Day 4, Genesis 12-14

I am pleased, however a little embarrassed, to say that I have officially gotten further into the Bible than ever before. Yes, I have bounced around in the middle of it, but from starting at the beginning, this is progress.

I am displeased with today’s reading though. It was all about Abram. I don’t know who Abram is, or why there’s so much talk of him. Why is this important or relevant to this big picture? I’ve heard of Abraham, is this the same person and I just don’t know it yet?

First of all, I don’t understand why God chose Abram. Maybe it says why and I am just not comprehending.

“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. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

-Genesis 12:1-3

Second, what makes him so special? Why has the Lord chosen to bless him, and have this whole story about him?

Abram and his wife Sarai go to Egypt. Abram told Sarai to pretend to be his sister instead of his wife because she was so beautiful. This way he wouldn’t be killed when they took her away from him. Except they took her away regardless and she married the Pharaoh. Well, trick was on them I guess, because God came in and afflicted them with the Plague. By the end, the Pharaoh was saying, “take your wife back, and go!”

“But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. So Pharaoh called Abram and said, ” What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.”

-Genesis 12:17-20

If Abram was worried about them killing him before, I would think he would have been even more so after this. Unless he knew God was on his side?

The one thing I may have made a connection with was when “Abram gave a tenth of everything.” Was that the start of the tithe tradition?

I don’t know. I made it through today’s reading, but I had no previous connections or background knowledge to pair with it, and nothing was relate-able. It had a lot more names of people and places that were confusing. I’m afraid I will encounter this feeling more often than not on this journey.

I’m hoping as I continue, I will understand better as to why there is so much about Abram. Unless this is how the story is told? I’m sure I will piece it all together eventually. For now, I’m trying to stay motivated, and am looking forward to tomorrow’s reading hoping it is better than today’s.