Abraham Going to Canaan

By faith, Abraham was obedient to the voice of God and departed from Ur of the Chaldees. By faith, God’s people are enabled to forsake the world and all that it contains. Abraham did not leave Ur just to wander over the earth; God called him from his native land and from his kindred to go to a land which He would show him. Abraham’s moving out of Ur was toward a definite destination in the way of God, to the land He had prepared for him.

Thus the efficacious calling of God causes all His people not only to forsake what is earthly, but also to come to the rest prepared in Christ. Some emphasis should be placed upon the last clause of the text. It is what distinguishes the true work of God from all that is only pretense. Many are convinced in their consciences, causing them to be somewhat aware of their condition. They seek to change, and sometimes do make great changes in their lives. They forsake taverns and places of amusement. They become more serious in their religious life. Sometimes they choose the company of the children of God. But they do not truly come to Christ. Perhaps they return to their previous habits. They become slack and their impressions lessen, yet they cling to their former convictions, trusting in them as if they provided grounds for eternity.

How many rest on the strength of their impressions without ever having lost their sinful foundations! Truly, well might their souls tremble, for there is great danger that they shall one day be turned away with those awful words, “I have never known you.” Should there not be an urgent need in their hearts to find a Surety for their debts, so that God’s justice might be satisfied, and they, as lost sinners, be reconciled to God? Is this what troubles God’s children mostly, that they are still estranged so much from Christ? The avenger of blood drives them on until they enter the city of refuge. Abraham was called out of Ur of the Chaldees to inherit the land which God would show Him. May it be an encouragement for these restless people to know that the Lord Himself will lead them safely onward, guiding them in the chosen way, where fools cannot tread.

Abraham received Canaan as his future possession. His seed would inherit the land for an everlasting possession. The Lord promised His called servant the entire land, from north to south. But although the possession was complete in the promise, in actual possession the father of the faithful had no more than a burying place which he bought of the children of Heth. According to God’s free disposal, Abraham’s right was founded in the promise of God which he received and appropriated by faith. And yet the time had to be ripe to take this inheritance away from the heathen; the present inhabitants must first fulfill the measure of their iniquities. Then God would, in righteous judgment for their sins, take away their heritage and give it to Abraham’s seed for a possession.

Let us remember that we are only stewards of all that we possess here on earth. God is the sovereign possessor, and everyone is responsible to Him. He shall call us to give an account whether we have received ten talents or whether we have received only one. If we realized the responsibility resting upon us, we would manage our affairs with more fear, and would cleave less to the world. The sad dissatisfaction and terrible murmurings of our hearts would be greatly diminished if we would consider that God is the sovereign possessor who gives to whom He will and as He will. Ownership of wealth will never be equally distributed. God has made both poor and rich, and it shall remain that way. Socialism shall never be attained. Peace and contentment are great blessings and they far surpass the pleasure of abundance of money and goods. And that contentment can be our portion when, finding the legal ground of our possessions in the gift of God, we humbly acknowledge Him as sovereign.

Although the possession was complete in the promise, in actual possession the father of the faithful had no more than a burying place which he bought of the children of Heth.

God’s people are heirs of a new heaven and a new earth, but with them it is often as with Abraham: here on earth their possession is but small. God has not chosen many rich people, and not many nobles. Nevertheless, God’s promise, embraced by faith, makes them possessors of the eternal inheritance reserved in heaven for them.

Come, people of God, let it not grieve you too much when the Lord does not give you much more here on earth than a place to bury your dead. May faith cause you to accept this small token as a pledge of the eternal inheritance which the Lord has promised you in His Word. In all difficulties may your soul be content with the future reward, so firmly embraced by faith. Or, is the

inheritance that God has promised strange to you? Abraham saw the land which was prepared for his seed. Were you ever given an insight into eternal glory? Was it ever as if heaven was opened for you, and your soul drawn above the earth? God’s people shall not enter a strange heaven, and no strange hymn of salvation shall be sung there. They receive the first-fruits of the eternal inheritance here by faith. And if the first-fruits are so inexpressibly sweet, what shall the full harvest be! Let the world have its own. It has nothing more than what is here below. But lift up your hearts, rest on the promises of God, and by faith, expect the heritage of the saints.

But to attain this, the same total surrender is necessary that characterized Abraham when he left Ur. God demands His people’s complete surrender, that they may yield themselves more unto Him and entrust themselves to Him. He is willing to care for them, soul and body. Is God’s promise not sufficient to encourage us as we experience adversities in this life? Are not the assertions of His love sufficient to relieve all our sorrows? Soon we shall have finished our course, and we shall be with Him forever! Come, people of God, lift up your heads. Do not complain so bitterly about temporal adversities, but have faith that God is the strength of your heart and your portion forever.

Abraham went by faith. He went out, not knowing whither he went. That characterizes the surrender of the heart. Abraham followed unconditionally. He surrendered himself entirely to God’s guidance and grace. It was enough for him that the Lord would show him the land. In Abraham we see the one thing that is necessary, namely to follow God’s command unhesitatingly. Our nature objects, but also the old nature in God’s children may protest. We continually need to have the grounds upon which we rest taken away, so that we may resign ourselves completely. We are inclined to want something in our hands first; we want to see and touch something before we put all our trust in God and His Word. Our inclinations and desires strive against the exercise of faith. It is faith which causes us to cast ourselves upon the Lord unconditionally and follow Him wherever He may lead us. The strength of Abraham’s faith lay in following without knowing whither he was going. Oh, that we may receive a little of what has been shown us. Then we will travel safely upon the most unsafe ways.

God will lead him safely onward,
Guide him in the chosen way.
Then at ease his soul shall rest,
In Jehovah still confiding;
E’en his children shall be blest,
Safely in the land abiding.

In Abraham we see the one thing that is necessary, namely to follow God’s command unhesitatingly.

The Lord My Shepherd Is

The Lord my Shepherd is,
I shall be well supplied;
Since He is mine and I am His,
What can I want beside?

He leads me to the place
Where heavenly pasture grows,
Where living waters gently pass,
And full salvation flows.

If e’er I go astray,
He doth my soul reclaim,
And guides me in His own right way.
For His most holy Name.

While He affords His aid,
I cannot yield to fear;
Though I should walk thro’ death’s dark shade,
My Shepherd’s with me there.

— Isaac Watts

I am not sent a pilgrim here,
My heart with earth to fill,
But I am here God’s grace to learn,
And serve God’s sovereign will.

Then hold my hand, most gracious Lord,
Guide all my goings still,
And let this be my life’s one aim,
To do or bear Thy will.

I do not ask my cross to understand,
My way to see—
Better in darkness just to feel
Thy hand,
And follow Thee.

Rev. G.H. Kersten (1882–1948) served congregations at Meliskerke, Rotterdam-Centrum, and Yerseke in the Netherlands, and was the primary individual involved in the organization of the Gereformeerde Gemeenten (Netherlands Reformed Congregations) in 1907. This articleis translated from Meer Dan Overwinnaars (More Than Conquerors)—an excellent exposition of Hebrews 11 which will be available shortly in English.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen