Part 1 Genesis 12: 1-3
Jun 28, 2024
1, Now the Lord said to Abram; “Get out of your country, from your family, and from your fathers house, to a land I will show you.
2, I will make you a great nation; I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.
3, I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all families of the earth shall be blessed.
These verses are an interesting read, one can’t help but wonder how broad God intended the scope of these instructions to Abram to be. How far reaching, if you will.
The reason I decided that these verses are an important read for this day and time is because of the overwhelming cry that has dominated the media, that excretes corruption, both vocally and pictorially, along with the massive and pluralistic demonstrations, seemingly all over this country. Maybe even all over the world. Something that, as I was growing up, was never heard of and probably not tolerated. But that, of course, doesn’t determine right or wrong, rather, the test of right or wrong is based on the logic and the personal profit or loss in individual peoples’ agendas.
A Christian would perceive these verses from a different point of view and logic than a non-christian. A Christian would (hopefully) search the scriptures and ask himself or herself, “Was God only speaking to Abram or did his words provide instruction universally and for all times, for me as well?”
But let’s back up and look at each verse as a stand alone statement.
Verse 1, From the time of the Garden of Eden, God apparently never lost or abandoned his love for his creation. When Adam and Eve sinned (disobeyed God) there were no other specifically described sins, so the only sin they could have committed was to disobey God. The result of the famous, “Don’t eat the apple,” instruction. So, realistically, I think most Christians agree that there was no sinful magic in the “fruit of the tree” but rather because they were beguiled by Satan (Satan is an enlightening study in itself and every Christian should study this subject) when he told Eve that, “God surely didn’t really mean what he said, and, by eating of this fruit you will become as he.”
I think Satan knew which button to push, because from then on we’ve tried to make ourselves our own God.
I’m sure Christians have found from the beginning that there are, and always will be, consequences for disobeying God. The Creator of all things will call the shots. Sure, you are free to choose, but choices come with consequences, maybe good, maybe bad.
I consider it pretty dumb to give up all of the blessings of the spectacular garden that God had provided for them, and us, just to eat some fruit from the wrong tree. But it’s still the same today, disobey God and his protection will be withdrawn. Is that where we are today in this country? And many other countries as well.
Nevertheless, God, from the beginning had a plan for Adam and Eve and all of the future humanity. But he chose Abram and Sara to be the foundation of his “chosen people.”
And through them came the conquest of the promised land and the nation of Israel.
If you do your homework, you will find that, yes, Israel has become a modern miracle and has provided many technological advances, not only in technology but medicinally.
When Hitler decided that all Jews should be exterminated because it was the Jews that put Jesus on a cross (his personal justification), God dealt with him rather severely. While, because God used our country and others, to impede Hitler’s plan of complete extermination, our country has been greatly blessed, I believe, as a result of God’s promise to Abram.
Because of our country’s belief that we are, and have been, a Christian Nation, we have respected Israel and, in some ways, provided protection for it.
HAVE THOSE DAYS ENDED?
Let’s end the discussion of this topic momentarily and you be watching for the next installment when we’ll talk about what has changed in the United States and discuss.
