Tuesday: The Call of Abraham
Abram (later called Abraham) first appears in the genealogy of Genesis 11, which comes right after mention of the scattering from Babel.
Read Genesis 12:1-3, the call of God to Abram. Today, looking back after the cross, after the death of Jesus and the spreading of the gospel, how do we understand what God was promising to do through Abram?
Image © Jeff Preston at Goodsalt.com
Many centuries later, the apostle Paul, in seeking to deal with the heresy of the Galatians, pointed back to Abraham’s call, showing it to be an early expression of what God’s intentions had always been: the gospel to the world. “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’ So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham” (Galatians 3:7-9).
Abraham’s call was first expressed in Genesis 12; much of the rest of Genesis is the story of his blood descendants, one dysfunctional seed after another, creating one messed-up family after another, and yet, through them the promise eventually was to be fulfilled, reaching a crucial point with the call of Moses.
Read Acts 7:20-36, the martyr Stephen’s depiction of Moses and the Exodus. How does this fit in with God’s initial promise to Abraham?
In a world steeped in ignorance, error, and a general lack of the knowledge of truth (things have not changed much in more than three thousand years, have they?), the Lord called out a people, His people, Abraham’s seed, from Egypt. In them He sought not only to preserve knowledge of the truth; that is, knowledge of Him, Yahweh, and the plan of salvation, but also to spread that knowledge to the rest of the world.
| Today, how do we as Seventh-day Adventists see ourselves in relationship to the rest of the world? That is, what parallels exist between us and ancient Israel? More important, what responsibility does this parallel place on each of us individually? |
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Today's lesson points us to Genesis 12:1-3 where we read: "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those who curse you". Blessings and cursings are a key theme in Deuteronomy - as we shall see when we arrive at Deuteronomy 28. They are the reason Moses takes the time to outline God's laws and the importance of being obedient to - in harmony with - those laws.
How does your mind interpret the phrase "I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you"? If you stop and reflect a bit more deeply about your mind's interpretation process, you will notice that your mind is interpreting both an outcome AND a process that will produce that outcome.
Genesis 12:3 tells us the outcome, but it does not unpack the specific process by which that outcome will come about. However, your mind will fill that process in by assumption. And that is important to be aware of - it is assumption that has been shaped by your background experience. Your mind does this a lot for the sake of cognitive efficiency - which is why misunderstandings occur between people so frequently.
I would like to draw your attention to a document sanctioned by the SDA General Conference in 1986 regarding things that are essential to keep in mind when interpreting the Bible. In Section 4 Methods of Bible Study, point 16 we read:
According to what has been said above, we cannot automatically rely upon our pre-conditioned assumptions of how God brings something about when the precise means is not specified. Thus, in Genesis 12:3 without awareness most people automatically assume that because the text says God will "curse those who you", that God will directly do the cursing. But because of the point raised above, we need to stop and question whether the curse is because God caused it or because God permitted or did not prevent it?
Some might say whether God causes something or allows it makes no difference. But remember what the lesson's author mentioned in Monday's lesson regarding Genesis 2:16,17 and "the powerful truth of the freedom inherent in love". Because of that freedom, God will and does allow us to go out of harmony with the ways that 'good and right'. And if we do, God also allows us to experience the consequences that are inherent to doing so. It is sin and evil that causes 'cursed'/detrimental outcomes - not God (John 10:10).
Thank you so much for that background information. It makes a big difference.
Phil, do you apply the same principle of God "hardening" Pharaoh's heart to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah? Did those cities destroy themselves(due to their persistent violations against the Law of God) with a fire that left nothing behind as evidence? If so, by what means? Also, did Lot's wife turn herself into a pile of salt, or was this clearly the hand of God? I would also ask the same question concerning the flood that covered the entire earth.
Do these "supernatural" events in any way relate to Ps 104:3-9? Who/what is stated to be in control of these elements?
Are any assumptions required when we consider passages such as Gen 6:17; 19:13?
Lastly, can you truly apply John 10:10 to change in any way what these passages from Genesis are telling us?
I can appreciate your questions and concerns Robert.
What do we observe from the outset in Genesis? God creates things in a certain way and while everyone and everything remains in harmony with that way, all is "good" and "very good". This is why the way God outlines is inherently immutable - there is no true life (Greek: zoe) possible on any other basis.
