Abram, the Tent Dweller
INTRODUCTORY WORDS
The outstanding characteristic in Abram was his pilgrim nature. Perhaps it would be better to say, "nature by grace," inasmuch as Abram became a pilgrim through faith.
1. "Abram * * departed out of Haran" (Genesis 12:4).
2. "Abram * * went forth to go into the land of Canaan" (Genesis 12:5).
3. "Abram passed through the land" (Genesis 12:6).
4. "Abram * * removed from thence" (Genesis 12:8).
5. "Abram journeyed, going * * south" (Genesis 12:9).
6. "Abram went down into Egypt" (Genesis 12:10),
7. "Abram went up out of Egypt" (Genesis 13:1).
8. "Abram removed his tent" (Genesis 13:18).
These Scriptures will be enlarged upon later. We want to note merely one fact Abram was a tent dweller. He was a pilgrim. He knew no abiding city.
The result of all this was that Abram lived looking for a "city * * whose Builder and Maker is God." He was in the world, but was not of it. He set his affection on the things above. He laid tip for himself treasures in Heaven.
While Abram dwelt upon this earth, many more years than any of us may ever hope to dwell, yet, he always felt himself a stranger.
We came across from Los Angeles to Chicago recently. En route we learned the story of a wonderful river which gladdens the desert. The name of the river is The Humbolt. It was described to us as the longest short river in the world. From its source to its mouth it is, by airline, three hundred miles long, and yet, it measures in its curving trails eleven hundred miles. Its valleys pasture the largest cattle ranches in the world. One ranch alone covers one hundred and seventy thousand acres of land and pastures eight thousand head of cattle. The river runs its way carrying blessings wherever it goes, and then at its mouth it simply sinks out of sight, and is lost to human knowledge.
As we got the details of this river, we wondered if our lives should not be patterned after it. The span of our life may not be many years, and yet, we may migrate here and there, covering many lands and many peoples. We run, as this river runs, through arid lands in need of the Water of Life. If our lives are what they ought to be, thousands may be refreshed by us. When at last our testimony is completed we should gladly sink out of sight, and pass on into the City whose Builder and Maker is God.
Abram's life was indeed a most beautiful fulfilment of this type. He moved among men as a tent dweller with no continuing city, and yet, everywhere he went he left untold blessings behind him. His life passed on out of the sight of men, and yet, until this day the memory of his words and deeds come down to us to bless us. Thank God for such a life!
I. ABRAM TOOK OTHERS WITH HIM (Genesis 12:5)
Abram did not go alone when he departed out of Haran. Neither do any of us go alone. Whether our way be right or wrong, there are always others who are carried along with us.
1. Abram took his wife and his nephew with him. If we are going forth to live for God, should we not carry those of our own household with us? Has not God said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house"? Happy is the man who can carry with him into his life of pilgrimage his wife and others of his family. Sad indeed is the lot of that man, or of that woman, who fails in this. Has not God said, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark"?
2. Abram took all the substance that they had gathered together with him. Let us also carry our substance with us in our consecration to Christ. Let us refuse to leave behind our houses and our lands, our stocks and our bonds, and our other possessions. If we are the Lord's, then all that we have is also His.
Our Lord owns the cattle on a thousand hills; the silver and the gold are His, and yet He has given them all unto us, that we, in turn, may bring them back again to Him, for His Word, and work, and will.
II. ABRAM WENT FORTH TO GO (Genesis 12:5, l.c.)
1. Going into Canaan necessitated going out of Haran. The irrevocable law is that nothing material can be in two places at one time. If we would go in, we must first come out.
This fact carries a great lesson in consecration. Often some young Christian thinks that he or she can come to Christ and lay all on the altar of sacrifice without first having separated themselves from the world. Such a dedication God will not, and cannot accept. Only clean and separated lives are prepared for consecration.
2. Having come out of the old (out of Haran), it was necessary to have a full purpose to enter in. To be merely a separated Christian is not enough. A vessel that is thoroughly cleansed is of no benefit to any one, if it is forever left on the shelf. To be passively good is not enough. To come out of the world is not enough. To leave everything is not enough.
