Genesis11-15 Calling/Blessing of Abram

The author of Genesis, Moses, gives the genealogical record of the man Abram along with his family. In it we find this phrase:  ‘Then I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great,so that you will exemplify divine blessing.’ The word “exemplify” means to make an example of and that is what God intended to do for Abram and for us. God chooses some and chooses not others and only He knows His reasons. We are, however, given a glimpse of why God called Abram. He was a man of faith and believed God which is revealed as one who is obedient without question. Just as Enoch walked with God and was not, so too Abram walked with God but he lived obediently all the years of his life. There are some pointed lessons for us in these chapters: God chooses man and blesses man because of his obedience to Him. God chooses to bless those who obey Him without question and curses those who choose to not obey. Abram is a model for us and we are to learn from his life about blessings and curses. 

Paul talks about this in one of his pastoral letters by saying, you were chosen from the foundation of the world and that principle applies to Abram as well as you and I.“ Eph 1:4 For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him in love.” Stop and ponder that earthshaking news! You were chosen from eternity past, not for yourself but for God to live and work and play as holy examples.