01.05. From Ur to Canaan

5 From Ur to Canaan
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise (Hebrews 11:8-9). The history of Abraham constitutes the third of three major beginnings pertaining to man in the Book of Genesis. There is the beginning of the human race in Adam immediately after the restoration of the ruined earth, the new beginning of the human race in Noah and his sons on the post-diluvian earth, and the beginning of the nation of Israel in Abraham. Christians -- forming the "one new man" in Christ, the heavenly seed of Abraham -- also constitute the third of three major beginnings in the human race. There is the creation in Adam, the creation in Jacob, and the new creation in Christ, i.e., the Gentile, the Jew, and the Christian (a new creation taken from both of the former two creations).

Leading into the days of Abraham and the new beginning in Abraham, Scripture presents a number of analogies between the beginning of the human race in Adam and the new beginning of the human race in Noah. These analogies form part of the foundational material in the first eleven chapters of Genesis -- chapters which furnish background material for, logically lead into, and place all Scripture beyond that point (beginning with the call of Abraham) in its proper perspective. An understanding of the material in these first eleven chapters is fundamental and primary, not only to provide a proper foundation for a correct understanding of the remainder of Genesis, but also to provide a proper foundation for a correct understanding of the remainder of Scripture beyond Genesis as well.

God’s Revelation to man is progressive in the sense that foundational truths were laid in the beginning, and God does not continue to lay these foundations throughout His Word. Rather, He builds upon these foundations, providing a progressive framework of spiritual truths. Jesus did not fortuitously begin with the writings of "Moses" (Gen. - Deut.) before expounding upon the writings of "all the prophets" (the remainder of the Old Testament) when He presented what the Scriptures revealed concerning Himself to the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:1-53. He began at the correct place to properly expound Scripture. (There are actually two revealed beginnings in the construction of the Greek text in Luke 24:27 -- first, "Moses"; then, "all the prophets.") Jesus laid the foundation (drawing from the writings of Moses); He then built upon the foundation (drawing from the writings of all the prophets); and, subsequently, "their eyes were opened, and they knew him" (Luke 24:31). In similar fashion, the new beginning in Abraham placed in its proper perspective necessitates an understanding of events surrounding the prior two beginnings in the human race. Thus, the first part of our present study will deal with certain aspects of the beginning in Adam and the subsequent new beginning in Noah.

Adam and Noah

1) Adam was placed on an earth which had previously been dealt with by God in judgment -- a destruction by water (Genesis 1:2 a).

Noah came out of the ark onto an earth which, as in Adam’s day, had previously been dealt with by God in judgment -- a destruction by water (Genesis 6:1-22; Genesis 7:1-24; Genesis 8:1-22; Genesis 9:1-29).

2) Adam was told to be "fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" (Genesis 1:28 a). Adam was also told to "subdue" and "have dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:28 b), but Adam never realized this dominion. The sin of Adam brought about his disqualification to occupy the very position for which he had been created.

Noah, as Adam, was also told to be "fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" (Genesis 9:1); but Noah was not told to "subdue" and "rule" the earth, because Noah in his fallen state could not. The power to exercise human government was placed in the hands of man following the Flood, but this government was confined to man administering affairs among himself, not ruling the earth in Satan’s stead.

3) Adam found himself naked, and he was covered by another. Through comparing Scripture with Scripture it appears evident that before Adam’s sin the bodies of Adam and Eve were covered with an enswathement of glory. And, as is clearly revealed within the framework of man’s redemption, this was apparently a glory which emanated from within.

God created man in His Own image, after His likeness, and God Himself is clothed "with light as with a garment" (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalms 104:2). The correct Scriptural position is to look upon man as also clothed at the time of his creation, after God’s likeness. Man retained the complete image and likeness of God from the point of creation until the fall, and at the time of the fall man lost something which he possessed pertaining to God’s likeness.

Through sin Adam and Eve lost the covering of pristine glory. They became in the likeness of what some call "the fallen image," and the first thing they tried to do was replace this covering with "fig leaves." But God would recognize no covering in the absence of the glory apart from that covering associated with shed blood. Thus, God slew innocent animals and clothed Adam and Eve with "coats of skins."

