The Call of Abram

Published Oct 17, 2024, 9:00 AM

# 10 - The Call of Abram - In this episode of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein journey with Abram as he hears the call of God to leave everything familiar and step into the unknown. Discover the significance of Abram's faith, the foundation of the Abrahamic covenant, and how this ancient story continues to inspire and challenge us today.

Episode 10 of The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein is inspired by the Book of Genesis.

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For more information about Yael Eckstein and IFCJ visit https://www.ifcj.org/

Today's opening prayer is inspired by 2 Corinthians 5:7, “for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

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Show Notes:

(02:20) Intro with Yael Eckstein

(04:46) The Call of Abram - Cinematic Retelling

(27:02) Reflection with Yael Eckstein

Previously on the chosen people.

Let us craft creatures in our image, imbued with our essence.

God's design for humanity was to bear his image, fill the earth, and share in the joy of creation.

A choice is before you, Adam. You can freely take of the tree of life, nourishing yourself in my abiding love. You could live under the comforting canopy of your Creator, obeying me and partnering with me to cultivate the earth. Or you can reach for the tree of knowledge. You can awaken your mind to the possibility of evil, seize autonomy, and live apart from my blessing.

Maybe what was a mind? Maybe there's something wrong with me Apart from God. Paradise was lost. Adam and Eve sat in the dirt east of Eden, never to return. Their descendants would pine after Eden. Each generation would manufacture ways to reclaim Paradise.

Evil grieves his heart, This corruption, this violence, It wasn't his intention.

Lost?

Are you now evil?

Do you still be a blessed?

Where is your God? Now? This world is sick, These people are plagued by evil. Today we build this tower into piets of the Creator. Today we see greatness for our soul.

But Adam and Eve held on to a promise. One day a son of Eve would rise to crush the head of the serpent. He would reclaim Eden for humanity. Heaven and Earth would be joined once again.

Is this death? Is this the curse God spoke.

Of no Eve? I don't think this is death. I think this.

Is life.

It isn't about who you were when God chose you. It's about who you will become once you follow him. Shallo, my friends from here in the Holy Land a'mya l extein with international Fellowship of Christians and Jews, And this is the chosen people. In each episode, we explore the rich tapestry of the Hebrew Bible to uncover lessons that still resonate today. We traverse tales of faith, failure, love and loss as we press into the story of Israel, and we'll discover what it means to live a life of purpose and step into the calling that God has for each one of us. God chose the nation of Israel a Mount Sinai. But through their story we will discover one abiding truth that we are all chosen for something great. So let's begin in the beginning. God created the heavens and the earth from the void, he spoke light into existence. He formed the stars, the seas, the land, and all the living creatures. And then with divine breath, he created humanity in his own image. But then Sin entered the world through the mortal mistake of Adam and Eve, and humanity was plunged into a never ending cycle of rebellion and redemption. From the first sin in Eden to the flood in Noah's time, from the Tower of Babel to the scattering of the Nations, the story of Genesis unfolds with a mix of beauty and brokenness. But through it all, God's plan of redemption remained steadfast. His love for his creation is clear and unyielding. And now, as we turn the page to a new chapter, the stage is set for a moment that will echo throughout history. Enter Abram, a man of or living in a world of idols and false gods. Abram is called by the One True God. Abram doesn't yet know God's name, but he's about to discover God's character. In the midst of humanity's wandering and searching, God's voice breaks through it all. The story of Abram is more than ancient history. It's a testament to God's forever faithfulness. It's a beacon of hope, and it's a reminder that we too are part of this divine story. Let's dive in.

Abram makes hailed the sigh of relief as the last of the seemingly endless parade of priests, mourners, cousins, servants and solicitors finally to the door snatched shut with the last of them, and the mighty house of Terror stood silent as a tomb. Abram and his nephew Lot stood in the doorway of their now deceased patriarch's entryway. The air was heavy with tension, thick enough to be cut with a blade.

