Abraham’s Obedience
In Genesis 12 God revealed to Abraham His plan to bring restoration to a fallen earth. Yahweh promised to bring blessing to the nations through Abraham’s family (Genesis 12:2).
God chose Abraham because he was a man who would trust and obey Him and direct his family to do likewise (Genesis 18:19). God’s purposes could only be fulfilled through faith and obedience.
God wanted the nation of Israel to model itself on His ways and so reveal Him to the nations (Deuteronomy 4:5,6,8). But the nation instead became selfish, sectarian and self-satisfied.
God spoke through the prophets of His desire to reveal Himself throughout the earth through Israel. In a series of stirring passages in Isaiah (called the Servant passages) God spoke over and over of His desire that Israel be a light to heathen peoples. ‘He says “Is it too small a thing for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob (Israel), and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth”’ (Isaiah 49:6). ‘I the Lord have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles’ (Isaiah 42:6).
Israel never rose to her calling but that calling remains unchanged. God will bless the nations through Abraham’s family – through a people who trust and obey Him. Next time we will see how.
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