From Adam to Moses there existed a reign of death (Romans 5:14). This reign of death lasted from the time the glory was lost during Adam’s day to the time the glory was restored (but not as a covering for man) during Moses’ day. The primary definition of death in Scripture is "separation from God." The "glory" which Adam and Eve lost was associated with God’s Divine presence, as was the glory which was restored during Moses’ day (cf. Genesis 2:17; Genesis 3:7-8; Genesis 3:19; Genesis 34:1-31; Genesis 35:1-29; Genesis 36:1-43; Genesis 37:1-36; Genesis 38:1-30). "Death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression" simply because man during this time was separated from the glory and, thus, separated from God.

God sent His Son to this earth "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Romans 8:3). What is meant by the expression "sinful flesh"? Why is "flesh" in Scripture so readily associated with sin? (Note Exodus 16:3; Romans 8:8-13; Galatians 5:16 ff; Ephesians 2:3.) "Sinful flesh" is flesh not clothed with the enswathement of glory as God originally intended, and, thus, performing an act in the energy of the flesh is simply performing an act apart from God and His leadership. God’s Son coming to this earth "in the likeness of sinful flesh" to effect man’s redemption was a manifestation of a member of the Godhead in a body which lacked the enswathement of glory. A knowledge of this fact will shed light upon the reason for the incarnation, which is the first thing mentioned in "the mystery of godliness" in 1 Timothy 3:16.

During the period of time Christ was on earth, except for the experience on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8), He dwelled among men apart from this glory. The glory of God was absent from the temple during this time. Thus, even with the Messiah Himself, very God of very God, in the camp of Israel, there was no glory. Christ on Calvary’s Cross was stripped naked, exposing the flesh without the covering of glory; and, in this ignominiously shameful fashion He bore the sins of the world in His Own body. Is it any wonder that Scripture is replete with prophecies concerning the fact that the same scenes which witnessed His ignominy and shame will also one day witness His glory and exaltation?

At the time of His ascension Christ was "received up into glory" (note that this is the last thing mentioned in "the mystery of godliness" in 1 Timothy 3:16). Christ is in heaven today in His glorified body. He has a body with the glory emanating from within and manifested outwardly. This fact is derived from the use of the Greek word metamorphoo, translated "transfigured," in Matthew 17:2.

The scene on the Mount of Transfiguration has to do with "the Son of man coming in his kingdom" (Matthew 16:28; cf. 2 Peter 1:16-17). The word metamorphoo, from which we derive the English word "metamorphosis," refers to a change emanating from within. This is the same word used in Romans 12:2 relative to Christians, and the present change for Christians is inward alone (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:16; Colossians 3:10). There is a present outworking of the metamorphosis in the life of a Christian, but this outworking (resulting in fruit-bearing for the kingdom) does not effect an outward change during the present day and time, for we continue to reside in an unchanged body of death. So long as we continue in this body of death the change will remain inward, but the completion of the metamorphosis necessitates an outward change which emanates from the inward change. This will occur at the time our bodies are redeemed, when we put off this body of death and receive a body like unto the body of Christ -- a glorified body. Then and only then will the metamorphosis be complete; and redeemed man, as Adam in the beginning, and as God originally intended, will possess a body covered with an enswathement of glory which emanates from within.

Noah, as Adam, was also found naked, and he was covered by others. Noah’s uncovering resulted from his becoming drunk through drinking wine from the vineyard; and the sin associated with what then transpired was not Noah’s drunkenness, but Ham looking upon his father’s nakedness. The implication clearly appears to be that with the loss of the canopy of water above the earth at the time of the Flood (changing the process of actinism [radiant energy with produces chemical changes on the earth, derived from the sun’s actinic rays]), the wine from the vineyard underwent a chemical change. Fermentation, a chemical change apparently unknown to man until after the Flood, came into existence as a result of the actinic rays of the sun being allowed to penetrate through to the earth. Wine produced before the Flood (lacking this chemical change due to the absence of actinic rays) would not ferment and produce drunkenness, but would be of a similar nature to the wine which Christ made at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-11). However, wine produced after the Flood (with the presence of actinic rays), as today under the same conditions, would ferment and produce drunkenness. Thus, Noah’s drunken state and the absence of any condemnation in connection with his drunkenness would appear to emanate from the fact that, in all probability, he did not realize that this change had occurred.

