Abraham of ChaldeaAbraham : From the BibleThe following is a narrative description on the life and times of one ofthe most powerful characters in the Old Testament.
Abraham was indeed aman of God in a time where few men believed in the One true God. Throughmany triumphs and errors, he always returned to God to lead him back tohis calling. His dedication resulted in great promises from God that wereeventually fulfilled and affect each of our lives today. His story is ourstory. Abraham was a native of Chaldea, and a ninth generation descendant ofShem, the son of Noah. He was born on the southern tip of the Tigris andUuphrates rivers in the city of Ur around 2161BC.
1 Before his name waschanged to Abraham, his name was Abram. When Abram was about seventyyears of age he moved with his family to live in Haran. The reason hemoved was because “The God of glory appeared to our father Abram when hewas in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, “Departfrom your country and your relatives, and come into the land that I willshow you. ” 2While in Haran, Abram’s father died and God spoke to him again saying, “Goforth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’shouse, to the land which I will show you. ” 3 He obeyed and left Haranwith his brother Nahor’s family and his Nephew Lot without really knowingwhere he was going.
At this time, God did not reveal to him he was goingto Canaan. God only told him “the land which I will show you. ” 4 When hedid arrive in Canaan, he camped in the plains of Moreh, between themountains of Ebal and Cerizim. It was here he was given the secondpromise from God that his seed would possess this land.
Abram built “analtar there to the Lord who had appeared to him” 5 He then moved to themountainous district between Bethel and Ai. Here, he built another altarto Jehovah. Throughout the story of Abram, he consistently went back to Bethel to makeamends with God. All of God’s children should have a similar alter theyshould go to when praising God. This could be the front of your church,but should be in public.
6 Archeo logy has since proved that Bethel isthe modern village of Baytin. 7 When in this area, a famine struckforcing Abram to move southward toward Egypt. God talked to Abram on themountain East of Bethel where he built an alter unto the Lord. Eachperson should have their own personal alter to go before God, this shouldalso be done in public. When he did get to Egypt, Abram told his first recorded lie. Because hiswife Sarah was beautiful, he feared she would lusted by after theEgyptians and endanger his life.
He also knew the Pharaoh was alsoconcerned of Abram’s presence along with other Hyksos in the region. 8 Abram persuaded Sarah to pass herself off as his sister. This lie couldprobably be considered a lighter shade of gray considering Sarah was hishalf sister, having the same father but a different mother. 9 When theEgyptians saw how beautiful she was, they took her to Pharaoh’s harem. Asa consequence, God plagued Pharaoh ; his house.
When the Pharaoh foundout Sarah was Abram’s wife, he sent him and his clan out of Egypt to fendfor themselves in the famished land. Because Abram told this lie, Godallowed this to happen. Abram went out of Egypt and returned to Bethelthe second time to call on the name of the Lord. While in Bethel, bothLot’s and Abram’s livestock could not be supported by the land, and strifebegan between their herdsmen.
Abram gave Lot his first choice of wherehe wanted to settle. Instead of choosing the unknown territory towardCanaan, Lot chose the easy way out and went East to Jordan near thepopulated city of Sodom. The motif of scripture for this story is simple. Abram gave more than he took. He let Lot take what he wanted and left itto God to bless him with what was left.
Lot’s mistake was he stoppedgrowing in God’s faith and stagnated. He soon found out that everythingis not as it seem s. If one only takes, but does not give, it soon
