Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people.
Speaker 2: Let us craft creatures in our image, imbued with our essence.
Speaker 1: God's design for humanity was to bear his image, fill
Speaker 1: the earth, and share in the joy of creation.
Speaker 2: A choice is before you, Adam. You can freely take
Speaker 2: of the tree of life, nourishing yourself in my abiding love.
Speaker 2: You could live under the comforting canopy of your Creator,
Speaker 2: obeying me and partnering with me to cultivate the earth.
Speaker 2: Or you can reach for the tree of knowledge. You
Speaker 2: can awaken your mind to the possibility of evil, seize autonomy,
Speaker 2: and live apart from my blessing.
Speaker 3: Maybe what was a mind? Maybe there's something wrong with
Speaker 3: me Apart from God. Paradise was lost. Adam and Eve
Speaker 3: sat in the dirt east of Eden, never to return.
Speaker 3: Their descendants would pine after Eden. Each generation would manufacture
Speaker 3: ways to reclaim Paradise.
Speaker 2: Evil grieves his heart, This corruption, this violence, It wasn't
Speaker 2: his intention.
Speaker 4: Lost?
Speaker 5: Are you now evil?
Speaker 4: Do you still be a blessed?
Speaker 5: Where is your God? Now? This world is sick, These
Speaker 5: people are plagued by evil. Today we build this tower
Speaker 5: into piets of the Creator. Today we see greatness for
Speaker 5: our soul.
Speaker 1: But Adam and Eve held on to a promise. One
Speaker 1: day a son of Eve would rise to crush the
Speaker 1: head of the serpent. He would reclaim Eden for humanity.
Speaker 1: Heaven and Earth would be joined once again.
Speaker 4: Is this death? Is this the curse God spoke.
Speaker 5: Of no Eve? I don't think this is death. I
Speaker 5: think this.
Speaker 3: Is life.
Speaker 6: It isn't about who you were when God chose you.
Speaker 6: It's about who you will become once you follow him. Shallo,
Speaker 6: my friends from here in the Holy Land a'mya l
Speaker 6: extein with international Fellowship of Christians and Jews, And this
Speaker 6: is the chosen people. In each episode, we explore the
Speaker 6: rich tapestry of the Hebrew Bible to uncover lessons that
Speaker 6: still resonate today. We traverse tales of faith, failure, love
Speaker 6: and loss as we press into the story of Israel,
Speaker 6: and we'll discover what it means to live a life
Speaker 6: of purpose and step into the calling that God has
Speaker 6: for each one of us. God chose the nation of
Speaker 6: Israel a Mount Sinai. But through their story we will
Speaker 6: discover one abiding truth that we are all chosen for
Speaker 6: something great. So let's begin in the beginning. God created
Speaker 6: the heavens and the earth from the void, he spoke
Speaker 6: light into existence. He formed the stars, the seas, the land,
Speaker 6: and all the living creatures. And then with divine breath,
Speaker 6: he created humanity in his own image. But then Sin
Speaker 6: entered the world through the mortal mistake of Adam and Eve,
Speaker 6: and humanity was plunged into a never ending cycle of
Speaker 6: rebellion and redemption. From the first sin in Eden to
Speaker 6: the flood in Noah's time, from the Tower of Babel
Speaker 6: to the scattering of the Nations, the story of Genesis
Speaker 6: unfolds with a mix of beauty and brokenness. But through
Speaker 6: it all, God's plan of redemption remained steadfast. His love
Speaker 6: for his creation is clear and unyielding. And now, as
Speaker 6: we turn the page to a new chapter, the stage
Speaker 6: is set for a moment that will echo throughout history.
Speaker 6: Enter Abram, a man of or living in a world
Speaker 6: of idols and false gods. Abram is called by the
Speaker 6: One True God. Abram doesn't yet know God's name, but
Speaker 6: he's about to discover God's character. In the midst of
Speaker 6: humanity's wandering and searching, God's voice breaks through it all.
Speaker 6: The story of Abram is more than ancient history. It's
Speaker 6: a testament to God's forever faithfulness. It's a beacon of hope,
Speaker 6: and it's a reminder that we too are part of
Speaker 6: this divine story. Let's dive in.
Speaker 1: Abram makes hailed the sigh of relief as the last
Speaker 1: of the seemingly endless parade of priests, mourners, cousins, servants
Speaker 1: and solicitors finally to the door snatched shut with the
Speaker 1: last of them, and the mighty house of Terror stood
Speaker 1: silent as a tomb. Abram and his nephew Lot stood
Speaker 1: in the doorway of their now deceased patriarch's entryway. The
Speaker 1: air was heavy with tension, thick enough to be cut
Speaker 1: with a blade.
Speaker 7: And so another great man of Shem's line has come
Speaker 7: to pass.
Speaker 1: Lot's remark earned him a stern look from Abram. Abram
Speaker 1: sighed again, retreated further into the dwelling, and collapsed on
Speaker 1: a bench in the center courtyard of his father's home.
