Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. Genesis 11:31
Genesis 11:31
At first, this verse may seem confusing. It appears that it was Terah’s idea to go to Canaan. But, inspired by the Holy Spirit, Stephen preached that God appeared to Abram while still in Mesopotamia and ordered him to go. The destination seems to have been still undisclosed at this time – “the land that I will show you.” (Acts 7:3, see also Heb 11:8). So, it seems that Abram received the call to go, but Terah, still the patriarch of the family, led the first leg of the journey, presumably until he could go no further.
This thought reminds me of the importance of seeking a fuller scope of understanding when it comes to God’s Word. We should read the Bible in light of the whole of scripture. It is amazing how God opens one portion of His Word up to us through other parts written at much later times under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Well said, my friend! Likewise, we need to read Genesis 10 as the result of the events in Genesis 11, not as a precursor to the event
Thank you Steven. I need to chew on your comment about Genesis 10 and 11 some. Care to elaborate?