Abraham: Friend of God - Genesis 12-22

As we read and preach through the Bible chronologically this year, we are in the book of Genesis where we read the story of Abraham. His story runs from Genesis 12 to 25. Abraham’s story is a journey of faith. In fact, during Abraham’s life he never settled. He began because of faith, he traveled in faith, and He finished in faith.

Abraham’s faith and obedience to God’s calling made him God’s friend. Twice in the Bible Abraham is specifically pointed out as being God’s friend. First in Isaiah, where God tells the nation of Israel.  In Isaiah 41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.

The in the New Testament James writes in his epistle 2:23 “ And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”

There are 14 chapters in the Old Testament on the life of Abraham. He is by far one of the most important foundational followers of God. We trace our physical ancestry back to Adam, but we trace our faith ancestry back to Abraham. This morning  I want to think about that phrase “the friend of God.” And upon the faith that made that title true.

Let’s begin in our journey with Abraham in Genesis 12.

Abraham Believes When God Calls – Genesis 12:1-4

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

God Calls Abraham

Abraham's journey of faith begins when he takes his first steps of obedience to God's calling, this showed his faith in the word of the One who had called him.

Faith’s Calling. The Calling of God to Abaham had three parts. A command to go, a blessing to Abraham and his future descendants, and finally a blessing to all the families of the earth, through Abraham. The NT book of Hebrews gives us greater insight into Abraham.

Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

But to answer that call and be blessed by God, there was a cost.

Faith’s Cost: Abraham was to “get thee out of thy country, leave your family, leave your father’s house. He was to leave his country, leave family and friends and leave his father’s house. He left behind his culture, his comfort and his commitments. Stepping out to follow God’s calling was the beginning of everything with Abraham, the past and its hold on him was gone. From this day forward he would journey by faith alone.

But it was not cost without blessing. In fact, the blessings of God are far greater than anything we may give up.

Faith’s Comfort: Abraham’s faith in God’s word brought the blessings of God to him and then through him would come the blessing to others. First, to the future nation of Israel and ultimately to all the families of the earth. Abraham’s blessings of faith continue till today to all of faith’s family.  

Why did God choose Abraham? Not because he wouldn’t make mistakes or sin but because God knew Abraham had faith.  

Yes, Abraham’s obedience cost him but it could not compare to the blessing that would come from God. He gave up a land, a people and his future, but he gained the promised land, the heritage of the people of God and a sure eternal home.

It was these first steps of faith that also began Abraham's journey and he walked as a friend of God.

God Calls Us

The Bible tells us that like Abraham we are also called. All of us are called.

1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ephesians 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

1 Thessalonians 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

2 Thessalonians 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

When we hear the Gospel, we are called. Our response to that call must be like Abraham’s. We must trust in the Word of God and leave behind our old self, our old life, our old sin. We must step out in faith and begin our journey, “looking for that city whose builder and maker is God.”

Faith in God’s Word Bring’s His Blessings

 Abraham believed God’s promises that his faith and obedience would bring blessings. God’s word today promises us the blessings when we “trust and obey.”

Blessing of Salvation and Eternal Life - John 3:16-17 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Blessing of Reaping - Galatians 6:9-10 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Blessing of Giving - 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Blessing of Prayer - James 5:16 The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Blessing of God’s Family - Galatians 3:6-9 6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Abraham was called and his faith could be measured by the steps he took as he journeyed toward the city of God. His faith was based upon God’s word given in  covenant. Let’s look at the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 15

Abraham Believes When God’s Promises – Genesis 15:1-6

 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

God Promises Abraham

In chapter 15 God speaks to Abraham and the covenant, begun in chapter 12, is more fully explained, expanded and entered into formally.

Vs. 6 says, that Abraham believed in Jehovah and He counted it to Abraham for righteousness. The Hebrew word translated “believed” means “to lean your whole weight upon.”

Abraham leaned wholly on the promise of God and the God of the promise. We are not saved by making promises to God but by believing the promises of God. - Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient, “Be” Commentary Series, (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1991), 48.

This is what Abraham did, believed the promises of God. This is what faith is.

The rest of the details of the covenant are in vss. 7-18

Genesis 15:7-18 And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it. And he said, Lord GOD, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him. … 17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

You can see the importance of this covenant by what is described here. What takes place is what was called “cutting a covenant.” I think you can figure out why.

Abraham kills and prepares these clean animals for the covenant by splitting the carcasses in half. What normally happened next was that the two parties of the covenant would walk through the halved animal carcasses. This signified the absolute binding power of the covenant. If it should be broken then the person breaking the covenant deserved the same fate as the animals that had been slain.

There is a huge difference between our modern idea of a contract and the ancient idea of a covenant. To them it was much more solemn, much more binding than just signing a piece of paper. As you can tell from this cutting of a covenant.

But now, here in the Abrahamic covenant, the cutting covenant is altered because when it was time for the two parties to pass through the split carcasses, God put Abraham to sleep and then God alone passed between the pieces.

The burning oven or flaming torch symbolizes God. It reminds us of the Shekinah Glory that descended upon the tabernacle, filled the temple and the church in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. It is the presence of God in a form that man could behold.

By putting Abram to sleep and not allowing him to pass through the animals, this covenant become an unconditional, unilateral covenant meaning that only God would be responsible for keeping it. Fallible Abraham was covered by the covenant, and entered into it by faith, but this covenant could not fail because it would be kept by infallible God.

Though Abraham did nothing to keep this covenant, his faith in God’s promises entered him in the covenant, a covenant made with a friend.

