Genesis 12-15: The Faith of the Father

This section continues the themes which we have tracked in recent chapters. In a way, it even introduces a broader story in which these themes are played out in a significant way. That story is Abraham’s story, and his story begins with a journey:

¬¬“Now the Lord said to Abram,
‘Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.’
So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him…”

One theme which we see immediately is Abraham’s acting faithfully in response to God’s prompting. Just for perspective, take time to consider exactly what Abraham was being asked to do: In a time when travel and interconnectedness were not nearly as prevalent as today, Abraham was being asked to leave people he knew. He was being called to forsake everything that was comfortable, everything that was familiar, in order to go somewhere he never had been and he did not know. He was willing to do it because of his trust in the legitimacy of God’s promise.

Hebrews 11:1-16 commemorates a number of the people with whom we have become familiar in our study, including Abel, Enoch, Noah, and especially Abraham. Abraham gets a fairly special treatment in this chapter, and his trek is commemorated here.

One thing that stands out in this chapter is mentioned in verse 13: “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” We are familiar with stories of God’s people who receive a tremendous reward for their faithfulness. However, particularly in this case, the reward does not happen in the person’s lifetime. Abraham took the steps in faith, with increasing awareness that he may never directly see the results of his faithfulness!

Here is where this particular aspect of Abraham’s life speaks to us: the fact that Abraham never saw the results of his faith. We have explored the theme of God’s people being rewarded in some way for their faith. However, Abraham’s reward was never given to him in his years on earth. As Hebrews tells us, “he was looking for the city…whose architect and builder is God” (11:10). He lived so as to achieve a reward that would last beyond his lifetime, an eternal reward.

Abraham was obedient to God, even to the point at which he accepted a promise he would never see in his lifetime! This brings us to a very important point about our own faith: Faith often calls us to remain hopeful despite promises as of yet unfulfilled. It challenges us to trust that God will execute his plan for our lives, especially when it seems that nothing is happening. It motivates us to move on, believing with all our hearts that someday God can bless our efforts…even if we do not even see it in our own years on earth.