

NEEDED IT, THAT TESTING CAME BY A FAMINE. RATHER THAN TRUSTING

GOD AND REMAINING IN CANAAN, ABRAM WITHDREW TO NEIGHBORING EGYPT.

IN TYPOLOGY, EGYPT IS ALWAYS A SYMBOL OF THE WORLD. AGAIN, WE SEE

THIS FLAW IN ABRAM'S CHARACTER. HE WAS SELF-WILLED. HE SOUGHT

HIS OWN SOLUTION, EVEN THOUGH IT MEANT RUSHING HEADLONG INTO THE

WORLD.

B. ABRAM'S SCHEME FOR SARAI (GEN. 12:11-13).

SEEKING A HUMAN SOLUTION BROUGHT ABRAM A WHOLE NEW SET OF

PROBLEMS. DOING THINGS OUR OWN WAY USUALLY DOES. AS ABRAM

APPROACHED EGYPT, HE BEGAN TO WORRY ABOUT HIS WIFE. SHE WAS

APPARENTLY A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, AND ABRAM FEARED THAT THE EGYPTIANS

WOULD KILL HIM AND TAKE HER FOR THEMSELVES. ABRAM CONCOCTED THE

IDEA OF TELLING THE EGYPTIANS THAT SARAI WAS HIS SISTER, A

HALF TRUTH, BUT NEVERTHELESS A DELIBERATE DECEPTION. SUCH CONDUCT

IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE CHARACTER OF ONE WHO HAS BEEN CALLED OF

GOD; YET IT IS TOTALLY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN

OF ABRAM. HE LOVED GOD, BELIEVED IN GOD, AND WORSHIPED GOD; YET

HE STILL INSISTED ON DOING THINGS HIS OWN WAY. BEFORE ABRAM COULD

BE USED BY GOD, THIS TENDENCY WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED.

C. ABRAM'S SCHEME BACKFIRES (GEN. 12:13-17).

SINCE ABRAM HAD MADE IT KNOWN THAT SARAI WAS HIS SISTER, AND SINCE

SHE WAS AN ATTRACTIVE WOMAN, PHARAOH DECIDED TO TAKE HER INTO HIS

HOUSEHOLD. SUDDENLY, ABRAM'S PROBLEMS HAD SNOWBALLED. HE HAD

SOUGHT HIS OWN SOLUTION INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR GOD'S DIRECTION.

AS A RESULT, HIS WIFE HAD BEEN PLACED IN A VERY COMPROMISING

POSITION. THE EXACT THING THAT ABRAM HAD SOUGHT TO AVOID HAD TO

COME TO PASS. ONLY DIVINE INTERVENTION SPARED SARAI FROM

DISASTER. GOD WAS SHOWING ABRAM A PAINFUL SPARED SARAI FROM

DISASTER. GOD WAS SHOWING ABRAM A PAINFUL LESSON THAT EACH OF US

WOULD DO WELL TO LEARN: "BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT" (NUM.

32:23). OUR SOLUTIONS ALWAYS BACKFIRE.

D. ABRAM'S CONDUCT REBUKED (GEN. 12:18-20).

INCENSED THAT HE HAD BEEN DECEIVED, PHARAOH CALLED ABRAM AND

QUESTIONED WHY HE HAD LIED TO HIM. POINT BLANK, THE EGYPTIAN

RULER ASKED ABRAM, "WHY SAIDST THOU, SHE IS MY SISTER?" (GEN.

12:19). SCRIPTURE RECORDS NO REPLY ON ABRAM'S PART.

IT IS A SAD COMMENTARY ON THE LIFE STYLE OF MANY BELIEVERS THAT

THE WORLD HAS TO REBUKE THEM FOR THEIR CONDUCT. I'M SURE THIS IS

AN INCIDENT IN ABRAM'S LIFE THAT HE WOULD HAVE JUST AS SOON

FORGOTTEN. FOR A BELIEVER TO REBUKE THE WORLD IS NOT UNCOMMON;

FOR THE WORLD TO REBUKE THE BELIEVER SHOULD BE UNHEARD OF.

