He Was the Patriarch
He had a father. Yet his father was not known as the patriarch. While we don’t know much about Terah, Joshua 24:2 specifically includes him as one of those who “dwelt on the other side of the River in old times; and … served other gods.”
On the other hand, Abram, his son, is called “the friend of God” because he “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness” (James 2:23). Throughout the book of Genesis, we read of the faith of Abraham. Not that he was a perfect man, as God lets us see some of his fears (Gen. 12:12) and his mistakes (Gen. 16). However, there is no doubt that Abraham’s belief in God, obedience to His will, and faithfulness to His calling made him the great patriarch of old. His legacy was such that his name in a genealogy is always marked as special.
He had a father. Yet his father was not known as a patriarch. His father was a peanut and cotton farmer, but he did not follow God.
On the other hand, Bill, his son, showed himself throughout life as a follower of God. He chose to remove himself from an abusive situation to study God’s word and dedicate his life to sharing that Word with others across the world. In fact, when first asked to go to New Zealand as a missionary, he said yes and then went home to look on a map at where he had just agreed to go! He left a legacy of faith for his family to follow, not just a name to list as a forefather.
So what made these men the patriarchs instead of the men who came before them in their family line? I would argue it came down to choices – specifically, choices about following God in faith no matter the circumstance. When God said to go “to the land I will show you” (Gen. 12:1), Abraham chose to obey. When presented with the opportunity to preach the Gospel for 60+ years, Bill chose and said, “Yes!”
So who will be the patriarch for your family? In some families, it starts with a matriarch. In my own family, if it hadn’t been for a tiny lady with a spine of steel who chose to follow God despite challenges in her life, it is possible none of us would know the Lord now. She laid the groundwork for my parents to continue a faithful line, just as Abraham passed the torch to Isaac and Jacob, while Bill passed it to Doug, Jeremiah, Chris, and so on.
Those of today impact those of tomorrow through our choices. Will we choose to be a patriarch/matriarch or just another name in a long list of genealogies?
“…choose this day whom you will serve … But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15
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AUTHOR: Amber Tatum
