Christian Stories - Biblical Stories
The first eleven chapters of Genesis are what we like to call the "Creation Stage." This is where we find God dealing with the world as a whole. God's creation sequence, The Fall of Humanity, The Flood of Judgment, and the Tower of Babel - all these events dealt with the world as a whole. Now we find ourselves leaving from this stage and entering into what is known as the, "Patriarchal Stage." Within this stage we find that God dealings have now been narrowed from the entire world, to where He is now dealing with a single nation. With all of this beginning with one single man called Abraham. The last thirty nine chapters within the book of Genesis, gives accounts of Abraham and his family, that covers a span of about three hundred and fifty years. Now towards the end of the eleventh chapter we are told about Abraham's departure from the city of Ur: "Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from the city of Ur to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there." (Genesis 11: 31) This scripture is in reference to the first time that God had called Abraham. But from what we just read, we find that the group had stopped and settled in the city of Haran. Now this particular city was located about six hundred to six hundred and fifty miles northwest from the city of Ur. What we know about the city of Haran, is that it was the last green settlement that you would find before you headed into the vast Arabian Desert. It was located on a major road that connected places like Syria, Asia Minor, Babylon, Assyria and Egypt. It has also been noted that this city followed in the same religious footsteps of Ur, for they too worshiped the moon god - Nanna as well. So now we are entering into the twelfth chapter in which we find that Abraham is being reminded of his calling again: "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12: 1-3) Abram's father Terah had just died when God had reminded Abram about his divine mission. God had great plans for Abram, and being that the city of Haran was just as bad as the city of Ur when it came to their religious practices, continuing to settle there would not have been wise for Abram to do. So Abram and his wife Sarai left the city of Haran taking with them, his nephew Lot. Their servants along with all their possessions that they had accumulated, they took with them as well. We are told that Abram was seventy five years old when he headed out from Haran to continue on to the land of Canaan. They would end up stopping at Shechem which was located on the outskirts of Canaan. It was in this place where we would find that God would appear to Abram once again: "To your offspring I will give this land," the Lord would tell Abram. When God had reminded Abram of his divine mission while he was in Haran, we notice that God had also told him that he would show him a land. Now this time around we find that God had told Abram that the land he was standing in would go to his offspring. After Abram had received this word from the Lord, we find that he built an altar unto the almighty God. Next we find that Abram and his family left Shechem and they headed out towards a place called Bethel which was twenty miles south. While he was in Bethel we find that Abram had built another altar unto the Lord. Being that Abram was entering into idolatrous foreign lands, the building of the altars were a testament to his new neighbors which showed a high level when it came to having a commitment and dedication to the one true God. 01) Introduction of Abraham - Before he was called 02) <-CURRENT PAGE-> 04) The Strife between Abram and Lot 06) Abram's Mission to Rescue Lot 10) Abraham the Father of a Multitude 11) Sarah the Mother of Nations 13) Abraham Bargains for Sodom 14) Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed 16) Abimelech Angry with Abraham 
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