And so another great man of Shem's line has come to pass.

Lot's remark earned him a stern look from Abram. Abram sighed again, retreated further into the dwelling, and collapsed on a bench in the center courtyard of his father's home. His groans fell on to the dusty floor. His thoughts drifted up a level to his father's bed chamber, where a single chair would be left ceremonially empty beside his bed, or rather his death bed. It would now be up to him and his only remaining brother Nahor to steward their father's legacy. Their father had left for the underworld, leaving a legacy that included his wealth, property, influence, and lineage. However, the latter would prove to be the most difficult for Abram to shoulder. He had yet to produce an air of his own with his wife Sarah, but he tried not to dwell on that too often, especially for Sayrie's sake. It wasn't a new revelation for either of them, and though the hurt was buried deep, the dull pangs of inadequacy lingered. Attempting not to intrude on Abram's sullen silence, Lot tried to subtly slink into the courtyard and claimed the sea to cross from Abram. There wasn't anything subtle about Lot. Lot was a simple man of simple pleasures and pursuits. While Abram often thought about lofty and ethereal things, his nephew reserved his attention for the concrete and material. As a result, Lot was predictable, yet still endearing. The thought brought a reluctant grin to Abram's face, and his nephew returned it. Lote broke the silence again.

When do you suppose we'll hear back from nahorre and more on the point, are going to expect him to reside here in Haran? Will your father's inheritance really be divided among us? Will we live side by side like we did when we were young.

The messengers won't reach her for a few weeks. And I really can't say what Napol will do. It's been so long since we were under the same roof, or even in the same land. I suppose my father would want me to remain at Nahor's side. But as for you, I know going north was always my father's dream for you when your father passed, to see the land of his people.

Abram, you know, haranh has become just as much a harm to me as it is for you. But you know as well as I that your father, my grandfather, always intended for us to go all the way to Canaan.

Ha ha, Canaan. If I had a sheep, for every time my father mentioned Canaan that I could feel all er. My father talked endlessly about venturing off to Canaan. But stop short resides. You know as well as I how dangerous that road is, and if the family's stories are to be believed, I don't think they would exactly welcome sons of Shem.

Abram, don't you feel there might be more out there, more to seize and explore.

Our family has done exceedingly well.

Here, but I can't help feel like tera wanted more for me. I know you're comfortable here, Abram. You're content with this life.

What's that supposed to me?

You're content with what you have, Abram, That's all I'm saying. You don't seem to yearn for more, that's all.

Don't dit like you've suffered here in Heroin. But it is comfortable here. We've made a life here. When they're grown, your daughters will find husbands here, and soon you'll have a dynasty of your own. And my father's wealth and livestock will only make you all more comfortable.

Comfortable, Abram.

Comfortable.

Sure, Sure, it's comfortable, But you know what else? It is stifling. We're like trees, trees stuck in the shadow of any horse dynasty.

We're not gonna grow.

We're gonna be like like shrubs, little tiny shrubs. Look terror he loved me like a son, and I'll always be grateful, believe me, but that's not gonna get us anywhere. You know the laws of the land, Abram. Well stock here growing only as tall as na hall lets us. And I'm telling you, Abram, it's driving me crazy.

Nahore is our Kaden, here's my brother and your uncle. We have nothing to fear from you. Your fortune is secure. I don't understand where this is coming from, Abram.

Abram, let me stop you right there. You know what You and I are self made men, that's what we are. Sure we had a leg up. I'm not denying that, but look at what we've done. We've turned a profit with every single thing that was handed to us. We didn't just sit on it.

We weren't on it.

But don't you ever wonder, Abram, what we really are made of? What's in here?

Lots of questions done. Abram had a dysfunctional relationship with greatness and legacy. Having no child of his own or any hope for one on the horizon, he knew whatever he gained would be dispersed among his servants and relatives, nothing would live on beyond him. Abram didn't aim for greatness. Instead, he remained reliable, steady, and predictable.

