Abraham, the Man of Faith

Listen from:
• BibleTruthPublishers.com
Genesis 11:9-299Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. 10These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: 11And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. 12And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: 13And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. 14And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: 15And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. 16And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg: 17And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters. 18And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: 19And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. 20And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: 21And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. 22And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: 23And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. 24And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah: 25And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters. 26And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. 27Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. 28And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees. 29And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah. (Genesis 11:9‑29)
THOSE who thought through their own schemes to avoid scattering are now scattered farther than they had ever imagined. Their hope of uniting with one another in both worldly and spiritual things, is dashed to the ground, as they now speak strangely to one another. All that is left of their tower is a monument to their own failure and distance from God.
Babel means “confusion” and well defines the sad ending to the foolish tower-building enterprise. Does it not also define the state of the world in which we find ourselves today? Over the ages man has tried in a wide variety of ways to bring harmony and understanding among all peoples. But in it all he fails to give God His right place and every attempt toward the desired goal therefore ends in disaster. Then too, man’s conscience tells him that he must answer to God concerning his sins, and as a result all kinds of “systems” professing to “reach unto heaven” have sprung up. Many of these are but the poor imaginations of man and can no more be accepted of God than could this pitiful tower of Babel. We read in 1 Corinthians 14:10,1110There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 11Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. (1 Corinthians 14:10‑11): “There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them without signification. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.” Further, in the same chapter: “Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue... For God is not the author of confusion.” vv. 19,33.
God has made the way to heaven clear and simple in His Word, and tells us this is only through His beloved Son. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:1212Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12). The world about us is a tragic modern-day “Babel” with many strange and confusing voices. God give each reader a desire to turn to the simplicity of His truth, finding from His Word the way which He has lovingly opened for all who will come to Him. Then, having accepted Christ as Saviour, may each further find that same Word making a clear path for him through a godless world.
“Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran: and Haran begat Lot. And Haran died before his father in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.” vv. 27,28.
Abram, or Abraham, is now introduced along with other members of this family. We do not know exactly when they came to Ur, which is approximately 200 miles south of Babel, but at the time of Abram’s birth Terah had been there at least 70 years. He appears to have become comfortably settled there.
Memory Verse “IT IS NOT THE WILL OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN, THAT ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES SHOULD PERISH.” Matthew 18:1414Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:14).
ML-12/27/1964