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The Torah reading for this week is entitled Lech L’cha, which means You Go. It is taken from the book of Genesis chapter 12:1 through chapter 17:27.
This chapter begins the account of Abraham’s walk of faith. The flood had destroyed a corrupt civilization, but another sinful society soon took its place.
God called one man to begin the fulfillment of His promise in Genesis 3:15. From this one man, God would bless the whole Earth!
God called Abram while he was in Haran. Adonai promised to give Abram a land; a great name; a great nation; and a blessing that would spread throughout the entire world.
This call was completely of grace and the blessings of the covenant, totally from the Lord’s lovingkindness.
It took real faith for Abram to respond to these promises since he and his wife were aging in years.
With insight Adonai has fulfilled His promises; Israel has her land; the Jews have blessed all nations by giving us the Bible and Messiah; Abraham’s name is revered by Jews, Moslems, Christians, and even unbelievers.
When Abram left Haran “Lot went with him.” This was a mistake. Lot’s father, Haran, was dead, so Abram took his young nephew under his protection. Later, this would create serious problems. God would have to separate Lot from Abram before He could advance His plan for the patriarch’s life.
Abram goes from Canaan to Egypt to escape a famine. Afraid for his life, Abram tells Sarai to pretend she is his sister. Pharaoh rewards Abram with riches for Sarai’s sake, intending to marry her. Adonai plagues Pharaoh and his household for his plans to marry Sarai. Pharaoh rebukes Abram for his deceit and sends him and Sarai away.
Chapter 13. Abram returns to Bethel where he first pitched his tent and build an altar, there he worships Adonai again.
The herdsmen of Abram and Lot have a dispute over grazing rights. Abram allows Lot to select his own land. Lot foolishly chooses land close to the morally perverted city of Sodom.
After Lot’s departure, Adonai again promises to make Abram’s descendants as numerous as the dust of the Earth and to give them the land of Canaan.
Chapter 14. A war occurs of 4 allied kings against the 5 kings of Canaan. The four kings attack the Canaanites. The armies of Sodom and Gomorrah were defeated, their kings killed, and the cities plundered. Lot, his family and possession are also taken captive and carried away. Abram is informed of the plight of his nephew.
Abram arms 318 trained servants and pursues them north to rescue Lot. Abram divides his men and initiates a surprise attack at night. Abram defeats the armies of the four kings and Lot is rescued.
Abram meets Melchizedek, the king of Salem and priest of God Most High. Melchizedek shares wine and bread with Abram and blesses him. Abram gives Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he recovered from the battle. In stark contrast, Abram refuses to take anything from the king of wicked Sodom.
Chapter 15. Abram had, had an audience with two kings – Melchizedek, the King of Salem, and the wicked king of Sodom. Now he has an audience with a third King – The king of Heaven and Earth. The word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision. saying, “Abram, don’t be afraid. I will defend you and give you a great reward.”
It had been at least 10 years since Adonai promised to make Abram a great nation and Abram still had no son. If he had no son, all his inheritance would fall to Eliezer, the one who helped manage his affairs.
God responded by telling him to look at the stars. His descendants would be as numerous as the stars of heaven. And here for the first time the word believed is used in Scripture. The Torah says that Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. This is the key principle about the way that people are saved. We are saved by believing what God says. We are saved by faith in Yeshua and His Word, not by works, not by anything we do.
We need one other thing to be saved – a sacrifice. Salvation is based on the blood of a sacrifice. Adonai then made a covenant, an agreement with Abram that involved a sacrifice.
It was customary on that day for the parties in an agreement to walk between the pieces of an animal that was slain. This sealed the agreement. With “this” covenant, God alone went between the pieces. The covenant was all of grace and depended solely upon the Lord. Adonal is faithful and “will” keep His covenant with Abram.
This chapter shows us that there can be no heirship without sonship, no righteousness without faith, no assurance without promises, and no blessing without suffering. It had to become dark before Abram could see God’s stars!
Chapter 16, childless Sarai convinces Abram to have a son through her servant, Hagar. After Hagar conceives, she begins to look down upon Sarai. After suffering harsh treatment from the frustrated Sarai, Hagar flees into the desert.
The angel of the Lord comes to her and tells her to return to Sarai and submit to her authority. He also told her that she will have innumerable descendants through her unborn son, who will be called Ishmael (“God hears”).
Chapter 17. 13 years later, Adonai’s promises to Abram grew more magnificent. His name would be changed to Abraham, meaning the father of a multitude of nations. Yet Abraham knew that God had not deceived him.
His new name and his wife’s new name, Sarah, princess, would be perpetual reminders of God’s sure word. God’s covenant to Abraham was repeated. And Abraham was charged with the responsibility to circumcise his son and household as part of the covenant.
Closing thoughts, Abraham had 318 battle trained servants, they were not only faithful servants but also skillful with the sword and shield. Recently our brothers and sisters have been abducted by the enemy, how skillful are we with the sword (the word of God) or the shield, faithful and persistent, prayer? Look around family this is real.