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In short, Abraham was the son of the tribe’s chief: rich in cattle,money, slaves and property. He worshipped the gods of thecountry and lived in Haran until the age of 75.
2. ABRAHAM’S VOCATION2.1. A CALL FROM GOD
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While Abraham was in Haran, God called him: “
Leave your land, your country, and your father’s home and go to the land that Iam going to show you
” (Gn 12: 1). An unknown and mysteriousGod invites him to abandon everything:
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Land: properties, landscape… he becomes a migrant.
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Country: birth’s place, culture… he becomes a citizen of the world.
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Father’s home: leave family and its love… he becomes anorphan.
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This God asks him to leave everything to follow a vague dream:walk to a place without an exact location. God asks much andgives little. God demands a radical faith and trust in him;Abraham must abandon himself in God’s Word. This faith isactive: he should move and look for that land. This faith is also arisk: he could lose everything and not find any land.
2.2. GOD’S PROMISE
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This is the promise of God to Abraham:
“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shallbe blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will cursethose who curse you; and in you all the families of the earth shallbe blessed”
(Gn 12: 2-3). The writer repeats 5 times the root of the word “bless”; 6 are the promises and 7 are the phrases(symbol of totality). These promises of benediction are a paradoxif we compare them with the present situation of Abraham. Thereis a deep conflict between the promises and the reality of Abraham:
1.
Great nation
: Abraham is old and his wife is barren (Gn11: 30).
2.
God will bless him
-it means prosperity and wealth-:starting his journey he becomes very poor.
3.
His name will be great
: nobody knows him and is alonely man.
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