Gen 12:1 “His substance and all that he had.”
Here Moses begins the magnificent and most delightful history of that incomparable and admirable Abram, whose faith and obedience are celebrated not only in the books of the Old Testament but also in the writings of the Gospel. Indeed, his faith and obedience are set forth for imitation by all Christians. For this reason this history must be observed with the greatest diligence, and that for two reasons. First, because it is full of examples of faith and morals and of divine providence toward the pious. Second, because in it the promise concerning Christ is renewed—and that not only once, and more clearly—whereas from the beginning up to this point they had had only one promise concerning Christ, namely that which was spoken to the devil: “I will put enmities between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed,” and so forth.
“And the Lord said to Abram,” and so on.
Up to this point we have heard more than once that the Lord spoke to Adam, to Noah, and even to Cain. But whether He spoke by an external voice or only inwardly, the text does not explain, nor is it necessary to inquire further about this. We know that God has spoken in both ways and is still able to do so. We also know that He Himself does not need an external voice as we do, for He is able to speak even to the heart, and by even a single inspiration to move a man more effectively than another could move him outwardly by a very loud voice. Nor is there any doubt that He thus spoke inwardly to Abraham; otherwise he would not have obeyed so immediately. Whether, along with this, Abram also heard an external voice is uncertain.
This first we see: that God begins to speak. For unless God begins, we always remain in sins; therefore from heaven our salvation begins. That He begins with the word is a sign that our salvation begins from faith, for the word of God cannot be received otherwise than by faith.
Observe that before this voice of God no merits of Abraham are written, so that we may know that our salvation is of divine grace and mercy, according to that saying: “By grace you have been called, not from works,” and so forth (Ephesians 2). That He calls Abram alone, and not his father or his brother, shows that the judgments of God are unsearchable, of which Moses says: “He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.” And Christ says: “Two will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left” (Matthew 24).
Although others also did not lack divine callings, Abram receives a spiritual calling, because he was to be set like a light upon a candlestick, so that he might shine for all. Finally, God also left this one man as though unknown for a long time, and in his seventy-fifth year He first began to speak to him. Thus God also permits the elect to lie for some time in sins or errors, so that afterward, when delivered, they may be more grateful—something we see in Paul, in Magdalene, in Psalm 67, in Augustine, and in others. Truly it is said: “Wonderful is God in His saints.”
“Go out from your land,” and so forth.
Previously he had gone out from Chaldea, his fatherland, as was said above, but now he is commanded to withdraw still farther. Then here he is also commanded to depart from his kindred and from his father’s house. Yet these are dear things which hold all men fast: parents, country, children, friends. And yet Abram is commanded to leave these. Truly this is a great commandment, which required a great and strong spirit.
In sum, Abram is called under these conditions, that on earth he should possess nothing in his heart. Whatever dear things he had in the world, he is commanded to leave, clinging intensely to God alone in faith, ready to renounce all, so that he might be worthy of God’s promises. Under the same conditions we too are now called: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself,” and so forth. And again: “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.” And again: “Whoever does not renounce all that he possesses cannot be my disciple.” And in the Psalm (Psalm 44): “Forget your people and your father’s house, and the king will desire your beauty.” (Matthew 16; Matthew 10; Luke 16).
This, therefore, is the first voice of God to man: that he should go out not only from the world but also from himself—not in body, but in affection and will—so that he may have nothing in this world in which he places his confidence.
“And come into the land which I will show you,” and so forth.
“I,” He says, “will show you.” God is the leader of His own and the director of their way, for the ways of man are not his own. He does not name the land, so that Abram may depend wholly on God. Likewise, so that his faith and obedience may be tested more, in that he goes out at the word and command of God, although he does not know where he is going.
Wherever the word of God commands, we should yield willingly and with the greatest eagerness. For everywhere God is, who nourishes His own; everywhere He is present. Therefore, at the very beginning the faithful man is commanded to prefer unseen things to things seen, just as elsewhere Scripture everywhere leads us from visibles to invisibles. Hence Paul says: “If you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above,” and so forth (Colossians 3). And John says: “Do not love the world nor the things that are in the world,” and so forth (1 John).
Gen 12:2 “And I will make you into a great nation,” and so forth.
This is another preaching. Up to this point Abram heard the Law; here he hears the Gospel. Up to this point God commanded him; here He promises. Great things indeed He required from him, but far greater things He now promises him. In the same way God also deals with us. Whoever is weighed down by the first preaching should turn himself to the second, and—if I am not mistaken—he will bear the Law more lightly. For who would not willingly obey God who promises such great and such many things?
First, therefore, God promises to Abram, an old and barren man, a very great offspring—not only sons of the flesh, but far more of faith and devotion and heirs of virtues. These the holy and most devoted man of God had, and ought to have had, far more than sons of the flesh. Observe that He did not say “into a many nation,” but “into a great nation.” For that nation which is here promised was not going to be very large in number in comparison with other nations. Hence Moses says: “Not because you surpassed all nations in number did the Lord join Himself to you,” and so forth (Deuteronomy 7). Therefore He rightly said not “a many nation,” but “a great nation.” For truly great is that nation whose Lord is its God, whom He magnified and honored—the great Lord—from which the Lord chose great patriarchs and prophets, through whom the world was to come to know the true greatness of God.