Satan turns up and (falsely) insinuates there is another viable and infact superior way. Eve and Adam are deceived into believing Satan's claims over Gods and the outcome is non-viability (death) just as God had outlined in Genesis 2:17. 'God's way' is based on use of constants/laws that create consistent and reliable cause-and-effect-based order. Being out of harmony with such precludes this order and therefore inherently results in chaos which in turn produces implosion of all the created realm. Unless God intervenes, this is what inherently happens. Therefore God is constantly restraining such (as per 2 Thessalonians 2:5-10 principle also reflected in Revelation 7:1). However, God only restrains in order for the resultant 'probation' to be overall productive. Where such restraint becomes overall counterproductive, God releases restraint to varying degrees and the inherent chaos-effect outcomes are unleashed. This is consistent with Paul's description of the actual 'means' of "God's wrath" (Romans 1:18 unpacked in Romans 1:24,26,28).
One of the assumption errors we make under probation is mistakenly believing that life is actually viable even if we are out of harmony with what is essential for life to be possible. God's zoe/abundant life is the only actually viable form of life - nothing else is viably possible. We typically aren't aware that this 'probationary' temporary existence we call 'life' only exists because God is restraining what should have been fully unleashed back at Genesis 3:6. And because Adam and Eve were given dominion over nature at creation, when they fell they took the natural world with them (hence the 'curse' consequences that were unleashed as per Genesis 3:16-19.
God has based life on a reality mechanism - not on magic. There are cause-and-effect constants/laws that He 'employs' to regulate and maintain life. God is in 'control' of - or governs/employs - these mechanisms (as per Psalms 104:3-9 state of things). However, when humanity exercises free choice and goes out of harmony with these essential mechanisms, destruction/annihilation inherently results. This is outside of God. It is a sobering awareness, I admit. However, Galatians 6:7,8 speaks directly to this view - note where the one who sows to the flesh reaps destruction from - it is not from God but from the flesh via the mechanism of inherent cause-and-effect mentioned in verse 7.
John 10:10 is entirely consistent with what the Genesis passages are saying if you view them through the Hebraisms that the SDA document affirms the bible writers commonly used. John 10:10 also aligns with Galatians 6:7,8 and Romans 8:2.
Leviticus 18:25 is a very interesting example of both elements combined - the Hebraism and the actuality of what happened. The author states that God has brought punishment on the land - but then states that it is the land that (metaphorically) has vomited the inhabitants out as a cause-and-effect consequence their defilement. Human degradation and defilement spills over to the natural (and moral) world in a cause-and-effect manner and consequently unleashes inherent consequences if God releases restraint of such. This is what I propose happened at the Flood and Sodom and Gomorrah - God released restraint of the elements and chaos was unleashed in the 'forces' of fallen nature (ie chaos producing destruction). If you look carefully at Genesis 7:11, for example, the language used describes a phenomenon of something "bursting forth" and "opening" now that it has had restraint released.*
I genuinely appreciate you may disagree with what I have outlined because it is a very different paradigm. As I have previously mentioned, when I first started to encounter it I set out to prove it wrong. But in the process I found out it wasn't - I was. I continue to prayerfully check it out in detail incase I have got it wrong - but instead I find the evidence growing stronger and stronger.
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* See also Isaiah 24:1;5;17-20 for a further example of something attributed to God yet carried out through release of the inherent consequences of transgressing the laws that keep life and nature in order.
Phil, I find much of your explanation requiring certain assumptions to be made and application of scripture I am unable to agree with. You appear to have a different understanding of both scripture and what God has created than what I believe is plainly taught in God's Word.
Scripture teaches that God alone can create, and He alone can destroy, and this is not out of "anger" as we experience anger, but out of love that must exercise "wrath", but not as we might understand/experience wrath in our fallen state. Notice the song of those who know the Lord(Rev 15:1,3).
You mention Genesis 7:11, and yes, it did burst forth violently, and God takes the credit for it(Gen 6:17, Rev 14:7). This is just one of many such instances where God tells what He will do to the wicked after He has offered every grace to save them from sin(Gen 6:3, 2 Pe 3:19,20) which is His glory declared to Moses at Sinai(Ex 34:6,7).
God so loves the world, but as the Sovereign of all creation, cannot save/clear the guilty, impenitent soul that persists in evil(John 3:16, Eze 18:4, Ps 37:9,20, Rev 14:17-20).
No assumptions required, no alterations of the Word of God needed. This Truth also exposes the fallacy of the teachings of the medieval church regarding the "wrath of God" which would have Him torturing souls for eternity. God's wrath is just, and motivated by love for His creation, including the wicked(Rom 5:1,8; 1:16-19).
Thank you Robert, I believe that the LORD has revealed His Character in His Word and how He carries out His Principles of Life and His Plan of Salvation, how he rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked.
If the Hebrew authors misrepresented His methods of operating, then Jesus had the opportunity to correct people's perception, then Paul & Peter also had the opportunity to correct any misconceptions, then John had visions direct from the LORD which also clearly stated that fire came down from God in heaven and destroyed Satan's army and those not in the Book of Life were cast into the Lake of Fire.
Finally we have the Spirit of Prophecy clearly stating that God will destroy the wicked. So if the LORD wanted to clear up the misconception He had many opportunities but He did not, so I trust the Word of the LORD.
The misconceptions that were cleared up were that the LORD is not arbitrary just killing people at a whim, He gives people a choice, He carefully examines people's hearts, He is wants to save everyone but He respects their choice not to love Him and keep His commandments, and receive eternal life and He decides when to execute judgement either during this probationary life or finally after the 1000 years.
The LORD's initial plan was to live in a perfect world like the garden of Eden.
He made a proviso "If you eat of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil you will die" - what did He mean? That they would no longer have access to the Tree of Life and thus Eternal Life.
Gen 3:22-24 MKJV And Jehovah God said, Behold, the man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever, (23) therefore Jehovah God sent him out from the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he had been taken. (24) And He drove out the man. And He placed cherubs at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the Tree of Life.
Eternal Life is the issue and the LORD has given humans a second chance to choose good over evil. The result of not living according to God's Principles of Life (His abundant life) is not physical death but not receiving Eternal Life.
The LORD is the only one who decides who receives Eternal Life not humans, nor the devil nor some nebulous "force of sin or lawlessness"
Then in the end by the grace of the LORD His people who choose to love and obey Him will once again have the right to eat of the Tree of Life and receive the gift of Eternal Life.
Rev 22:14
(ISV) "How blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city!
(KJV) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
"I saw that the angels of God are never to control the will. God sets before man life and death. He can have his choice. Many desire life, but still continue to walk in the broad road. They choose to rebel against God's government, notwithstanding His great mercy and compassion in giving His Son to die for them. Those who do not choose to accept of the salvation so dearly purchased, must be punished. But I saw that God would not shut them up in hell to endure endless misery, neither will He take them to heaven; for to bring them into the company of the pure and holy would make them exceedingly miserable. But He will destroy them utterly and cause them to be as if they had not been; then His justice will be satisfied. He formed man out of the dust of the earth, and the disobedient and unholy will be consumed by fire and return to dust again. I saw that the benevolence and compassion of God in this matter should lead all to admire His character and to adore His holy name. After the wicked are destroyed from off the earth, all the heavenly host will say, “Amen!”" EW 221
Early Writings 221.1
Shirley, I'm wondering if, when you mention "If the Hebrew authors misrepresented His methods of operating ..." you are addressing Phil's reminder that
What Phil referenced is fairly well known among biblical scholars, and it is explicitly demonstrated in the supposedly antithetical accounts (to our minds) of the hardening of Pharaoh's heart.
It was never a matter of "Hebrew authors misrepresented His methods of operating," but our misunderstanding of what the writers meant because we have a totally different mindset in modern times, particularly in the cultural West.
I believe it is mentally and spiritually healthy for us to re-consider long-held beliefs to see how they fit into the overall biblical narrative.
With that in mind, I also have a question regarding the "Lake of Fire." Is it a literal "lake of fire."
I read that "the beast and the "false prophet" are cast alive into the lake of fire. (Rev 19:20)Will there be a "literal beast" and a literal "false prophet" that will be thrown into a literal "lake of fire?
As you mention, in Rev 20:9, we see that "fire came down God out of heaven" and "devoured Satan and his army. Yet in the very next verse, Rev. 20:10, it says that the devil will be cast "into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."
