Genesis 12 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
“Faith is not a mushroom that grows overnight in damp soil; it is an oak tree that grows for a thousand years under the blast of the wind and rain.”
Donald Grey Barnhouse
None of us begin our journey with Christ possessing perfect faith. Often, we must struggle through the convoluted process of detrimental consequences to experience a refined faith. Just when we think we have arrived, God takes us through another blast of wind and rain to purify us.
Abram was no different. He was given astounding promises from God and asked to cooperate in faith. We read here in Genesis 11 that he failed along the way.
Abram took his nephew Lot with him. This would prove to be a mistake, however, some commentators write that this was not Abram’s fault because Lot chose to go. The more obvious blunder for Abram was asking his wife Sarai to pose as his sister when crossing over to Egpyt.
“Please say that you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may live on account of you.”
Genesis 12:13 NASB
Abram attempted to assist God with the promises He had spoken to him. It is interesting to me that Abram is willing to take his chances endagering his wife but is unwilling to take his chances with finding food in Canaan. It seems that both issues (the famine and the threat of losing his wife) are severe enough to warrant action, but we do not read that Abram consults God about either one. He makes his own plan.
The truth is, the famine would not have destroyed Abram and neither would the Egyptians. Why? Because God had promised that a great nation would come through him. This promise simply could not happen if Abram died.
What we find, however, is the providence of God’s grace. God intervenes because this is His nature. It is fascinating to consider that even in our struggles, God’s grace shows up in a powerful way. There is no doubt that this entire process worked in Abram’s life to increase his faith and trust God despite impossible odds.