A Chapter from the Book:
Abram to Moses
Gen 12:1 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 shew thee:
Gen 12:2 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:
Gen 12:3 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.
Gen 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
Abram or Abraham’s story has been told and retold many times, especially the part about Abraham sacrificing his son Issac1. Abraham’s story has much to teach us but for the purpose of this book we will focus on how God communicated with this great patriarch.
The scripture does not specifically tells us that God spoke in an audible voice to Abraham but whether His voice was heard with Abraham’s ears or with his heart is somewhat irrelevant. The relevant point is that Abraham heard what he knew to be God and he obeyed.
Abraham knowing that it was God that spoke to him is a point that I must really hit on.
Jesus, in John 10 verses 24 through 30, had answered the Pharisees at the temple who demanded Him to declare whether or not he was the Messiah by saying I already told you, but you did not hear me because you don't know me. My sheep (followers) hear my voice because they know me and I know them ( my paraphrase). Abraham had to have known God to be able to have recognized His voice and to have been willing to follow Him.
This point is so important that we will revisit it again. But to state it in a more concise way if a person does not know Gods character and does not follow God, any "voice" he may hear may not necessarily be that of Gods2.
God, in Abraham’s lifetime also spoke to Abraham in the manifestation of a person, a real physical person (3 people actually)3 who ate with him and could even be heard and seen by Sarah.
He had also intervened on Sarahs behalf4, (really Gods behalf) through dreams given to men that may not have been followers of God, but they sure obeyed in a hurry.
And of course, God communicated with Abraham through an amazing vision that sealed the covenant between Himself and Abraham5.
Abraham knew Gods character so well that he felt somewhat comfortable to openly question Gods judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah6, of course Abraham’s motive was to save his favorite nephew, Lot, but even so, he still made the effort to persuade God to reconsider.
Here is the point , Abraham knew God. He had a relationship with God. God was not some mystical mist, or way up there old guy siting on a throne. Abraham talked to God, Abraham listened to God, Abraham trusted God. Abraham had a relationship with God. God was real to Abraham in the hear and now. That is why God blessed Abraham. That is the essence of faith.
We can say this of every man and woman that God used in His great plan.
Moses knew God in a very special way.
The Judges and the prophets knew God in the here and now. King David checked nearly every important decision out with God first, before acting, he knew God and sought after Gods heart.
The apostles walked and talked with God (in Jesus) for three years then they came to know God. Paul an apostle after the fact meet God (Jesus) face to face7, he came to know God.
God wants a relationship with you! Personally!
It is part of the New Covenant:
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
God is speaking to you right now. Can you hear Him? Do you know His voice? Will you be His friend?
1Gen 22
21Co 14:9 - 11
3Gen 18
4Gen 12, Gen 20:6
5Gen 15:8 - 21
6Gen 1823-33
7Acts 9:4
Abram to Moses
Gen 12:1 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 shew thee:
Gen 12:2 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:
Gen 12:3 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.
Gen 12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
Abram or Abraham’s story has been told and retold many times, especially the part about Abraham sacrificing his son Issac1. Abraham’s story has much to teach us but for the purpose of this book we will focus on how God communicated with this great patriarch.
The scripture does not specifically tells us that God spoke in an audible voice to Abraham but whether His voice was heard with Abraham’s ears or with his heart is somewhat irrelevant. The relevant point is that Abraham heard what he knew to be God and he obeyed.
Abraham knowing that it was God that spoke to him is a point that I must really hit on.
Jesus, in John 10 verses 24 through 30, had answered the Pharisees at the temple who demanded Him to declare whether or not he was the Messiah by saying I already told you, but you did not hear me because you don't know me. My sheep (followers) hear my voice because they know me and I know them ( my paraphrase). Abraham had to have known God to be able to have recognized His voice and to have been willing to follow Him.
This point is so important that we will revisit it again. But to state it in a more concise way if a person does not know Gods character and does not follow God, any "voice" he may hear may not necessarily be that of Gods2.
God, in Abraham’s lifetime also spoke to Abraham in the manifestation of a person, a real physical person (3 people actually)3 who ate with him and could even be heard and seen by Sarah.
He had also intervened on Sarahs behalf4, (really Gods behalf) through dreams given to men that may not have been followers of God, but they sure obeyed in a hurry.
And of course, God communicated with Abraham through an amazing vision that sealed the covenant between Himself and Abraham5.
Abraham knew Gods character so well that he felt somewhat comfortable to openly question Gods judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah6, of course Abraham’s motive was to save his favorite nephew, Lot, but even so, he still made the effort to persuade God to reconsider.
Here is the point , Abraham knew God. He had a relationship with God. God was not some mystical mist, or way up there old guy siting on a throne. Abraham talked to God, Abraham listened to God, Abraham trusted God. Abraham had a relationship with God. God was real to Abraham in the hear and now. That is why God blessed Abraham. That is the essence of faith.
We can say this of every man and woman that God used in His great plan.
Moses knew God in a very special way.
The Judges and the prophets knew God in the here and now. King David checked nearly every important decision out with God first, before acting, he knew God and sought after Gods heart.
The apostles walked and talked with God (in Jesus) for three years then they came to know God. Paul an apostle after the fact meet God (Jesus) face to face7, he came to know God.
God wants a relationship with you! Personally!
It is part of the New Covenant:
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
God is speaking to you right now. Can you hear Him? Do you know His voice? Will you be His friend?
1Gen 22
21Co 14:9 - 11
3Gen 18
4Gen 12, Gen 20:6
5Gen 15:8 - 21
6Gen 1823-33
7Acts 9:4