Abram’s 1st Theophany? God's Effective Call
- Ken Kalis
- Apr 21
- 8 min read
I was called by God when I was a little boy.
It was not a theophany, I did not see Jesus, but He was there.
How did I know? He took my pain and gave me glory.
He called in stages, and like Abram, I took time to obey.
Is Jesus calling you today? He love you and has a purpose for your life just as he had for Abram's.
Abram’s 1st Theophany: Genesis 12:1 -8
The Call of Abram* (1996-1821BC)
An astersik* after a name means the person is in SPIRITUAL LIVES.
The call seems abrupt at first but the I see: "Now the LORD had said unto Abram." and I wonder when, why, and where. But the Bible is God's Word, Old Testament and New, and the answer to my questions comes 2000 years later from Stephen,(1st century AD) the first martyr:
In making his defense to the Sanhedrin, Stephen begins by saying, “Hear me, brethren and fathers! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, and said to him, 'Leave your country and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you.' ” Acts 7:2-3
The next verse tells us that he moved to Haran with his father, Terah, (?-1678BC)a grandson of Noah's son Shem* (2446-1846BC). Joshua tells us he was an idolater who worshipped other gods. Gods call to Abram was to leave his family, but he did not. He began the journey to the land God had promise, but settled in Haran, a place named after Terah's brother. This first trip was 600miles (950km) up the Euphrates.
It seems that Abram had lived in Haran a long time (cf. 12:5). And Acts tells us that God spoke to Abram the words recorded in Genesis 12:1-3 before Abram even lived in Haran; which means that Abram did obey, but only years after God had first appeared to him. Abram followed God's call, but it took him a long time.
Well, what happened? How did Abram finally come to his senses in Haran and make the rest of the journey to Canaan? Stephen tells us in the next verse, in verse 4: “after his father died, God removed him from there [Haran] into this land in which you are now living” (ESV). What happened? “God removed him.” And by the way, the Greek word used here (Gr. metoikizo) is only used twice in Scripture; once here and then later in verse 43, where Stephen quotes from a passage in Amos that describes how God would send Israel into exile for their sins: “I will remove you beyond Babylon.” That's a violent removal. And yet that's the same word that's being used here for how it was that God brought Abram into Canaan!
Ultimately, God did it—God caused Abram to leave Haran and come into the land of promise. God didn't just call Abram to the land of promise—He drew Abram to the land of promise. There was a command, but in the Covenant of Grace, all that God requires, He also provides.
This was more than a call—it was an effectual call; it was a call that Abram couldn't resist, because God himself would cause him to obey. And it's no different with us; with God's calling us to turn from our sins and believe upon Christ.
If you are a believer in Jesus, you need to know that the reason you left all to follow Christ wasn't because you made a decision—it was because God made a decision. It wasn't because you chose Him but because He chose you. What we see here with Abram is the same truth Jesus spoke of in the gospels: “Many are called, but few are chosen.”
A side about Terah: Why didn't Terah make it all the way to Canaan? What happened? His name might give us a hint. In Hebrew, Terah means “delay.” Terah delayed. He went half way, but never made it home. . .
In Moses' account, the LORD calls Abram out of his country and out of his family to a land that He will show him. It seems an abrupt call, but there is a great promise that goes with it.
The LORD promises to:
Make thee a great nation,
to bless thee
to make thy name great
and make thee a blessing
This make me think 2,000 years ahead when Jesus called His disciple and promised:
I will make thee fishers of men.
But the LORD's promise is not only to Abram but to his children and us:
I will bless them that bless thee,
and curse him that curseth thee:
and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Abram left Haran with his wife Sari and his nephew Lot and all of their "substance" including their sevents and entourage who had joined him in Haran and headed into the land of Canaan. They arrived in Canaan in a place called Sichem where the LORD appeared to him and said: Unto thy seed will I give this land. (Genesis 12: And Abram built an altar to Him.
Gen 12:8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he built an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
Bethel means "the house of God."
Genesis 12:7
And the Lord appeared unto Abram,.... Perhaps in a human form, and so it was the Son of God; for whenever there was any visible appearance of a divine Person, under the former dispensation, it seems to be always of the essential Word, that was to be incarnate, and who spake with an articulate voice:
and said, unto thy seed will I give this land; the whole of it inhabited by Canaanites and others; and it was for this end chiefly that Abram was called out of Chaldea into Canaan, to be shown the land, and have the grant of it for his posterity:
and there builded an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him: by way of gratitude and thankfulness for his kind and gracious appearance, and for the gift of the land of Canaan to his offspring; for on this altar he no doubt offered sacrifice in a way of thanksgiving, as Noah did when he came out of the ark. – John Gill (1697-1771)
1. God appeared to Abram, probably in a vision, and spoke to him good words and comfortable words: Unto thy seed will I give this land.
Note, (1.) No place nor condition of life can shut us out from the comfort of God's gracious visits. Abram is a sojourner, unsettled among Canaanites; and yet here also he meets with him that lives and sees him. Enemies may part us and our tents, us and our altars, but not us and our God. Nay,
(2.) With respect to those that faithfully follow God in a way of duty, though he lead them from their friends, he will himself make up that loss by his gracious appearances to them.
(3.) God's promises are sure and satisfying to all those who conscientiously observe and obey his precepts; and those who, in compliance with God's call, leave or lose anything that is dear to them, shall be sure of something else abundantly better in lieu of it.
Abram had left the land of his nativity: “Well,” says God, “I will give thee this land,” Mat_19:29.
(4.) God reveals himself and his favours to his people by degrees; before he had promised to show him this land, now to give it to him: as grace is growing, so is comfort.
(5.) It is comfortable to have land of God's giving, not by providence only, but by promise.
(6.) Mercies to the children are mercies to the parents. “I will give it, not to thee, but to thy seed;” it is a grant in reversion to his seed, which yet, it should seem, Abram understood also as a grant to himself of a better land in reversion, of which this was a type; for he looked for a heavenly country, Heb_11:16.
2. Abram attended on God in his instituted ordinances. He built an altar unto the Lord who appeared to him, and called on the name of the Lord, Gen_12:7, Gen_12:8. Now consider this,
(1.) As done upon a special occasion. When God appeared to him, then and there he built an altar, with an eye to the God who appeared to him. Thus he returned God's visit, and kept up his correspondence with heaven, as one that resolved it should not fail on his side; thus he acknowledged, with thankfulness, God's kindness to him in making him that gracious visit and promise; and thus he testified his confidence in and dependence upon the word which God had spoken.
Note: An active believer can heartily bless God for a promise of the performance that he does not yet see, and build an altar to honour God, who appears to him, though he does not yet appear for him.
(2.) As his constant practice, whithersoever he removed. As soon as Abram had got to Canaan, though he was but a stranger and sojourner there, yet he set up, and kept up, the worship of God in his family; and wherever he had a tent, God had an altar, and that an altar sanctified by prayer.
For he not only minded the ceremonial part of religion, the offering of sacrifice, but made conscience of the natural duty of seeking to his God, and calling on his name, that spiritual sacrifice with which God is well pleased. He preached concerning the name of the Lord, that is, he instructed his family and neighbours in the knowledge of the true God and his holy religion. The souls he had gotten in Haran, being discipled, must be further taught.
Note, those that would approve themselves the children of faithful Abram, and would inherit the blessing of Abram, must make conscience of keeping up the solemn worship of God, particularly in their families, according to the example of Abram. The way of family worship is a good old way, is no novel invention, but the ancient usage of all the saints.
Abram was very rich and had numerous families, but he was now unsettled and in the midst of enemies. Yet, wherever he pitched his tent, he built an altar. Wherever we go, let us not fail to take our religion along with us. – Matthew Henry (1662-1714)
"It is often said of Abraham and the patriarchs that they built altars to the Lord; it is never said they built houses for themselves" -John Wordsworth. (1843-1911)
We will see more theophanies to Abraham in the comming weeks, each indiviual, distinctive, and compelling. God appeared in 82 theophanies to more that 50 people, young, old, male and female, prosperous and poor. Jesus is no respecter of persons, and He want to drawy your to Himself for your blessing and His glory. Seek His face!
In every time and place
Who serve the Lord most high,
Are called His sovereign will to embrace,
And still their own deny;
To follow His command,
On earth as pilgrims rove,
And seek an undiscovered land,
And house, and friends above.
Father, the narrow path
To that far country show;
And in the steps of Abraham’s faith
Enable me to go,
A cheerful sojourner
Where’er Thou bidd’st me roam,
Till, guided by Thy Spirit here,
I reach my heavenly home.
--Charles Wesley, 1707-1788
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