Speaker 1: His groans fell on to the dusty floor. His thoughts
Speaker 1: drifted up a level to his father's bed chamber, where
Speaker 1: a single chair would be left ceremonially empty beside his bed,
Speaker 1: or rather his death bed. It would now be up
Speaker 1: to him and his only remaining brother Nahor to steward
Speaker 1: their father's legacy. Their father had left for the underworld,
Speaker 1: leaving a legacy that included his wealth, property, influence, and lineage. However,
Speaker 1: the latter would prove to be the most difficult for
Speaker 1: Abram to shoulder. He had yet to produce an air
Speaker 1: of his own with his wife Sarah, but he tried
Speaker 1: not to dwell on that too often, especially for Sayrie's sake.
Speaker 1: It wasn't a new revelation for either of them, and
Speaker 1: though the hurt was buried deep, the dull pangs of
Speaker 1: inadequacy lingered. Attempting not to intrude on Abram's sullen silence,
Speaker 1: Lot tried to subtly slink into the courtyard and claimed
Speaker 1: the sea to cross from Abram. There wasn't anything subtle
Speaker 1: about Lot. Lot was a simple man of simple pleasures
Speaker 1: and pursuits. While Abram often thought about lofty and ethereal things,
Speaker 1: his nephew reserved his attention for the concrete and material.
Speaker 1: As a result, Lot was predictable, yet still endearing. The
Speaker 1: thought brought a reluctant grin to Abram's face, and his
Speaker 1: nephew returned it. Lote broke the silence again.
Speaker 7: When do you suppose we'll hear back from nahorre and
Speaker 7: more on the point, are going to expect him to
Speaker 7: reside here in Haran? Will your father's inheritance really be
Speaker 7: divided among us? Will we live side by side like
Speaker 7: we did when we were young.
Speaker 5: The messengers won't reach her for a few weeks. And
Speaker 5: I really can't say what Napol will do. It's been
Speaker 5: so long since we were under the same roof, or
Speaker 5: even in the same land. I suppose my father would
Speaker 5: want me to remain at Nahor's side. But as for you,
Speaker 5: I know going north was always my father's dream for
Speaker 5: you when your father passed, to see the land of
Speaker 5: his people.
Speaker 7: Abram, you know, haranh has become just as much a
Speaker 7: harm to me as it is for you. But you
Speaker 7: know as well as I that your father, my grandfather,
Speaker 7: always intended for us to go all the way to Canaan.
Speaker 5: Ha ha, Canaan. If I had a sheep, for every time
Speaker 5: my father mentioned Canaan that I could feel all er.
Speaker 5: My father talked endlessly about venturing off to Canaan. But
Speaker 5: stop short resides. You know as well as I how
Speaker 5: dangerous that road is, and if the family's stories are
Speaker 5: to be believed, I don't think they would exactly welcome
Speaker 5: sons of Shem.
Speaker 7: Abram, don't you feel there might be more out there,
Speaker 7: more to seize and explore.
Speaker 5: Our family has done exceedingly well.
Speaker 7: Here, but I can't help feel like tera wanted more
Speaker 7: for me. I know you're comfortable here, Abram. You're content
Speaker 7: with this life.
Speaker 5: What's that supposed to me?
Speaker 7: You're content with what you have, Abram, That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 7: You don't seem to yearn for more, that's all.
Speaker 5: Don't dit like you've suffered here in Heroin. But it
Speaker 5: is comfortable here. We've made a life here. When they're grown,
Speaker 5: your daughters will find husbands here, and soon you'll have
Speaker 5: a dynasty of your own. And my father's wealth and
Speaker 5: livestock will only make you all more comfortable.
Speaker 7: Comfortable, Abram.
Speaker 5: Comfortable.
Speaker 7: Sure, Sure, it's comfortable, But you know what else? It
Speaker 7: is stifling. We're like trees, trees stuck in the shadow
Speaker 7: of any horse dynasty.
Speaker 5: We're not gonna grow.
Speaker 7: We're gonna be like like shrubs, little tiny shrubs. Look
Speaker 7: terror he loved me like a son, and I'll always
Speaker 7: be grateful, believe me, but that's not gonna get us anywhere.
Speaker 7: You know the laws of the land, Abram. Well stock
Speaker 7: here growing only as tall as na hall lets us.
Speaker 7: And I'm telling you, Abram, it's driving me crazy.
Speaker 5: Nahore is our Kaden, here's my brother and your uncle.
Speaker 5: We have nothing to fear from you. Your fortune is secure.
Speaker 5: I don't understand where this is coming from, Abram.
Speaker 7: Abram, let me stop you right there. You know what
Speaker 7: You and I are self made men, that's what we are.
Speaker 7: Sure we had a leg up. I'm not denying that,
Speaker 7: but look at what we've done. We've turned a profit
Speaker 7: with every single thing that was handed to us. We
Speaker 7: didn't just sit on it.
Speaker 3: We weren't on it.
