Abraham obeyed God.

This singular fact sets this man apart and makes him an example for all people of every age to follow. This is not to say that he is more important than Jesus Christ; rather, Abraham is an example of how to loyally follow Christ. Isaiah demonstrates this point: “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him” (Isaiah 51:1-2).

These verses shows us emphatically that we have to look to Jesus Christ. He demonstrated how to hearken to God the Father’s voice. We must hearken to Christ’s voice the same way. At no time in Church history has this been more important than today. Ours is a time of grave, life-threatening crisis. Do we truly hearken to God’s voice? God pleads with us to do so. The Hebrew word for hearken is shama and means “to hear intelligently (often with implication of … obedience …)” (Strong’s Concordance). It is not enough just to listen to God’s voice; we must also obey what God tell us to do. Of course, God speaks to men through His commissioned servant at any point in time. In the Philadelphia era, Herbert W. Armstrong brought us God’s message (read Mystery of the Ages for more). Today, Gerald Flurry speaks for God.

Cut From the Rock

This is no small spiritual matter. Many today are failing because, though they may hear God’s message, they fail to act on it (Ezekiel 33:32). We must be radically different and sustain an example for them.

Our spiritual (and physical) safety depends upon how well we hear and respond to Christ’s voice. Moses prophesied that only those people who prove their willingness both to hear and obey God’s voice will make it through the Great Tribulation (Deuteronomy 4:30-31).

Jesus Christ proved His obedience to God the Father (Hebrews 5:8). Should we expect to do less? In Isaiah 51, God tells us to look to the rock from which we are hewn. The Hebrew for rock means “cliff,” and it is translated with a capital “R” in other verses and refers directly to the great God of Israel, who became Jesus Christ, as the Eternal. See Deuteronomy 32:4, 15, 18, 30, 31 and 2 Samuel 23:3. Considering the context of this verse, the word rock should also be given a capital R. The translators did not understand that this verse in Isaiah describes God’s creative work taking place with humanity. God is in the process of recreating Himself through man. We are being cut out of the rock that is Christ.

Paul thoroughly explains this in Ephesians 5 when he says, “For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones” (verse 30). This verse pictures an act comparable to the physical creation of Eve (Genesis 2:21-23). Instead of God forming us out of one of Christ’s ribs, He is shaping us from His spiritual character.

God uses several metaphors to get His point across. The last part of Isaiah 51:1 beautifully paints the picture of God digging us out of clay. God is the master Potter (Isaiah 64:8). Paul wrote that salvation requires that we must become “a perfect man” just like Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:13). How does God spiritually create us? First, God sends us His message. As we obey, He lovingly molds us into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).

Time of World Crisis

Notice the second verse in Isaiah 51: “Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.” God instructs us to look to Abraham and Sarah. The Hebrew word translated look, nabat, means to look intently at, consider or regard. We must study Abraham and Sarah’s lives—closely! They are an incredible example of obedience, faith and undying loyalty to God—His will and purpose.

God labels Abraham and Sarah our father and mother. What a wonderful tribute to this couple. They are the firm foundation of the household of faith. How well do we grasp that God’s education system features past examples for us to follow? We must work with God to be built just like our father and mother. Too often, we set about to spiritually construct our own way. We often walk the hard road. Let’s be more childlike and recognize that Abraham and Sarah learned lessons that we can draw upon.

Even though Abraham and Sarah lived millennia ago, their life experiences are not much different from our own. This couple had to grow in obedience, faith and loyalty. Abraham and Sarah walked the hard road for us; they had some severe difficulties to overcome. They succeeded with God’s power. So can we.

God called Abraham out of a world caught in crisis. What was the crisis? Paganism-saturated society. Abraham’s world was at war with God. Leaders were working to rub out God’s truth. People were suffering. Conditions had become so bad that Abraham’s family, even though descended from Shem, worshiped idols.

Idolatry in the Family

Here is what Joshua says about Abraham’s family during this time period. “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods” (Joshua 24:2). Let’s think on this history.

God mentions Abraham, Terah his father and Nahor his brother in this verse. Notice that God says they worshiped other gods. It is not clear if the scripture includes Abraham as an idolater; the word they could refer only to Terah and Nahor. More than likely, though, idolatry was a problem that Abraham and Sarah had to overcome and resist. They had to go through the process of conversion the same as any human. Jewish tradition insists that Abraham suffered persecution for resisting idolatry while living in Mesopotamia, but the Bible does not give us such specific details. Idolatry was obviously a problem in Abraham’s family. Rachel and her father Laban’s problem with idolatry is specifically discussed in Genesis 31. The kingdoms of Israel and Judah went into captivity because of idolatry (2 Kings 17:1-20). So let’s be honest. When we fully understand Israel’s entire history, including the nations of Israel in our time, we realize that idolatry is definitely still an Israelite family problem. (For more, request our free booklet Repentance Toward God.)

World Against God

Isaiah 51:2 states that God called Abram alone. For example, He did not call Nahor or anyone else from Abram’s family. Why? Herbert W. Armstrong answered this question for us. He wrote in Mystery of the Ages, “Abram, as he was originally named, was not seeking God. But God chose to call and test Abram. … God was calling him because he had seen in this man the potentialities of obedience to God and for leadership” (pages 160-161). God was very selective. Joshua quotes God, “And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac” (Joshua 24:3). God took Abraham out of his evil world with its customs and culture. This act has proved to be a blessing to both Israel and the world.

Look at how bad world conditions had become before God called Abraham.