I won't be made to feel guilty being reliable. Between the two of us, we have a multitude of responsibilities. As for where I place my trust, I place it in my own hands. If those I am responsible for find me lacking, what kind of man would I be? So no, I do not wonder what I am made of, because I must find the answer every day. Every day I can put money in the hands of my workers or food in the bellies of my household, and I discover what I am made of. And I haven't failed them yet.

I love you, Abrahm, and I always will. You've always been a bit of a brother to me, and you're everything an older brother should be. Your sense of duty and loyalty are unmatched. I'm just thinking about your father. He stops short of his dreams. And when I look back on my life, I want to feel like I did something of significance, that I achieved something that no one else has done before. Maybe, just maybe that something is in the land of Canaan. You've heard the stories, right, are distant relatives, the line of Ham, the cursed, Abram cursed, And yet there they are, setting in seats of power.

And then there's me.

I don't want to just be another name, Abram, just another name and a long, endless list of men from the line of Noah.

And you would become a conqueror and lead your family into a war for significance. Don't you feel that you are already contributing to this legacy to our nation?

Don't you sometimes wonder what it would be like to have a nation all of your own, to make a name for yourself, rather than relying on the name of another.

And, as much as he would reluctant to admit it, Abram did consider Lot's words. When Lord took his leave, Abram wandered to the upper levels of his father's house. He at last found himself on the roof, staring out over the packed city, and wondered if he would ever grow accustomed to this feeling. The babble of all manner of man and beast from below created a steady drumbeat that pulsed against his ear drums and sent his mind racing. That's when he heard it, a voice, whispering through the cacophony of city noise. Abram Abram turned he was alone. He scanned the rooftop, searching for the source of the voice. The world around him became quiet and still. Again, he heard the voice calling out to.

Him, Abram, who's there, Come to me?

The voice called out again, this time from below the house. Abram ran down the stairs, following the sound of the voice. It called him outside, then down the alleyway.

Abram.

Abram ran through the busy streets, bumping into vendors and tripping over carts. The voice was calling to him from outside the gates. Abram sprinted out of the gates and down the dirt path leading to the pastures of his father's flock. The evening breeze whistled through the valley, carrying the voice calling to Abram again.

Abram.

Abram stopped at a large terebinth tree. The starlight shone through the breaks in the leaves, causing a dance of shadow and light on Abram's face. The voice spoke again, this time gently. It spoke to him and through him. Abram could feel the presence of the voice, but couldn't capture its source.

Abram, here, I am Apron. You are to go out from your land, leave your father's house and your relatives behind island, and go to the land. I will show you.

Still grappling with the words he was hearing, Abram was suddenly stunned to find that images of a familiar terrain and a worn road flashed in his mind. The road led southwest out of the city toward Canaan, and flashes of lush valleys and cascading falls appeared before him.

To day, I will make you a promise. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you. Follow me, and I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing to the entire world.

Again, images of a future Abram could barely understand flickered in and outer focus in his mind's eye faster than he could discern. But the intent was clear. He was to have a legacy like the one locked Pinefall, no greater, even so, much more significant and vast than either of them could have imagined.

What's more, I will bless those who bless you. I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples of earth will be blessed through you.

As if to emphasize that final word, Abram felt the presence press onto his shoulders like a mighty weight. The manifestation of the mantle inexplicably thrust upon him. Despite the strangeness of what had just happened, he somehow found the pressure comforting, and as abruptly as the voice had begun speaking and the presence surrounded him, the weight dematerialized to a quiet, comforting presence that wrapped itself in the back of his mind. It was barely noticeable, but within reach if he dared access it. A ways off, a cool breeze of the uth Frate's River drifted up to meet the two women reclining on a different roof overlooking the city. Abram's wife, Sarah, hosted Lot's wife Edith while their husbands settled their great patriarch's affairs. Sarah pretended to listen to Edith as she prattled on about the latest gossip in town. She longed for the arrival of Abram so that she could remove herself from the intensity of the other woman's rent.