Speaker 7: But don't you ever wonder, Abram, what we really are
Speaker 7: made of? What's in here?
Speaker 1: Lots of questions done. Abram had a dysfunctional relationship with
Speaker 1: greatness and legacy. Having no child of his own or
Speaker 1: any hope for one on the horizon, he knew whatever
Speaker 1: he gained would be dispersed among his servants and relatives,
Speaker 1: nothing would live on beyond him. Abram didn't aim for greatness. Instead,
Speaker 1: he remained reliable, steady, and predictable.
Speaker 5: I won't be made to feel guilty being reliable. Between
Speaker 5: the two of us, we have a multitude of responsibilities.
Speaker 5: As for where I place my trust, I place it
Speaker 5: in my own hands. If those I am responsible for
Speaker 5: find me lacking, what kind of man would I be?
Speaker 5: So no, I do not wonder what I am made of,
Speaker 5: because I must find the answer every day. Every day
Speaker 5: I can put money in the hands of my workers
Speaker 5: or food in the bellies of my household, and I
Speaker 5: discover what I am made of. And I haven't failed
Speaker 5: them yet.
Speaker 7: I love you, Abrahm, and I always will. You've always
Speaker 7: been a bit of a brother to me, and you're
Speaker 7: everything an older brother should be. Your sense of duty
Speaker 7: and loyalty are unmatched. I'm just thinking about your father.
Speaker 7: He stops short of his dreams. And when I look
Speaker 7: back on my life, I want to feel like I
Speaker 7: did something of significance, that I achieved something that no
Speaker 7: one else has done before. Maybe, just maybe that something
Speaker 7: is in the land of Canaan. You've heard the stories, right,
Speaker 7: are distant relatives, the line of Ham, the cursed, Abram cursed,
Speaker 7: And yet there they are, setting in seats of power.
Speaker 5: And then there's me.
Speaker 7: I don't want to just be another name, Abram, just
Speaker 7: another name and a long, endless list of men from
Speaker 7: the line of Noah.
Speaker 5: And you would become a conqueror and lead your family
Speaker 5: into a war for significance. Don't you feel that you
Speaker 5: are already contributing to this legacy to our nation?
Speaker 7: Don't you sometimes wonder what it would be like to
Speaker 7: have a nation all of your own, to make a
Speaker 7: name for yourself, rather than relying on the name of another.
Speaker 1: And, as much as he would reluctant to admit it,
Speaker 1: Abram did consider Lot's words. When Lord took his leave,
Speaker 1: Abram wandered to the upper levels of his father's house.
Speaker 1: He at last found himself on the roof, staring out
Speaker 1: over the packed city, and wondered if he would ever
Speaker 1: grow accustomed to this feeling. The babble of all manner
Speaker 1: of man and beast from below created a steady drumbeat
Speaker 1: that pulsed against his ear drums and sent his mind racing.
Speaker 1: That's when he heard it, a voice, whispering through the
Speaker 1: cacophony of city noise. Abram Abram turned he was alone.
Speaker 1: He scanned the rooftop, searching for the source of the voice.
Speaker 1: The world around him became quiet and still. Again, he
Speaker 1: heard the voice calling out to.
Speaker 5: Him, Abram, who's there, Come to me?
Speaker 1: The voice called out again, this time from below the house.
Speaker 1: Abram ran down the stairs, following the sound of the voice.
Speaker 1: It called him outside, then down the alleyway.
Speaker 2: Abram.
Speaker 1: Abram ran through the busy streets, bumping into vendors and
Speaker 1: tripping over carts. The voice was calling to him from
Speaker 1: outside the gates. Abram sprinted out of the gates and
Speaker 1: down the dirt path leading to the pastures of his
Speaker 1: father's flock. The evening breeze whistled through the valley, carrying
Speaker 1: the voice calling to Abram again.
Speaker 2: Abram.
Speaker 1: Abram stopped at a large terebinth tree. The starlight shone
Speaker 1: through the breaks in the leaves, causing a dance of
Speaker 1: shadow and light on Abram's face. The voice spoke again,
Speaker 1: this time gently. It spoke to him and through him.
Speaker 1: Abram could feel the presence of the voice, but couldn't
Speaker 1: capture its source.
Speaker 2: Abram, here, I am Apron. You are to go out
Speaker 2: from your land, leave your father's house and your relatives
Speaker 2: behind island, and go to the land. I will show you.
Speaker 1: Still grappling with the words he was hearing, Abram was
Speaker 1: suddenly stunned to find that images of a familiar terrain
Speaker 1: and a worn road flashed in his mind. The road
Speaker 1: led southwest out of the city toward Canaan, and flashes
Speaker 1: of lush valleys and cascading falls appeared before him.
Speaker 2: To day, I will make you a promise. I will
Speaker 2: make you into a great nation. I will bless you.
Speaker 2: Follow me, and I will make your name great, and
Speaker 2: you will be a blessing to the entire world.
