The Generations of Terah
A Devotional Series from Genesis
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
8/11 Reading Portions: 1 Samuel 1; Romans 1; Jeremiah 39; Psalms 13-14
Genesis 11:27-28Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot. Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his kindred, in Ur of the Chaldeans.
UR
Terah, the son of Nahor, a descendant of Shem, Eber, and Peleg, continued to live in the land of Shinar, the land of the two rivers (Euphrates and Tigris). Terah and his family lived in Ur, about 140 miles south of Babel (aka Babylon). While Terah continued to live in the land of Shinar, he and his family lived out of sight of that abomination, Babel’s tower. Ur, אוּר (oor) in Hebrew means “flame,” and arises from the Hebrew word אוֹר (ōr), which means “light.”
Nahor was named after Terah’s father. Could it be that Abram was Terah’s first-born son and was given a different name? Abram’s name means “high father” or “exalted father.” Could it be that he was given the name Abram because he took Lot, his nephew, and raised him as a son after Haran died? Perhaps not. Just a thought.
But how do these verses exalt Christ and foreshadow His gospel? In a few days, when we get to Genesis 12, Abram will be called of God to leave Ur and go to a land that God would show him (Gen 12:1). We know that the land Abram would be led to was Canaan (Gen 12:5), where the wicked descendants of Ham dwelt. Since Abram was a prophet of God Almighty (Gen 20:7), by his sojourn he will become a prophetic type of Christ: for Abram will leave the flame of Ur and dwell among the wicked inhabitants of Canaan, just as Jesus left the glorious light of heaven as well as His flaming throne (Dan 7:9), coming to earth to dwell among sinners in need of salvation. It is written,
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
