THE K I N G ’ S BUS I NESS
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Gen. 11:31 it seems plain that before the sojourn at Haran, God had told Abram that his destination was the land of Canaan. Why did Abram stop at Haran? Dpes the fact already men tioned, that the second largest temple of the moon god was at Haran, coupled with the other fact that as soon as Terah died Abram left Haran, not seem .to show us that the delay at Haran was caused by the unwillingness of the old idolater to leave the worship of his moon god deity? The meaning of the name Terah is “ delay.’,’ Whether this is true or not, it seems almost certain that had Abram obeyed God implicitly, and separated himself from his father, as he was told to do, he would have reached the promised land sooner. Haran means “ parched place,” and we are at liberty to believe that Abram’s residence there was not marked by any spiritual advance. There is no record of his having1built any altar at Haran. How many Christians have been hin dered in somewhat similar wayp! Remember the Lord Jesus Christ’s own definite command that not even father or mother or our o\tn life must be allowed to come in- between us and Him. Remember, too, that delay is half- brother to disobedience. IV. How Abram Was Blessed. 1. Personally. The wonderful patience and loving kindness of God is shown in the fact that He blessed Abram with temporal prosperity even while he was only par tially obedient. He had gathered “ sub stance” even in Haran. God also blessed him in not allowing him to remain in Haran, but by renewing his call to come into the land of Canaan. God blessed him again in the promise that He .gave him. of a great name and a great nation. There is no other name revered by so many men in the world today as the name of Abram. He is revered by nearly eleven millions of Jews,, by between two hundred and. fifty and three hundred millions of Moham-
have begun to search for Him of our own volition. An idolatrous home is no barrier to God’s grace. There was nothing in Abram’s environment to start him Godr ward that should not have operated in just the same way with his fellow idolaters. They had all turned their back on God. God was under no obli gation to any one of them. In His boundless love and matchless grace, He chose to call Abram, and only Abram, and who shall say that He had no right thus to do. Rom. 9:14-16, 20. There was no agent between God and Abram. God appeared to him. The command was definite. Country, kindred, and father’s house were all. to be left behind. The terms were per fectly plain. There could be no mis understanding them. The command today is just as definite, “ believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Human beings sometimes give instructions so involved that it is hard for the one receiving them to understand exactly what is desired; but it is never so with God. When anyone is befogged about the way of salvation, it is always because of failure to take God’s own plain, definite command. ìli. How Abram Got Into Trouble. 1. By Disobedience Through Par tial Obedience. Compare carefully what Abram actu ally did, with what God commanded him to do. “ Get thee out of thy coun try,” and Abram did so; “ and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house.” Abram took his father Terah, ¿|L.the old idolater—-and Lot, his nephew,— the ■worlding. It was all right for him to take Sarah, his wife, but it was all wrong for him to take his father and his nephew. We shall see how this worked out. 2. By Tarrying at Haran. It is true,- doubtless, Abram was called -to go out, not knowing whither he went, (See Heb. 11:8) but from
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