Ham’s sin was more than just a passing glance at his father’s nakedness. Ham did something to Noah in his uncovered, drunken state (Genesis 9:24). Many of the old Hebrew rabbis taught that Ham committed a homosexual act with his father; other Hebrew rabbis taught that Ham emasculated his father. Either would be an abominable act, and the end result of Ham’s sin was a curse pronounced upon his lineage by Noah.

After Ham had committed the transgression against his father, Noah was covered with a garment by his other two sons. They went backward, refusing to gaze upon an end result of Adam’s loss of the covering of glory over 1,600 years before, and covered their father’s nakedness. Noah’s prophecy concerning the destiny of his sons and their progeny then follows.

4) Following Adam’s nakedness and subsequent covering, a prophecy concerning the outline of redemption was given (Genesis 3:15). Both advents of Messiah are in view in this passage. And, although the price for man’s redemption was paid at Messiah’s first advent, redemption will not be complete until He returns to reign over the earth.

In like manner, following Noah’s nakedness and subsequent covering, a prophecy concerning the outline of redemption was given (Genesis 9:26-27). All Scriptural blessings were prophesied to come through Shem, the youngest son of Noah. Abraham was a descendant of Shem, the nation of Israel sprang from the loins of Abraham, and Jesus Christ is the greater Son of Abraham.

Within the framework of redemption from Adam through Noah and Abraham there is an interesting tripartite relationship existing among these three individuals. Not only are there three individuals involved overall, but there are also three sets of individuals with three individuals in each set. And within this triune, symmetrical arrangement of individuals one cannot help but see a Divine order throughout. Adam had three sons (Cain, Abel, and Seth), and the promised Seed from Adam to Noah came through the youngest son; Noah had three sons (Shem, Ham, and Japheth), and the promised Seed from Noah to Abraham came through the youngest son; Abraham himself was the youngest of three sons (Abraham, Nahor, and Haran), and he was the channel through whom the promised Seed came. "Three" is the number in Scripture associated with the Godhead, showing in this instance, Divine perfection in the Genesis arrangement culminating in a member of the Godhead becoming flesh and dwelling among men (John 1:14). The Call of Abraham

Abraham, at the time of his call, was an idol worshipper in Ur of the Chaldees. He was called at the age of seventy (cf. Genesis 12:1-4; Genesis 15:13-14; Genesis 23:4; Genesis 37:1; Genesis 47:9; Acts 7:2-6; Galatians 3:17-18), which was 422 years following the Flood. The "God of glory" appeared unto Abraham (Acts 7:2). This was in sharp contrast to the "other gods" Abraham has served in Ur (Joshua 24:2; Joshua 24:14). The Divine title "God of glory" is found only one other place in Scripture (Psalms 29:3). Psalms 29:1-11 is a Messianic Psalm, and, thus, the Divine title "God of glory" is clearly a Messianic title (Psalms 29:10). Note also the title "King of glory" in Psalms 24:7-10. Psalms 22:1-31; Psalms 23:1-6; Psalms 24:1-10 form a trilogy presenting the Good Shepherd Who gave His life for the sheep (Psalms 22:1-31), the Great Shepherd Who presently makes provision for the sheep (Psalms 23:1-6), and the Chief Shepherd Who will return to gather His sheep and reign over the earth (Psalms 24:1-10).

The appearance of the "God of glory" to Abraham was the first recorded appearance of God to man since the banishing of Adam and Eve from Eden 2,000 years prior to this time. God revealed certain things to man between these two times (e.g., Abel, Enoch, Noah), but there is no record that He appeared to any of these individuals.

Abraham was called for a purpose, and this purpose had to do with redemption. The ultimate purpose of God’s call was set forth at the very beginning in the title "God of glory." The glory which man lost in Eden reappeared at this point in Biblical history in connection with the one man through whom redemption would ultimately be accomplished; and this glory, set forth in a Divine, Messianic title, points to that future day when redemption will be complete and the glory will be restored. The time of the restoration of all things is yet future. During that future time redemption through the call of Abraham and God’s revelation of Himself to Abraham as the "God of glory" will be fully realized. That will be a day, unlike the present day, when the "King of glory" will be known among all nations and God’s original purpose in the creation of man will be realized.

