Yesterday, he was not a part of God’s story. Today, he’s been summoned into it by a God he’s yet to get to know. My guess is there is a work of the Holy Spirit here, making it clear to Abram that this is a significant calling, one to be obeyed. So, he does. He packs up everything he owns and begins a ridiculously long journey (by some estimates about 1500 miles!) with no idea of his destination. This God he is now following promises him, although Abram remains childless, that the land he’s going to, while currently inhabited by Canaanites, will be the land of his future generations. A gift of faith permits him to accept this strange promise, no questions asked.
A severe famine prompts Abram to move to Egypt where he has his wife lie to the Pharoah to protect his own skin, with potentially life-threatening results. But because God is serious about his choosing of Abram, He continues to protect him (and his wife). Miraculously, they leave Egypt again, not deported, not as escapees, but exceedingly rich, thanks to the Pharoah who had been deceived by Abram. Wait! What??
An expansive promise is given to Abram about his descendants, that they will be innumerable, like the stars. And Abram believes God. Years go by, still with no children, so Abram and his wife decide to help God out by following cultural norms (as opposed to trusting God), and he fathers a son by his wife’s servant girl (God, uber generously, blesses the servant and her son!).
Years later, when visitors arrive at Abraham’s tent with the prophecy that his wife will bear him a son, Sarah overhears this crazy news and laughs. He will laugh later as well, imagining the two them acting like young honeymooners. Preposterous! In their old age, having a child? Who ever heard of such a thing? But God!
When Isaac, the son of promise, this child of their golden years, is still young, God puts Abraham through the severest test of faith. He tells him to take his precious son and, of all things, sacrifice him on an altar in the mountains! Abraham obeys! He gets to the point of placing Isaac on the altar and raising the knife in the air. God then suddenly intervenes (his mysterious Plan A) by providing a ram as the sacrifice in the place of his son. Test passed – phew!
For the rest of Abraham’s 175 years, and more mysterious twists in his journey, you’ll find it in Genesis 23-25. PD
