8. Abraham's journey - ابہام کا سفر

Genesis 12 told by Grandma Ida

Arosa - Teacher  - This story really happened written  by Moses

Enkele tekeningen van de "toren van Babel"

God gave Abraham a very beautiful promise; listen carefully:

Then the Lord said to Abraham: "Leave your country. Leave your family and your father's house. Go to the land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you, and your name will be known everywhere. And you will be a blessing. If people treat you well, I will be good to them. And if people treat you badly, I will be bad to them. And through the blessing that is upon you, all the nations of the earth will be blessed."   Genesis 12:1-3

Many years have passed. Adam and Eve died, Noah died. In those days there was only one God: the God who created the world and the people and animals. His Name is YAHWEH, do you remember that? Remember it well!

In the previous lesson, we told you about Nimrod, who wanted to be the boss of the earth. He said to the people: “I am God,” I am the boss of the earth, and you must listen to me: we are going to build a great city and a very tall tower. The people set to work hard.

But the construction plan failed, because the people suddenly started speaking different languages.

 They did not understand each other and they left. Everyone to a different place. Everyone chose their own God. The people made all kinds of figurines and called them “god”. They knelt before them, they made sacrifices before them. But those figurines were made of only ordinary wood or stone. They could not walk, they could not talk. They also could not hear what the people said or asked in their prayers.

Yet there was one man who still knew about Noah. He knew that Noah had been commanded by God to build the ark. That God, YAHWEH, had saved his family and the animals.

Noah simply did what God asked, and then everything turned out well! And God had shown a beautiful rainbow in the sky and promised that He would not send a flood again. That one man longed for that God. His name was Abraham! God saw Abraham and He loved him

 Abraham lived in Ur. In that city, they believed that the moon was their God. They called the moon “Sin,” our god. Pictures of the crescent moon, their god, adorned all kinds of places  But they also believed in those wooden and stone figurines (statues). It was a godless city. Abraham’s father and family also believed in those idols.  Abraham was lonely in his belief.

God was pleased with Abraham, but he did see that it was difficult for him. Abraham did not want to participate in worshipping the idols; he did not want to kneel before the moon. People thought Abraham was foolish, but he knew that the moon had not made him. The moon had actually been made by the God YAHWEH, who made everything.

One day God said to Abraham: “Abraham, leave this city. I will show you the way to a land where you can live with your children. ” With your children……? But Abraham and his wife had no children. That sometimes made them so sad.

But to go on a journey anyway? Abraham thought of Noah, who also simply did what God said and then built a boat. Abraham also wanted to do what God says, even if people laugh at it.

So he said to his wife Sarah: “We are going on a journey. We are going to the land that God intended for us.” And Sarah went along with her husband. But Abraham’s old father also went along, and his nephew Lot.

Abraham was very rich. He lived in a beautiful house. But on his journey, he had to live in tents. He also took animals and servants with him. They did not travel in cars, but on camels. Now he no longer had a beautiful house to live in. But he knew that it was good to obey God. He also did not know which way to go. But God told him how to go.

After a few days, they arrived in the city of Haran. And the whole family went to live in a house there again, along with Abraham's old father. They lived there for a while, and then the old father died.

After that, God said, "Now continue on your journey, Abraham!" and he did.

Abraham was 75 years old when he left Haran. Then the whole group traveled on, with camels, donkeys, cows, and sheep.  They all need to have food along the way. At night they slept in tents. 

They moved on to the land of Canaan. It was a long journey. Cousin Lot also had a wife and children with him, and then all those animals they had brought along. The journey went through the dry, hot desert. But then they came to a land, specifically a site near large oak trees, There Abraham heard the voice of YAHWEH: “This is the land that I want to give to you and your children.” How happy Abraham was! This was the land that God had promised him: “the Promised Land.” Here he would pitch his tents and here he would live.

But first, he did something that Noah also did when he came out of the ark. He built an altar and sacrificed one of his animals on it. That meant: “Thank You, God, for taking care of us on this journey, and thank You for giving us this good land!” But God had said that this land would also be for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, etc. (descendants).  And Abraham still had no children. Abraham and Sarah longed for them very much. But actually, they were already too old to have children. It was becoming a bit difficult to keep believing that. This promise presented a profound test of faith. But still Abraham knew: “God has said it, and then it always happens. I trust in God.”

Questions:

Questions about the Facts. These questions help children remember the most important details of the story.

1. Where did Abraham live before God called him? (In the city of Ur)

2.  Who was the one true God that Abraham served, as opposed to the idols of other people?  { Yahweh}

 3. What was the great promise that God gave to Abraham regarding his future? (That he would have many children [descendants] and inherit a new land.)

4. What was the name of Abraham's wife? (Sarah).

5. What was the name of the cousin who traveled with Abraham? (Lot.)

 6. In which land did Abraham eventually arrive after his long journey? (Canaan [the Promised Land]}.

 7. What did Abraham build when he arrived in the new land to thank God? ( An altar.)

  1. What did Abraham want to say to God with that? (Thank you God for guiding safely us to the Promised Land”

The following questions encourage children to think about the characters' feelings and their deeper meaning.

  1. Abraham and Sarah were already very old and had no children. How would that have felt for them when God promised that they would have a large family after all?
  2. Abraham had to leave his beautiful house and the city of Ur to live in tents. Why do you think he did that anyway?
  3. The people in Ur laughed at Abraham because he did not kneel before the moon or idols. Have you ever experienced thinking differently from others? How did that feel?
  4.  God promised the land to Abraham's children, but he had no children of his own yet. Why is it remarkable that Abraham continued to believe?  (Goal:To gain insight into what 'faith' means (trusting in something you do not yet see).)

Questions for Discussion and Application. These questions are open-ended and intended for discussion together.

  1. Trust: God said to Abraham: "Go forth, I will show you where you need to be." Abraham did not know the way. Do you know of a situation where you trust someone, even though you do not know exactly what is going to happen?
  2. Being unique: Abraham was the only one in his city who believed in Yahweh. What makes you unique? Is it sometimes difficult to be yourself?
  3. Promises: God kept His promise to Abraham, even though it took a long time. Can you name a promise that someone made to you that was kept? Why is it important to keep promises? (People are not always reliable when they promise something. But God is reliable!!)
  4. Moving: Abraham moved from a stone house to tents. If you had to move to an unknown country, what would you consider the most important thing to take with you?

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