I suspect it's not helpful to interpret fire in one verse as literal while the fire in next verse is interpreted as not literal.
"Death and hell" are also cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. (Rev 20:14)
So it seems to me that there's a little room for discussion. We need not be "right" or "wrong." But we can share some ideas that may help us get a better glimpse of what God is like by what we can tell of Him in Scripture.
Dear Phil,
I agree 100% with your proposal that life is not possible without God's continuing upholding power, based on His being the Creator and Upholder of our existence. (See Acts 17:28)Thus sin, which is separation from the God, naturally results in annihilation because it is essentially a declaration of independence from the Life Giver and Upholder (I'm doing it my way). Adam and Eve would have been annihilated when they ate of the forbidden fruit if Christ had not stepped in as Redeemer or "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev 13:8)and given them a second chance (period of probation).
The laws of our being - such as the health laws - are also laws of God. Thus violation of these laws generally has bad results.
Other laws of nature are also laws of God. That's why an apple tossed into the air always falls down. (Law of Gravity) But that doesn't mean that all catastrophes naturally occur because humans violate spiritual laws. Bad things occur in nature because humans exploit nature and thus violate the laws of nature. Other bad things occur as the general result of sin - the planet wearing out "like a garment." And still others occur because Satan has the power to manipulate nature. (See the story of Job.)
There are times when God explicitly uses nature to support His goals. The Great Flood that destroyed humanity whose thoughts "were only evil continually" is one example. It wasn't a "natural event" occurring because humanity sinned. They didn't drill holes in the crust of the planet to cause the waters underneath the earth to break out, nor did they do anything to bring down "the waters above the earth." God destroyed these people in order to keep the knowledge of God alive and to allow His Son to be incorporated into humanity. The people whose thoughts were "only evil continually" were not happy people. Thus the flood was an act of love for humanity, even though it resulted in destruction of an evil people. The Bible tells us that the end-time judgment will be similar. The destruction of sin and sinners is, ultimately, an act of love - love for the faithful and regretful love for those who refuse the accept the life and happiness God offers them. It is in love for the universe that God destroys sin, so that one glad pulse of love and harmony can fill the universe once more.
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is another example of God intervening in His natural laws. (I can't think of an existing natural law that causes brimstone to rain down from heaven. If you can, please help me.) There is nothing in natural law that decrees that once inhabitants reach a certain amount of sin that brimstone will rain down from heaven. In this case, God directly intervened to cause the destruction of these evil cities to put a check on evil engulfing the world again. In the larger picture of the survival and happiness of humanity, this was also an act of mercy.
There are other examples of God intervening and putting people to sleep early in order that His plans for humanity might succeed.
Although moral law, the laws of our body, and the natural laws of this planet are all God's laws, they are not always directly related. I can see no one-for-one equivalence. (If anyone can show me such an equivalence, I'd be interested to read about it.) That is not to say, however, that these laws do not intersect. Our spiritual health directly affects our mental health, which directly affects our physical health. It's also true the other way around. But there is not direct quantitative relationship. It differs from person to person. Our actions on this planet also affect the way "nature" behaves. If we destroy forests that act like sponges for water, we may dry up wells and create a waste land below the mountains, etc.
Thank you Robert and Inge
I acknowledge your concerns and your basis for those concerns.
Without diminishing that acknowledgement in any way, I also believe what I have outlined is:
a) consistent with the principles of design law (including the principles inherent to design law) that I have attempted to unpack in these and other comments across this week, and
b) with the above-mentioned point regarding "the inspired writers of the Scriptures COMMONLY credit God with doing actively that which in Western thought we would say He permits or does not prevent from happening".
However, I do not in any way wish to impose what I am offering upon anyone because that is out of harmony with the overarching necessity of other-benefiting love - as per I Corinthians 13:1. Therefore I invite that each person check things out for themselves (as per Acts 17:11) because at the end of the day, if something is important and God wants it understood by someone, He will reveal that to them (as per Philippians 3:15b and Romans 14:5b).
Thank you to ssnet for offering a space where our views about God can be shared in the course of our growing in a knowledge of God and His ways - and can be done so in an attitude of mutual respect and support along that journeying...
Phil
What present truth is similar to Abraham's call to come out of the country of false worship and the promise of Canaan after the current occupants' probation had ended and they were destroyed.
