Genesis 12:1 reads “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:” In other words, God was commanding Abram, to Get Out.
Get Out of what?
Joshua 24:2 give us the clue, for it reads, “And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.”
The land where Abraham lived, which was the Ur of the Chaldees was a pagan land, and his father Terah, himself, served other gods.
So, God was telling Abram to Get Out of the pagan land, from a pagan people, including his own pagan family … to a promised land, that God was going to show him. In other words, God did not want Abraham to have any patriotic (country), people (kindred) or progeny (father’s house) ties that were pagan.
Points to ponder:
God may be asking you to leave your pagan ties … so that you may worship and serve him alone (Matthew 4:10). Actually God is commanding you to “Get Out” of all pagan influences. How do you respond?
Genesis 12:1 (KJV)
1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: