05.017. Chapter 12

Genesis 12:1-20 The call of God came to Abram when he was still in Ur (compare Genesis 12:1 with Acts 7:1-2). Abram was called to leave his country, his relatives, and his father’s house, and to embark on a life of pilgrimage (Hebrews 11:9). God made a marvelous covenant with him which included the following significant promises: a land (Genesis 12:1)—that is, the land of Canaan; a great nation (Genesis 12:2)—namely, the Jewish people; material and spiritual prosperity for Abram and his seed (Genesis 12:2); a great name for Abram and his posterity (Genesis 12:2); they would be a channel of blessing to others (Genesis 12:2); friends of Israel would be blessed and anti-Semites would be cursed (Genesis 12:3); all families of the earth would be blessed in Abram (Genesis 12:3), pointing forward to the Lord Jesus Christ, who would be a descendant of Abram. This covenant was renewed and enlarged in Genesis 13:14-17; Genesis 15:4-6; Genesis 17:10-14; and Genesis 22:15-18.

After what have been called “the wasted years in Haran,” Abram moved to Canaan with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, other relatives, and possessions. They came first to Sichem (Shechem), where Abram built an altar to the Lord (Genesis 12:6-7), The presence of hostile Canaanites (v. 6) was no obstacle to a man who was walking by faith. Abram next relocated between Bethel (“house of God”) and Ai (Genesis 12:8), True to form, he erected a tent for himself and an altar for Jehovah. This says a great deal about the priorities of this man of God. Verse 9 finds him moving south to the Negev. But faith has its lapses. During a lime of serious famine, Abram left the place of God’s choosing and fled to Egypt, a symbol of the world (Genesis 12:10). This move bred trouble. Abram became obsessed with the fear that the Pharaoh might kill him in order to seize beautiful Sarai for his harem (Genesis 12:11-12). So Abram prevailed on Sarai to lie by saying that she was his sister (Genesis 12:13). Actually she was his half-sister (Genesis 20:12), but it was still a lie, with deception as its motive. The ruse worked for Abram (he was rewarded handsomely) but it worked against Sarai (she had to join the Pharaoh’s harem) (Genesis 12:15-16). And it worked against the Pharaoh (he and his household contacted plagues) (Genesis 12:17). The latter acted more

righteously than Abram when he learned of the deception. After rebuking Abram, he sent him back to Canaan (Genesis 12:18-20). This incident reminds us that we should not wage a spiritual warfare with carnal weapons, that the end does not justify the means, and that we can’t sin and get away with it.

God did not forsake Abram, but He did allow the sin to work itself out. Abram was publicly humbled by the Pharaoh and deported in disgrace. The word “Pharaoh” was not a proper name but a title, such as king, emperor, president, etc.