It is only when God wishes us to depart from the expected that we should look for guidance that is spectacular or unusual. I do not find such people in the Bible. Did God give an oath to Isaac as alluded in Psalms 105:8-10? More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! (2) Abrams spiritual life continued through the sovereign work of God. Abram was a man like you and me. God was therein posing to Abe the idea of rejecting Terah as unworthy of Abe's full evangelistic effort. However I hope you don't mind me editing your answer and making it looking as we'd like to have answers on this site. When Abram had an encounter with God, [1] this brother directed his family to leave their native land and go to the land of Canaan. God said it, and that settles it, whether you believe it or not. I like that. But does such a claim contradict the words of Scripture? Theologically, Genesis chapter 12 is one of the key Old Testament passages, for it contains what has been called the Abrahamic Covenant. That verse is not implying that God called Abe out of the blue, nor Abe at random of all persons. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. But when He had established a covenant with him after the flood, and thereby had assured the continuance of the earth and of the human race, the direct manifestations ceased, for God withdrew His visible presence from the world; so that it was from heaven that the judgment fell upon the tower of Babel, and even the call to Abram in his home in Haran was issued through His word, that is to say, no doubt, through an inward monition. That is what is implied in the Jewish oral tradition about Abe. 139 . This is knowable to us by putting together five sources: 1: The very few Biblical references to the idolatry that Terah's household had practiced (ex: Joshua 24:2; Genesis 31:53b). (p) Itinerarium, p. 60. So we know that Abraham told his father Terah to leave, because God appeared to Abraham, not Terah. - Terah takes the lead in this emigration, as the patriarch of the family. Those who first read the book of Genesis were about to take possession of the land which was promised Abram. I hope that's helpful Clive. There are nearly 75 references to him in the New Testament. Terah started out well (11:31), journeyed about four months, probably stopped at Babylon and then did something very strange. The form of the Angel of Jehovah, which was discernible by the senses, varied according to the purpose of the appearance; and, apart from Genesis 21:17 and Genesis 22:11, we have a sufficient proof that it was not a real angelic appearance, or the appearance of a created angel, in the fact that in two instances it was not really an angel at all, but a flame of fire and a shining cloud which formed the earthly substratum of the revelation of God in the Angel of Jehovah (Exodus 3:2; Exodus 14:19), unless indeed we are to regard natural phenomena as angels, without any scriptural warrant for doing so. Why did God punish Pharaoh for Abrams lie (Genesis 12:17)? These appearances, which were constantly repeated from that time forward, must have taken place from heaven; for we read that Jehovah, after speaking with Abram and the other patriarchs, "went away" (Genesis 18:33), or "went up" (Genesis 17:22; Genesis 35:13); and the patriarchs saw them, sometimes while in a waking condition, in a form discernible to the bodily senses, sometimes in visions, in a state of mental ecstasy, and at other times in the form of a dream (Genesis 28:12.). Thus, he seems to have rejected Stephens words flatly. As we will see next week, the Lord in His grace reached into a family that did not know Him and called Abram out to create a people devoted to Himself. From Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. 2: In Acts 7, verses 2 thru 4, Stephen states that God had called Abe prior to when the group had settled in the town called Haran. Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Charran; and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell" Acts 7:2-4. they came unto Harantwo days' journey south-southeast from Ur, on the direct road to the ford of the Euphrates at Rakka, the nearest and most convenient route to Palestine. Accordingly, the name of the true God was known and revered, at least in outward form, wherever Abram went, throughout the land. Terah may have told Abraham why he was leaving Ur and why he decided to settle in Haran. This covenant is the thread which ties the rest of the Old Testament together. Haran was in the north, where Terah, Abraham's father, had taken him after Terah's father died (Genesis 11:27-32). Is quantile regression a maximum likelihood method? Moses tells us that Abram was 75 when he entered the land of Canaan. Hence, it follows that Isaac, his seed, was born thirty years after the call of Abram. One year? 2. ch. But this important difference has been overlooked, that according to Greek usage, denotes an (any) angel of the Lord, whereas according to the rules of the Hebrew language means the angel of the Lord; that in the New Testament the angel who appears is always described as without the article, and the definite article is only introduced in the further course of the narrative to denote the angel whose appearance has been already mentioned, whereas in the Old Testament it is always "the Angel of Jehovah" who appears, and whenever the appearance of a created angel is referred to, he is introduced first of all as "an angel" (vid., 1 Kings 19:5 and 1 Kings 19:7). (q) Travels, par. Abrams age was not a factor in favor of leaving Ur for some unknown land either. What was Terah's son named? Joshua gives us helpful insight into the character of Terah in his farewell speech at the end of his life: And Joshua said to all the people, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, From ancient times your fathers lived beyond the River, namely, Terah, the