And you know, ado, she's going to smile and host her new son in law's family as if the match was her idea all along. She'll never admit that he's simply not good enough for her daughter. But I'll tell you one thing, Sarai I would never stand for that. When my girls are old enough, no one but the wealthiest men will do for them as husbands. I won't settle for anything else. Don't you agree?

Sarah half heartedly opened her mouth to reply, but Lot's wife continued without waiting for a response.

Oh right, Well, I suppose you won't need to worry about that. But I'm sure you agree in principle. And you know what my Lot always says. The wealth of this city is steady and stable. It's all the same families exchanging the same coins over and over again, no movement up or down, no real competition if you're the sort that has your eyes on advancement. But I hear that the lands in Canaan are untamed, and there are fortunes to be had if you're bold enough to take it. Wealth you can't even imagine, wealth that would put Er and Haran to shame.

Mercifully, Sarah I saw the top of Abram's head emerge as he climbed the steps to the roof, sparing her from enduring any more of Edith's in sensitive remarks and frenzied daydreaming about adding to their already substantial wealth.

Well, I suppose I should get back to oversee the dinner preparations. Abram, is Lot with you or did he go home already?

He must be at home ways earlier.

Lot's wife took her leave, but Abram lingered on the roof. Something was on his mind. Sarah waited expectantly for her husband to gather his thoughts. They had long been married. She could see the determination in his eyes. He had his mind made up about something. He strode to the roof's edge and began speaking as he stared over the city.

Sarah, I have something to tell you.

Yes, Abram, I'm listening.

I'm going to take our family out of hern. We will begin making arrangements immediately. We will drive all our livestock, take our possessions and all those who work for us, and head south toward Canaan.

Abram, help me understand what you mean. I thought we were settled here in Haran going south now? Of all times, we're established here, We're comfortable. And besides, who would care for our father's estate if we were to leave? Would we leave that responsibility to nahor to Lot?

I suppose we may take whoever as willing to join us. I would need to speak to lot tomorrow as early as possible, if he is to join us and make preparations as well.

Sarah I was too stunned to respond, so Abram continued and tried to explain the supernatural phenomenon that had overcome him in the alleyway.

Abram, look at me, Are we to upend our entire way of life on the words of a random god?

Abram turned to his wife and struggled to find his words. He scanned her face, accessing and questioning, undoubtedly weighing whether or not he would bring her into the inner workings of his mind.

His heart.

Sarah yearned for partnership, not lordship, but she didn't know where to begin when it came to Abram. Sarah, in return, searched his face but found only resolve, an immovable, impenetrable wall of conviction.

You have to trust me, Sarah, I have weighed the cost, but more reportedly, I know in my heart and we must follow the words of this God.

So you've already decided.

Then Abram averted his eyes from Sarah's helpless stare and turned again to look over the city, already calculating and planning the journey ahead.

I have.

It is what is right, and that settled the matter. Sarah I knew better than to pry and argue. At times. Abram was this locked vault of thoughts and emotions. She could feel his head churning. She wished she could access his mind. She yearned for that type of intimacy. Yet even so, she knew character.

If this is your conviction, then I will follow you.

Abram glanced her way, briefly slid his hand over to hers. She took it and squeezed. Abram had been amazed, flattered even at how many had chosen to come with him out of Haran. Even months later, and hundreds of miles later, he still marveled at the sheer numbers of people and animals that sprawled out behind him when he led their odyssey from the head of the vast column. Abram decided to scout ahead with Lot, who had unsurprisingly jumped at the chance to accompany Abram and a small group of handpait men. They had just passed into the land of Canaan, and the city of Shechem lay before them, nestled on the shoulder of mounte Baal. The land of Canaan was occupied by a savage and war loving people. Though Abram and Lot had brought men who could fight, their fighting numbers would easily be inconsequential if confronted head on by the brutal Canaanites. Abram waited for Lot and the others to return with a report. In the shade of a gnarled, twisted oak tree. It was then that the same otherworldly stillness came upon Abram. Birds on, insect buzzing, and wind alike ceased, as if to give their attention to the mighty presence. Suddenly upon Abram, sweat beat down his brow. He turned to Lot and serah.

