In this message we shall consider further God’s work in the old dispensation, in His old administrative arrangement.
In his testimony before the Jewish religionists, Stephen spoke concerning God’s calling Abraham, the father of the chosen race, out of the idolatrous generation: “The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him, Go out of your land and from your relatives, and come into the land which I will show you” (Acts 7:2-3). Abraham was called by God. Adam was the father and head of the created race, but Abraham was the father and head of the called race. As recorded in Genesis, the history of the created race culminated in the building of the tower and city of Babel. Names of idols were written on this tower, indicating that the created race had given up God and had turned to idolatry. Then God came in to call Abraham out of the idolatrous generation. According to Acts 7:2-3, God called Abraham out of his land and from his relatives.
By the time God called Abraham, man had forsaken God. Man’s forsaking of God was signified by his building a city for protection. Furthermore, man had built a tower as a sign of self-exaltation. Furthermore, mankind had turned from God to idols. Abraham, therefore, was called out of an idolatrous generation.
The calling of Abraham was originated by God Himself. It was not initiated by the called one. Although Abraham was the father of the called race, the calling did not originate with him. One day, while he was in Mesopotamia worshipping other gods (Josh. 24:2), God appeared to him and called him. God was the Originator of the calling of Abraham.
Although God’s calling of Abraham took place in time, something prior to that-God’s selection-took place in eternity past. Before the foundation of the world, God selected Abraham and also predestinated him. Then, in time, while Abraham was worshipping other gods, having no thought that he would be called by God, God appeared to him as the God of glory and called him.
It was the God of glory that appeared to Abraham. God’s glory was a great attraction to Abraham, and it separated him from the idolatrous generation unto God. This appearing strengthened Abraham to accept God’s calling. According to Abraham’s situation in Mesopotamia, without the attraction and encouragement of God’s glory, it would not have been possible for Abraham to accept God’s calling. But the God of glory appeared to him and transfused Himself into him, so that he answered God’s calling.
God did not appear to Abraham without speaking to him. When He came to Abraham, He called him. Calling means speaking. According to Acts 7:3, the God of glory said to Abraham, “Go out of your land and from your relatives, and come into the land which I will show you.” This was God’s speaking to Abraham. Such a speaking should have also enabled him to accept God’s calling.
God’s calling signifies a new beginning. When God created man, there was a beginning. But the man God created for Himself became fallen and forsook God. Therefore, God came in to call out Abraham so that He might have a new beginning. At the time of His calling of Abraham, God began to have a new beginning.
God’s calling also signifies a transfer of race. God’s new beginning with man through His calling is a transfer of race. God’s calling of Abraham meant that He had given up the race of Adam and had chosen Abraham with his descendants as the new race to be His people for the fulfilling of His eternal purpose. This was a transfer from the created Adamic race to the called Abrahamic race (Gal. 3:7-9, 14; Rom. 4:16-17). When we say that God’s calling is a new beginning, we need to understand that this new beginning is a transfer of race.
God’s intention in calling Abraham was to bring him back to Himself as the tree of life. According to Genesis 1, man was not only created by God but also for God and to God that man might express God’s image and exercise His dominion. In Genesis 2 God was represented by the tree of life. The fact that the man created by God was placed in front of the tree of life indicates that man should continually eat of this tree. Man needed to come to God, contact God, and have God transfused into him. However, man failed to do this and instead went to the wrong source, the tree of knowledge. As a result, the man who was made to God turned away from Him. This is the meaning of man’s fall.
God appeared to call Abraham out of such a fallen condition. This means that God wanted to bring man back to Himself. When God called Abraham out of Mesopotamia, His intention was to bring him back to Himself. In calling Abraham, God was bringing him back to the tree of life. When God appeared to him, that was the appearing of the tree of life. As Abraham spent time in the presence of God, he enjoyed the tree of life. Every time this happened God’s essence was transfused into him. In this way God trained Abraham to be totally transfused and permeated with God and to no longer act by himself that God may be everything to him.
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