In Genesis 12:7, Abraham built an altar in response to YHWH’s promise, “To your offspring I will give this land.” He built the altar, therefore, not only in recognition and amazement that the great YHWH had chosen him and his offspring, but also in recognition of why YHWH had chosen them.
He’d chosen them, verse 7, to give them the land he’d brought them to. So that little portion of Planet Earth was now theirs, which made sense, because in verse 2, YHWH had just promised to make Abraham “into a great nation.” To be a nation meant having land.
But having land and becoming a great nation – what was going on here? Well, it clearly meant that YHWH had a plan right here on this planet. It was here that the Creator of the universe was concentrating his power and wisdom to accomplish something remarkable. Which in itself was amazing to Abraham – but there was more, because YHWH had also said he was involving Abraham and his descendants as the means by which he was going to accomplish his plans.
But there was more still, because in Genesis 17:8, YHWH also said he was giving the “whole land of Canaan as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you, and I will be their God.” Oh, so YHWH’s plan for Planet Earth through Abraham and his descendants was forever too.
And not in heaven forever? No; YHWH was planting his flag in the good old soil of Planet Earth, just as he’d done in the Garden of Eden, but this time he was guaranteeing the everlasting blessing of this planet through Abraham and his family. And Abraham, bless his heart, not only believed every word of it, he immediately built an altar as a memorial of the moment – that would also serve as a visual reminder that he and his descendants were the means by which YHWH was working out his ‘forever plan’ on this planet.
In other words, he and his offspring were now living altars providing visual evidence in their lives as to what YHWH was up to. And this was why YHWH had chosen them, to help people see what he was up to on this planet, because it could be seen happening in them.
Which helps us see why YHWH chose us too, then, doesn’t it – because as Abraham’s offspring it means we’re living altars as well. So, what it’s like “Being a living altar”?….(next blog)
