THE CALL OF ABRAHAM
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 show thee: 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: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him
that curseth thee: and in thee shall all the families of the
earth be blessed — Genesis 12:1-3; cf Acts 7:2, 3: Hebrews
11:8.
In these words, dear
brethren, we have an account of the
conversion of Abraham. This is the record given us of the second
birth of Abraham. My dear friends, it is the second birth that
will be remembered in heaven, and not the first. You know it is
common for men to keep their birthdays. Now, the second birthday
is what we will remember in heaven - it is what we will tell the
angels in glory: "Come, hear, all ye that fear God - I'll tell
what he did for my soul" — Psalm 66:16.
Let us notice from these words: (1) Abraham's conversion; (2)
Abraham's trial; (3) Abraham's promise.
Abraham's Conversion
"Now the Lord had said unto Abraham"; or as Stephen says, "The
God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham."
Let us observe first, the great sovereignty
of God in the conversion of this man. We are told by Stephen
that he was in Mesopotamia at the time. It is a beautiful country - an
immense plain lying between the Tigris and the Euphrates. We learn from
the previous chapter that it was a place of great wickedness. It
was the place where Nimrod, the great robber, dwelt — or, as he
is called, "the great hunter". And it was the country where they
built the tower of Babel. It was also the land, as we are told by Jeremiah,
of graven images. It is believed by divines that it was the place where they
first bowed down to graven images. Jeremiah 50:38, "For it is the land of
graven images, and they are mad upon their idols".
Another remarkable fact connected with this land was, that the
very family out of which Abraham was chosen worshipped graven
images. Joshua 24:2: "And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus
saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other
side of the flood in old time (that is, on the other side of the
Euphrates) even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of
Nahor; and they served other gods." Such was the country, and
such the family out of which God raised Abraham. You would have
thought that God would not have come into such a place; and, O
brethren! you would have thought, least of all, that he would
have come to the house of Terah, who served other gods! Again,
you wonder why he came to Abraham. You would have thought he
would have come to Terah.
Why, then, did he take Abraham — a man seventy years old —
spent in sin? —"Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy
sight" — Matthew 11: 26. When he looked down upon that great
plain, why did he come to the house of Terah, and say to Abraham,
"Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy
father's house, unto a land that I will show thee"? Ah, brethren,
God is a God of grace. None of you can say, "He came to me
because I sought him." How often has God come into this place and
gone into the most wicked family, and drawn out those that were
deepest down in the pit, just to show how deep his hand could
reach?
But notice who it was that converted him: "The Lord
had said unto Abraham". Stephen tells it more fully: "The God of glory appeared
unto our father Abraham." I have no doubt that it was the same
glorious person that appeared to Jacob at the top of the ladder,
and blessed him. I have no doubt that it was the same that met with Jacob
when it said, "There wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day
... and he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh; and he said, I will not
let thee go, except thou bless me" — Genesis 32:26. I have no doubt
but that it was the same that appeared to Saul when on his way to
Damascus. So, in like manner, it was the same God of glory that
appeared unto Abraham, and said, "Get thee out of thy country,
and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land
that I will show thee."
Brethren, all conversion comes from God. You might rather expect
the icebergs of the Atlantic to melt without the sun than expect
a sinner's heart to change without God. Brethren, it was not
Abraham that sought him, but the God of glory that came to him
and said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If Abraham hear
my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with
him, and he with me" — Revelation 3:20. It is not you that seek
his face, but he that seeks you. Brethren, it is not a minister's
coming to you that will save you. Who sat under a godlier
minister than Judas? Yet he got no grace by it.
But, further, it is said "the God of glory appeared unto him".
This is what Christ says: "Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he
saw it and was glad" — John 8:56. I do not pretend to say how
much was revealed to him. It is curious to remark how much Christ
reveals himself to some. "The first time," said one, "that I
remember of ever tasting of the sweetness and blessedness of the
gospel was in reading these words: "Now, unto the King eternal,
immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for
ever and ever. Amen." Never words of Scripture appeared to me
like these words; they came into my soul with such power and
tenderness, and I longed to possess such a being as my God." Such
was the experience of one of the most eminent saints that ever
lived. It perhaps was such that Abraham got, and that made him
leave his father's house. And, brethren, it is the same truth
that will convert a soul now. You may
be moved with fear, as Noah was, but you must
be drawn by love. I believe that never a soul was converted without a sight
of the God of glory.
I have just one observation more on this part of the subject, and
that is the almighty power by which it was done.
You will see this very evidently shown in Isaiah 41:2: "Who raised up the
righteous man from the east, called him to his foot, gave the
nations before him, and made him rule over kings?" etc. Notice
also what is said in chapter 51:1, 2:
Hearken unto 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.
