If you ask most people even Christians if they know anything about the Biblical person Terah, they would most likely say they don't know. The majority, however, hopefully the vast majority, would say they know at least something about another Biblical person, namely Abraham. So what's the big deal about Terah? There are lots of obscure names in the Bible. We find them in droves in the geneological tables given in Genesis and I Chronicles. Well, Terah was a pretty important person because for starters he was "dishonest" and he was (see Genesis 12:10-20; chapter 20) Abe's father. So you might say again, what's so special about Terah that makes him a "guest star" in "Pastor's Corner." Somebody had to father every famous person except Jesus who was born of a virgin so again what's so special about Terah? The answer simply put is that Terah might have inherited the blessings of Abraham and have been given the place of honor as the Father of the Jewish people and the spiritual father of every Christian (see Romans 4:16) instead of his son.
Terah actually was not very special at all except that he may have blown one of the greatest opportunities ever in that he may have been what his son became. We are not sure about this because the Bible is not clear enough about what God told Terah if anything at all except that he was the one who took his whole family including Abraham who at that point was only Abram (that's another story in itself) and started out from Ur of the Chaldeans (modern Iraq) and headed towards Caanan (See Genesis 11:31). Isn't that intriguing? Why would Terah decide to start over by heading out of the very cosmopolitan city of Ur and head for the unfamiliar land of Caanan where he had limited prospects of success and could put his family at risk. Furthermore, Stuart Briscoe in his Commentary on Genesis (Communicator's Commentary,Vol 1-Genesis, Word, Inc., 1987, p.123) says that Terah worshipped Nanna the Moon god, the chief god of the Chaldeans (see also Joshua 24:2 - for the record, Abraham did too). So who told Terah to make such a daring move and "drag' his family with him. In those days you usually went where Poppa went even if you were married and had children. The family Patriarch ruled.
We will never know for sure what happened, but if God had suddenly gotten Terah's attention and told him to start packing and then also assured a somewhat puzzled if not rebelious Abram to go along with the plan, then it all might make sense that Terah was on to something real big but blew it by getting as far as Haran (in modern Syria) but choosing to settle down there rather than finish his course. If so, then Abram finished what Terah started and "cashed in all the chips." Of course, if God had not spoken directly to Terah but he had for some really unexplained reason (Divine providence?) started out for Caanan, then it may also be that Abraham was told by God to follow the plan and after his father died, Abe could complete the journey because he no longer was obligated to stay with his father. But what we know for sure is that Abraham went the distance. After many years in Haran, he fulfilled his calling and made it all the more blessed for the rest of us. He left Ur (See Genesis 15:7) and Haran because it was God's will and not for any other reason. When we start over like that we too need to find assurance that God is moving us and not for any other reason. Are you being called to start over? If so, don't be a Terah, be an Abraham-go the whole distance. Amen.
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