3. Having come out, they entered in. The closing phrase of Genesis 12:5, reads, "And into the land of Canaan they came." This is what we call the realization of an objective. It is a high aim, attained; a goal, reached. Too many start out well. They promise much, their intentions are good, however, they fall by the way. They are saved, they leave Egypt by the blood, yet they wander about in the wilderness all of their lives, and finally die in the wilderness without ever entering into the land of Canaan.
Christ told the parable of the sower, and how some seed immediately sprang up, but soon withered away, because it had no depth of soil. The Apostle Paul wrote, "Ye did run well; who did hinder you?" Let us go through with God.
III. AND ABRAM PASSED THROUGH (Genesis 12:6)
1. The journey from Haran to Canaan was not strewn with roses. It is not an easy thing to go all the way with God. The real follower of Christ will find many to antagonize his consecration and full surrender.
The story is told of the building of the Brooklyn bridge. When the great screw was turning, grinding out the way down to solid rock, upon which the pillars that swung the bridge were to rest, the assistant called the chief engineer to find out if they had struck bedrock. The chief merely looked down into the great hole, watched the screw working, and cried, "No, you are not to bedrock." Later, when the chief looked in he gave quick orders to stop the engine. The assistant asked, "How did you know that we had struck bedrock?" He replied, "The screw was shooting fire," Whenever we get to bedrock in our Christian experience, it always shoots fire.
2. There are many things which we must pass through. We must pass through the love of self-ease. We must pass through the land of self-pride, where the plaudits of the people are our chief asset. We must pass through the valley of disappointment, and the vale of disrupting and disheartening Influences.
When Stephen went through with God he closed his eyes to the madness of the mob, and kept them open toward the "glories of the Risen Christ.
When Paul went through with God he cried, "I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me."
When Christ faced the Cross, "Having loved His own * * He loved them unto the end." Let us gladly pass through anything and everything so that we may win Christ and be found in Him.
IV. ABRAM REMOVED PROM THENCE (Genesis 12:8)
1. There is always a danger of the Christian becoming satisfied with present attainment. Abram encamped at different places, as he passed through, en route to Canaan. Genesis 12:7 tells us that at one of these camps the Lord appeared unto Abram, saying, "Unto thy seed will I give this land." At that time Abram builded an altar unto the Lord. However, he did not stay there. The very next sentence reads, "He removed from thence."
The three disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration wanted to build three tabernacles, one for Moses, one for Elias, and one for Christ. It seems as though their idea was to conserve the marvelous vision of the Transfiguration. They, doubtless, would have been delighted to tent forever under the spell of that glorious hour. However, at the foot of the mountain there was work to be done. A son was there who needed the touch of the Divine Christ.
We, too, have had experiences which were precious to us, and we are in danger of wanting to abide in the memory of those delightful hours. This cannot be. God wants us to go on.
2. There is always something better farther on. The Apostle Paul reached, as we see it, a position in Christ far beyond the highest dreams of most saints. Was Paul satisfied? Did Paul want to pitch his tent, and dwell in the joy of his attainments? Not he.
Paul said, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect." He also said, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
There never comes a time in the Christian life that we reach the summit of our possibilities. We never enter into all of our possessions. It is always better higher up. The pastures are always greener farther on. There is still much land to be possessed.
V. ABRAM JOURNEYED, GOING ON STILL (Genesis 12:8-9)
This links us on to what we have just been saying.
1. In seeking God's best we must show all perseverance. There is a remarkable verse which says, "We shall reap, if we faint not." There is another verse, which we delight to link with this one, "Faint, yet pursuing."
Gideon and his group, wearied and worn with the strain of battle, were going on still. They had not yet fulfilled their mission; therefore, although tired and faint, they still pursued.
When Joash, king of Israel, came unto Elisha, Elisha commanded him to take bows and arrows. Then he said, "Open the window eastward. And * * shoot." As Joash shot, Elisha said, "The arrow of deliverance from Syria." Then he commanded Joash to smite upon the ground and he smote thrice. Then Elisha said, "Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice." Plow many of us stay our hand before we have completed our task!
