Redemption history begins.
Here with this guy Abram, God starts the long-haul project of re-making humankind. Even secular historians have to credit Abram as one of the most significant persons to have lived.
Every journey has a first step.
Abram is 75. He’s married. No kids. We’re told he’s a foreigner living in the city of Haran (in the southwestern corner of modern day Turkey). In other words, he’s nothing special at this point in the story. It probably wouldn’t be out of bounds to imagine Abram and Sarai as contemporary bedouin, those mobile Arab tribes.
This is who God chooses to start the long story that will end with Jesus and the cross. An old, childless shepherd in the desert. The writer doesn’t give us many more details about this guy. In fact, in one of the first stories we’re given about Abram, we see he’s a liar ready to do whatever it takes to survive in a hard world, even bargain away his wife. Not the most flattering story.
This is who God chooses. No mention of his character. No mention that he’s righteous, like Noah. Or that he walks with God, like Noah. So what qualifies him?
Who’s to say God won’t choose you?
So what about you? What do you see?
Fiftyeight 