God called Abraham by grace - he was a Syrian ready to
perish (Deuteronomy 26:5)
God took him out of idolatry from the other side of the
flood, the Euphrates river (Joshua 24:2)
God led him through the land of Canaan and gave him his
multiplied seed (Joshua 24:3)
Abraham responded in obedience to God's call by faith,
but his obedience was progressive over time (Acts 7:2-4)
At God's first appearing to him, he leaves his country
with his father, but dwells on the same side of the river in Haran (Genesis 11:31)
After his father's death, he leaves his father's house
and crosses the river into Canaan, but he still has kindred with him, his nephew Lot (Genesis 11:32 - 12:5)
Once in the land, Abraham separates himself from Lot and
only then is able to see his inheritance (Genesis 13:14-17)
Like Abraham, before we can live for God, our old man
(Terah) must be crucified (Romans 6:6,10)
Like Abraham, before we can walk with God, we must know
and reckon our flesh (Lot) to be crucified (Galatians 5:24-25 cf. Romans 6:9,11)
Like Abraham, we must repudiate the reward of the world
(King of Sodom) in accordance with our blessing from God (King of Salem) Who possesses ALL (Genesis 14:17-23 cf. Ephesians 1:3; Colossians 2:1-3)
The land of the inheritance was owned by another (Genesis 12:6)
and Abraham did not possess "one foot" of that inheritance (Acts 7:5)
Abraham along with his co-heirs, Isaac and Jacob, patiently
sojourned in that land dwelling as strangers (in temporary tents) and worshipping as pilgrims (upon a separated
altar) - separation must come BEFORE worship (II Corinthians 6:14-18)
First the tent, then the altar - separation FROM Haran
(Genesis 12:8)
First the tent, then the altar - separation FROM Egypt
(Genesis 13:3-4)
First the tent, then the altar - separation FROM Lot (Genesis 13:18)
Isaac and Jacob are co-heirs with Abraham and NOT of Abraham;
they each received the promise of inheritance directly from God as did Abraham (Acts 7:8 cf. Genesis 17:7)
Abraham looked for a city made by God and NOT by man;
therefore, he was content to sojourn in tents as a pilgrim in the promised land UNTIL that city appeared (Hebrews 11:13,16)
This is in contrast to Cain, who built a city on the earth
himself in defiance of God's judgment that he was to be a wanderer in the earth (Genesis 4:13-17)
The city prepared by God is the heavenly Jerusalem, which
shall descend out of heaven AFTER the creation of a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1-2,9-10)
The city will reflect the Glory of God in its construction
(Revelation 21:11-21)
Looking to their heavenly inheritance, Abraham and his
co-heirs were NOT mindful of their earthly roots, BUT lived as pilgrims on this earth UNTIL their heavenly inheritance
should appear (Hebrews 11:13-16)
Likewise, our affections should be set on things above
(Colossians 3:1-2) where we are seated together with Christ(Ephesians 2:5-6)