Abram

(Genesis Chapter 12)

 “Now YHVH had said to Abram: ‘Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.  I will make you a great nation [goy]; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing’” (Genesis 12:1-2).

After twenty generations of firstborns, YHVH visits one man, Abram, and promises him that he will become the father of a nation (goy).  Why would YHVH Elohim single out the firstborn of this particular generation and make such a promise to him?

As we have seen from the days of Nimrod, Eber, and Peleg, the Noahic family had been scattered, resulting in the formation of nations (goyim):  “These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood” (Genesis 10:32).  These nations continued to pursue the hierarchical counterfeit and the kingly/priestly (oligarchic) rule that was established by Nimrod.  At the time of Abram’s birth, there were ten firstborns still alive in YHVH’s kingdom order, with Noah as the patriarchal head.  However, these elders were all aged and destined to pass away within the next generation.  Because of the proliferation of the earth’s inhabitants, it was obvious that one man or one firstborn could not represent and implement YHVH’s kingdom for all these people groups or nations/goyim. 

The order of YHVH’s kingdom on earth, therefore, had to take a new turn.  From the twentieth generation of firstborn, the Almighty selected a man - Abram- and declared that a nation would come from his loins.  What kind of nation would this be?  It was to be a firstborn nation which would belong to YHVH Elohim for His name’s sake.  It was to be a peculiar nation, a nation of righteous servant-kings, a chosen and set-apart nation, and a royal priesthood (ref. Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9).  These people would show forth the glory of the Creator, and be a blessing to the rest of mankind (ref. Genesis 12:2-3; Zechariah 8:13).  They would become a witness-nation of YHVH’s faithfulness to His covenant and to the promises that He would be making to and with the patriarchs. 

YHVH had planned and predestined this people group to carry all the birth-rights inherent in the family of Adam and Noah, and as such, to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.  They would ultimately have dominion, as servants of the Most High, over all that was bequeathed to Adam.  However, having the nature of their progenitor, Adam, they would not qualify to function as redeemers. It would take a future Kinsman Redeemer, who would fulfill all righteousness for them, atone for their sin, and restore their relationship with their Covenant Maker.  This relative, then, would re-establish His kingdom rule in and through them "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus/Yeshua. "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." (Luke 1:31-33).

Let us return to the promises that YHVH gave to Abram and to his seed:  “Then YHVH appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your descendants/seed I will give this land’” (Genesis 12:7).  Abram had to leave his father and household in Haran in order for this promise to be realized.  However, the children of Canaan, the cursed son of Ham, already occupied the land that YHVH chose to give to the progeny of Abram.  How was it that Abram had the right to take this property away from the Canaanites? 

Being a slave of slaves, or a servant of servants, Canaan did not have a judicial right to own land, as a slave was the property of his owner.  Thus, the area that he occupied was available, as it were, while his progeny was destined to be servants in the tent, or land of another.  Abram, on the other hand, and his firstborn descendants, had the right to redeem that territory and to dwell in it.  Yet being servants - of the Most High - they too could not possess it:  “The earth is YHVH’s and all its fullness” (Psalm 24:1), and, “The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me” says YHVH (Leviticus 25:23).  He always holds the title deed to the land and can choose to give it to whomever He pleases, according to the conditions that He laid down (ref. Leviticus 18:25-28, especially verse 27).

As pointed out earlier, after the days of Peleg, the nations were divided according to the (future) number of the tribes of Israel.  In essence, the governmental administration and oversight of YHVH’s kingdom on earth was to be given to the promised seed of Abram’s firstborn.  But who would this one be, since Abram and his wife, Sarai, were childless? 

From Chapter 14 of "Firstborn Factor in the plan of Redemption," copyright 2011