Living in the Image of God M04S14
In the call of Abraham-Sarah, God spoke to Abraham regarding a mission and promise for Abraham-Sarah union. He gave directions to Abraham, spoke promises to him, and received commitment from him. However, his words spoke of a mission and promise that were meaningful only for Abraham-Sarah as a union. Therefore, we can surmise that God relied on Abraham’s leadership of the union and seamless communication with Sarah: to ensure that Abraham-Sarah shared the information and commitment seamlessly.
This study continues a series to understand the individual responsibility regarding family leadership, based on bible examples of husband-wife interactions. The series started with a discussion of the Shunammite couple. There we learned that the Shunammite couple was blessed abundantly through their honor and support for family leadership. The Shunammite woman honored and supported her husband as overall leader of the household. Her husband supported her as spiritual gateway of the family and leader in specific matters.
The study continued with a discussion of Adam and Eve, whereby we learned that the account of the creation of Adam and Eve shows that God created marriage to combine a man and woman: to form a union of seamless complements that is adequate for the mission of representing him among all creation. He created man first but found him inadequate. Then he created woman as comparable companion and helper from within.
The next installment of the study consists of a discussion of the Abraham-Sarah union, which we will discuss in a four-part subseries in order to focus enough on the details. In Part 1 of the four parts, we discuss the call of Abraham-Sarah. There we see that God called Abraham-Sarah union by speaking to Abraham. Although his promise to Abraham was meaningful only for Abraham-Sarah as a union, he spoke to Abraham as if he was a lone person, without even reminding him to discuss with his wife. Therefore, we can surmise that God relied on Abraham’s leadership of the union and seamless communication with Sarah to ensure that Abraham and Sarah shared the information and commitment as a union.
Part 2 of the subseries will discuss Abraham-Sarah interactions with their maidservant Hagar. The interactions show Abraham-Sarah trying to address childlessness by having a child through Hagar. They were successful, but the attempt caused serious problems for them that required calling on the strength of their union. Part 3 of the subseries will discuss God’s blessing for Abraham-Sarah to see that husband-wife blessing comes as a promise revealed to one, to be fulfilled for the union as one.
In Part 4 of the subseries, we will discuss Abraham-Sarah interactions regarding the challenge of Ishmael. There we see that the separation of Ishmael from Isaac was a directive to Sarah that God urged Abraham to implement. Sarah was the custodian of the information and Abraham implemented the directive as head of household. Also, we will learn about timely and permanent resolution of a husband-wife conflict and selecting an opportunity from several options.
After Abraham-Sarah, the series continues with a discussion of Isaac and Rebekah and Mary and Joseph. The current study session focusses on the call of Abraham-Sarah.
Call of Abraham-Sarah
God spoke to Abraham regarding a mission and promise for Abraham-Sarah union. He gave directions to Abraham, spoke promises to him, and received commitment from him. Every aspect of the interactions shows that the mission and promise were for Abraham-Sarah as a union. Therefore, we can surmise that God relied on Abraham’s leadership of the union and seamless communication with Sarah: to ensure that Abraham-Sarah shared the information and commitment seamlessly.
Interactions with Abraham in Harran
God spoke to Abraham several times during the period of their relocation from Harran to Canaan.
First, he spoke to Abraham in Harran. His name was Abram at that time. God told him to leave Harran (his fatherland) and move to another land that he will show to Abraham later: “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you’” [Genesis 12:1]. He promised Abraham a great expansion of his offspring and blessing for all people through his offspring [Genesis 12:2–3]: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
The directive and promise were meaningful only for Abraham-Sarah as a union but God spoke to Abraham as if he was a lone person. He spoke to Abraham on behalf of Abraham-Sarah union. For example, “I will make you into a great nation” means “I will make Abraham-Sarah union into a great nation,” and same interpretation for every occurrence of “you” or “your” in the passage. Yet, nothing in the interaction appears as an explicit reminder to Abraham to “be sure to discuss these things with your wife.” Therefore, we can surmise that God relied on Abraham’s leadership of the union and seamless communication with Sarah to ensure that Abraham and Sarah shared the information and commitment as a union.
Interactions with Abraham after Lot Separated
God spoke to Abraham again after Lot and Abraham separated. He showed to Abraham the land of promise and reiterated the promise of a great expansion of his offspring [Genesis 13: 14–16]: “The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, ‘Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west. All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.’”
In these verses, “your offspring” means “Abraham-Sarah offspring.” God spoke to Abraham regarding promises for Abraham-Sarah union. The promise of offspring expansion was meaningful only for Abraham-Sarah as a union. Therefore, as we already surmised, God relied on Abraham’s leadership of the union and seamless communication with Sarah to ensure that Abraham and Sarah shared the information and commitment as a union.
Interactions with Abraham in a Vision
God spoke to Abraham again in a vision to clarify his promise. He explained that the promise will be fulfilled through a son that will be Abraham’s flesh and blood [Genesis 15:4]: “Then the word of the Lord came to him: ‘This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.’” Then, God reiterated to Abraham his promise of a great offspring expansion [Genesis 15:5]: “He took him outside and said, ‘Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’” Also, he reiterated his promise of land for Abraham’s offspring. “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—’” [Genesis 15:18].
God’s promise regarding Abraham’s offspring is a promise to Abraham-Sarah union, spoken to Abraham on behalf of the union.
On Behalf of Abraham-Sarah
God interacted with Abraham regarding his directive and promise to Abraham-Sarah union. Although Sarah was not physically present during the interactions, she was party to the interactions, because the directive and promise were meaningful only for Abraham-Sarah as a union.
Therefore, God called Abraham-Sarah as a union by speaking to Abraham: he relied on Abraham’s leadership of the union and seamless communication with Sarah, to ensure that Abraham-Sarah shared the information and commitment seamlessly.
Summary of What We Learned
In the call of Abraham-Sarah, God spoke to Abraham regarding a mission and promise for Abraham-Sarah union. He gave directions to Abraham, spoke promises to him, and received commitment from him. However, his words spoke of a mission and promise that were meaningful only for Abraham-Sarah as a union. Therefore, we can surmise that God relied on Abraham’s leadership of the union and seamless communication with Sarah: to ensure that Abraham-Sarah shared the information and commitment seamlessly.