Speaker 1: Again, images of a future Abram could barely understand flickered
Speaker 1: in and outer focus in his mind's eye faster than
Speaker 1: he could discern. But the intent was clear. He was
Speaker 1: to have a legacy like the one locked Pinefall, no greater,
Speaker 1: even so, much more significant and vast than either of
Speaker 1: them could have imagined.
Speaker 2: What's more, I will bless those who bless you. I
Speaker 2: will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all
Speaker 2: the peoples of earth will be blessed through you.
Speaker 1: As if to emphasize that final word, Abram felt the
Speaker 1: presence press onto his shoulders like a mighty weight. The
Speaker 1: manifestation of the mantle inexplicably thrust upon him. Despite the
Speaker 1: strangeness of what had just happened, he somehow found the
Speaker 1: pressure comforting, and as abruptly as the voice had begun
Speaker 1: speaking and the presence surrounded him, the weight dematerialized to
Speaker 1: a quiet, comforting presence that wrapped itself in the back
Speaker 1: of his mind. It was barely noticeable, but within reach
Speaker 1: if he dared access it. A ways off, a cool
Speaker 1: breeze of the uth Frate's River drifted up to meet
Speaker 1: the two women reclining on a different roof overlooking the city.
Speaker 1: Abram's wife, Sarah, hosted Lot's wife Edith while their husbands
Speaker 1: settled their great patriarch's affairs. Sarah pretended to listen to
Speaker 1: Edith as she prattled on about the latest gossip in town.
Speaker 1: She longed for the arrival of Abram so that she
Speaker 1: could remove herself from the intensity of the other woman's rent.
Speaker 8: And you know, ado, she's going to smile and host
Speaker 8: her new son in law's family as if the match
Speaker 8: was her idea all along. She'll never admit that he's
Speaker 8: simply not good enough for her daughter. But I'll tell
Speaker 8: you one thing, Sarai I would never stand for that.
Speaker 8: When my girls are old enough, no one but the
Speaker 8: wealthiest men will do for them as husbands. I won't
Speaker 8: settle for anything else. Don't you agree?
Speaker 1: Sarah half heartedly opened her mouth to reply, but Lot's
Speaker 1: wife continued without waiting for a response.
Speaker 8: Oh right, Well, I suppose you won't need to worry
Speaker 8: about that. But I'm sure you agree in principle. And
Speaker 8: you know what my Lot always says. The wealth of
Speaker 8: this city is steady and stable. It's all the same
Speaker 8: families exchanging the same coins over and over again, no
Speaker 8: movement up or down, no real competition if you're the
Speaker 8: sort that has your eyes on advancement. But I hear
Speaker 8: that the lands in Canaan are untamed, and there are
Speaker 8: fortunes to be had if you're bold enough to take it.
Speaker 8: Wealth you can't even imagine, wealth that would put Er
Speaker 8: and Haran to shame.
Speaker 1: Mercifully, Sarah I saw the top of Abram's head emerge
Speaker 1: as he climbed the steps to the roof, sparing her
Speaker 1: from enduring any more of Edith's in sensitive remarks and
Speaker 1: frenzied daydreaming about adding to their already substantial wealth.
Speaker 8: Well, I suppose I should get back to oversee the
Speaker 8: dinner preparations. Abram, is Lot with you or did he
Speaker 8: go home already?
Speaker 5: He must be at home ways earlier.
Speaker 1: Lot's wife took her leave, but Abram lingered on the roof.
Speaker 1: Something was on his mind. Sarah waited expectantly for her
Speaker 1: husband to gather his thoughts. They had long been married.
Speaker 1: She could see the determination in his eyes. He had
Speaker 1: his mind made up about something. He strode to the
Speaker 1: roof's edge and began speaking as he stared over the city.
Speaker 5: Sarah, I have something to tell you.
Speaker 4: Yes, Abram, I'm listening.
Speaker 5: I'm going to take our family out of hern. We
Speaker 5: will begin making arrangements immediately. We will drive all our livestock,
Speaker 5: take our possessions and all those who work for us,
Speaker 5: and head south toward Canaan.
Speaker 4: Abram, help me understand what you mean. I thought we
Speaker 4: were settled here in Haran going south now? Of all times,
Speaker 4: we're established here, We're comfortable. And besides, who would care
Speaker 4: for our father's estate if we were to leave? Would
Speaker 4: we leave that responsibility to nahor to Lot?
Speaker 5: I suppose we may take whoever as willing to join us.
Speaker 5: I would need to speak to lot tomorrow as early
Speaker 5: as possible, if he is to join us and make
Speaker 5: preparations as well.
Speaker 1: Sarah I was too stunned to respond, so Abram continued
Speaker 1: and tried to explain the supernatural phenomenon that had overcome
Speaker 1: him in the alleyway.
Speaker 4: Abram, look at me, Are we to upend our entire
Speaker 4: way of life on the words of a random god?
Speaker 1: Abram turned to his wife and struggled to find his words.
Speaker 1: He scanned her face, accessing and questioning, undoubtedly weighing whether
Speaker 1: or not he would bring her into the inner workings
Speaker 1: of his mind.