God’s Covenant For Us

God works with mankind through covenants. There was a covenant with Adam which Adam broke. A covenant that covered Noah and all those who came after him, that can’t be broken for God gave it and sealed it with His rainbow. There was a covenant with Israel given at Mt. Sinai, which was broken even before Moses came down from the Mountain. In fact, every covenant that depended on man has failed.

Now, today, we are under the New Covenant. The covenant that covers us is as New Testament believers is, like the Abrahamic and Noahic, an unconditional, infallible covenant because it does not depend upon us but upon God.

This is our covenant, the covenant of grace and like Abraham we enter it by faith, but we do not keep it. It is kept by God’s power and not our own. We enter into the blessings of the New Covenant, but we are not the parties who agreed upon its points and provisions.

The New Covenant is between God the Father , God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  We are blessed through the New Covenant of Grace but we didn’t sign on the bottom line when this covenant was arranged. Like Abraham our faith brings us into the Covenant of Grace, but it is kept by the power of God alone. It is unbreakable, unending, and unchangeable.

God oversaw this covenant; Jesus fulfilled it, and the Holy Spirit conveys its blessing to us. Faith places me under the covenant’s blessings and promises. I believe Jesus died for me and took my sins upon himself. That faith is my own departing from Haran and God sees that step of faith and covers me in the forgiveness, grace and promises of the New Covenant.

Hebrews 9:14-15 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, (these are the parties of the covenant) purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

What does that sound like? It sounds like what Abraham did. Under the Abrahamic covenant those who believed like Abraham were blessed, though they had no part in keeping the covenant. The same is true of the new Covenant we are blessed under it but it is kept not by us but by the power of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

This is why we cannot lose it because we do not keep it. This is why we can’t ever be lost because God’s grace has found and will not let us go. This is one of the reasons we know that it is Once Saved Always Saved. It is eternal salvation or else there is no salvation.

Promises of the New Covenant:

 John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

John 10:27-30 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.

1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

There is no sacrifice of animals, no passing through their spilt blood but something much greater that binds the New Covenant. Jesus shed his own blood, paying the price for the covenant of grace and you and I by faith are cleansed in that precious flow.

Also, like Abraham, our faith puts us in a special relationship with God.

John 15:11-15 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. 15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

What Jesus said to the disciples is directly applicable to us. He laid down his life for us and as we obey and follow Him, then we are to be called the Friends of God though Jesus Christ.

If it sounded incredible about Abraham, it sounds even more so talking about us. But there it is, Jesus said, “I have called you friends.” Entered by faith, Saved by faith and made friends by faith.

I’ve Found a Friend by James G. Small

I’ve found a Friend, oh, such a friend!
He loved me ere I knew Him;
He drew me with the cords of love,
And thus He bound me to Him.
And round my heart still closely twine
Those ties which naught can sever,
For I am His, and He is mine,
Forever and forever.

There is one more great act of faith, showing the unshakeable belief that Abraham, the Friend of God, had in the unbreakable promises of God.

Abraham Believes When God Tests - Genesis 22:1-14

 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

God Tests Abraham

Now this is familiar territory, as is most of the story of Father Abraham. Though it is familiar it is also far-reaching in its illustration of Abraham’s faith in God’s covenant.

I want you to notice the progression of faith in the narrative.

The Test of Faith Vs. 1 God did tempt (test, try, prove) Abraham. God in His infinite wisdom and, at this point, unknowable purpose puts Abraham’s faith to the test. Like Job that test has more to do with those who would in the future come after Abraham than with Abraham and Isaac in the present.

The Crisis of Faith Vs. 7 “And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

The Foundation of Faith 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” This is an incredible example of the power of faith working in Abraham. We don’t know exactly what he is thinking but we know what he says and what he says to Isaac is a statement that is made based up the experiences of a man who has walked with God throughout his life. “God will provide.” He doesn’t know how, he doesn’t know when but he does know that whatever may happen God has already made provision. He told the men with him, “I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” I and the lad will come back. How could he know that? Only by faith.

The Act of Faith Vs. 10  And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

The Statement of Faith 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. The phrase Jehovah Jireh means Jehovah will see (to it).

Abrham’s statement of faith was in the name he gave to this place of testing.  Jehovah – Jireh, Adoni – Yireh, God will see to it. God will take care of it. God will provide.

God’s Test Is Met By Faith

God’s test of Abraham showed that only by faith could he pass. All of God’s tests can only by passed by faith.

Faith like Abraham’s.  In Hebrews we are given insight into just how great Abraham’s faith was.

Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Paul uses Abraham’s faith as an illustration to the Christians in Rome to prove that justification is through faith in God.  Romans 4:20-21 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

This is the test of God and it can only by met by faith. Can we believe in such a sacrifice, such a God, such a Savior?

And when we believe we can only step back say, Isn’t it amazing? Amazing the faith that Abraham showed? Amazing this picture of salvation? Amazing this test of faith. But most of all, isn’t the love of God amazing? Charles Wesley wrote of this amazement in the song, “And Can It Be?” we often retitle it “Amazing Love.”

And Can it Be? (Amazing Love) – by Charles Wesley

 And can it be that I should gain
An int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?

Conclusion

 How can it be? How can it be for me, my family, our futures? The answer is even older than the story of Abraham. The answer is it can only be by faith. Faith starts us on this journey, faith keeps on this journey, faith makes us friends with the One who called us upon this journey and faith sees us through the tests and trails and faith will see us home to that city built by God.

Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

To end your journey there in that city, it must begin here in faith, you must through faith be a friend of God. You must though faith be in the family of God. You must believe in God’s promise, believe in God’s provision, and believe God’s power to save to the uttermost those who come to Him through faith in Jesus, His son.