father of Abraham and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods (Joshua 24:2). The need for spiritual purity surpassed the need for genetic purity at this particular point in time. This remains to be proven. Yes, God twice told Abra(ha)m to "leave your father's household, and go to the land of Canaan." Hence, his desire to keep up his connection with Abram, who was called of God. He quoted the shopworn saying, God said it. Now Abram obeyed God by faith and entered into the land of Canaan, but only after considerable preparatory steps had been taken by God. Isaac also was strong in patience and hope; and Jacob wrestled in faith amidst painful circumstances of various kinds, until he had secured the blessing of the promise. Terah coordinated the journey, intending to go to this new land, but stopped in the city of Haran along the way, where he died at the age of 205. "And Terah died in Haran." First, the emphasis of Hebrews 11 is on faith. Since Abram was unwilling or unable to leave his father's house, God took Abram's father in death (11:32). In Galatians chapter 3 Paul wrote that Christians are the sons of Abraham by faith, and therefore, rightful heirs to the blessings promised him (Galatians 3:7,9). 137 Now we can understand why the Torah stressed, in all their detail, Abrams journeys on entering the land of Canaan, at first as far as Schechem, and subsequently up to Ai-Bethel. 4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. Ancient Mesopotamia was a region centered upon the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The appearances of the angel of Jehovah (or Elohim) cannot have been essentially different from those of Jehovah (or Elohim) Himself; for Jacob describes the appearances of Jehovah at Bethel (Genesis 28:13.) They strove to find security and renown by banding together and building a great city (11:3-4). Ephesians 2:19, I Peter 1:17, 2:11). Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Charran.(NIV). This seems to be upheld by Scripture: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and served other gods'" (Josh 24:2). Are there conventions to indicate a new item in a list? We are not inclined to be impressed with Abrams age because of the length of mens lives in olden times, but Genesis chapter 11 informs us that mans longevity was much greater in times past, than in Abrams day. He obeyed unquestioningly the commands of God, from whom he received repeated promises and a covenant that his "seed" would inherit the land. God called him to leave that city and to exchange his townhouse for a tent. Balaam He met in a human or angelic form, with a drawn sword in His hand (Numbers 22:22-23). How unlike mans ways are from Gods. Now Abram did leave Ur and go to Haran, but it appears to me that this was only because his pagan father decided to leave Ur. Hence, also, Abram lingers in Haran, waiting to take his father with him to the land of promise, if he should revive so far as to be fit for the journey. Had Abrams spiritual life depended solely upon his faithfulness, the story of Abram would have ended very quickly. Having said this, I do not wish to glorify Abrams faith either, for as we shall see, it was initially very weak. Can a private person deceive a defendant to obtain evidence? as an appearance of "the angel of Elohim," and of "the God of Bethel" (Genesis 31:11, Genesis 31:13); and in his blessing on the sons of Joseph (Genesis 48:15-16), "The God (Elohim) before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God (Elohim) which fed me all my life long unto this day, the angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads," he places the angel of God on a perfect equality with God, not only regarding Him as the Being to whom he has been indebted for protection all his life long, but entreating from Him a blessing upon his descendants. The inhabitants also of Ur had fallen into polytheism, or, if we may so speak, allotheism, the worship of other gods. Terah wanted to leave Ur because he was afraid a war would start. (4) The Christian walk is rooted in the reliability of the Word of God. In the light of all the objections which might be raised by Abram, such an appearance should not be unusual. All rights reserved. Ur was in the southern part of Mesopotamia, and was the starting point for Abraham's journey to Canaan. He is removed to the better country, and by his departure contributes no doubt to deepen the faith of his son Abram, of his grandson Lot, and of his daughter-in-law Sarai. Abram was, in our vernacular, no spring chicken when he left Haran for Canaan. God is not only sovereign in salvation, but sovereign in the process of sanctification. 133 Although it may appear from a superficial reading of the account in Genesis (11:31-12:1) that God called Abraham while in Haran, thereby contradicting Stephens account that God called Abraham in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, the two accounts can be harmonized by noting that Genesis 11:27-32 is a parenthetical account of Terah introduced by a waw disjunctive, and that Genesis 12:1, introduced by a waw consecutive, carries on the main narrative which was discontinued in Gen. 11:26. Bruce Waltke, Unpublished Class Notes, Dallas Theological Seminary, pp. We must confine ourselves to the passages in which "the Angel of Jehovah" is actually referred to. For the nation was to grow out of the family, and in the lives of the patriarchs its character was to be determined and its development foreshadowed. Why did Lot offer up his daughters to be gang raped? Stephen clarifies the time that Abram was first called of God. God had never forbidden anyone from going with Abe. If His Word is not true and reliable, then we, of all men, are most miserable.. On the other hand, He appeared to Moses (Exodus 3:2) in a flame of fire, speaking to him from the burning bush, and to the people of Israel in