Men in the Bible: Abraham – A Laidback and Complacent Man And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his…
Men in the Bible: Abraham – A Laidback and Complacent Man
And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran… Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you, and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. – Genesis 11:31-32, 12:1-5
The man we shall explore today is Abraham, the father of faith. Undoubtedly, Abraham was a prominent figure in ancient history and a dominant one still today through his descendants in the Middle East as well as his adopted descendants through faith. However, it is interesting that Abraham did not start out as the larger-than-life figure we know him to be today. On the contrary, he came across as a timid, laidback and complacent fellow.
From the passage above, Abraham joined his father, Terah, on a long journey as they relocated from Ur to Canaan. However, due to the distance of the journey, they decided to camp halfway at Haran. Unfortunately, Terah, the originator of the expedition, did not make it beyond this point, as he died in Haran at age 205.
Having thus lost his father, who was the one keen on getting the family to Canaan, a land reputed to be flowing with milk and honey, it appeared Abraham was not interested in continuing the journey from there. He was very well content with staying permanently in Haran. Even though he knew the original intent of his father, Abraham appeared unperturbed by the idea of staying put where they camped. He was ready to settle down halfway to their intended destination and make the most of life in Haran. After all, he had his wife, Sarai, and Lot, his young nephew, to consider.
But then God came in.
God must have seen Abraham’s intention to settle halfway rather than go the long haul to Canaan. He must have read the fear behind Abraham’s decision to settle for less. He must have listened to the logic Abraham put forth in explaining his decision and justifying his position to his wife and family. But God would have none of that. So, He decided to make an overture to Abraham.
God knew that for someone fully determined to settle as Abraham was, He needed to entice him with something to get him to continue the journey which his father started. So, God came to Abraham with an offer. He said:
“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”- Genesis 12:2-3
With this inducement, God was able to get Abraham to rally his family and gather all they had so they could proceed on the journey to Canaan. From this point, Abraham went on to become a great person, just as God had promised him. However, if not for God’s intervention when he decided to settle for less by nesting in Haran, he might not have fulfilled his potential or become the great person that we know him to be today.
The lesson here is that it is okay to entertain fear and feelings of inferiority from time to time, particularly if the prospect you are contending with is as daunting as Abraham’s, who was not looking forward to the prospect of walking about 1000 kilometers on rough and rocky terrains traveling through deserts and wilderness, with the dangers of beasts and men of the underworld always there.
However, by dangling the promise of blessings, greatness and prominence before him, God was able to get Abraham to look beyond his anxieties and see the picture of all he might be if he embarked on the journey. Thankfully, he did.
Men in the Bible: Abraham and White Lies Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe…
Men in the Bible: Abraham and White Lies
Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, ‘This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.” So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house. He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels. – Genesis 12:10-16
Another standout attribute of Abraham’s, which we can unlearn, is his penchant for lying to gain access and favor. Abraham had a propensity for telling white lies as a way of self-preservation.
From the passage above, we can see how he prevailed on his wife to lie about her relationship to him, claiming that she was his sister, in order for them to gain access to and be welcomed in Egypt. After deciding to vacate Canaan, due to the famine ravaging the land, Abraham set his eyes on Egypt, but there was a problem; he sensed that the Egyptians might not be receptive to them once they learn that Sarah was his wife. So, in order to facilitate their being received while also saving his own life, he decided to doctor the identity of his wife by claiming she was his sister.
This initially worked as planned, as the Egyptians were warm towards the couple and even lavished Abraham with many gifts as Pharaoh started to warm up to the idea of taking Sarah as his own wife, by making her supposed brother happy. Abraham must have been delighted at his newfound fortune and favor in Egypt, even though he might have had remorse at having to live without his dear wife. But at least their plan worked out, and the white lie they said was well received. Not until the consequences of what the lie led to broke out.
But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. And Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had. – Genesis 12:17-16
God visited Pharaoh and his household with great plagues for taking Abraham’s wife, even when Pharaoh was not aware she was already married. God was not interested in that. He only reacted to the fundamental that was breached by Pharaoh by afflicting him severely. Not just him, but his entire household as well. So, what was to be an innocent lie and a saving grace to help someone stay safe or alive proved to be a disaster for another person, and even more people to boot.
Therefore, while Abraham’s lie about his wife’s identity earned him a temporary respite and assets in Egypt, that did not last long. Upon discovering the cause of his recent problems, Pharaoh, who was still smarting from all the afflictions that God had piled on him and his household, no longer wanted Abraham and his wife around. So he ordered that they be banished from Egypt immediately.