IV. ABRAM'S RETURN TO THE LAND (GEN. 13:1-4).

A. ABRAM'S RESOURCES (GEN. 13:1, 2).

AFTER THE REBUKE BY PHARAOH, ABRAM, SARAI, LOT, AND THEIR

HOUSEHOLDS ASCENDED TO THE LOWLANDS OF EGYPT TO THE LOWLANDS OF

PALESTINE. THE INCIDENT IN EGYPT DID NOT STOP GOD'S BLESSING OF

ABRAM. IT MERELY EMPHASIZED THE UTTER SENSELESSNESS OF ABRAM'S

TRYING TO DO ON HIS OWN WHAT GOD WAS ABLE TO DO FOR HIM. TODAY AN

ARAB SHEIKH IS CONSIDERED RICH IF HE HAS TWO HUNDRED TENTS, A

HUNDRED OR MORE CAMELS, AND THOUSANDS OF SHEEP AND GOATS. IN

COMPARISON, ABRAM WAS "VERY RICH" NOT ONLY IN CATTLE BUT IN SILVER

AND GOLD AS WELL. HE WAS A MAN GREATLY PROSPERED BY GOD. HE

SUFFERED OCCASIONAL LAPSES, BUT ONLY WHEN HE SOUGHT HIS OWN WAY.

THESE LAPSES DIDN'T SEPARATE ABRAM FROM GOD'S LOVE. THEY DID

POINT OUT THE ABSOLUTE NECESSITY OF DEPENDING ON JEHOVAH. GOD

DOESN'T QUIT LOVING US WHEN WE FAIL. HIS GRACE IS GREATER THAN

OUR FAILURES.

B. ABRAM'S WORSHIP (GEN. 13:3).

ABRAM'S RETURN TO CANAAN WAS NOT JUST A PHYSICAL RETURN BUT A

SPIRITUAL RETURN AS WELL. HE HAD EXPERIENCED A GREAT FAILURE IN

EGYPT. HE HAD FAILED HIS WIFE. HE HAD FAILED HIS FAMILY. MOST

IMPORTANTLY, HE HAD FAILED IN HIS DEPENDENCE ON GOD. GOD HAD

GIVEN ABRAM A TEST, AND HE HAD FAILED. YET, IT CAN BE SAID THAT

THE TEST ACCOMPLISHED THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS INTENDED. GOD,

WHO KNOWS ALL, KNEW WHAT ABRAM WOULD DO. HE KNEW HOW ABRAM WOULD

REACT TO THE FAMINE. HE KNEW THAT ABRAM WOULD FLEE TO EGYPT, LIE

TO PHARAOH, AND BRING GRIEF AND REBUKE TO HIS ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD.

GOD KNEW THAT ABRAM WOULD FAIL THE TEST; YET HE SENT HIM ANYWAY.

WHY? GOD SENT THE TEST SO ABRAM COULD LEARN WHAT GOD ALREADY KNEW;

SO THAT IN THE FUTURE ABRAM WOULD DEPEND ON GOD'S DIRECTION, EVEN

WHEN HUMAN REASON CRIED OUT TO SEEK ITS OWN SOLUTION. IT HAD BEEN

A PAINFUL LESSON, BUT ONE THAT WOULD SHAPE THE REST OF ABRAM'S

DAYS. THUS, IN FAILURE, HE RETURNED TO CANAAN, TO BETHEL, AND TO

THE ALTAR HE HAD BUILT EARLIER TO GOD. REPENTANT, HE WAS READY TO

WORSHIP GOD "WHERE HIS TENT HAD BEEN AT THE BEGINNING" (GEN.

13:3). HE HAD FORSAKEN HIS OWN EFFORTS TO RETURN TO THE PLACE OF

GOD'S BLESSING. HE WAS READY AGAIN TO WALK WITH GOD.

