![]() ![]() He wants us to trust Him, not only for spiritual needs but also for temporal needs – look up and compare Matthew 7:11 Luke 11:13.īy all human standards, it was a very strange thing that Abraham did - suddenly to pick up all his belongings, gather his family together, leave his home, his family and friends, and go off to an unknown destination. God’s desire is that the principle of faith should operate throughout every part of our lives. Verse 9 ‘Abraham set out and continued… ’.Verse 6 ‘Abraham travelled through… ’.Turn to Genesis 12, and notice the progressiveness of Abraham’s faith in this first stage of his experience: But one step of faith will always lead on to another, and another - look up Psalm 37:23. When Abraham left Ur, this was only the first step of faith. Abraham’s faith did work, and what an upheaval this meant in his life - with the packing up of all his goods, saying goodbye to all his friends and moving out to do God’s will! Has God spoken to you? If so, some very practical action must demonstrate your faith in Him you must obey Him. If faith does not work it is dead - look up James 2:17, 20. We are told in Genesis 12:4 that when God spoke to him, ‘Abraham left as the Lord had told him.’ Abraham’s faith was not a hazy, nebulous belief it was active - read Hebrews 11:8-10 again! Faith obeys God by launching out upon His promises and by doing His bidding without question. Is God speaking to you? - look up and compare 1 Samuel 15:22 and John 2:5. For three New Testament illustrations of the obedience of faith and of obedience with liveliness, read Acts 8:26-30 9:10-17 10:9-33. That He has spoken we are sure, and all that we have to do is promptly to obey His voice. When God speaks to us it is sometimes very difficult to explain the ‘how’ of it. How God spoke we do not know, but that He did speak we are quite sure, and directly Abraham heard His command, in faith he obeyed. This is clearly brought out by a comparison of Genesis 12:1 and 4 Hebrews 11:8. Let us notice five aspects of the obedience of faith as illustrated in this particular period of Abraham’s life. Abraham knew quite definitely that God had spoken to him, ‘even though he did not know where he was going.’ This was the obedience of faith. ![]() One day, Abraham, who lived in the city of Ur, heard God speaking to him - look up Genesis 12:1 and immediately He had finished speaking to him, Abraham obeyed God - as we learn from Genesis 12:4 Hebrews 11:8-10. We also know from many sources that the Chaldean people were idolaters, unbelievers, and that they worshipped many false gods, including the sun, the moon and the stars and as is always the case where God is not known and loved, they lived lives which were degraded and morally bad. We now know that Chaldea was a highly civilised land where commerce and agriculture were well developed and there was an advanced standard of culture and learning. As a matter of fact, the work of modern archaeologists has wonderfully confirmed the historicity of the early chapters of the Bible. In that case, we are studying fictitious characters in this series but to dispel any doubts about this see what Jesus said, as recorded in John 8:56-58. It is important to emphasise the fact that Abraham really did live, for some have tried to tell us that we cannot rely upon the historical accuracy of the book of Genesis. Jews, Christians and Muslims profoundly reverence Abraham, and the Bible is full of references to this great servant of the Lord. as you and I live in A.D., and no ancient figure is held in such high favour by such a large proportion of the human race. Abraham lived mid-way between Adam and Christ. In Hebrews Eleven, one verse only is given to the biographies of Abel, Enoch and Noah, but to Abraham twelve verses are given which summarise some fourteen chapters in the Book of Genesis. Abraham has been called ‘the Columbus of Faith’ and so wide and comprehensive was the range of his faith that he was called by God Himself ‘the father of all who believe’, as Romans 4:11 tells us. The first really great character of whom we read in the Bible is Abraham. (Scripture Portions: Hebrews 11:8-10 Genesis 12: 1-9) Series 30 Study 4 THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH – ABRAHAM
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