Now, in these two passages you will notice that God says it was
he himself that called Abraham. And observe the words used are
very remarkable — I found him like a rock, yet I melted the
rock. God found him fallen down to graven images, and he called
him to his foot. My dear friends, this is the way God does with
every soul whom he converts. God finds you like a rock; yet of
these stones he raises up children to Abraham. This is my only
hope of those of you who are unconverted. I have no hope of the
words of man; but I would trust in God my hope is in his Word. He
that raised up the righteous man is able to call you, and make
you willing in the day of his power.
Abraham's Trial
"Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy
father's house, unto the land that I will show thee." The trial
of Abraham was twofold: First, he was tried in what he was to
leave; Second, in that he did not know where he was to go.
(1) In what he was to leave.
"Get thee out of thy country." One's country is dear to him. The
Greenlander loves his icy region, and the Arab loves his sterile
sand, and we love our own brown hills. But God said to Abraham,
"Get thee out of thy country." And every man loves his kindred.
We do not like to bid those we love farewell. "Will strangers
care for them? Will strangers be kind to them?" are thoughts
that occur to our mind. Yet this was God's command to Abraham
— "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred."
But the worst was yet to come —"Out of thy father's house".
We love our father's house. Our father's house is dear to us.
I do not envy the man that does not love his father's house.
Yet God said, "Get thee out of thy father's house."
(2) But there was a second trial. He did not know
where he was to go. "Unto a land that I will show thee." What kind
of a land is it, Lord? — "I will show thee." Will the people be kind? —
"I will show thee." Was it north, east, south or west? — He did not know. "He
went out not knowing whither he went." "Get thee unto a land that I will show thee."
Who can tell the deep anxiety that appeared in Abraham's countenance and tossed in
his bosom, as he walked before his father's house that night he got the command to
go? Ah! brethren, this is what every converted soul has to
undergo: "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and
from thy father's house." I will tell you what you will have to
leave, if you will follow Christ.
First, you must leave the esteem of your friends.
I do not say you should leave your father's house bodily. God forbid! But you
must leave their esteem. Perhaps they loved you as a friend, as a
wife, as a husband; but the more they loved you they will now
hate you the more. The mother hates the viper that stung her
child; so will they hate you. Do not be surprised at this. "If
any man will not leave father and mother and all, for my sake and
the gospel, he cannot be my disciple" — Luke 14:26; Mark 10:29.
Brethren, do not think I am telling you stories. If the God of
glory appears to you, you will find it true.
Another thing is, you will have to leave the company of the
ungodly. I do not say, if you are in
an ungodly family you are to leave it. No, but you are not to mix with
ungodly families.
Another thing you will have to leave is your idols.
Abraham did this. You must break your idols in pieces. "Come out from among
them" — 2 Corinthians 6:17. "Get thee out of thy country, and
from thy kindred, and from thy father's house."
And, O brethren! you must leave them for an unseen Saviour and an
unseen heaven. Remember you must walk with an unseen Saviour.
Some of you will say, What will be given me? He will give you joy
and peace. Remember also, "It doth not yet appear what we shall
be; but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him" — I John 3:2.
Abraham's Promise
"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; And I will
bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee; and
in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed" verses 2-3.
We have here six blessings following one another.
(1) "I will make thee a great nation."
God was taking him out of a great nation; but he said, "I will make of thee a great
nation." So he says to all that he calls, "I will make you one of
a righteous nation" - "I will make of thee a great nation."
(2) "I will bless thee."
God did not tell him where he was going,
what enemies he would meet with, what trials he would encounter,
yet he said, "I will bless thee." This is what God says to you —
If you are willing to leave all for Christ, "I will bless thee".
Perhaps your friends will curse thee, but "I will bless thee".
(3) "I will make thy name great."
When he went from his father's
house, he went where his name was not known; and, perhaps, they
mocked him when he went away; but God called him "my friend" -
Isaiah 41:8. So perhaps it will be with you; yet God will make
thy name great.
(4) "And thou shalt be a blessing."
Abraham had been a curse by
his example — he had worshipped graven images; but God said he
would be a blessing. So he says to you, brethren, No doubt you
have been a curse — no doubt you have led many to hell by your
wicked example; yet I will make thee a blessing — a blessing to
your children, a blessing to your wife, a blessing to your
neighbours, a blessing to the world; the world will miss you when
you die.
(5) "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that
curseth thee." Abraham was to meet friends and enemies. There
were some in another land that would be kind to the stranger, and
there were some that would cast him out. "Well," says God, "I
will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth
thee." God is with thee, Abraham; God is thy wall of fire. Ah,
brethren! it is sweet to have God's blessing.
(6) "In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." This
last promise was fulfilled when out of Abraham's loins Christ was
born. It cannot be performed to us in the same way; but yet it
can in one way. If you are Christ's then, wherever you are, you
will be a blessing.
O brethren! if you would follow Christ, count the cost. The Lord
enable you to count the cost. Amen.
