THE PEOPLE IN THE BEGINNING: TERAH

You can’t stay where you are and go somewhere else. You either stay or go… not both.

“The God of glory appeared to … Abraham” (Acts 7:2) inviting him to “go from (his) land, (his) relatives, and (his) father’s house” (Genesis 12:1). God said, “leave what is familiar and all that you hold dear and move with Me to a new and better place… leave Terah, your daddy, and go with Me.”

Why was it important that Abraham leave Terah? Joshua tells us: “Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods” (Joshua 24:2). Terah was a pagan who worshipped dead gods.

In partial obedience, Abraham moved north and settled in Haran. He moved part of the way, but not all the way … He left Ur, but didn’t make it to Canaan … and he took Terah, his daddy with him (Genesis 11:31-32).

Partial obedience is disobedience.

Abraham got stuck half-way, in half-hearted obedience until … “Terah … died in Haran”

(Genesis 11:32). Finally, Abraham “went, as the Lord had told him… and they set out for the land of Canaan” (Genesis 12:4-5). “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance” (Hebrews 11:8)

With obedience came the promise of a great blessing. “I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2-3).

Stay or go? Half-way or all-in? Partial obedience or full surrender? We can’t stay where we are and obediently, faithfully go…

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).