Speaker 2: His heart.
Speaker 1: Sarah yearned for partnership, not lordship, but she didn't know
Speaker 1: where to begin when it came to Abram. Sarah, in return,
Speaker 1: searched his face but found only resolve, an immovable, impenetrable
Speaker 1: wall of conviction.
Speaker 5: You have to trust me, Sarah, I have weighed the cost,
Speaker 5: but more reportedly, I know in my heart and we
Speaker 5: must follow the words of this God.
Speaker 4: So you've already decided.
Speaker 1: Then Abram averted his eyes from Sarah's helpless stare and
Speaker 1: turned again to look over the city, already calculating and
Speaker 1: planning the journey ahead.
Speaker 5: I have.
Speaker 1: It is what is right, and that settled the matter.
Speaker 1: Sarah I knew better than to pry and argue. At times.
Speaker 1: Abram was this locked vault of thoughts and emotions. She
Speaker 1: could feel his head churning. She wished she could access
Speaker 1: his mind. She yearned for that type of intimacy. Yet
Speaker 1: even so, she knew character.
Speaker 4: If this is your conviction, then I will follow you.
Speaker 1: Abram glanced her way, briefly slid his hand over to hers.
Speaker 1: She took it and squeezed. Abram had been amazed, flattered
Speaker 1: even at how many had chosen to come with him
Speaker 1: out of Haran. Even months later, and hundreds of miles later,
Speaker 1: he still marveled at the sheer numbers of people and
Speaker 1: animals that sprawled out behind him when he led their
Speaker 1: odyssey from the head of the vast column. Abram decided
Speaker 1: to scout ahead with Lot, who had unsurprisingly jumped at
Speaker 1: the chance to accompany Abram and a small group of
Speaker 1: handpait men. They had just passed into the land of Canaan,
Speaker 1: and the city of Shechem lay before them, nestled on
Speaker 1: the shoulder of mounte Baal. The land of Canaan was
Speaker 1: occupied by a savage and war loving people. Though Abram
Speaker 1: and Lot had brought men who could fight, their fighting
Speaker 1: numbers would easily be inconsequential if confronted head on by
Speaker 1: the brutal Canaanites. Abram waited for Lot and the others
Speaker 1: to return with a report. In the shade of a gnarled,
Speaker 1: twisted oak tree. It was then that the same otherworldly
Speaker 1: stillness came upon Abram. Birds on, insect buzzing, and wind
Speaker 1: alike ceased, as if to give their attention to the
Speaker 1: mighty presence. Suddenly upon Abram, sweat beat down his brow.
Speaker 1: He turned to Lot and serah.
Speaker 5: I'll be back wait here for me.
Speaker 1: Abram left to find a solitary place, his heart ached
Speaker 1: in his chest to hear the voice whisper again. He
Speaker 1: summitted a small grassy hill where wild flowers swayed gently
Speaker 1: to the breeze. He sat on a stone and waited.
Speaker 1: Since leaving, Abram had wondered if he was following a
Speaker 1: figment of his imagination, or if the god he chose
Speaker 1: to follow was some sort of trickster. But there on
Speaker 1: that blooming foothill, the Creator.
Speaker 2: Spoke, Abram, you answered my call and left your land.
Speaker 2: You left your father's house, and now here you are. Yes,
Speaker 2: I have done what you asked. Now what you have
Speaker 2: been faithful so far in what I have asked you.
Speaker 2: Because of your faithfulness, I will uphold my promise to you.
Speaker 2: You now stand of the land that I will one
Speaker 2: day give your offspring.
Speaker 1: Abram's eyes widened. He tilted his head upward in confusion
Speaker 1: and trepidation.
Speaker 5: My offspring.
Speaker 1: Yet there was no more answer. Abram nodded reverently as
Speaker 1: he felt the mighty presence dissipate, though he could still
Speaker 1: sense a remnant in the back of his mind. Abram
Speaker 1: didn't know why this God chose him. He wasn't a
Speaker 1: substantial or charismatic man. He wasn't even the greatest in
Speaker 1: his household. How would he accomplish all that had foretold?
Speaker 1: Even still, with this God's voice reverberating in his mind,
Speaker 1: he felt a confidence flicker in his heart. He could
Speaker 1: become great. Still alone in the shade of the bent
Speaker 1: oak tree, he began to pace and plan his next move.
Speaker 5: I will lead my people further into the land of Canaan.
Speaker 5: We will pitch our tents and create a stronghold beside Bethel.
