Gen 12:1 | MHM | STEP | Genesis 12:1-3: The Call of Abram This passage tells how God called Abram to leave his homeland and family, and go to a new land that God would show him. God’s call was a test of Abram’s faith and obedience, and through it, God set Abram apart for a special purpose. Stephen explains in Acts vii. 2 that God first called Abram while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. God wanted Abram not to stop short, but to trust Him fully and reach the land of promise. With this call, God gave both a difficult command and some wonderful promises. v. 1 : The Lord told Abram to leave his country, his relatives, and his father’s house, to go to a land that God would show him ( v. 1 ). This command tested Abram’s willingness to leave everything behind for God. His homeland had become full of idols, and his family could tempt him away from God. God wanted Abram to make a clean break for his own good. We must sometimes leave behind what is familiar or dear if it gets in the way of following God (ch. xix. 17; Prov. ix. 12 ; Luke xiv. 26; Matt. v. 29 ; Ps. cxix. 115; Acts ii. 40 ). Abram also had to trust God to guide him, even though he did not know where he was going (Rom. viii. 18; 1 John iii. 2 ).

‏ Genesis 12:1

Genesis 12:1-3: The Call of Abram

This passage tells how God called Abram to leave his homeland and family, and go to a new land that God would show him. God’s call was a test of Abram’s faith and obedience, and through it, God set Abram apart for a special purpose. Stephen explains in Acts vii. 2 ^a that God first called Abram while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran. God wanted Abram not to stop short, but to trust Him fully and reach the land of promise. With this call, God gave both a difficult command and some wonderful promises.

v. 1: The Lord told Abram to leave his country, his relatives, and his father’s house, to go to a land that God would show him (v. 1 ^b). This command tested Abram’s willingness to leave everything behind for God. His homeland had become full of idols, and his family could tempt him away from God. God wanted Abram to make a clean break for his own good. We must sometimes leave behind what is familiar or dear if it gets in the way of following God (ch. xix. 17; Prov. ix. 12 ^c; Luke xiv. 26; Matt. v. 29 ^d; Ps. cxix. 115; Acts ii. 40 ^e). Abram also had to trust God to guide him, even though he did not know where he was going (Rom. viii. 18; 1 John iii. 2 ^f).