Undefeated by Skepticism

Abram had every right to be skeptical. He had already made a major move from Ur to Haran – a trip of 600 miles (Acts 2:3). His family had settled down in Haran. Abram’s father had died and left him with a large inheritance. Now Abram was a wealthy rancher. He had livestock, servants, real estate, investments, and even well-trained soldiers.

Abram’s only poverty was that he and his wife, Sarai, remained childless.

One day that all changed. The Lord said to Abram, “Get out of your country and away from your relatives and from your father’s house and go to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). This was an even more challenging move. This time Abram had to leave his land, friends, and extended family. He had to leave it all behind for an unknown land – a trip of another 420 miles.

Abram’s inner skeptic must have been screaming, “Wait, what?! Why? Why now? This doesn’t make any sense!”

That inner skepticism didn’t last long, though. Abram’s Spirit-driven faith countered his inborn skepticism, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go to a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance, and he left without knowing where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8).

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The remedy to skepticism is always God’s promises.

The Lord – the God of promises – gave Abram a sevenfold promise:

• I will make you a great nation.
• I will bless you.
• [I will] make your name great.
• You will be a blessing.
• I will bless those who bless you.
• I will curse anyone who dishonors you.
• All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you. (Genesis 12:2-3)

To counteract Abram’s skepticism of a 75-year-old looking to his golden years of retirement, God promised, “I will make you into a great nation.” Within 600 years, God would create a nation of over two million from a childless 75-year-old man and his barren 65-year-old wife (Numbers 1:44-46).

To negate Abram’s skepticism that he should stay put where he was already wealthy, God promised, “I will bless you.” God would make Abram an extremely wealthy man (Genesis 24:35).

To neutralize Abram’s skepticism that he already had a great reputation as a rancher, God promised, “I will make your name great.” Abram’s name is still great 4100 years later, not as a well-to-do cattleman, but as God’s friend (James 2:23).

To overcome Abram’s skepticism that he was fine where he was and with what he was doing, God promised, “You will be a blessing.” God would use Abram to return the abducted people of Sodom, pray for Lot, and entertain strangers.

To erase Abram’s skepticism of speaking publicly about the Lord, God promised, “I will bless those who bless you.” Abram was a prophet (Genesis 20:7). He built an altar in heathen territory and proclaimed the name of the Lord among cultures captivated by false deities (Genesis 12:8).

To defeat Abram’s skepticism of speaking publicly about the Lord when he was challenged by heathen people, God promised, “I will curse anyone who dishonors you.” God assured Abram that anyone who opposed him was, in reality, opposing God and would receive divine judgment.

To overpower any and all of Abram’s inborn skepticism, God’s final promise gave all the other promises purpose and meaning. God promised the Redeemer of mankind.

“All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you.”

God promised that the Seed of Eve who would crush the Ancient Serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15) would also come from Abram (Galatians 3:8).

Skepticism questions. Skepticism confuses. Skepticism debilitates. A skeptic cannot make a decision, act, or move.

God’s sevenfold promises overwhelmed Abram’s skepticism. He was spurred into action. Abram’s action was to move. “So Abram went, as the Lord had told him. … They set out to travel to the land of Canaan” (Genesis 12:4,5).

Abram didn’t build a house. He pitched a tent. But he did build an altar. He proclaimed the name of the Lord in a land filled with heathen gods (Genesis 12:8).

Abram didn’t live to see his descendants become a great nation … or see his descendants move into the Promised Land … or see the birth of his Great Descendant, the Savior Jesus.

But Abram lived on God’s promises.
For God’s promises always defeat skepticism.