Speaker 1: Abram again felt that stirring of confidence in his heart,
Speaker 1: as if to affirm his decision. Prompted by this encouragement,
Speaker 1: he considered another response to the calls. Having always been
Speaker 1: a man of business and transitions, he wondered what this
Speaker 1: god would require in return. Surely the gift of land
Speaker 1: and legacy would warrant an offering. He had grown up
Speaker 1: seeing his father and neighbors make to the various gods
Speaker 1: of the land, but he was no longer in their domain,
Speaker 1: and he sensed this god wasn't one he had ever
Speaker 1: encountered before. Abram decided to mark this agreement with this
Speaker 1: new God and offer his gratitude by building an altar
Speaker 1: here in this very spot. He also decided that when
Speaker 1: they were settled by Bethel, he would build another altar there,
Speaker 1: so that his newly kindled faith would burn bright at
Speaker 1: the ever present reminder. When Abram's men and lot returned,
Speaker 1: they built the first altar together. Abram stood back from
Speaker 1: their work and again felt that pulse of assurance in
Speaker 1: his heart. He gazed up at the twisted oak tree
Speaker 1: that had towered over them while they worked, and smiled
Speaker 1: at the thought of its serving as a landmark of
Speaker 1: this monumental moment. Perhaps it would even stand and serve
Speaker 1: as a reminder to his great nation long after he
Speaker 1: was gone.
Speaker 4: Wow.
Speaker 6: What an incredible story. Abram was called to leave his country,
Speaker 6: his people, in his father's household, to go to a
Speaker 6: land that God himself would show him. This introduces a
Speaker 6: pivotal moment in the Biblical narrative and the Hebrew story.
Speaker 6: It introduces the Abrahamic Covenant, as we say in Hebrew,
Speaker 6: the breat which would be foundational for the story of
Speaker 6: Israel and God's redemption plan for the world. This covenant,
Speaker 6: this breach, wasn't just for Abram, but for his descendants,
Speaker 6: the nation of Israel, and ultimately it's for all of
Speaker 6: us who choose to step out in faith and follow
Speaker 6: the God of all creation. This covenant, this breat was
Speaker 6: a promise. Listen to these words from Genesis twelve two.
Speaker 6: I will make you into a great nation, and I
Speaker 6: will bless you. I will make your name great, and
Speaker 6: you will be a blessing. Through Abraham, all nations would
Speaker 6: be blessed. And this promise was not merely about land
Speaker 6: or descendants, so was about God's promise to bring redemption.
Speaker 6: How powerful this is what stands out for me. God
Speaker 6: didn't choose Abram because he was already great. No, God
Speaker 6: said to Abram, follow me and I will make you great.
Speaker 4: You see, greatness isn't.
Speaker 6: A prerequisite for God's blessing. He chooses the people and
Speaker 6: the fringe, the outcasts and the lonely, and makes them
Speaker 6: into something great. It isn't about who you were when
Speaker 6: God chose you, about who you will become once you
Speaker 6: follow him. Faith and obedience. The call of Abram is
Speaker 6: rich with biblical motive, faith and obedience, divine promise, separation,
Speaker 6: and consecration. These aren't just ancient themes. They're crucial threads
Speaker 6: woven into our stories.
Speaker 4: Do you see it? Do you feel it?
Speaker 5: It's talking to us.
Speaker 6: Let's start with these themes of faith and obedience. God
Speaker 6: called Abram to leave everything familiar. He had to leave
Speaker 6: his country, his people, and his father's household. And what
Speaker 6: did Abram do? He left no GPS, no detailed itinerary,
Speaker 6: no real plan, just a promise from God. How often
Speaker 6: do we find ourselves in situations like Abrams that God
Speaker 6: calls us to step out from what we were doing,
Speaker 6: to leave the known for the unknown, to trust him
Speaker 6: with our future. That's huge, and it happens in our
Speaker 6: lives all the time. Might be a job change, move
Speaker 6: to a new city, a relationship that needs mending, or
Speaker 6: a ministry that he's calling us to.
Speaker 4: And like Abram, we.
Speaker 6: Have to decide do we trust God enough to obey,
Speaker 6: do we believe his promises are true? Or do we
Speaker 6: try to ignore what God is saying, try to pretend
Speaker 6: like he's not talking to us. This brings us to
Speaker 6: the divine promise that Abram received. God promised Abram land
Speaker 6: descendants and blessing. He said, I will make you into
Speaker 6: a great nation, and I will bless you. I will
Speaker 6: make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
Speaker 6: But this promise wasn't just for Abraham. It was a
Speaker 6: promise for future generations, and it's a reminder to us
Speaker 6: that God's promises are true. And then there's the idea
Speaker 6: of separation and consecration. God called Abram to leave his
Speaker 6: past behind to step into a new idea, identity, and future.
Speaker 6: This is often where we struggle the most. We cling
Speaker 6: to the familiar, to our comfort zones, to our past
Speaker 6: successes and even our past mistakes. But God calls us
Speaker 6: to something greater. He calls us to leave behind what
Speaker 6: holds us back and to dedicate ourselves to His purposes
Speaker 6: to always be in renewal. God calls us to bravely
Speaker 6: step forward into his future. You see, for me this
Speaker 6: is very personal. Two decades ago, God called me and
Speaker 6: my husband to step forward in faith to something greater.
Speaker 6: We were newlyweds. Both of us were raised in America.
