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THE CALL AND OBEDIENCE
OF ABRAHAM
By
Dr. and Mrs. Elias E. HidalgoOne of the most formidable characters in the Word of God is Father Abram (Abraham). He indeed is referred to as 'a friend of God'.
II Chronicles 20:7
'Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever'.
From the outset in Genesis 12: 1-4a, he, Abram, is called to show forth his obedience and allegiance to the Almighty God as we read in the following Scriptures.
Genesis 12:1-4a
'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 families of the earth be blessed.
So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him';
A Scriptural definition of 'faith' is found in the book of Hebrews, chapter eleven and verse one,
Hebrews 11: 1,
'Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen'.
THE ONE INGREDIENT
As Abraham heard the word of the Lord, one ingredient that was necessary for Abraham to follow was 'faith' (emunah) as we read in the book of Hebrews, in the Brit Ha Dashah (The New Testament) found in chapter 11: 8-13.
Hebrews 11: 8-13
'By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth'.
BY FAITH ABRAHAM
'By faith Abraham', surely describes the action of faith in progress in his life as he sets out to obey the Lord.
There are three things that stand out in the above text and they are as follows:
1) A Place
2) A Promise
3) A PersuasionYou and I scripturally know that this 'place' is indeed the Land of Canaan, better known today as the Land of Israel that the Lord gave as an inheritance to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and his descendants. The showing forth of faith began with Abram as he traveled approximately 1,500 miles, and we are told that at that time he 'obeyed' yet 'not knowing whither he went'.
It is one thing to start on a trip knowing right well where you are going and the distance that you must travel, it is yet another thing to start your journey not knowing the ultimate destination and still by faith you keep keeping on, why? Because the Lord commanded you.
THIS REMINDS US
This reminds us when the Lord Himself called us while we were yet ministering in Minneapolis, Mn., en route to go to Savannah, Ga. When we measured the mileage, the figure we came up with was a 1,500 mile trip to a place that was on the map and yet we knew no one, except that Savannah had one of the oldest Jewish communities in the United States (circa 1733 a.d.).
By faith, the Lord God and His mercy was with us as we, with much trepidation journeyed south. We did make the trip in good manner with no problems. Thank you Lord. We must tell you living and ministering in Savannah for over 17 years has been a blessed challenge. Truly we can say the Lord has been with us every minute of the day and night. Oh yes, we have gone through some 'tsuris' (heart and death threatening sorrows) nevertheless, we praise His Name (Ha Shem) for the joy of the LORD has been our strength and besides when we compare what God has done during these many years for His kingdom through Shalom Scripture Studies, Inc., of seeing not only several children of Abraham (in the flesh) open their hearts to Y'shua our Lord, but countless Gentiles also, we rejoice in the Lord and say 'it has been worth it all', Amen.
So we see that Abraham, 'By faith' went out from the Ur of Chaldees and traveled with his wife, Sarai (Sarah), and together they formed a perfect union in obedience to our blessed Lord.
NOW BY FAITH
Now, 'By Faith' as they sojourned to 'The Land of Promise' (the land of Israel), it was to them 'a strange country', 'dwelling in tabernacles' with their heirs, Isaac and Jacob.
And in so doing, they 'looked for a city' whose builder and maker is God.
So it is, when we travel this life's road we too 'By Faith' look for that 'heavenly city' where God dwells. As we trust in the Lord first and fully in our life, we have one destiny that is promised to us that Y'shua spoke about in John 14: 1-4 that is ours eternally.
John 14:1-3
'Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also'.
THIS PLACE
This place that Y'shua so eloquently speaks about and is reserved for His children is indeed the same place that Abraham looked for, called in Hebrew Ha-Shammayin (The Third Heaven where God's abode is).
Now, let us not forget a very integral part of all of this and that is Abraham's wife, Sarah.
Also, through faith Sarah herself received strength from God, not only for the 1,500 mile journey, but, for the conception and birth of her son Isaac. Remember, she was 90 years of age, when this amazing miracle took place. (Nes Gadol Hayah Sham ' a Great Miracle Happened There). Thank you Lord.
Just think a greater story is foretold over and over in the life of Jesus' mother, Miriam (Mary). At a very young age, and without knowing a man, this Jewish young woman through the Holy Spirit conceived and brought forth the Holy Child Y'shua (Jesus), Halleluyah in the highest. The birth of Isaac was a miracle and so was the birth of Jesus a greater miracle. The two are inseparable and interconnected in history.
In time by the mighty Grace of God you and I have had the privilege to receive the greatest gift of all, 'Eternal Life' through the death, burial and resurrection of Y'shua according to the Holy Scriptures.
THESE ALL DIED
These all died 'in faith' not having received the fullness of the promises, but were indeed 'persuaded' as they embraced those promises, even as strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
You and I are on a similar journey through this life and as we daily implement 'faith' and 'works', we too will be blessed in the here and now and afterwards having the promise of a home in glory with our God and Saviour, Y'shua Ha Masshiach Adonai (The Lord Jesus Christ).
NOW HERE ARE SOME
Now, here are some encouraging words for your consideration,
Jude 1:24-25
'Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen'.
Another Scripture of comfort and joy.
Titus 2:13-14
'Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works'.
May the Lord Himself, through His Spirit guide your faith walk as you sojourn here on earth with Him directing every step of the way! Amen!
PEACE
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