During the present day and time God finds unsaved man in the same place that He found Abraham -- in Ur of the Chaldees. The word "Ur" means flame, referring to judgment (cf. Genesis 3:24; Isaiah 5:24; Isaiah 29:6; Ezekiel 20:47; Luke 16:24; Revelation 19:12); and the word "Chaldee" means destruction. Thus, unsaved man is in the place of judgment awaiting destruction. This is the current status and future outlook for the present world system with its inhabitants (Revelation 11:15-18; Revelation 14:14-20; Revelation 19:11 ff).

After an individual today has been "called," "saved," "born from above," the command is the same as the command which came to Abraham 4,000 years ago -- "Separate yourself from the things of Ur in the land of Chaldea, and go into another land that I will show you." Christians, as Abraham, have been called for a purpose. And, as the purpose of Abraham’s call involved redemption in connection with the restoration of all things, the Christians’ call, likewise, involves redemption in connection with the restoration of all things.

Christians have not been saved to remain in the land typified by Ur, which is not only under God’s judgment, but is also soon to be destroyed. Christians have been saved to separate themselves from this land and set their goal on another land. The Christians’ calling involves far more than the salvation of the spirit (present); it also involves the salvation of both body and soul (future).

Journey Toward the Land

Abraham acted "by faith." He believed God, departed from Ur, and set out on a journey toward the promised land of Canaan. However, Abraham was only partially obedient to God’s command. God had told Abraham, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee" (Genesis 12:1). Abraham was obedient in departing from Ur and heading toward Canaan, but he was disobedient in taking his father, Terah, and his nephew, Lot, with him.

Enroute to Canaan they came to Haran, which was a village north of Canaan at the upper end of the Euphrates River valley. At this place God stopped Abraham, and he spent several years (probably three or four) in Haran. The name "Haran" means dry or parched. God brought Abraham to a complete standstill, and he spent the time in Haran in a fruitless condition going nowhere.

Abraham was allowed to leave Haran only after his father, Terah, had died. Terah had not been called with Abraham. He was associated with Ur of the Chaldees and its idol worship. Abraham had taken part of that associated with Ur along with him on his journey toward Canaan. Thus, Terah had to be put aside before Abraham could continue toward the country to which God had called him.

Abraham’s departure from Ur and journey toward Canaan is not only a type of Israel’s future restoration to the land of Israel, but it is also a type of the journey in which Christians are presently engaged. We, as Abraham, have been called to separate ourselves from the things associated with Ur and go unto a land which God will show us. The parallel type, which presents a different facet of this same truth, is the exodus from Egypt under Moses and the journey toward the land of Canaan. The Israelites had been delivered from ur for a purpose. Thus, in the antitype, Christians have been delivered from Egypt, from Ur, for a purpose; and, as in the types, that purpose involves entrance into a land set before us.

The land of Canaan was the earthly habitation and inheritance to which Abraham, and later those under Moses, had been called. But the Christians’ calling is heavenly and has to do with a heavenly habitation and inheritance. Abraham was called out from one part of the earth to dwell in another part of the earth; but Christians, under the leadership of the Lord, are being called out from the earth to dwell in the heavens.

Abraham’s experiences in Haran set forth things which must transpire in the lives of Christians on the journey toward their heavenly inheritance. In Haran there was a funeral. Abraham had been stopped at this place until that which was associated with Ur and the idolatry therein had been put aside via death. Christians retain the old man, the old nature (associated with Ur), at the point of their salvation; and God’s command concerning the old man is to "mortify" the deeds of the flesh. That is, there are to be funerals in the lives of Christians relative to the things emanating from the old man.

The fact that Terah (associated with Ur) died in Haran points to one facet of the type, and the fact that Lot (also associated with Ur, later typifying the fleshly, carnal believer) continued with Abraham (Genesis 12:5) points to another facet of the type. The death of Terah sets forth spiritual truths concerning the necessity of putting off the things pertaining to the man of flesh, but Lot continuing with Abraham sets forth additional spiritual truths concerning the ever-present status of the man of flesh during a Christian’s entire pilgrim journey.

The old nature can never be eradicated in the life of a believer during the present day and time. We reside in a body of death, and the old nature will remain with us throughout the entire duration of our present Christian life. But the old man, according to the former manner of life, is to be put off; he is to be kept in a constant state of mortification; the new man is to be put on; and Christians are to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4-6; Romans 8:13; Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:5; Colossians 3:9-10). A Christian failing to heed the clear command of God will be stopped in Haran on his journey toward the land which God has promised, and until there are funerals in his life he will remain in the parched, dry place of unfruitfulness.