I believe it is found in Revelation in the messages from the angels to beware of the false message of the image of the beast and to come out of Babylon.
Rev 18:4-7
Then I heard another voice from heaven say: Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or contract any of her plagues.For her sins are piled up to heaven,and God has remembered her iniquities. Give back to her as she has done to others; pay her back double for what she has done; mix her a double portion in her own cup. As much as she has glorified herself and lived in luxury, give her the same measure of torment and grief.
It is reassuring, so very comforting to find that God's Plan to reach mankind is using Love as its perfect Path - never altered, never amended - adjusted only to accommodate mankind in relation to time and space.
I see God's Love stretching into eternity. Though, here on earth, it reaches one generation at a time. One lifetime is allotted to each in which to hear Him and learn to live the love God offers those who are open to seek Him and His Truth.
He called Abraham as He saw him willing, endowing him with understanding faith and so move His Plan to restore mankind's relationship with Him forward. As one can see throughout Scripture, His Plan of Redemptive Love works its miraculous power restoring life to many - one individual person at a time.
After thousands of years, God's Plan for rescuing and restoring mankind is still the same - His perfect Love. Abraham was willing to faithfully carry God's Love forward and so share it with all he came in contact with.
Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, the Prophets, Judges, kings - all hearts who were touched by God's Love could participate as they shared His love by faith, promoting and moving forward His Plan to redeem mankind through the power of His Love.
Now it is our time - our lifetime - as our hearts are touched when hearing and believing. Now we are called to pass on God's Love, to be faithful stewards through which His Love reaches our fellow man and so promotes God's Plan of perfect Love for the redemption of the living souls.
'God so loved the world that He gave us His LOVE - the power to restore our capacity to love.'
Excellent understanding Brigette. That is also implied in what is meant by us, all Christians, being called children of Abraham. Yes like "our father" we are expected to spread this redemptive love message. This requires also that we be like our Heavenly Father in right living.
So the liberalism, that passes off as love, common in many communities today, is sending people to a Christ less grave as they come to believe that anti-God lifestyles are acceptable
Paul - thank you for your kind encouragement. I find it very exciting to discover spiritual truth because it helps settle my heart and mind in the love of God in peace.
May I add a short comment to your thoughts regarding Christian's being considered 'Abraham's 'children'(or seed)' and therefore called to living accordingly.
Gen.12:1-3KJV, records God's call of Abram, and the promise of blessings to all who do likewise, as a reward for his willingness to follow the call.
I look at his willingness to follow the call as evidence of his established spiritual relationship with God; faith was already part of that relationship as he severed all earthly and spiritual ties with what he had known up to that time.
Freely given obedience is sourced in faith and nurtured by one's love for God. Faith deepens as we continue to act on that which we believe.
I see us Christians learning from this the lesson of 'obedience based on love for our heavenly Father and His Son, our Savior Christ Jesus, carried by faithfulness.' Though Abraham's circumstances were different, expressing our love for our heavenly Father by our obedience/faithfulness/trust are still the same.
Of all the families of the earth at that time, Abram was found seeking the Lord(Jas 4:8), so God called him away from wrong influences in order to guide him into truth. God wished to bless the world with a living example of faith and obedience through the seed of Abram, as God's witnesses in a sinful world. Through Abram's family, the Messiah would come, who “ is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption”(1 Cor 1:30).
The raising up of Moses fits perfectly with God's initial promise to Abram, and specifically in what God later told him concerning his family who would be in bondage for a specific time, then freed and given the promised land to dwell in.
I would suggest that we should see ourselves individually as followers of Christ, fulfilling His commission by being yoked with Him. It is only as we are Christ's, that we are Abraham's seed and heirs of the promise(Gal 3:29). The true church is comprised of all who have personally taken Jesus' yoke upon them, learning of Him. Only in this will the church find true unity.
As we study and think on God's love to and through the seed of Abraham, what should be our response to the other side of the Abram's seed from Hagar? What should be our response in God given brotherly love? I ask because I really am perplexed???
We should see them as God’s beloved children and share His love to them as much as possible
I would like to say everyone’s comments helped me to better understand this week’s lesson and helped me to think of things I never thought of before I will be using this comment section more often when I study my Sabbath lessons THANKS EVERYONE