Thanks Sir,for the nice elaboration about "The call" from God !
The Call of Abraham
Sort:
God promised to 'bless those that bless...curse those that curse...' Abraham.
"As America has Done to Israel" by John P. McTernan? (ISBN 1-60034-545-X) is a good book on the subject.
His earlier books: 'Israel: Blessing or Curse' and 'God's Final Warning to America' focused more on the curse but are also worth reading.
Thanks, Paul, for the recommandations!
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Israel descends from Abraham. So it seems logical that the blessing of Abraham should be valid also for Abraham`s children.
Nevertheless Jesus discussed that theme once with some Jews:
39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would[c] do what Abraham did.
(from John 8)
And wrote in his epistle to the Galatians:
7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”[d]9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
(from Galatian 3)
So, when I read it correctly Abraham`s blessings are for the believers of Jesus from all nations
But I would agree that the history of the Jewish people and Israel is unique in world. For example the fulfilment of old prophecies that God would disperse them into all countries, but would bring them back into their own country in the last days.
God establishes a covenant with Isaac.
Genesis 17:21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
God establishes a covenant with Jacob.
Genesis 28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
Genesis 28:13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
God considered the covenant to be with Isaac and Jacob also.
Exodus 2:24-25 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.
The Call of Abraham
1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.[a]
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”[b]
According to the Bible, Abram was a presumely 74-year-of-age man living a normal life with his relatives and friends in Mesopotamian Haran, when God talked to him in that way.
Well, imagine for a moment you were the wife or a good friend of Abram and he would tell you: “Well, God has told me that I have to leave everything behind me and have to go in a country, that he will show me!”
So we suppose you have a good day and do not react “normal”as: “So, God has talked to you to leave everything? Haha… Are you drunken? Are are you totally crazy now?”
Perhaps you lean back, wait 3-5 seconds taking some deep breaths and asked then very friendly:” How did God talk to you?”
Well, we do not know what Abram would have answered to this question. Perhaps: “ I had a dream!” or “I heard his voice!” or something else.
We can read more than one time in the Bible, that men or women got a call from God. And the pattern is almost always the same. Someone is living his normal life not expecting something special. And the suddenly the Call of God breaks in and changes that life completely, turning it upside down.
So it was with Abram! The Call of God was the beginning of a almost complete new life!