2. In seeking God's best we must journey on still. The little song says, "Never give up." There are some saints who, as they grow older, relax from their ardor of service. One man told me that he had made his fortune, and that he was going to spend the rest of his life traveling and having a good time. Why should he not have gone on still?
When you study the 11th of Hebrews, you will find that that galaxy of sons and daughters died in the faith. They never ceased in their warfare until they had won their crowns.
VI. ABRAM WENT DOWN INTO EGYPT TO SOJOURN (Genesis 12:10)
Turning aside has its dangers. Our verse tells us that there was a famine in the land. It was because of that famine that Abram went down into Egypt. He did not go down there to dwell, but to sojourn. We are not sure that he did wrong, but we are sure that this side trip caused Abram trouble.
It was in Egypt that Abram had trouble with Pharaoh because of his wife. Abram went down to sojourn, but Pharaoh sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had. There are several lessons here for us.
1. There was no compatibility between Abram and Pharaoh. Two cannot dwell together except they be agreed. Abram in Egypt was Abram in trouble. He may have had food for his body, but he had plagues for his soul. The Children of Israel, on one occasion, cried unto the Lord for flesh. The Lord gave them the desire of their heart, but sent leanness into their souls. Sometimes physical bounties cause spiritual dearth.
2. We must guard against taking side trips from God. Some believers who are faithful at home, will go into another city or state and live carelessly, and perhaps, grievously. They make short sojourns now and then into the enemy's country. While there, they do as the people do; they go where the people go; they throw off the constraint of the narrow way, to enjoy the diversions of the broad way. Such a course, is always fraught with danger and leads to disaster.
The true believer has neither time nor heart for sojourning in the world. If he does go down, he will not only hurt himself but he will bring the plagues of God upon everybody else because of the evil of his way. Let us never turn to the right hand nor to the left, but, keeping our eyes on the goal, press bravely toward the Heavenly Kingdom.
VII. ABRAM WENT UP OUT OF EGYPT (Genesis 13:1)
1. We are happy that Abram did not stay in the far country. He fell in the mire, but God lifted him out. He wandered for a moment, but he quickly returned to the right path.
When we think of Abram, we think of various times when he wandered away from God, but these wanderings were no more than eddies in the general stream of his life. We should not judge this mighty man by the acts of unbelief which now and then beset him. We should judge him by the great trend of his life. When God gave the final recount of Abram, He did not say, "By unbelief Abraham did this or that." He did say, "By faith Abraham."
Abram did go down into Egypt, but, thank God, he went up out of Egypt. The little babe did fall down, but it got up again, and for many years walked on both feet.
2. We are happy that there is restoration for all who stumble by the way. The potter saw his vessel marred, so he made it again. God saw Abram wandering, but He brought him back. God did not cast away the man who, under the exigency of the famine, went down for a sojourn; into Egypt. God did allow Abram to get into trouble in Egypt, so that Pharaoh cast him out. Have you not read, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness"?
The goodness of God in the restoration of those who wander from His path should never be used as an excuse to backslide. Remember, Abram was restored and brought out of Egypt, but he was not brought out until first he experienced great travail of soul concerning his wife. God will bring us out, but He will bring us out through bitterness of spirit. It never pays to wander.
AN ILLUSTRATION
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
"' If because you are Christians you promise yourselves a long lease of temporal happiness, free from troubles and afflictions, it is as if a soldier going to the wars should promise himself peace and continual truce with the enemy; or as if a mariner committing himself to the sea for a long voyage, should promise himself nothing but fair and calm weather, without waves and storms; so irrational is it for a Christian to promise himself rest here upon earth,' Experience abundantly confirms this, and yet who would not be a soldier of the Cross? And, being so, who would wish to be a featherbed soldier, never flushing one's sword, or smelling powder. If there be no war there can be no victory; ease is therefore our loss and hindrance. What we need is not freedom from conflict, but abundance of faith. Trials would little try us if we had more confidence in God, and afflictions would have small power to afflict us if we laid up our heart's Joy and confidence in the Lord alone. Nearness to God is the one desideratum.
O Lord, draw us very near Thee, and then we shall dwell in peace though the whole world should battle with us." C. H. S.