God’s Prompting, Promises, and Purpose

Have you ever encountered the word hermeneutics? Hermeneutics is the science and art of interpreting the Bible (Zuck, 1991). Bible interpretation may sound daunting to many, as it is to me, and others may even say, “Let’s leave that job to pastors and church elders.” However, as followers of Jesus Christ, it is both our privilege and duty to dig into God’s Living Word. The book of 2 Timothy 2:15 encourages us believers to “do our best to present ourselves to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” In this journey of observing, interpreting, and applying the Scripture into our lives, I hope that we can learn, study, and walk together as part of the universal body of Christ.

A few weeks ago, I was memorizing, observing, and trying to interpret few verses from the book Genesis chapter 12 as part of my homework in the seminary. As I read the text slowly over and over again, God was very kind and loving to reveal many wonderful truths from His Word. Allow me to share some of them with you and it is my prayer that these truths will teach, rebuke, correct, and train you in righteousness, so that you (as a child of God) may be equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17 CSB).

The story of Abram’s life written in Genesis 12:1-3 presents a powerful turning point in the Biblical narrative, where God called Abram to leave his homeland and begin a journey of faith that would shape the destiny of nations. It opens with a strong sense of prompting and command: “Now the Lord, said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.’” (Gen. 12:1 ESV) This command emphasizes the seriousness of God’s calling, as Abram was asked to leave behind the security of all that was familiar—his culture, his family ties, and the comfort of home—in order to follow God to an unfamiliar place. It was not a casual request but a radical call requiring complete trust and obedience.

As I took my time, repeatedly surveying the text, one of the striking features of the passage that the Holy Spirit illumined was God’s repeated declaration of “I will,” which appeared five times in the text. One can’t help but think that this repetition highlights the covenantal nature of God’s initiative and emphasizes that the fulfillment of the promises rests entirely on Him. Abram was not called to perform great deeds in his own strength; rather, he was asked to trust and obey, while God accomplishes the work.

Just when you thought that the narrative could not get even more mind-blowing, God declared blessing upon blessing upon blessing toward Abram. God promised to make Abram into a great nation, and to bless him, and to make his name great, and to bless those who bless him, and curse the one who dishonors him, and ultimately to make him a source of blessing for all the families of the earth (Gen. 3:2-3). The emphasis on blessing is significant: God is not only shaping Abram’s future but also unfolding a plan that encompasses all humanity. Abram was a recipient of God’s grace, not its originator. This covenant is proof that God is both personal—calling Abram by name—and universal, intending to extend His blessings to the ends of the earth. “But how can this be?”, we ask. How can one man be a source of such abundant blessing? The answer lies in our passage. Abram foreshadows the life of Jesus Christ, our Blessed Redeemer; a much better and perfect Abram, the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to bless the world through one man!

The text also reveals key aspects of God’s character. He is a God who calls, who reaches out personally to individuals, and who uses mortals, like you and me, in His redemptive plans despite our flaws. He is a God whose amazing promises are sure and constant, unaffected by our human weakness, delay, or disobedience. Above all, He is a God of greater purpose, his holy intention is to bless all the nations of the earth.

For Christians in the 21st century, this passage offers profound lessons to us all. God’s call in our lives may require stepping out of our comfort zones and entrusting ourselves to His leading, even when the path ahead is uncertain. Obedience, though oftentimes tainted with sin because of our fallen nature, becomes valid because of the object of our trust—God Himself. His promises remain firm regardless of our shortcomings, and His plans are always bigger than our personal concerns. The call of Abram reminds us that God’s mission was never about “me”; it is about His greater purpose. It is about His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, we can walk in faith with grateful hearts and willing obedience, knowing that the God who called Abram is the same God who is calling us today to participate in His redeeming plan for the world.

~ Remembering from afar our dear brother in the LORD, Charlie Kirk