Abraham, a pilgrim #1

CHAPTER ONE

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GOD APPEARS TO ABRAM

Abram was born a second son of Terah, a strange child from his birth. He had experiences that could not be understood by his kinsmen. He grew up shrouded in mysterious experience; these left him many times secluded from the rest of the family members. Neither did he understand it but believed in God and rested upon that sure Arm that knows all about men.

The older he became, the more mysterious his life became. His dislike for Ur became more pronounced as years fled by. He wished he could leave Ur never to return, but how, he could not tell.

Some strange something stole into his heart. Just a restlessness… He couldn’t understand it. He was not just getting through it… about the meaning of the strange pulsation from his heart… The puzzle lingered on, weeks on end.

Yes, the same is happening today to some sober honest men, visiting temples of modern idolatry. Come out from among them…! That is what your heart’s strange pulsations mean. That is the interpretation of your puzzle. Start out of modern Babylon of confused religions.

Quite strange! Abram couldn’t rest. Like something strange was to happen; something drastic. This kept him praying into the nights, most days. Are you disturbed about the modern day’s corruptions that fill churches today? Or are you so dead that you don’t see any difference. So bad then!

Abram kept discussing the state of the city, how obnoxious it was, with his father, Terah. They visualized one day leaving that place, but they were not sure. It looked difficult. The more they stayed, the more grievous it became. They talked about it often, Abram and his wife Sarai; Nahor and his wife Milcah; Lot and his wife “Norah” – but none had an answer; the dilemma remained, though.

They kept airing their feelings – how intolerable it was becoming – to stay in Ur. Sarah and Milcah gave their voice against it, they had no heart for Ur. Nahor too, but passively, he made his remarks. Lot was noncommittal, he couldn’t see much difference between places. The wife of Lot enjoyed her stay in Ur, she didn’t understand why the ado. Iscah didn’t see any trouble with Ur, to him it was just the best place on earth. So it went on…

Terah: (Father of Abram, Nahor and Haran, but Haran died before they left Ur.) This is too much! I won’t bear it any longer. Words fail me to describe it. This city is doomed, she is ripe for judgement. Her religions have become the hatching places of every foul practice. Her wickedness is written with an iron tool upon an adamant tablet, it can’t be erased.

Abram: Sure, wickedness is her climate, she walks in it as in a night shower. She goes after evil headlong. She scorns righteousness; she mocks holiness. Abomination has become her sweetest meal. She wallows in all that mire, and there seems no end in sight for her mazy religion.

Nahor: Just as it was before the flood, I guess… She puts the branch on her nose; no reprove makes sense to her. Some other flood may sweep her away. It will be a relief for mother earth, when she sinks, I am sure. I have looked for it, always, desiring it than my daily meal.

Lot: (First born of Haran) If we entreat God on their behalf, won’t He intervene to spare these people? His hand is mighty to deliver. He saves whom He will and destroys whom He will.

Iscah: (Son of Haran, and a young brother of Lot and Milcah) I concur with my brother, all the cities on earth are just like Ur, all are full of wickedness, none of them is pure in the eyes of God. It is up to us to keep ourselves from evil, then we can live anywhere.

Abram: Anywhere? Be serious, son. These people… to change? No! I doubt. None of them lends their ear to sound words. They bellow upon iniquity like an ox over green fodder; they bray after evil like horses in their season. They flee from righteousness like a morning mist. Truth has departed from her gates like the dew when the sun rises. Remember, the tree falls where it leans.

Nahor: Repentance means starting out, separating from the wicked, but where can one flee to? The whole world is corrupted, as Iscah has rightly said; all is now a mire of idolatrous practices.

Abram: Where God lists, thither we may run for safety. He knows it; He is a strong tower for the righteous to hide in… His name is. He prepares a place for the righteous, even as He provided the ark for Noah and his house. Be not of a doubtful mind, but always incline your ear to His voice. He speaks once, yea, twice is a confirmation that the thing must be done. His word shall deliver you from the destroyer that moves in the dark. Be on the watchtower, keeping watch all night. Allow not sleep into your eyes, for why should you sleep the sleep of death, together with the wicked overthrown.

Nahor: All cities are full of the same impurities of a fallen religion. I can’t think of any clean city. Is it there? I must doubt. As flesh rots and stinks when life has departed, so are all religions – dead carcasses in various stages of rot! Could there have been anything good out of Babel? God judged her and scattered her in the winds. In the whirl wind she is still, whirling ever; who can tell the end thereof?

Abram: As a rotting carcass attracts vultures, buzzards, crows and the hypocrite hawk, so do all idolatrous religion attract every foul and hateful spirit. This city is such a decaying carcass, and the Ziggurat is the centre of it all. That is why I keep escaping to the country sides during summer, to breath some fresh air uncontaminated with the noise of idolatry. Such are wonderful places of worship. I love them. One day I will start never to turn back.

Lot: Aw… where is that? Can it afford a home for a family? I fear such wild places, for rovers and bandits are all over.

