Bible in a Year - Gen 11:10 – 14:13

 

Day 4: Gen 11:10 – 14:13

I wonder what God saw in Abram that led him to choose him as the father of the Jewish nation? These few chapters tell us that he was 75 years old when he left his fathers’ house (Gen 12:4). He was married to Sarai, and he apparently had a good relationship with his nephew, Lot (whom, according to Gen 11:28 was fatherless).

He apparently highly respected the Lord because he left his home and built altars along the way. He cared for the health of his large family because he rerouted his trip to go to Egypt for food during a severe famine (Gen 13:10, as his descendants do later!).

He apparently valued his life over the virtue of his wife, and he lied to the Pharaoh, which caused Sarai to be taken as Pharaoh’s wife – what a scandal that would cause today! Interesting that God punished Pharaoh and his household for this indiscretion, not Abram (Gen12:10 – 19). He was rich (Gen 13:2), he didn’t like strife within his family (Gen 13:8), and he was willing to let Lot choose the better land.

These chapters also contain the first visible appearance of God since Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden. Gen 12:7 shows that God appeared to Abram AFTER he left Haran and verified the promises he had made in verses 2 and 3.

Did you hate the place where the text ended today? What a cliff-hanger!

TOMORROW’S TEXT: Gen 14:14 – 18:8