I'll be back wait here for me.

Abram left to find a solitary place, his heart ached in his chest to hear the voice whisper again. He summitted a small grassy hill where wild flowers swayed gently to the breeze. He sat on a stone and waited. Since leaving, Abram had wondered if he was following a figment of his imagination, or if the god he chose to follow was some sort of trickster. But there on that blooming foothill, the Creator.

Spoke, Abram, you answered my call and left your land. You left your father's house, and now here you are. Yes, I have done what you asked. Now what you have been faithful so far in what I have asked you. Because of your faithfulness, I will uphold my promise to you. You now stand of the land that I will one day give your offspring.

Abram's eyes widened. He tilted his head upward in confusion and trepidation.

My offspring.

Yet there was no more answer. Abram nodded reverently as he felt the mighty presence dissipate, though he could still sense a remnant in the back of his mind. Abram didn't know why this God chose him. He wasn't a substantial or charismatic man. He wasn't even the greatest in his household. How would he accomplish all that had foretold? Even still, with this God's voice reverberating in his mind, he felt a confidence flicker in his heart. He could become great. Still alone in the shade of the bent oak tree, he began to pace and plan his next move.

I will lead my people further into the land of Canaan. We will pitch our tents and create a stronghold beside Bethel.

Abram again felt that stirring of confidence in his heart, as if to affirm his decision. Prompted by this encouragement, he considered another response to the calls. Having always been a man of business and transitions, he wondered what this god would require in return. Surely the gift of land and legacy would warrant an offering. He had grown up seeing his father and neighbors make to the various gods of the land, but he was no longer in their domain, and he sensed this god wasn't one he had ever encountered before. Abram decided to mark this agreement with this new God and offer his gratitude by building an altar here in this very spot. He also decided that when they were settled by Bethel, he would build another altar there, so that his newly kindled faith would burn bright at the ever present reminder. When Abram's men and lot returned, they built the first altar together. Abram stood back from their work and again felt that pulse of assurance in his heart. He gazed up at the twisted oak tree that had towered over them while they worked, and smiled at the thought of its serving as a landmark of this monumental moment. Perhaps it would even stand and serve as a reminder to his great nation long after he was gone.

Wow.

What an incredible story. Abram was called to leave his country, his people, in his father's household, to go to a land that God himself would show him. This introduces a pivotal moment in the Biblical narrative and the Hebrew story. It introduces the Abrahamic Covenant, as we say in Hebrew, the breat which would be foundational for the story of Israel and God's redemption plan for the world. This covenant, this breach, wasn't just for Abram, but for his descendants, the nation of Israel, and ultimately it's for all of us who choose to step out in faith and follow the God of all creation. This covenant, this breat was a promise. Listen to these words from Genesis twelve two. 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. Through Abraham, all nations would be blessed. And this promise was not merely about land or descendants, so was about God's promise to bring redemption. How powerful this is what stands out for me. God didn't choose Abram because he was already great. No, God said to Abram, follow me and I will make you great.

You see, greatness isn't.

A prerequisite for God's blessing. He chooses the people and the fringe, the outcasts and the lonely, and makes them into something great. It isn't about who you were when God chose you, about who you will become once you follow him. Faith and obedience. The call of Abram is rich with biblical motive, faith and obedience, divine promise, separation, and consecration. These aren't just ancient themes. They're crucial threads woven into our stories.

Do you see it? Do you feel it?

It's talking to us.

