I was doing some generational research in Genesis on Abraham and I noticed for the first time that his father (Terah) was called to the Promised Land (Canaan) before Abram (Abraham). Which led me back to something Jesus said that speaks volumes to His bride today. It all started in Geneis 11:
Gen 11:31a Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan …
While it is not stated in the scripture, I think Terah may well have well been “called” by God to take his family from Ur of the Chaldeans (modern day Iraq) to Cannan. But he stopped halfway …
31b … but when they came to Haran, they settled there.
They were halfway there when they reached the settlement that was established by Terah’s son, Haran. It was here that Terah delayed his journey. It seems as though the prosperity and comfort at Haran were too great a temptation for him. It must have become apparant to Abram that his father had no intention of continuing the journey to Canaan …
Josh 24:2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. ESV
And they stayed there until Terah’s death. But that is where something Luke recorded about what Stephen said becomes important …
Acts 7:4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ ESV
So in thinking about it all it seemed to make sense that God first called Abram to leave the Ur of Caldeans and either before or after He called Terah to take the family to Canaan. But what happened in Haran? It would appear from what Joshua said to the people tells us why … Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. And it was after Terah died that God once again called Abram …
Gen 12:1-4 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. 4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. KJV
Could it be possible that Teran’s death also was the death of God’s call on his life before his physical death? Not that he was no longer saved but that his death to His calling in leading Abram to follow “his” calling. Could it be what Paul was referring to in his warning to the Corintian church …
1 Cor 9:27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. ESV
Is it the same thing that Matthew recorded of Jesus’ response to someone whom He called? …
Matt 8:21-22 Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 22 And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” ESV
Jesus was not only speaking to this disciple … He was speaking to us. We are in danger of becoming those who Paul identified as being “disqualified;” the KJV uses the term “castaway.” They are the ones who set out on their calling but along the way lose their usefulness to the Lord as they try and hold onto the world and all its idols, while at the same time still believeing in God and hoping to keep His blessings. I think many of the bride of Christ reach that point, and while they will never lose their salvation, they will not be rewarded for the calling they failed to follow.
There comes a point for all of us when we are subtly tempted by the world to leave our calling (leave the dead to bury their own dead) and the Lord passes our calling on to those who will be faithfull to follow it …
Gen 12:2-5 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. ESV
That leaves all the bride of Christ facing the same question. Have we left His calling for the temptation of focusing on the world’s system and its comforts? While our salvation is secure, has our potential reward for following His calling to build our foundation on His plan or on our own? We will be rewarded accordingly.
1 Cor 3:12-14 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ESV
Are we guilty of proving that history repeats itself? Will we see our works for God burned in the fire? The question remains … What have we done with what we have been called and equipped to do?