Noah, a preacher of righteousness, lived for 350 years after the Flood (2 Peter 2:5; Genesis 9:28). God had used this man to warn Adam’s world of the impending flood—the justified punishment for the people’s sins. But the people would not heed, and only eight were able to be saved alive. After the Flood, God commissioned Noah to build a new world based on God’s law and government. Yet within the final third of Noah’s life, the world (including Terah and his family) had turned wholly away from God.

Part of Noah’s job was to resettle his son’s families into all parts of the Earth under God’s direction (Deuteronomy 32:8). But the people refused to be resettled. “And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:4).

Fearing a potential retaliation from God with another flood, world despots formed plans to build a great tower that would reach into the sky, thus ensuring protection from drowning.

Scholars scoff at the reality of the tower at Babylon. However, we must realize that the tower of Babel was not some ignorant caveman invention; it was a planned opposition to the will and authority of God. One commentary translates tower as citadel. This more appropriately describes what was taking place at that time. People wanted a fortress to protect them from God’s wrath. It was the monument to this generation’s attempt to get rid of God. How insidious of man. Of course, no man or angel has the power to get rid of God. Little do we understand the frightful danger of not having God in our lives.

“And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do” (verses 5-6).

Before the Flood, mankind was doomed to destroy itself. Within 350 years of the Flood, mankind was hurriedly rushing down the same path. God prevented such tragedy. But this time He didn’t demonstrate His great power with a flood; He reached within the minds of every man, woman and child, and changed their languages (verse 7). That is real power! It is within this backdrop that Abraham’s history with God starts.

Obeying God’s Voice

Abraham was born two years after Noah’s death. God’s Word records nothing about his childhood. In fact, we don’t read any significant details about Abraham’s life in the Bible until he is 75 years old (Genesis 12:4). Applying the revelation God has given His Church from Jude 1 (request our free booklet Jude), we know that God the Father studied Abram intently. He saw within Abraham the potential to reverse what was taking place in society. At the appropriate time, God knocked on Abraham’s door.

Here is what little the Bible record tells us about Abraham’s early years. From the last six verses of Genesis 11, we know that Abraham was born in Ur of the Chaldees. We are told that he had two brothers: Nahor and Haran (Genesis 11:27).

Even though Abram is listed as first in the line of sons, he was most likely the youngest of the three. In Israelite tradition, the person of dignity is always mentioned first in genealogies. Age or birth order is not always a consideration. Jewish tradition states that Iscah (verse 29), daughter of Abraham’s brother Haran, is Sarai; if this is true, that would mean Abraham married his niece. This would make Haran the oldest brother. Verse 26 states that Terah was 70 before the sons were born. Terah died at 205 years of age (verse 32). Abraham was just 75 at that time (Genesis 12:4).

We also know from Genesis 11 that Haran died in Ur (verse 28). The Hebrew word for died indicates that Haran was probably killed. This makes sense since both Abraham and Nahor lived long lives. Verse 30 tells us that Sarah was barren. The brief history suddenly shifts by saying that, at some time after Haran’s death, Terah, Abraham, Sarah and Haran’s son Lot moved from Ur to a city called Haran on the way to the land of Canaan (verse 31). Terah died there. It was after Terah’s death that Abraham moved further south into Canaan.

Genesis 12 opens, “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 …. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him …” (verses 1, 4).

Exactly where did God call Abram? Let’s have the first-century deacon Stephen tell us: “And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran [Haran], And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell” (Acts 7:2-4).

Abraham obeyed God immediately. However, it appears that he made the journey in two phases. Perhaps this took place out of respect for the age of Abram’s father. Historians call Abraham’s long-distance move a migration. When Abraham obeyed God’s voice, he went on an adventurous journey—a holy pilgrimage—led solely by God. However, he was also being severely tested. Abraham was commanded to leave his country, his family and his father’s house. He was not told specifically where to go. He was simply directed to start moving.

Put yourself in this man’s place. How easy would it have been to suddenly leave your country, your family, your friends and your father’s house? The Hebrew word for house can mean wealth and prosperity. Abraham’s family held wealth and status. Abraham was required to sever his ties with all of it! We can all agree that God was making a difficult request. Yet Abraham did exactly as God said.

A Better Life

This man was radically different than all of the other men of his time. Abraham was willing to be resettled to suit God’s purpose. He was willing to believe that God’s lead and direction would bring him a better life. God promised him: “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2).

With God’s severe test came incredible promises. God promised Abraham that, if he would leave his country, God would make him a country, or nation. God promised Abraham that if he would leave his father’s house, He would make his name great.

God continued, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (verse 3). God promised Abraham protection. And the ultimate promise was that, if Abraham obeyed God, the entire Earth would be blessed.

Abraham was an unselfish man of great vision. He quickly connected with God’s will. The Bible states simply, “So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran” (verse 4).

We must learn to follow Abraham’s extraordinary example. We are invited to share in all of the promises made to him. Mr. Armstrong wrote in The United States and Britain in Prophecy: “As the world, which has strayed far from God and the blessings of God’s worship and rule, was started with one man who rebelled against God and rejected His rule, so God’s own flesh-born nation, from which is to be reborn the Kingdom of God, was started with one man who obeyed God without question, and accepted His divine rule. Did Abram stop to argue and reason? Did he say: ‘Let’s reason this out a bit first; here I am in Babylon, in the very center of all this world’s commerce, society and gaiety. Why can’t you just as well give me this promise right here, where everything is pleasant and alluring? Why must I leave all this and go over to that uncivilized land?’ Did Abram quibble, resist, argue, rebel? He certainly did not!”

Do we see the fantastic power and blessings that come about because of obedience? Let’s pray that we do.

(to be continued next Friday)