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Ge 12:1-9

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Gen 11:27-15:21

ABRAM’S ENTRY INTO THE PROMISED LAND

Abram obeys God’s call

(Gen 11:27-12:9)

From the nations of the world God now chose one man through whom he would build a new nation, which, in turn, would be the means of bringing his blessing to the whole world (see Gen 12:2-3).

God’s chosen man, Abram (later called Abraham), lived originally in the idolatrous city of Ur in ancient Babylonia.

Although others in his family worshipped idols (Josh 24:2), Abram worshipped the one true God and obeyed him when told to move out of Ur.

With his wife Sarai (later called Sarah), his father Terah, and his nephew Lot, he travelled north-west through the Mesopotamian valley to the town of Haran, where he settled temporarily (Gen 11:27-32; Acts 7:2-4).

Some time later Abram and Sarai, along with Lot, moved at God’s direction south into Canaan. Abram believed that God would give him a better dwelling place, even though he did not know exactly where he was to go.

He believed also that God would make him the father of a great nation, even though his wife had not been able to have children (Gen 12:1-5; Heb 11:8-12).

At that time the Canaanites lived in the land, but Abram firmly believed that one day his descendants would live there instead. He openly expressed his faith in God by building altars in the very places where the Canaanites were then living (Gen 11:6-9).