Noah and Abram

As Pastorpher spoke from Genesis 15 today, where God made a covenant with Abram, I wonder about the background and the context to the choosing of Abram. Who was he? What did he do? Whom did he actually worship? Of all people why him?

Referring to Genesis 12, it was simply recorded that God said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him. That was it. The author of Genesis do not provide us with anymore reasons as to why God had chosen Abram. There was no mention that he was the best candidate - he was just chosen. No criteria given.

In comparison, when God chose Noah in Genesis 6, Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.

If I am not wrong the only difference between the two choosing is this: Noah's was because there was judgment to be meted out, and the only condition Noah met was that he was righteous, he walked with God. In the case of Abram, it was a case of a call to obedience. The were no conditions to obedience. God would just call, and it is to be obeyed.

So in that sense, no matter who we are, it does not matter to God, he chose us all to obedience. But when it comes to salvation, he chose only those who walk with him.

pearlie