a pillar of cloud and fire (Exodus 14:19, cf. Historians share that the father of Serug was Reu. The death of Haran, his oldest son, loosened his attachment to the land of his birth. It could be that they left in obedience to the call of God, which we read more of in Genesis 12. Consequently such passages as Psalm 34:7; Psalm 35:5-6, etc., where the angel of Jehovah is not more particularly described, or Numbers 20:16, where the general term angel is intentionally employed, or Acts 7:30; Galatians 3:19, and Hebrews 2:2, where the words are general and indefinite, furnish no evidence that the Angel of Jehovah, who proclaimed Himself in His appearances as one with God, was not in reality equal with God, unless we are to adopt as the rule for interpreting Scripture the inverted principle, that clear and definite statements are to be explained by those that are indefinite and obscure. Did Abraham receive a call to leave Ur as alluded to in Acts 7:2-4? Haran.The Charran of Acts 7:4, that is, Carrhae in North-west Mesopotamia, about twenty geographical miles south-east of Edessa. What are some tools or methods I can purchase to trace a water leak? Terah took him out of Ur (Genesis ch.11). 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: 2 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: 3 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. Map of Ancient Mesoptomia (Courtesy israel-a-history-of.com). I found your contribution useful +1. Terah was just too old, by that time, to actually make any life in Canaan, and might even have died from the long journey that would have been required to get all the way to Canaan. Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal (Joshua 8:30). Abrams life is a growth in faith developed under delayed fulfillment of divine promises. Genesis 11:27-32 gives a genealogy leading up to Abram and Sarai, beginning with Terah, Abram's father. Abram told his father that Yahweh had instructed them to leave. Beyond this, Abram was destined to become a blessing to men of every nation. We must remember that Cassuto, as a Jew, did not regard the New Testament to be authoritative. (1) Abrams faith was commenced at the initiative of God. Having called Abram, it was God Who providentially brought Abram to the point of leaving home and homeland and entering Canaan. Did Terah go to Canaan because God spoke to Abram?". But at the point of Abrams call, he was a man whose faith was meager; real, but meager. Without it we are inclined to think that the call of Abram came at Haran, rather than at Ur. Such was true in Abrams 1ife.139 Such is the case with every believer. Little wonder that men like Peter and not Paul, are our heroes, for we can see ourselves in them. In our best moments, our faith is vibrant and vital, but in the moments of testing, it is weak and wanting. God providentially led Terah to pull up roots at Ur and to move toward Canaan (11:31). in 1971. God also appeared to Moses at the time of his call (Exodus 3:2, etc.). c. Terah was an idol worshipper. The question arises, therefore, whether the angel of Jehovah, or of God, was God Himself in one particular phase of His self-manifestation, or a created angel of whom God made use as the organ of His self-revelation. So he may have found a blossoming trade in Haran. All he had to rely upon was God, Who had revealed Himself to him. It was both a very early and a very late outpost of Chaldean power. l. 1. v. 105. The Word of God is sufficient for mans faith. The Hebrew word for "served" can also mean to "work," hence the tradition that Terah was a craftsman who made idols. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Terah's Descendants. (Note: In the old Jewish synagogue the Angel of Jehovah was regarded as the Shechinah, the indwelling of God in the world, i.e., the only Mediator between God and the world, who bears in the Jewish theology the name Metatron. This explanation of the order of events is confirmed by the statement of Stephen: "The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran. The Christian life is not knowing exactly what the future holds, but knowing Him Who holds the future. are patent descriptions/images in public domain? But as soon as Abram had gone to Canaan, in obedience to the call of God, Jehovah appeared to him there (Genesis 12:7). This was God's first direct test of Abe, and Abe passed with flying colors. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023. Cassuto concludes that Abrams journey unknowingly outlined the territory which would belong to Israel, and that the places he stopped symbolically forecast the future conquest of the land.137 In an additional comment, Cassuto adds the fact that these places were also religious centers of Canaanite worship.138 In effect, Abrams actions of building altars and proclaiming the name of the Lord prophesied the coming time when true religious worship would overcome the pagan religion of the Canaanites. Answer: Family Origin and Early History. Life Span. Terah died in Haran (Genesis 11:32), so Abraham was free to follow that call. Terahs migration was partly perhaps a movement of a tribe of the Semites northwards (see Note on Genesis 11:28), made restless by the Elamites, who about this time overran Western Asia; but chiefly it had a religious motive: for Ur was the especial seat of the worship of the moon-god, Sin; and though Terah had not attained to the purity of Abrahams faith, yet neither was he altogether an idolater. Terah left the city of Ur probably for two reasons: 1. And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. To move toward Canaan ( 11:31 ) s son named Covenant is the case with every believer fulfillment. Took him out of Ur ( Genesis 12:17 ) is weak and wanting on faith our moments! Genesis 12:17 ) lead in this emigration, as the patriarch of the land of his (... 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