Genesis 11:31-32. 31Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran.
Often when the story of Abraham is told it begins in Genesis 12. Abraham hears the call of God from Ur of the Chaldees and immediately packs up his family and his belongings and heads to the Promised Land no questions asked. It’s a great story, but unfortunately, that’s not exactly what happened.
The story of Abraham actually begins in Genesis 11 with his father Terah. Terah is a direct descendant of Shem, son of Noah, both of whom, according to the Biblical timeline would have still been alive at Terah’s birth. And yet Terah has taken a turn away from the God of his fathers. The book of Joshua tells us that Terah worshiped other gods, while Terah’s name itself and the names of several of his family members all originate from the moon cult.
And then there is the city of Haran. Out text tells us that Terah left Ur to go to Canaan. But Terah never made it to the Canaan land. He settled in Haran. Crossroads. That’s what Haran literally was, a crossroads of trade, an epicenter of commerce and business. It was also the location of a giant ziggurat temple dedicated to the moon god, Nanna. A temple that was identical to the one in…you guessed it, Ur.
So you see, Terah never made it to Canaan. He settled. He chose to worship the creation over the Creator. He chose to end his journey only half way there. He chose to stay dedicated to the idols of his heart rather than to follow the path of God.
Where do you find yourself settling? What idols of the heart have kept you from pushing forward into God’s promises? Has the idol of comfort kept you from embracing God’s promise to be with you even in the difficult moments of witness or service? Has the idol of your own insecurity kept you from embracing God’s promise to strengthen you with his love when you choose to show love to others?
Terah will die in Haran. Not just physically, but spiritually. Terah could not let go of his gods. Whatever the moon represented to him was more powerful than what the God of creation appeared to offer. Terah walked by sight, not faith. He could see the moon. He could see the temple of Nanna. He could see the trappings of the city. But he couldn’t see the Promised Land. And he couldn’t see Yahweh, God.
1 Corinthians 6:9. 9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: …no idolaters 10 …will inherit the kingdom of God.
Terah’s death is symbolic. The idolater is dead. The man of faith will live on. Abraham, the father of promise. The tenth from Noah, just as Noah was the tenth from Adam. Will Abraham be a new “Noah,” a new savior of humanity? A Christ figure?
Or will Abraham settle?
Will Abraham walk by faith or by sight?
Spoiler alert:
Genesis 12:1,4. 1Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you… 4So Abram went, as the Lord had told him.
Christian, we are not the spiritual offspring of Terah, we are the offspring of Abraham. Yes, we may be living in our own version of Haran, the crossroads, but we don’t have to settle there. And we certainly don’t have to die there. Yes, the “moon temple” glistens in the sun (how ironic) drawing our attention to all the shiny things of life, but that is not our house of worship, and idolater is no longer our identity. Christ is.
1 Corinthians 6:9. 9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: …no idolaters 10 …will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Our days of settling are over. Our days of embracing the promises of Christ and moving forward by faith in him have only just begun.
You: Can you identify any areas of your life where you are settling for less than Christ?
You in Christ: 1 Corinthians 6:11 says that we were (past tense) idolaters, but that we have been cleansed. Can you tell that you have a greater desire for Christ than for your idols? In what ways?
Christ in you: How does the promise of our union with Christ allow you to walk by faith rather than by sight?
Prayer: Father, you have justified me in the name of Christ. Even when I return to my idols I do not stand condemned. But help me to reject my idols and to refuse to settle for less than your best. Amen.
To Live is Christ 