Abraham – his calling and his journey Genesis Chapter 11 verse 10 to Chapter 13

Abraham’s Journey

He was first called in Ur – Acts 7 verse 3 And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you”.

Abraham’s Journey Haran – Parched (Mountaineer) Terah – Delay Abram – exalted father – Abraham – father of many Sarai – my princess – Sarah – mother of nations Nahor - Fiery

Abraham’s Journey Egypt symbolises the world The Promised Land symbolises heaven Abraham, in a famine, went to Egypt and returned to Israel So did Jacob So did Jesus So did we

Abraham’s Journey Promises – I will make you a great nation – I will bless you – I will make your name great – You will be a blessing – Those who bless you I will bless – Those who curse you I will curse – In you all the families of the earth will be blessed – And later – at Bethel – The Land

Abraham’s Journey For thus says the L ORD of hosts, “After glory He has sent Me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye (Zech 2 v 8 also Psalm 17). For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

A journey like our own A crisis point brings about his following of the command of God – His Father, most probably an idol monger, dies at Haran We too are predestined according to the foreknowledge of God – called from before the womb – We too often need a crisis to bring us to the point where we will respond to the call

A journey like our own First stop Shechem – shoulder (in the sense of bearing a burden) Under the Oak of Moreh (Knowledge – particularly of God) Oak tree significant of strength – He was in the place of strength because of the knowledge of God Shechem was the place of laying down Abraham’s burden and building an alter to God – a turning point like many in our own lives

A journey like our own Next stop Bethel – the house of God For us, next stop church Abraham was between Bethel and Ai – Ai means the place of ruin - it was to the east In building the alter at Bethel (west) he turned his back on the place of ruin, his past, the tower of Babel – it is a model of repentance When we repent of our sins and turn to Christ we do a similar thing

A journey like our own We lay our past on the alter and have to make decisions to sacrifice things (sins) we used to love Some never make it to Bethel Abram went to Egypt when the going got tough We sometimes backslide – revert to the world “Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord, “Who execute a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit…”(Isaiah 30 v 1).

A journey like our own Next stop Bethel – Again – Start again where you left off Then finally on to Hebron – Hebron derives from the Hebrew word for fellowship – It comes from the idea of bricks built or held together “…you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2 v 5).