Speaker 6: My husband and I met in America, we studied in America,
Speaker 6: we got married just a few weeks before, and suddenly
Speaker 6: God called us to make alien, to pick up our
Speaker 6: lives and move to Israel. It was a spiritual calling
Speaker 6: that God was putting up both of our hearts. The question,
Speaker 6: are you going to establish your roots and your lives
Speaker 6: in America or in this prophetic time where I've opened
Speaker 6: up the gates of Jerusalem to you, are you going
Speaker 6: to leave your homeland behind and walk through those gates
Speaker 6: of Jerusalem to start something new. Well, ever since then,
Speaker 6: my husband and I have lived here in Israel, in
Speaker 6: our biblical and historic homeland, in the homeland that we
Speaker 6: learn about in each episode. We have four kids who
Speaker 6: are raised here in Israel, born in the mountains of Jerusalem,
Speaker 6: and it's an incredible story that worked out very well.
Speaker 6: But I have to admit, when I was in America
Speaker 6: getting that call to leave everything behind and step out
Speaker 6: in faith to move to Israel, I was terrified. Both
Speaker 6: my husband and I were called to leave the only
Speaker 6: homes we ever knew, to leave our fans families in America,
Speaker 6: to come to a country where they speak a new language,
Speaker 6: where life is not easy, where terror is around almost
Speaker 6: every single street, almost every single day. What I realized, though,
Speaker 6: what my husband and I realized together, is that sometimes
Speaker 6: stepping forward in faith and following God isn't always easy,
Speaker 6: but we have to do it anyways. I could imagine
Speaker 6: that it certainly wasn't easy for Abram to do that,
Speaker 6: to leave the land that he knew, but it's very clear,
Speaker 6: my friends, it was worth it. I can tell you
Speaker 6: from experience that being uncomfortable is often the doorway to
Speaker 6: true purpose and destiny. The great Jewish age Nahmanidi suggested
Speaker 6: something interesting about Abram after he moved to the land
Speaker 6: that God showed him to the land of Israel. It
Speaker 6: was there that Abram was meant to begin his ministry
Speaker 6: of teaching people about God. Ahmanidy says that back in
Speaker 6: Abram's hometown in Ur in Mesopotamia, he also tried to
Speaker 6: teach about the One God in the Holy Land, which
Speaker 6: already possessed that special quality of spirituality. People were more
Speaker 6: open to understanding Abraham's teachings of One God. As I
Speaker 6: think back to my own Aliah, my own coming home
Speaker 6: to the Holy Land, moving to Israel, I completely understand
Speaker 6: what Nhmanidies is teaching and what Abraham probably experienced. While
Speaker 6: God and his word were important to me in the US,
Speaker 6: here in Israel, the spirituality somehow feels a lot deeper,
Speaker 6: a lot more relevant. The words of the Bible speak
Speaker 6: to me more loud and clear. It's not just theoretical,
Speaker 6: it's practical. It's not just in my head, but it's
Speaker 6: in front of my eyes. And that's why I'm so
Speaker 6: happy to be here with you on the Chosen People,
Speaker 6: and where I try to share with you what I
Speaker 6: feel here in the Holy Land. And that is what
Speaker 6: the story of Abraham stepping out in faith is trying
Speaker 6: to tell us all. Wherever in the world we are uncomfortable,
Speaker 6: steps of faith are often doorways to greatness for God's
Speaker 6: chosen people. When we're following God's heart and God's will,
Speaker 6: it's not always comfortable, but it's always good. And Abraham's
Speaker 6: story is critical improving this message. As this continuing saga unfolds,
Speaker 6: we're going to see in our next teachings how Abraham's
Speaker 6: story sets the stage for the development of Israel as
Speaker 6: God's chosen people. The Abrahamic Covenant is a cornerstone of
Speaker 6: God's plan for redemption for the Jewish people, but it
Speaker 6: also hearkens to something beautiful for Christians to speak more on.
Speaker 6: That is my friend, Bishop Paul Lanier.
Speaker 9: Thank you so much, y earl. And here we are
Speaker 9: in one of the most significant portions of scripture to
Speaker 9: be found in all the Bible, whether it's in the
Speaker 9: Old Testament or the New Testament. This Genesis chapter twelve,
Speaker 9: in particular verse three, where God says, I will bless
Speaker 9: those who bless you, and I will curse those utterly
Speaker 9: destroy those who curse you. And at the beginning of
Speaker 9: this chapter, God instructs Abraham to turn his back to
Speaker 9: walk away, to forsake the country and the family behind him.
Speaker 9: And if we leap over into the Christian scriptors, to
Speaker 9: the Book of Hebrews, chapter eleven, we read that indeed
Speaker 9: Abraham did this as an act of faith.
Speaker 5: Quote for a city.
