Genesis 12 – Abram, Out to Canaan, God’s Promise a Great Nation & Blessing to All from Abram

Genesis 12 – Abram, Out to Canaan, God’s Promise a Great Nation & Blessing to All from Abram

The Lord told Abram, to go to a land He will show him. The Lord promised Abram that he will make him into a great nation, bless him, make his name great, and that he will be a blessing. The Lord said he would bless those who bless him, and curse those who treat him with contempt. At 75 years old Abram obeyed and left Haran for Canaan with Sarai and Lot, they also took all their possessions and the people he had acquired in Haran. They passed Shechem, at the oak of Moreh (in Canaan). There were Canaanites in the land, but the Lord told Abram He would give him the land to Abram’s line. Abram built an altar there. Then he moved to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. He built an altar there to the Lord and worshiped Him. Then Abram journeyed to the Negev. There was a famine, so Abram went to Egypt for a while. Knowing of Sarai’s beauty they devised a scheme to say she was his sister so they wouldn’t kill him. They did this when they encountered Pharaoh, so Sarai was taken to Pharaoh’s house. Abram acquired livestock and slaves from this. The Lord struck Pharaoh’s house with plagues though, so he brought Abram in and confronted him about not telling him Sarai was his wife. So he gave Sarai back to Abram, and sent them away.

God continues to preserve His people. He continues to preserve a covenant line through which He will bring a Messiah. God begins to set apart His people through choosing Abram. Praise God for His choosing of His people. Praise God for calling Abram. This is the beginning of a nation that will preserve the lineage of the Messiah – Jesus Christ.