The end of Genesis 11 and chapter 12 are turning points in world history. Of all humanity, God chooses Abram and sovereignly makes a covenant with him. The covenant contains three parts: God will give Abram and his family a land for their own; God will make Abram a great nation of people; God will bless Abram to such an extent that all the world will be blessed through him.
Today, the land is dispute. In spite of many satanic attempts to annihilate the Abrams descendants and the nation of Israel, by God's grace they have survived. Matthew 1 provides the genealogy details that the Messiah is humanly a direct descendant of Abram. Indeed, the blessing to all the world has come and will come again.
Next, we get to see how Abram responded. It humbled him to realize what God had promised. His response to major incidents in his life was to build an altar and worship.
That did not mean that Abram lived a perfect life. The rest of chapter 12 displays his humanity. And, like all humans, he sinned when he got out of God's will. Sin may be characterized by one or more of the following from Abram's bad example:
In the wrong place (Egypt, instead of the place God provided)
With the wrong thinking (fear, instead of faith)
With the wrong speech (lying, instead of truth)
With wrong actions (instead of being a blessing, he became a curse)
With wrong results (instead of building relationship, he was asked to leave in disgrace)
But there is hope. God's promises were not dependent upon Abram's behavior. In further reading of this book we find that God blessed Abram. God still kept His promises. Abram was still God's friend.
I am encouraged that through my failures and sin, God's promises of forgiveness are sure, not because of me and my behavior, but because the price for sin was paid on the cross by Jesus. My relationship, yes my friendship, with Jesus is not based upon my good works, but the grace of God. As a result of what we read in Genesis 12, we are blessed today. To Him be the glory!
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