*Slightly abridged from J. G. Bellett*
"And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Now these are the generations of Terah:Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot. And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees"(Gen. 11:26-28).
FAMILY CHARACTER
We learn from Scripture that the family of Shem had become very corrupt, in the days of Terah, the 6th or 7th from Shem; they were serving false gods. But the power of the Spirit and the call of the God of glory visited the ear and the heart of Abram, the son of Terah, and separated him from that corruption.
We also know that a godly influence extended itself from this in the family. Terah the father, Sarah the wife, and Lot the nephew, join Abram in this, and they all leave the land of Mesopotamia together. Abram's brother, Nahor, however, did not come within this influence. This is to be much observed, for the like of it we may witness every day. One of the family becomes first subject of divine power, and then family religion, or the knowledge of the Lord in the household, spreads itself, but some remain uninfluenced.
We know that each quickened soul must be the object of the effectual drawings of the Father (see John 6:44, 45), but I speak of the history or manifested character; and, as we have seen, Nahor's household remains unmoved in this day of visitation. He and his wife continue in Mesopotamia, and thrive there. Children are born to them; goods and property increase. They pursue an easy and respectable life, but they do not grow in the knowledge of God, and bear no testimony, or but an indistinct one.
The character of Nahor's family was thus formed. They were not in gross darkness and corrupt, like the descendants of Ham in Canaan among whom Abram had now gone to sojourn. They had a measure of light derived from their connection with Terah and Abram, and as descendants of Shem; but all that was sadly dimmed by the cherished principles of the world from which they had refused to separate themselves, and a family character and standing were thus formed.
This is serious-and of daily occurrence among us, and of needed application to our consciences.
We lose sight of this family for a time as they are not the direct object of the Spirit's notice; but being connected with Abram, in process of time tidings about them reach Abram in the distant place of his pilgrimage (Chap. 22).
Bethuel was the son of Nahor-one of his many sons rather, and the one most brought into view. He had flourished in the world, and though perhaps a man of little energy or character himself, had a son named Laban, who evidently knew how to manage his affairs, and to advance himself advantageously in life. He seems, as we say, to have known the value of money, for the sight of gold could open his mouth with a very hearty and religious welcome even to a stranger (chap. 24). Here we reach a period in the history of this family which is chiefly to be considered.
A fresh energy of the Spirit is about to visit it. As I have already observed, this family is not in the gross darkness of the Canaanites, nor in the idolatrous condition of Terah's house (see Josh. 24:2), when the God of glory called Abram. They had been brought into a certain measure of light, and within a certain standing by profession, as Abram's act and word seem to allow (chap. 24:4). Thus the Spirit's testimony had put this household in some sense apart from the dark state of the men of the world, and it becomes us seriously to notice the nature of that visitation of the Spirit, for it will be found to be a separating power or visitation. As the call of the God of glory had before disturbed the state of things in Terah's house, so now the mission of Eliezer disturbed the state of things in Bethuel's house. Abram had been separated from home and kindred, and so is Rebecca now to be. It leaves this serious impression, that a respectable professing family may need to be visited by the same energy of the Spirit as a more worldly or idolatrous family.
It is a disturbing or separating power of God which now comes into this family-not simply a comforting or edifying power. The ministry of Eliezer (God's servant as well as Abram's) came to Bethuel's house to draw Rebecca out of it, and to lead on that very journey which, two generations before, the God of glory had led Abram. I judge that there is a lesson in this which is much to be pondered. A professing, decent family have to be aroused, and a fresh act of separation produced in the midst of it.
(To be continued.)