The story of Abraham (3)

Gen 12:8  From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD.

Abraham believed God’s promises again and there he built an altar to the LORD for offering his thanks and giving his prayers (Gen 12:7). But how does he face his present difficulties and problems? He still has no land to live in! “OK, God has his own time and plan. So, I have to wait until the due time.” We probably may think like this way. Whereas Abraham waited, he also continued moving around the land (v8), i.e. he kept doing the previous action when God called to him. That’s incredible! His waiting is not passive but active. Do we only passively wait until God fulfills his plans? Or we wait actively like Abraham did?

Here appeared two important places: Bethel and Ai. Bethel means house of God (Beth, house; El, God) and Ai represents ruin. Abraham pitched his tent between Bethel and Ai. Spiritually, he built up a bridge between house of God and this world/ruin. A person with true faith is not a person who cares only his own blessings and salvation but who helps others to close to God. Abraham symbolizes a true connection between man and God.

Abraham built the second altar to the LORD after he went to Canaan. Although he has the true faith, he cannot find a piece of land for his own. In this circumstance, he built an altar: “I still believe what you said even though you seemed to fool me.” As a psalm of David: “I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, O Savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand (Ps 17:6-7).” Abraham called upon the name of the LORD (v9)…

Gen 12:9  And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.

This old man Abraham found no land for his family. He obeyed what God said, kept the faith, prayed and called upon God’s name. However, no visible blessings came upon him. He had to journeyed on until the Negeb, which means he passed throgh the whole land of Canaan. The great faith is not waiting and receiving blessings coming down from heavens. The great faith is obeying and doing when the promise of God seems impossible to be completed. Abraham still believed under this condition. But he had not yet known the upcoming disaster...