Speaker 9: Whose builder and maker is God. And in the Book
Speaker 9: of Galatians, the apostle Paul says to us that Abraham
Speaker 9: is indeed the father of faith to all of us
Speaker 9: who believe. And what's remarkable. We can barely get out
Speaker 9: of the first sentence of verse one chapter twelve, where
Speaker 9: God is already referring to the land. That's right, the
Speaker 9: souls of the Jewish people and the soil of the
Speaker 9: land of Israel are inseparable to God. And Abraham and
Speaker 9: Sarah don't even have a nursery. And already God's referring
Speaker 9: to a nation and says, I will make your name great.
Speaker 9: Verse four we read about a nephew by the name
Speaker 9: of Lot, who's just one person in this cast. I
Speaker 9: think about Lot, and I think about Ishmael, and I
Speaker 9: think about Elizer, But none of them were to be
Speaker 9: used strategically by God as seed in the founding of
Speaker 9: the Jewish nation. Only from the loins of Abraham and
Speaker 9: the womb of Sarah was this to be. And in
Speaker 9: verse six we read that Abraham passed through the land
Speaker 9: of Shechem or Shechem. Now I've been there. I'm telling you,
Speaker 9: is one thing to get in that place. It's entirely
Speaker 9: something else to get out of there. Now it is
Speaker 9: the burial site of Joseph. And God refers to the descendants.
Speaker 9: You know, without covenant, you don't have descendants, you just
Speaker 9: have deductions. But Abraham and Sarah indeed did have descendants.
Speaker 9: God says, to your descendants, I will give this land
Speaker 9: and this covenant man of Abraham. No, he did not
Speaker 9: be to tower. The Bible says he built an altar
Speaker 9: unto God. Well, in this altar moment, can I pray
Speaker 9: with you, Oh my dear God. I thank you for
Speaker 9: everyone who's listening to me now, and I pray that
Speaker 9: as you are leading, guiding and directing us, we will
Speaker 9: be completely yielded, that we will pursue that city whose
Speaker 9: builder and maker is God. For all of this, we
Speaker 9: give you praise Amen.
Speaker 6: God's call to Abram highlights the concept of covenant, reoccurring
Speaker 6: theme in scripture that reflects God's commitment and faithfulness to
Speaker 6: his people. God makes promises and keeps them even when
Speaker 6: we don't. Abram's story shows us a God who reaches
Speaker 6: out God who says, I will be your God, and
Speaker 6: you will be my people. And this covenant isn't just
Speaker 6: about rules or regulations. It's really relationship based on trust
Speaker 6: and faith. And speaking of faith, as we say in
Speaker 6: Hebrew and Moona, let's talk about Abrahamic righteousness. In Genesis
Speaker 6: fifteen six, we read Abram believed the Lord, and he
Speaker 6: credited to him as righteousness. In Hebrew, the word for
Speaker 6: righteousness is sedec. You see, righteousness or sedek wasn't about
Speaker 6: Abram getting everything right. It was about his faith in God.
Speaker 6: Abram wasn't perfect, No, he had his moments of doubts,
Speaker 6: and he made mistakes.
Speaker 5: We know that.
Speaker 6: But what set Abram apart was his faith, his willingness
Speaker 6: to trust God, his step out in obedience, to leave
Speaker 6: the familiar for the unknown for the godly. This kind
Speaker 6: of sedec, this kind of righteousness, is accessible to all
Speaker 6: of us. It isn't about perfect adhering to any sort
Speaker 6: of law, because remember, Abraham didn't have the Torah, he
Speaker 6: didn't yet have the Law of Moses. What he started
Speaker 6: with was his heart and his connection to God. He
Speaker 6: didn't have the prophets. All he had was a still
Speaker 6: quiet voice prompting him to move. And God doesn't expect
Speaker 6: us to be perfect. He doesn't even expect us to
Speaker 6: be like Abraham. He expects us to be like ourselves,
Speaker 6: but to be ourselves and to trust in Him and
Speaker 6: his desire and plan for our individual lives. So as
Speaker 6: you live out your own faith today, I leave you,
Speaker 6: as always with this special biblical blessing. Varra hashem vish
Speaker 6: moregra yeah heer hashempanave lera ver y sa hashempanave Schalon.
Speaker 6: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the
Speaker 6: Lord make his face shine upon you. May the Lord
Speaker 6: be gracious to you. And may the Lord turn his
Speaker 6: face towards you and give you shalon. Give you peace
Speaker 6: with blessings from the Holy Land. This is your el Exstein,
Speaker 6: and you are listening to the Chosen People.
Speaker 1: You can listen to the Chosen People with isle Estein
Speaker 1: add free by downloading and subscribing to the prey dot
Speaker 1: Com app today. This Prey dog comproduction is only made
Speaker 1: possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Katina,
Speaker 1: Max Bard, Zach Shellabager and Ben Gammon are the executive
Speaker 1: producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, edited by
Speaker 1: Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by
Speaker 1: Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold,
Speaker 1: Sylvia Zaradoc, and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore.
Speaker 1: Music by Anne and Drew Morgan Smith, written by Bree
Speaker 1: Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier,
Speaker 1: Robin van Ettin, Kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team
Speaker 1: at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear
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