C. ABRAM'S PRAYER (GEN. 13:4).

BACK AT THE PLACE OF WORSHIP AND PRAYER, GOD'S MAN DID NOT

HESITATE TO CALL AGAIN ON THE NAME OF THE LORD. HERE WAS A MAN

WEALTHY IN CATTLE, SILVER, AND GOLD---A MAN WHO HAD LEARNED THE

HARD WAY THAT MATERIAL WEALTH AND HUMAN REASON ARE WORTHLESS

WITHOUT DIVINE DIRECTION. HE GAINED GREATER WEALTH THAN GOLD IN

THIS PRECIOUS TIME OF FAILURE AND RESTORATION TO GOD. HIS

HUMILITY AND PENITENCE FOR HIS MISCONDUCT IN EGYPT ARE EVIDENT.

HIS SELF WILL, A FLAW WHICH HAD PLAGUED HIM FROM THE START, HAD

BEEN EXPOSED AND CRUSHED. NOW HE WAS BACK ON TRACK AND PREPARING

TO OFFER SACRIFICES TO JEHOVAH.

HOW MUCH ABRAM IS LIKE EACH ONE OF US. WE FAIL. WE FALL INTO

SIN. BUT, UNLIKE ABRAM, WE OFTEN DO NOT LEARN THE LESSON OF THE

FAILURE. HOW MUCH ABRAM IS LIKE EACH ONE OF US. WE FAIL. WE

FALL INTO SIN. BUT, UNLIKE ABRAM, WE OFTEN DO NOT LEARN THE

LESSON OF THE FAILURE. ABRAM SAW THAT HIS VERY BEST ATTEMPTS TO

DEAL WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE HAD LED TO MISERABLE FAILURE.

WITHOUT GOD, HE WAS UNABLE TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING. AS A RESULT OF

WHAT HE HAD LEARNED, ABRAM WENT BACK TO BETHEL. LIKE ABRAM, WHEN

WE FAIL AND FALL INTO SIN, WE SHOULD REALIZE THAT IT IS BECAUSE WE

HAVE LEFT BETHEL. WE HAVE GONE FROM GOD'S PLACE OF BLESSING AND

TRIED TO LIVE OUR OWN WAY. GOD IS AT BETHEL, NOT IN EGYPT. WE

MUST RETURN TO BETHEL AND CALL UPON THE LORD. ONLY THEN CAN WE

KNOW THE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD THAT MAKES LIFE A PROGRESSION OF

GLORIOUS VICTORIES INSTEAD OF A STRING OF DISASTEROUS FAILURES.

 

CONCLUSION.

LIKE ANY OF GOD'S CHOICE SERVANTS, ABRAM'S LIFE HAD ITS UPS

AND DOWNS. HE SHOWED GREAT FAITH IN ANSWERING POSITIVELY GOD'S

CALL TO GO TO A STRANGE LAND. YET, HE WAS SELF-WILLED. WE SEE

THIS FLAW IN HIS PARTIAL OBEDIENCE, HIS VENTURE INTO EGYPT, AND

HIS LIE TO PHARAOH. HE STILL THOUGHT THAT HE COULD SOLVE HIS OWN

PROBLEMS. MANY TIMES WE ARE JUST LIKE ABRAM. WE HAVE, BY FAITH,

ACCEPTED JESUS AS SAVIOR. YET, WE ARE SELF-WILLED. WE TRY TO

SOLVE OUR OWN PROBLEMS AND LIVE OUR LIVES IN OUR OWN WAY. OUR

GOD, HOWEVER, IS A GOD OF LOVE AND GRACE. HE ALLOWS US TO TRY OUR

OWN WAY AND THEN CAUSES OUR EFFORTS TO FAIL. FINALLY, WHEN WE

HAVE UTTERLY FAILED, HE DOES NOT TURN HIS BACK ON US. INSTEAD,

WITH LOVING ARMS, HE WELCOMES US BACK TO BETHEL. WITH ABRAM, WE

SHOULD ALL LEARN THIS IMPORTANT TRUTH. GOD OFTEN ALLOWS FAILURE

AS HIS METHOD OF REVEALING OUR WEAKNESS AND CALLING US BACK TO HIS

PLACE OF SPIRITUAL BLESSING.

Used with permission from the

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Index of Preacher's Help and Notes      

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