Genesis 12

Genesis 12

Enter Abram, AKA Abraham. The next 13 chapters deal with Abraham. The rest of Genesis deals with Abraham’s descendants from Isaac to Joseph. This is the great father of faith! As we learned with James, these men of faith often get off to a slow start.

James was the brother of Jesus, yet he did not believe until he saw Jesus risen up. It is this man who stresses us to live by faith, with active faith. In Genesis, we see Abraham, the great father of faith. God has personally come to him and told him to leave everything behind and follow Him. Here is the Father of faith being told to leave his family behind, and the first thing which he does is allow his nephew Lot to come with him (12:4). As we see later on this would only cause trouble. A second time the Lord comes to Abraham (12:7-9). Immediately after this, Abraham fails again.

Read Genesis 12:10-20.

Let’s take a look at where Abraham went wrong.

1. Abraham was not where the Lord sent him v.10

Let’s consider why. Abraham was told to go to Canaan yet went to Egypt because of a famine. What causes me to leave the Lord’s will. Is it a poor environment? Is it discomfort? Is it simply not being where I want to be? Steps of faith come hand in hand with sacrifice. To go down a road which you have never been down before means you just might get lost. Remember, your guide is Jesus, and He is not lost at all.

2. Abraham was protecting himself in his own strength v. 12-13

Faith is a rest and a rest on Jesus. I wonder the stress and anguish Abraham was going through as his wife got taken away to the Pharaoh. Look at the tangled webs we weave. Our plans and efforts only mean that we have to rely more and more on Jesus to escape the trial. Is there anything you really want? Do you try to twist plans that you might get what you want? Abraham was wheeling and dealing and looked what happened.

3. Abraham never swallowed his pride v.17-20

Abraham was all hush, hush. He was receiving everything he had wished to get, but oh how he must have been tormented. Finally, the Lord reveals the truth to Pharaoh, himself! When we do not live by faith, think about the witness we become. Here we are saying we believe in a God that loves us and protects us, yet we spend our time watching our backs!

Oh that sweet grace! The coolest thing about this story is that Abraham walks out of the situation still loved by God and still protected. Faith is active. Faith can be hard. When we have a lapse of faith it can be depressing. Run to Jesus as fast as you can. We all can connive to get what we want. We all have wanted something sooooo bad. There can be a whole life that goes into scheming and it becomes tiresome. God’s got a plan. Just lean back onto Him and approach the Throne of Grace.