SEMESTER 2
422 – The Call of Abraham
BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE
COURSE: BIBLE SURVEY II LESSON # 22
THE CALL OF ABRAHAM
INTRODUCTION:
1. Abraham is one of the human keys that unlock your Bible, yet not Abraham, but the study of him.
2. Never think of him as inherently different, he was not. (Josh. 24:2-3
)
3. He had no good deeds or inherent character in which he might glory. (Rom. 4:1-2)
4. Abraham’s whole relationship was of faith (Rom. 4:3) which was by divine grace (Rom. 10:17, Acts 18:27).
5. We need to see him from at least the following perspectives:
I. THE COVENANT SEED LINE
1. All who God saves were chosen in Christ. (Eph. 1:3-5) (Whatever you count that to mean.)
2. These whom He saves are referred to as “children of promise,” (Gal. 4:28) not children of Hagar but of Sarah. (Gal. 4:31)
3. Now this promise was to and exclusively to Abraham’s seed, (Gal. 3:16) through faith. (Gal. 3:18)
4. Notice then that the seed was Christ. (Gal. 3:16) Compare Gen. 6:18 to Gen. 9:9 to Gen. 17:7 to Ex. 2:24 to Gal. 3:16.
5. Understand that God’s purpose for and promise to Adam, Noah, Abraham, and the nation of Israel was Christ. See Rom. 11:36.
II. THE TIME FRAME OF ABRAHAM
It will help you to perceive more of the kind of world in which Abraham dwelt and thus what he was naturally.
1. Abraham was born 292 years after the flood, 58 years before the death of Noah.
2. He was born 390 years after Shem. Shem lived 600 years and Abram 175, thus Abraham died 35 years before Shem died.
3. It is very likely that he knew Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth and perhaps Nimrod.
4. The original call to Abram in Ur, probably came about the time of Noah’s death.
5. At age 75, Abram left Haran for Canaan. (Gen. 12:4)
i. Looking back, it is 367 years to the flood.
ii. Looking forward, it is 430 years to the exodus.
6. Abraham is the singular link from Noah to the house of Israel, as Noah was the single link to Seth.
8. It is also noteworthy that at virtually all times there was one of these particular spiritual seed alive.
III. THE CHARACTER OF ABRAHAM
1. It is never said that Abraham was an idolater, only that his fathers were.
2. It is, however, both evident and scripturally conclusive that he was a sinner. (Eph. 2:1-3, Rom. 4:1-2)
3. Thus, you are never to conclude that God called a good man, but God called a man, and made him what he pleased.
IV. THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM – (ROM. 4:3
)
1. One of the great Bible truths about the possession of faith can be seen by the comparison of Scriptures concerning Abraham’s faith.
i. Paul says in Romans 4:16-21 that Abraham staggered not, but was strong in faith.
ii. Yet, in Gen. 15:1-3, Gen. 16:4 and Gen. 17:17, we do see Abraham staggering. Is this a hopeless Bible contradiction?
iii. Not at all. Paul, in Romans 4, spoke of a time when God’s revelation concerning Isaac had been completed.
2. This shows us the truth that faith is produced in us by God. (Rom. 10:17, Mat. 16:17)
3. There is, in reality, no virtue in faith unless it can be thus described “he believed God.”