Note: Devotion taken from last Sunday's sermon on Genesis 12.
Last
Sunday morning, we resumed our series through Genesis, beginning the account of
the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12-36).
We returned
to Abraham in Genesis 12. I suggested three parts to this chapter:
First, Abraham’s call (vv. 1-5): The
LORD spoke to Abraham, telling him to leave behind his country, kindred, and
his fathers’ house (v. 1). He gave to Abraham promises, especially that in him
all the families of the earth would be blessed (v. 3). The mark of Abraham’s spiritual
exceptionalism was his obedience: “So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken
unto him” (v. 4). Martin Luther said Abraham obeyed “the naked voice of God.”
Second, Abraham’s worship (vv. 6-9):
As Abraham moved into the hostile and pagan land of Canaan at the LORD’s
command, Moses tells us that he worshipped. First, after the LORD appeared to
him and told him his seed would be given the land (v. 7). Then again, as he moved
forward, we read, “and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon
the name of the LORD” (v. 8).
Third, Abraham’s deception (vv. 10-20): This account begins, “And there was a famine in the land….” (v. 10).
The famine reflected his spiritual life at this point. He then “went down into
Egypt to sojourn there” (v. 10). Later in Israel’s history Egypt would be a
place of bondage. The godly man who had readily obeyed “the naked voice of God”
got bogged down in deception and began to lean upon his own understanding, lying
by saying his wife was his sister (v. 13), but the lie was found out and he was
sent away (vv. 18-20). This reminds us that though Abraham was a man of God he
still had remaining corruptions in him, as all believers will till the glorious
end.
So, let
us obey God’s call. Let us follow him in obedience and discipleship.
Let us
worship the thrice holy God, even as we live in this already-but-not-yet, in-between
time.
Let us trust
in the LORD with all our heart and lean not unto our own understanding (see
Proverbs 3:5-6).
Grace and peace, Pastor Jeff Riddle
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