Abram: Full of doubts, you will never walk with God. So much wilderness is out there all over. You can’t lack such. Clean, pure and virgin. I love them, I can as well confess. Imagine having a tent out there on your own, no more city crowds around to suffocate your soul. Oh my! That is my place in future. A day is fast approaching when I will start and never turn back.

Iscah: What of the bandits, robbers, rovers and wild beasts? How can one escape all that out there? So fearful…

Abram: I hope you believe in God. Don’t you? God is creator of all, He has the key that can tame all that. He encamps around the tabernacle of the righteous. No ravenous beast will lick its tongue against him, neither will a troop fall upon him. All his habitation lies in safety, because he makes God his fortress.

Nahor: Yes, but we shouldn’t tempt God. We must only go where He leads. Whoever presumes to take to any place without the counsel of God shall come to poverty. His inheritance shall be ruined, and future generations shall curse his habitation.

Abram: What? Tempt God? Escaping from corruption can never be a temptation to God. It is His will, prefect will. God answers prayer: he directs the feet of the righteous too. He approves the choice of such a one who pitches not his tent in the camp of the wicked. To depart from an evil camp, is to do the will of God.

Terah: My sons, whatever you say, but this place has become a stench in God’s nostril. It should be the same in yours. Every one of us should cast away any abomination on our hands, cleanse our ways and humble ourselves in prayer; for though we thus speak, yet some of us are stained by the same impurities. As Abram has said, it is true, God hears the cry of the faithful. If God leads, it will be safe, no matter where. Anywhere with the Lord is the safest place. You dare believe it!

Abram: I agree and give my hand for that; no other better place I know of. He is the tower for the righteous to hide in; city walls never afford safety; it is the most high who saves. You all know better than that; it is witnessed everywhere. Never put your trust in walls and in bands of army men. Those men may turn to be your enemies, bitterest. Lift your eyes heaven-ward, there, is your defence!

Sarai: (Wife of Abram, and step sister too, but sister of Haran) My heart is fully knitted with such bundles of truth, a honeycomb full and tripping, that is truth plainly told. I hate the crowded, mazy streets; I am already fed up with the stench of abominations filling their air. No fresh godly air anywhere in this city for poor me. Too stuffy for life! I hate that congestion; I decry the bustle and hustle, the push and pull, the noisy marketplaces, the vile exposure of female flesh, the carryings-on of the daughters of the Chaldeans – all are messes worth ditching behind my back. I enjoy outdoors. There, there’s room for everything. Oh, I love it… outdoors!

Milcah: (First daughter of Haran, sister of Lot) Hallelujah! My very heart centre indeed, my sister! You have struck the nail on the head. All the riots, vile endeavours, and all, I hate! Oh El, may you hear our cries; I have desired thy salvation all through the night. I have yearned for the light of thy countenance all through the day. We need some free space to serve you. In Ur fear is on every hand, confusion abounds, corrupt flesh breaks out from pillar to post, there is no place clean. True, I go for outdoors too. My soul is already gone… a pilgrim in a land far…

Oh, that far off west, where the sun spreads her fair colours as the night approaches, with the heavens all in pink, welcoming the solemn night: oh, how I long for you!

Terah: That is it, my daughters. Don’t stop crying to Him. We need an answer. I need an answer. This place? No! As a heap of rubbish mixed with human refuse are the religions of this city – an abomination before the living God, a stench from hell.

Abram: Take it upon yourself, each one, to pray. The answer will come. God is gracious. He will speak and direct our feet. Where He leads, I will follow. Out of such a city means freedom. Look at how they have introduced laws that enforce idolatry… such bondage! It’s time to start out. I am sure…

Norah: (Lot’s wife) Sometimes it works for me, I just assume all that happens around me and carry out my business like there is nothing. That is how God has helped me survive, in the very heart of the city. Why not try that before hastily deciding to move out.

Abram: “Sometimes….” that is true, but not all the time. I want it all the time! And whether your eyes escape defilement or not, that is one thing, but be sure your ears won’t.

Terah: Norah, my child, a little more of Elohim in your heart, and the difference will set in. You won’t stand that place in the heart of this city. You will close it up immediately if you’re to stay holy. Eyes take in what they see; ears receive into the heart what they hear; what a vile sort you become day by day! God calls for a total separation from sin. You better run, yea, flee! flee for your soul.

Nahor: God delivers the just from the wicked. His word must stand. He delivered Noah, our father, why not us? Let’s take it by faith. He will deliver us. Only be not partakers of their corruptions lest you perish in the overthrow thereof, for I see it approaching, as swiftly as lightning, and in a moment this place will be no more. Blessed are the clean in the heart, for they shall inherit the land and live in it in peace. Shalom!

Abram: As we part, don’t forget what our father has plainly put before us. We need to hear from God. Stay on your knees, always in prayer; call on His mighty name. Don’t hang up until heaven speaks, each one of you, please.

All: Till we meet, till we meet,

till we meet at Jehovah’s feet…

Till we meet, till we meet,

El be with you till we meet again…

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