Men in the Bible: A Large-Hearted and Accommodating Man So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had… Then…
Men in the Bible: A Large-Hearted and Accommodating Man
So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had… Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. – Genesis 12:20, 13:1-2
Another lesson we can learn from Abraham’s lifestyle was his large-heartedness. He was not only large-hearted but also very accommodating.
Abraham left Egypt a rich man, as he had been lavished with wealth by Pharaoh, who wanted to marry Abraham’s supposed sister, Sarah. However, when the truth was revealed about Sarah’s identity and Abraham and his family were sent packing out of Egypt, all their acquisitions were also dispatched along with them; nothing was taken from them. This made Abraham leave Egypt a wealthy man. Pharaoh at that time was the most powerful man on earth, presiding over a vast spread of kingdom and vast resources. So, you can imagine the kind of assets he must have endowed Abraham with to marry his “sister”.
Meanwhile, even with his newfound wealth, one thing remained constant about Abraham: his accommodating nature. This was reflected in his allowing his young nephew, Lot, to tag along with him at every part of his journey. Some men with lesser fiber would have ditched Lot in Haran and headed for Canaan without him. After all, it was not he, Abraham, that brought Lot from Ur in the first place. It was his late father, Terah. And having brought him to Canaan, Abraham could have justifiably left Lot there before heading to Egypt during the famine. But he still took him along.
After departing Egypt, however, considering the acrimonious way he and his family left the land of opportunity, after Pharaoh’s discovery that Sarah was not Abraham’s sister but his wife. Abraham, still smarting from the reprimand of Pharaoh, might have done little wrong by parting ways with Lot afterwards. But this was not the case. He still took him along. Wherever he went, he took his young relative along and did not resent his tagging along or attempt to ditch him at any point, as some would have done.
Even when Lot started to become rich through association with him, Abraham did not mind. He must have given him enough assets to start him off on his own to the point that Lot himself can be described as a wealthy man, all from the resources he got either directly from his uncle Abraham or by virtue of his association with him. Yet, there was no record that Abraham resented Lot in any way or rubbed it in that he was the one who made him, as some in his shoes would have relentlessly done. He remained his large-hearted and accommodating self throughout their relationship. He was not a me-and-my-family-alone man.
Another lesson we can learn from God is His disposition to a balancing act. He is not a God of extremes. Even though some who profess to follow Him go to extremes in His name or make extreme claims on His behalf, extreme is not a label that one can pin on God. He balances the acts.
Understanding God: He is Not Moved by Sentiments
Another lesson we can learn from the personality of God is that sentiments do not move Him. Therefore, He cannot be deceived into making a wrong judgment or call, as humans tend to do.
Understanding God: He is A Creator
He is a Creator. This is not to be interpreted loosely, particularly in the light of our contemporary use of the word. God is the ultimate Creator, as He created all things, even the ends of the earth (Isaiah 40:28).
Understanding God: God of the Beginning
There is no better way to begin this journey of exploring the people and entities in the Bible than to start with God. He is not just the beginning but is the origin of all things.
Women in the Bible: A Paragon of Beauty
What made Sarah’s beauty so compelling that kings and nations took notice? Explore the deeper layers of grace, favour, and mystery surrounding one of Scripture’s most unforgettable women — and discover why her story still provokes wonder today.
Men in the Bible: A Man of Ambition and Adventure
Terah may not have reached Canaan, but his courage to start a life-changing journey laid the foundation for Abraham’s destiny. Discover how ambition and bold steps mark a life of significance.
Men in the Bible: An Impetuous and Impudent Man
A revealing glimpse into a man whose choices exposed deeper issues of character, showing how hastiness and entitlement can quietly shape a destiny, and why his story still speaks to us today.
Men in the Bible: A Man with Little Foresight
Sometimes what looks like a smart choice can hide the seed of a mistake. This reflection from Scripture invites us to think again about how foresight — or the lack of it — shapes a man’s story.
Men in the Bible: The First Man to Tithe
Before laws, temples, or traditions, one man honoured God with his substance. Abraham’s tithe was not commanded, demanded, or enforced. It flowed from reverence.
Fathers in the Bible: A Destiny-Shaping Father
What makes a man a truly aware father? Discover how one man’s prophetic foresight shaped his son’s destiny and changed generations forever.
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