The Call of Abraham: Step of Faith, Eternal Promise

The Context of the Call of Abraham

Abraham’s call begins in Ur of the Chaldeans, where God’s command to leave his homeland (Genesis 12:1) disrupts the cultural norms of a society rooted in familial and territorial stability.

Ur, a major Mesopotamian city, thrived within a world of established trade, polytheistic worship, and hierarchical kinship structures. Genesis 1 - 11 frames this context by depicting humanity’s rebellion against God through the Tower of Babel, resulting in fractured languages and dispersed nations. Abraham’s summons, therefore, emerges as a counter-narrative to human self-sufficiency.

By obeying God’s directive to depart, Abraham becomes the first figure in Genesis to act on divine initiative rather than human ambition. This act sets the stage for the covenantal promises that redefine God’s relationship with humanity through faith and lineage.

The Narrative of Abraham's Call

Genesis 12:1-9 unfolds Abraham’s journey from Haran to Canaan, marked by divine commands, covenantal promises, and acts of worship.

God’s explicit instruction to Abraham - 'Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you' (Genesis 12:1) - requires leaving behind cultural and familial security. Abraham obeys, taking his wife Sarah, nephew Lot, and possessions to Canaan (Genesis 12:5), though the text suggests lingering uncertainty about the destination. God promises to make him a great nation and bless those who bless him, while cursing those who curse him (Genesis 12:2-3), framing the covenant in both personal and universal terms. This promise, however, remains unfulfilled initially, as Abraham and Sarah remain childless, highlighting the tension between divine assurance and human limitation.

Key landmarks include the covenantal reaffirmation at Shechem, where God appears to Abraham and declares the land to his descendants (Genesis 12:7), and the altar-building at Bethel (Genesis 12:7-8), symbolizing worship amid displacement. These acts anchor Abraham’s faith in a God who is both present and faithful, even in a land that will later test him with famine and conflict (Genesis 12:10-20).

Abraham’s journey embodies faith in a God whose promises transcend immediate circumstances, yet the narrative does not idealize his obedience. The interplay of trust and doubt, as seen in his decision to dwell in Gerar (Genesis 20) and later in Egypt (Genesis 12:10), foreshadows the ongoing tension between divine calling and human frailty that defines the Abrahamic covenant.

The Theological Weight of Abraham's Call

Abraham’s call has significant theological implications, particularly through the threefold promise of land, descendants, and blessing, which anchor God’s covenantal relationship with humanity.

In Genesis 12:2-3, God promises Abraham three foundational blessings: a land (Canaan), a numerous descendants, and a universal blessing through him. These elements form the core of the Abrahamic covenant, later expanded in Genesis 15 and 17, where God formalizes the land inheritance and the covenant of circumcision. The promises intertwine personal fulfillment with a broader redemptive purpose, positioning Abraham as a patriarch through whom God will bless all nations.

The structure of these promises prefigures later biblical covenants, particularly the Abrahamic covenant’s emphasis on land and lineage as divine assurances. In Genesis 15, God reaffirms the land promise through a visionary encounter, while Genesis 17 introduces the covenant of circumcision, solidifying Abraham as the father of many nations. Paul, in Galatians 3:16, highlights that the promise of a messianic descendant (‘in your offspring all nations will be blessed’) finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, linking Abraham’s call to the New Covenant. This continuity underscores a theological trajectory where God’s faithfulness to Abraham becomes the foundation for His redemptive work across history.

Abraham is deemed ‘the father of faith’ (Romans 4:11-12) because his willingness to obey God’s call without full knowledge of the future exemplifies trusting reliance on divine promises. His journey, marked by both faith and human frailty, models a covenantal relationship where God’s initiative and human response intersect, shaping the biblical narrative of faith.

How The Call of Abraham Still Matters Today

Abraham’s call remains a significant model for modern faith, challenging believers to trust in God’s promises even when the path ahead is uncertain.

Hebrews 11:8-12 emphasizes Abraham’s faith in departing without knowing his destination, illustrating that trusting God’s promises involves action, not passive waiting. James 2:21-23 highlights his obedience as evidence of living faith, showing that being 'a blessing' requires tangible ethical choices, such as advocating for justice or extending grace to others. For Christians, this means embracing spiritual migration - letting go of self-reliance to follow God’s leading, even when it disrupts comfort or security. Abraham’s legacy, as foundational to the covenant, reminds believers that faith and works are intertwined in living out God’s purpose for the world, shaping Christian identity as heirs to a promise that transcends time and circumstance.

Going Deeper

To deepen understanding of Abraham’s call, readers can explore its echoes in the New Testament and its theological development in later biblical texts.

Acts 7:2-5 records Stephen’s account of Abraham heeding God’s command to leave Mesopotamia, highlighting the covenantal continuity between the Old and New Testaments. Modern scholars, as discussed in commentaries by Gordon Wenham and Tremper Longman, often emphasize the Abrahamic covenant’s role in shaping Israel’s identity and its fulfillment in Christ, while Deuteronomy 7-12 provides a framework for understanding covenantal obligations tied to land and loyalty.