This week Abram is called to continue the journey his father Terah began. Terah was a famous idol builder. He built idols for Nimrod and many others. After God came down and confused the language of man the people spread out and separated. After that separation we are introduced to Terah and his family.

Terah settled in Haran. At age 75 Abram is called to continue the journey. God appears to Abram and tells him to head to a land God will show him. Notice how Terah began the journey coming from Ur. The family is heading WEST. The people of the world left the Garden and headed EAST. They followed the Sun gods. Idol worship became the norm. God has Abram turn his back on the way of the world and it’s idol worship. God has Abram turn back toward the direction of the Garden.

Abram heads to the land of Canaan where he builds an alter at Shechem (which means place of the burden). This area will be significant to the nation if Israel over and over again. This is where Diana Jacob’s daughter is raped. It is so where Jacob sent Joseph to find his brothers before they sold him into slavery. Later Shechem is where Israel is divided into 2 kingdoms. Abram then moves toward Ai and builds another alter for the Lord. Ai is also significant as to Israel being defeated there because of Aiken taking the spoils from Jericho after God said everything in Jericho belongs to the Lord.

Notice how Abram only builds permanent structures for the Lord while he lives in a tent. The story we have before we are introduced to Abram is the Tower of Babel. The people were building a permeant structure to be a NAME for themselves. Notice how Abram never builds himself a permanent structure. This is what sets Abram apart from everyone else on the planet.

In a world where everyone is trying to build a name for themselves Abram chooses to build upon the name of the Lord. So the question for you is what are you building and why? Are you building a name for your glory and honor or are building the Kingdom of God?