“And I will bless you,” and so forth.
This is another promise. But the order of the words must be noted, that He placed blessing in second place, lest we think that this blessing refers only to propagation of the flesh, as above where He blessed Adam and Noah. Therefore, to bless here is to heap up with natural and gratuitous gifts, to make fortunate and happy. You see what great goods God promises to His own. What can be happier than the man whom God thus blesses?
“And I will magnify your name,” and so forth (cf. Exodus 3; Hebrews).
That is: throughout the whole world your faith, integrity, religion, grace of God, strength of soul, and obedience will be proclaimed, so that you will be a future example of the saints for all ages. Moreover, in this way the name of Abraham is magnified, because it is pronounced together with the great and awesome name of God, when throughout the world the definition of the divine name is preached: “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” This is the true magnification of Abraham’s name. Hence Paul says: “Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God.”
“And you shall be blessed.”
Let no one think this is a tautology, as though the same thing were said twice when it is said: “I will bless you,” and “you shall be blessed.” For the sense is: I will bestow upon you such a blessing that it will endure through all ages. For you will be blessed in such a way that all will hold it to be a matter of highest honor if familiarity with Abraham should befall them.
In the Hebrew it is: “And you shall be a blessing.” And this is a Hebraism. For among the Hebrews it is very frequent that designations are put for the things designated. Thus in that language one does not say “false,” but “falsehood,” nor “vain,” but “vanity,” and so forth. With such a way of speaking we also use this, as when we call a wicked man “wickedness,” and a glutton we call “a belly,” and so forth.
Or it is said “And you shall be a blessing” because blessing was to be in this form: “May God bless you as He blessed Abraham,” and so forth. It can also be referred to Christ: “And you shall be a blessing,” namely in your seed, Christ, who is your son according to the assumption of flesh, who will bring true blessing to all.
Or thus: “You shall be a blessing,” so that if anyone wishes to pray well for his neighbor, he may wish for him to become by God what has been made for you.
Gen 12L3 “I will bless those who bless you,” and so forth.
The sense is: for your sake I will bless and do good also to your descendants and to your friends, supporters, and praisers, which is a sign of great friendship. Here, therefore, we see that for the sake of His elect God also does good to others, which we shall see below in fact.
Moreover, God promises that He will be the avenger of His saints: “I will curse,” and so forth—which greatly consoles the pious but should greatly terrify the impious. Hence in another place: “He who touches you touches the apple of my eye” (Zechariah).
“And in you all the nations shall be blessed,” and so forth.
That is, all the families of the nations of all ages of the faithful will glory in your seed, Christ; they will boast that they are your sons through faith. You will be most glorious in the opinion of all the families of the earth. Yet this is chiefly referred to Christ, in whom all nations obtain blessing. And He significantly says “all nations,” lest we think that this pertains only to the Jews. Hence Christ also says: “Many will come from the east,” and so forth (Matthew 8), and will recline with Abraham, and so forth.
This, therefore, is the joyful proclamation of the Gospel which has been spread into all nations. Therefore Abraham here receives a twofold promise: temporal and spiritual. Thus God blesses His own both in body and in soul, both here and in the future.
Gen 12:4 “So Abraham went out,” and so forth.
We scarcely have any other example so memorable as this example of Abraham, whose sons we all desire to be. It seems indeed to carry nothing great in itself that he went out. But Paul knew how to esteem it greatly. “By faith,” he says, “Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out into a place which he was to receive for an inheritance, and he went out not knowing where he was going” (Hebrews). And likewise (2 Corinthians 5).
For first here we have what is the condition and nature of faith, namely, as Paul says there: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Thus Abraham by faith already held the promised land, which he had not yet seen. And this is truly to walk by faith: to go by hoping and to hope by going, and to hold things not yet seen but promised with as certain a faith as if they were seen. Hence Paul says: “We walk by faith, not by sight.”
Second, we see here a remarkable example of obedience. He does not delay, he immediately goes. He does not argue back, he makes no excuses, he attaches no delays, he makes no justifications—although he could have made many. For first, the command in itself was heavy: to leave all dear things at once and together. Second, he could have excused himself on account of the old age of his father, whom he was leaving. Third, on account of the length and uncertainty of the journey. Fourth, he could also have excused himself on account of his own age, for he had already passed his seventieth year. Finally, he could have said: Why do you not do me good here? What need is there to go farther? And so forth.
But he does none of these things; rather, he obeys the command of the Lord most promptly. It is therefore clear that God was of more value to him than whatever was dear in the world. He valued his heavenly Father more than his earthly father.
Besides this, there is no doubt that he endured many reproaches, insults, and adversities from the impious in this his pilgrimage. Yet he was not hindered by this. For since he was most devoted to truth, and yet saw everywhere peoples given over to superstition, he could not conceal it, but vindicated the glory of the one true God. And for this reason it is not surprising that he suffered many things. Hence in Deuteronomy: “A Syrian pursued our father,” and he was compelled by the wickedness of the people to migrate here and there.
See how far we are from such a spirit.
CONTINUE
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