Let's start with these themes of faith and obedience. God called Abram to leave everything familiar. He had to leave his country, his people, and his father's household. And what did Abram do? He left no GPS, no detailed itinerary, no real plan, just a promise from God. How often do we find ourselves in situations like Abrams that God calls us to step out from what we were doing, to leave the known for the unknown, to trust him with our future. That's huge, and it happens in our lives all the time. Might be a job change, move to a new city, a relationship that needs mending, or a ministry that he's calling us to.

And like Abram, we.

Have to decide do we trust God enough to obey, do we believe his promises are true? Or do we try to ignore what God is saying, try to pretend like he's not talking to us. This brings us to the divine promise that Abram received. God promised Abram land descendants and blessing. He said, 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. But this promise wasn't just for Abraham. It was a promise for future generations, and it's a reminder to us that God's promises are true. And then there's the idea of separation and consecration. God called Abram to leave his past behind to step into a new idea, identity, and future. This is often where we struggle the most. We cling to the familiar, to our comfort zones, to our past successes and even our past mistakes. But God calls us to something greater. He calls us to leave behind what holds us back and to dedicate ourselves to His purposes to always be in renewal. God calls us to bravely step forward into his future. You see, for me this is very personal. Two decades ago, God called me and my husband to step forward in faith to something greater. We were newlyweds. Both of us were raised in America. My husband and I met in America, we studied in America, we got married just a few weeks before, and suddenly God called us to make alien, to pick up our lives and move to Israel. It was a spiritual calling that God was putting up both of our hearts. The question, are you going to establish your roots and your lives in America or in this prophetic time where I've opened up the gates of Jerusalem to you, are you going to leave your homeland behind and walk through those gates of Jerusalem to start something new. Well, ever since then, my husband and I have lived here in Israel, in our biblical and historic homeland, in the homeland that we learn about in each episode. We have four kids who are raised here in Israel, born in the mountains of Jerusalem, and it's an incredible story that worked out very well. But I have to admit, when I was in America getting that call to leave everything behind and step out in faith to move to Israel, I was terrified. Both my husband and I were called to leave the only homes we ever knew, to leave our fans families in America, to come to a country where they speak a new language, where life is not easy, where terror is around almost every single street, almost every single day. What I realized, though, what my husband and I realized together, is that sometimes stepping forward in faith and following God isn't always easy, but we have to do it anyways. I could imagine that it certainly wasn't easy for Abram to do that, to leave the land that he knew, but it's very clear, my friends, it was worth it. I can tell you from experience that being uncomfortable is often the doorway to true purpose and destiny. The great Jewish age Nahmanidi suggested something interesting about Abram after he moved to the land that God showed him to the land of Israel. It was there that Abram was meant to begin his ministry of teaching people about God. Ahmanidy says that back in Abram's hometown in Ur in Mesopotamia, he also tried to teach about the One God in the Holy Land, which already possessed that special quality of spirituality. People were more open to understanding Abraham's teachings of One God. As I think back to my own Aliah, my own coming home to the Holy Land, moving to Israel, I completely understand what Nhmanidies is teaching and what Abraham probably experienced. While God and his word were important to me in the US, here in Israel, the spirituality somehow feels a lot deeper, a lot more relevant. The words of the Bible speak to me more loud and clear. It's not just theoretical, it's practical. It's not just in my head, but it's in front of my eyes. And that's why I'm so happy to be here with you on the Chosen People, and where I try to share with you what I feel here in the Holy Land. And that is what the story of Abraham stepping out in faith is trying to tell us all. Wherever in the world we are uncomfortable, steps of faith are often doorways to greatness for God's chosen people. When we're following God's heart and God's will, it's not always comfortable, but it's always good. And Abraham's story is critical improving this message. As this continuing saga unfolds, we're going to see in our next teachings how Abraham's story sets the stage for the development of Israel as God's chosen people. The Abrahamic Covenant is a cornerstone of God's plan for redemption for the Jewish people, but it also hearkens to something beautiful for Christians to speak more on. That is my friend, Bishop Paul Lanier.

