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Abraham. The obedience that inherits. (Heb. 11:8)
The association of faith and inheritance is set forth by the two great examples of Noah and Abraham. In our last
example the great contributing motives were a divine warning, a godly fear, and a preparation. Abraham's example
supplies other facets of this jewel of truth.
The obedience of faith
`By faith Abraham ... obeyed'. This simple statement is supplemented by illuminating clauses which we must
earnestly consider.
A1
He was called to GO OUT.
B1
Unto a place ... an inheritance.
A2
And he WENT OUT.
B2
Not knowing whither he went.
First let us observe, `He was called to go out ... and he went out'. Such is the record on the tables of faith.
Abraham's actual record is not so simple. His obedience was partial and in stages; this we can read in Genesis. A
comparison with Hebrews 11:8 indicates how many seasons of our lives may be blanks in the roll of faith. The story
of Abraham's obedience is written for our learning. Let us seek grace to be humble disciples in this school of grace.
The first movement is indicated by Stephen:
`The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and
said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee'
(Acts 7:2,3).
The second movement is revealed in Genesis 12:1:
`Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house,
unto a land that I will shew thee'.
The third movement is given in Genesis 13:14,15:
`And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place
where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: for all the land which thou seest, to thee
will I give it, and to thy seed for ever'.
The fourth and crowning movement is given in Genesis 22:12-18:
`Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me ... in blessing I will
bless thee ... because thou hast obeyed My voice'.
The old man
It is very evident when we compare Acts 7:2,3 with Genesis 12:1 that the Lord spoke to Abram twice. Genesis
12 adds to Acts 7 by saying not only `country' and `kindred', but `thy father's house'. In the first movement,
instead of leaving his father's house we find Terah, his father, accompanying Abram.
`And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's
wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto
Haran, and dwelt there' (Gen. 11:31).
Here Abram is seen leaving his native land, and Stephen declares that `he came out of the land of the
Chaldeans', but we feel a little uneasy about the presence of Terah and Lot in the face of the command `from thy
kindred'. Notice the failure also in the abortive effort suggested in the words:
`And they went forth with them ... to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there'.
If the map is consulted it will be seen that Abram and Terah made a journey of some 600 miles, but when they
stayed at Haran they were still on the same side of the Euphrates. The lesson is repeated at the time of the Exodus.