Entrance into the Land

After there had been a funeral in Haran, then, and only then, did God allow Abraham to proceed farther. The Record states that when Abraham and his household departed from Haran, "they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came" (Genesis 12:5). The land of Canaan was the goal toward which Abraham moved. He had traveled a long distance over a lengthy period of time on the journey. He had been stopped for a time in Haran, but Abraham kept his eyes fixed on the goal of his calling. Once God allowed him to move on, he departed from Haran and entered into the land of Canaan.

Once in the land of Canaan, Abraham first came to "Sichem" (Shechem), which means shoulder or ridge. Sichem signifies the place of strength. He then came to "Moreh," which means teacher. Moreh signifies the place of instruction. The Lord then appeared to Abraham, reaffirmed the land portion of the Abrahamic covenant, and moved Abraham "unto a mountain" between Bethel and Hai (Ai). Here Abraham pitched his tent, built an altar, and called upon the name of the Lord (Genesis 12:6-8). A "mountain" in Scripture signifies a kingdom; "Bethel" means house of God; and "Hai" means ruin.

Everything about Abraham’s journey toward the promised land and his entrance into the land are fraught with deep spiritual truths concerning a Christian’s present pilgrim walk. Once an individual has departed from Ur and the funeral has taken place in Haran, forward progress can begin. The Christian can then move on toward the place of strength and instruction (Sichem and Moreh), and then onto the mountain between the house of God (Bethel) and the place of ruin (Hai). The Christian during his pilgrim journey, as Abraham, is to dwell on the mountain between Bethel and Hai (note that Abraham was a pilgrim dwelling in tents; cf. Genesis 17:8; Genesis 37:1; Genesis 47:9; Exodus 6:3-4; Acts 7:5). Things associated with the old creation (Hai) are on one side, and things associated with the new creation (Bethel) are on the other side.

The first type in Scripture pertaining to redemption, establishing an unchangeable pattern, is set forth in the restoration of the ruined creation in Genesis 1:1-31. With the creation in a ruined state (wrought through an act of Satan), "darkness was upon the face of the deep." Then, to effect a beginning in the restoration of the ruined creation, "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." God did not remove the darkness, but He placed light alongside the darkness and "divided the light from the darkness." Then God set about to complete the work which he had begun on the first day, climaxed by His crowning work on the sixth day, the creation of man to rule the earth (Genesis 1:2-27).

Thus it is in any subsequent type throughout Scripture (such as our text from Genesis, chapter twelve), as well as in the antitype today. Darkness alone exists in the ruined creation (wrought through an act of Satan), until the Spirit of God performs a work in the individual. Through this act of the Spirit of God, man is born from above. God places the new nature (light) alongside the old nature (darkness) and divides "the light from the darkness." Bethel and Hai -- pointing to the light and the darkness, the new nature and the old nature -- must exist side by side throughout the entire duration of a Christian’s present pilgrim journey. And the initial act of the Spirit in man (producing the birth from above) begins a work, as in Genesis 1:2-5, which He will perform "until the day of Jesus Christ" (Php 1:6), climaxing with the long-awaited realization for the creation of man in Genesis 1:26-27 -- man ruling the earth as God originally intended.

Christians receive strength and guidance at Sichem and Moreh. Such strength and guidance are received only from the Lord through dwelling in His Word. The reason for this strength and guidance is to equip us to dwell on the mountain between Bethel and Hai. And so long as we are in this body of death, the things of Hai will remain. But we are not to look toward Hai. Rather, we are to look toward Bethel. Victory comes through being strengthened in the Word, guided by the Lord, dwelling on the mountain, turning from Hai, and looking toward Bethel.

Just as Abraham and his seed received no inheritance in the land during their past pilgrim journey, Christians likewise receive no inheritance during their present pilgrim journey. But just as Abraham and his seed will be raised up to inherit the land of their pilgrimage yet future, Christians likewise will be raised up to inherit the land of their pilgrimage yet future. These inheritances are earthly (for Israel), and heavenly (for Christians), and will be realized in the coming age.