Thank you so much, y earl. And here we are in one of the most significant portions of scripture to be found in all the Bible, whether it's in the Old Testament or the New Testament. This Genesis chapter twelve, in particular verse three, where God says, I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse those utterly destroy those who curse you. And at the beginning of this chapter, God instructs Abraham to turn his back to walk away, to forsake the country and the family behind him. And if we leap over into the Christian scriptors, to the Book of Hebrews, chapter eleven, we read that indeed Abraham did this as an act of faith.

Quote for a city.

Whose builder and maker is God. And in the Book of Galatians, the apostle Paul says to us that Abraham is indeed the father of faith to all of us who believe. And what's remarkable. We can barely get out of the first sentence of verse one chapter twelve, where God is already referring to the land. That's right, the souls of the Jewish people and the soil of the land of Israel are inseparable to God. And Abraham and Sarah don't even have a nursery. And already God's referring to a nation and says, I will make your name great. Verse four we read about a nephew by the name of Lot, who's just one person in this cast. I think about Lot, and I think about Ishmael, and I think about Elizer, But none of them were to be used strategically by God as seed in the founding of the Jewish nation. Only from the loins of Abraham and the womb of Sarah was this to be. And in verse six we read that Abraham passed through the land of Shechem or Shechem. Now I've been there. I'm telling you, is one thing to get in that place. It's entirely something else to get out of there. Now it is the burial site of Joseph. And God refers to the descendants. You know, without covenant, you don't have descendants, you just have deductions. But Abraham and Sarah indeed did have descendants. God says, to your descendants, I will give this land and this covenant man of Abraham. No, he did not be to tower. The Bible says he built an altar unto God. Well, in this altar moment, can I pray with you, Oh my dear God. I thank you for everyone who's listening to me now, and I pray that as you are leading, guiding and directing us, we will be completely yielded, that we will pursue that city whose builder and maker is God. For all of this, we give you praise Amen.

God's call to Abram highlights the concept of covenant, reoccurring theme in scripture that reflects God's commitment and faithfulness to his people. God makes promises and keeps them even when we don't. Abram's story shows us a God who reaches out God who says, I will be your God, and you will be my people. And this covenant isn't just about rules or regulations. It's really relationship based on trust and faith. And speaking of faith, as we say in Hebrew and Moona, let's talk about Abrahamic righteousness. In Genesis fifteen six, we read Abram believed the Lord, and he credited to him as righteousness. In Hebrew, the word for righteousness is sedec. You see, righteousness or sedek wasn't about Abram getting everything right. It was about his faith in God. Abram wasn't perfect, No, he had his moments of doubts, and he made mistakes.

We know that.

But what set Abram apart was his faith, his willingness to trust God, his step out in obedience, to leave the familiar for the unknown for the godly. This kind of sedec, this kind of righteousness, is accessible to all of us. It isn't about perfect adhering to any sort of law, because remember, Abraham didn't have the Torah, he didn't yet have the Law of Moses. What he started with was his heart and his connection to God. He didn't have the prophets. All he had was a still quiet voice prompting him to move. And God doesn't expect us to be perfect. He doesn't even expect us to be like Abraham. He expects us to be like ourselves, but to be ourselves and to trust in Him and his desire and plan for our individual lives. So as you live out your own faith today, I leave you, as always with this special biblical blessing. Varra hashem vish moregra yeah heer hashempanave lera ver y sa hashempanave Schalon. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you. May the Lord be gracious to you. And may the Lord turn his face towards you and give you shalon. Give you peace with blessings from the Holy Land. This is your el Exstein, and you are listening to the Chosen People.

You can listen to the Chosen People with isle Estein add free by downloading and subscribing to the prey dot Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabager and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Anne and Drew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin, Kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yeile Eckstein, please rate and leave a review,

The Chosen People with Yael Eckstein

Welcome to The Chosen People podcast with Yael Eckstein, a transformative podcast experience that in 
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