Now the Lord said to Abram, Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Genesis 12:1–3
The “most highly revered man of the ancient world is Abraham.” The Arab world holds him in the highest regard. The Muslim world claims he is one of Allah’s greatest prophets. The Jews claim him as the founder of their religion. Christians proclaim him as the father of the faithful.
God’s Call to Abram, Later Known as Abraham
Little is known about the land to which God instructed him to go. When he left his father’s home in Haran to go to Canaan, he could not have known what he would face on his journey. His departure required an exceptional act of faith.
God’s call to Abram was a demand to put the past behind him and to go forward. Abram was told to leave his country, his relatives, and go to a foreign land.
Based on his obedience to God, the Lord told Abraham (1). I will make of you a great nation, (2) I will bless you, and (3) him who dishonors you, I will curse. He would “be a blessing.” W. E. Vine says that the word “curse” occurs about eighty-two times in the Hebrew Old Testament. John MacArthur says “curse” in Genesis 12:3 means “those who curse Abraham and his descendants are those who treat him lightly, despise him, or treat him with contempt.” The Apostle Paul says in Galatians 3:8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.”
Paul’s quotation from Genesis 12:3 demonstrates that, from the very beginning of Abraham’s relationship with God, the blessing of salvation was promised to all the nations of the world. Warren W. Wiersbe says God preached the “good news” to Abraham centuries ago, and the Apostle Paul brought that same good news to the Galatians. Sinners are justified through faith, not by keeping the law. The logic here is evident. If God promised to save the Gentiles (the non-Jewish people) by faith, then the Judaizers were wrong in wanting to take the Gentile believers back into the law. The true “children of Abraham” are not the Jews by physical descent, but Jews and Gentiles who have believed in Jesus Christ. All those who are “of faith” (born-again believers) are blessed with “believing Abraham.”
In Genesis 15:18, the Scriptures say On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates. God unconditionally pledges that the offspring of Abram, will someday possess the land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates. (3). The Lord told Abram I will bless those who bless you — the events of Promise, as a specific era of testing. The promises of this covenant were never set aside, and they span all succeeding ages until the dawn of eternity.
W.E. Vine says covenant is parallel or equivalent to the Hebrew words that emphasize the authority and grace of God in making and keeping the covenant, and the specific responsibility of man under the covenant. God’s “covenant” is a relationship of love and loyalty between the Lord and His chosen people. The Unger’s Commentary On The Old Testament says, “He renewed His covenant through His Son’s death on the Cross and His resurrection from the grave.
Just as Abram was convinced that God had called him to go to a foreign land, God’s Will can be known in various ways. For instance, it may be through a vision or because of a deep conviction that God is calling them for a specific task.
MOSES — The Scriptures say in Exodus 3:2–10 And the angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings. And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a land flowing with milk and honey . . . Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.
SAUL of TARSUS — Acts 9:1–9 says But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now, as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you ought to do. The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were open, he saw nothing. So, they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Ananias — In Acts 9:10–15, 17–18, the Bible states, “Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias.” The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard about this man and the many evil things he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry out my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.” So, Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately, something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight.
In today’s world, do visions from God still exist? The answer is yes. I have experienced three visions. No other person saw those visions or heard God’s voice. Neither did I hear God’s voice, but I had no doubt God was present and communicating with me.
The third vision had the greatest impact on me. As I looked up at the sky, I saw a warm white light all around me. God’s presence was obvious. Within me, something happened that changed me into the man I am today. That experience is still a living part of me. My desire to serve the Lord is greater than it has ever been.
God calls his born-again believers to serve Him. The Lord gives His born-again believers a command. It is called the Great Commission. Jesus says in Matthew 28:18–20: And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
W. E. Vine says in Matthew 28:18, the word “authority” refers to “the power of one whose will, and commands must be obeyed.” Jesus calls all His bornagain believers to be witnesses. Begin by being a witness to your friends, then your neighbors, and then to the people of the world.
All born-again believers have a testimony to share. You can share your conversion experience with others. For example, the moment you invited Jesus into your life as your Savior and Lord, and how the Lord changed your life.
It was embarrassing, but I was still timid to share what the Lord had done for me after I graduated from seminary. My pastor friend sensed I was timid to share my faith with others. In his office, he gave me a pamphlet of the “Four Spiritual Laws,” published by Campus Crusade for Christ. Each morning, when I was in my church office, the first thing I did was read the “Four Spiritual Laws.” Then I prayed, “Lord, give me the conviction and the confidence I need to share my faith with others. For some time, I followed the same routine.
One day, a name came into my mind, and I felt like I had to go see that person. I didn’t know it, but the Lord had a reason for me to go to that home. This happened several times. The Lord used me to change people’s lives.
My born-again friends, we need to have faith that the Lord can work through us to bless the lives of others. The Apostle Paul says something in Romans 4:2021 about Abraham. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. The Apostle Paul also says in Galatians 3:7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. The true spiritual children of Abraham are the believing Jews and Gentiles because they follow his example of faith.
Jesus says in Mark 11:22 Have faith in God. It is a firm persuasion or a conviction based upon hearing. True friendship is one on mutual trust. Abraham’s inner strength and happiness never came from worldly things; they came from his sense of a purpose above this world that was controlling.
The last thing he wanted was to be left to his own devices; instead, he wanted to know his God- appointed destiny. Consequently, he was a man of prayer, which is the direct opposite of a man who wants to be let alone. True prayer becomes a benediction precisely because it lifts a soul out of itself.
Edward M. Brant wrote a poem titled “Breath of God.” It says,
O breath of God, Spirit divine,
With holy love my soul entwine (twisted together),
Burn anew, O heart’s desire,
Keep my life for Thee on fire!
