Lech Lecha! – Gen. 12:1–17:27; Isai. 40:27–41:16; Matt. 1:1–17
“Now Adonai said to Avram, “Get yourself out (‘lech lecha’) of your country, away from your kinsmen and away from your father’s house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, I will bless you, and I will make your name great; and you are to be a blessing.” Gen.12:1-2.
This week’s Torah portion in Gen.12 begins with an astounding promise from God to one person named Abram that was contingent to his obedience based upon the command of God: “Lech Lecha” – Go! I am worthy of your trust and through your obedience I will establish the birth of a new nation. All of this occurred shortly following the attempt of the nations to become independent of God’s control and become their own little gods: It failed. This is what the Tower of Babel represents – rebellion against the One true God. History repeats itself since only a few generations previously we read of a similar situation at the time of Noah. It is in this context which makes the whole scenario all the more remarkable. Maybe, Abram was the only person dwelling on the earth who God trusted to walk in His ways?
This is only speculation because we know little about Abram’s background. Out of nowhere he simply comes onto the scene and is commanded by God to leave everything behind and go to a place unknown as led by God that would be an inheritance for him and future generations. It was in a region notorious for its reputation of being the armpit of the ancient world because that is how it smelled to God spiritually – odious in its rampant evil. And in this region, now known as the Middle East, little has changed since then until now making it hardly surprising why Israel in modern times is facing similar hostility from her neighbours just as Abram did though differently packaged.
Abram’s childhood, his youth, his relationship with other family members, or even how he came to marry Sarai are never mentioned because although interesting, it is not important compared to God’s primary message.
Here is the important point – Abram placed his full trust in the One true God in a pagan world saturated with mini-gods. His faith was put to the test several times but on most occasions he never wavered. Unlike Noah whose descendants were righteous and provided a godly example to him with family such as Methuselah and Enoch, Abram had no-one. His father, Nahor in common with everyone else worshipped pagan gods.
As believers, we also are called to live by faith not by sight. Heb.11:1 defines what faith is: “…the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” and then it provides us with examples that include Abram: “By trusting, Avraham obeyed, after being called to go out to a place which God would give him as a possession; indeed, he went out without knowing where he was going. 9 By trusting, he lived as a temporary resident in the Land of the promise, as if it were not his, staying in tents with Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov, who were to receive what was promised along with him. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with permanent foundations, of which the architect and builder is God.”
Here in verse 10 is revealed something amazing. Abram trusted God’s promise to him: the Land of Canaan. But his faith stretched far beyond even this to a future more glorious permanent home in eternity. This is what now God offers each one of us who submit their lives to Him and walk in His ways, trusting Him through the precious blood of Yeshua shed for us for our eternal salvation.
As a result of Abram’s faith in God’s promise, his name was changed to Abraham, ’father of many nations’. But even more importantly, is the revelation in Isai 41:8 from our Haftarah portion where God describes him as ‘My Friend.’ Why is this significant? In 1Cor. 13, Paul states that “… even if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing.”
Faith without words is dead. And in this sense, Abram proved his friendship with God. In the same way if we truly are Yeshua’s friends it will be evident by the manner we walk by faith in obedience to His ways.
Abraham trusted God for His promises right to the end of his life even though he
had yet to receive their fulfilment. Abraham was simply told,
“Lech Lecha!” Go! Depart from the safety and comfort of UR in the CHALDEES on a journey where you do not know the destination. But trust in Me and I will direct your footsteps.”
Ur of the Chaldees was considered one of the greatest cities of the ancient world located in Mesopotamia where the Tower of Babel was built and the Babylonian Empire later emerged. And it was here where Abram’s father, Terah and his family began their journey northwards from Chaldea to Canaan making a wide detour in Haran, Mesopotamia:
Parasha ‘Lech Lecha’ spans Abram’s life from the age of 75 to 99. That means he lived most of his life without really knowing his destiny. Same with me! Everything that came before was all part of my preparation for the things to come but how could he have known? So too in my life, so much appeared pointless or unnecessary and yet it all formed an integral part of His preparation until the right moment and time. God’s ways are never arbitrary even though it may not always appear so to us.
Abram’s destiny was revealed to him through a covenant that led to a name change, Abram to Abraham. He waited again a long time even before he began to see its fulfilment through a son who he named Isaac. With the addition of only one Hebrew letter — the letter ‘hey’ (ה) — Abram (exalted father) became Abraham—father of a many nations.
The Hebrew consonant ה is often used as an abbreviation for the name of God and is found twice in God’s personal name. By adding this letter to Abram’s name, God added Himself as Abba Father to Abraham’s nature, character, and destiny.
The same with Abraham’s wife’s name, which God changed from Sarai (‘barren’) to Sarah (‘princess’). For this reason, biblically a change of name is highly significant. In Rev. 2, the Lord spoke these words to the Church of Pergamum:
“To him who overcomes, to him I will give [the privilege of eating] some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone with a new name engraved on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it.”
To receive a white stone was a judicial term used in a court of law for a person tried and found innocent free from condemnation. The new name represents the identity of a person washed in the blood of Yeshua and everything in our past that has been forgiven that is known completely only by us and God.
Because of Abram’s obedience, God caused a deep sleep to fall upon him and made an unconditional covenant with him:
“The sun had gone down, and it was dark. Suddenly a smoking oven and a flaming torch passed between the animal pieces. 18 At that time Yahweh made a promise to Abram. He said, “I will give this land to your descendants. This is the land from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.”
We may never know how great an impact we may have as a result of honouring God through obedience in even the smallest things as He prepares each one of us individually in the unique destiny He has prepared for us. However insignificant or meaningless things may appear to us, for God who is in full control it holds eternal significance with reward. So we must never despise the day of small things for it brings much applause from Heaven, in comparison to those who bathe in their own limelight on earth because they have already received the measure of their reward.
God chose Abram to initiate a great awakening and revelation rooted in Deut. 6:4 that spread directly through the line of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) and later to the Jewish people through the line of Judah that was ultimately and literally fulfilled prophetically in Yeshua the Servant King (Isai. 42:1-4)
Abram was a man of faith who simply took God at His word and ‘crossed over’ into the fullness of his destiny. He became the first person to be called a Hebrew (Ivri) meaning, ‘ one who crossed over.’ Yeshua reinforced this when He declared in John 5:
“… whoever hears what I am saying and trusts the One who sent me has eternal life — that is, he will not come up for judgment but has already crossed over from death to life!”
God is seeking a people who take Him at His word and walk in obedience to His promises that are all “yes” and “amen” in Messiah Yeshua. God never fails so why would anyone not want to walk in His ways? He turns our weaknesses into strengths and and our strengths into weaknesses so that in everything we might depend entirely upon Him. Only then will we experience the fulness of what it means to be more than conquerors and to lead a life filled with abundance!
God is a God of new beginnings and second chances. If you have neglected to respond to His call in your life there is still opportunity for a new beginning. Just open your hearts to Him and He will carry your rucksack (Come unto me all you who are heavy laden..) and be our guide (Ps.119:105) and our shepherd (Ps.23) who leads us to a place of abundance on the mountain peaks:
Make haste, my beloved, and come quickly, like a gazelle or a young hart [and take me to our waiting home] upon the mountains of spices!” (Song of Sol. 8:18)
Yeshua’s return is very close! Now is the time our salvation, so let’s not delay in responding in full to His invitation to follow Him even as it was with Abram and countless others who have walked the walk down through history and are now in receipt of their eternal reward.
Raphael ben Levi
