We have seen from our earlier study that Abram lived in a polytheistic world and Joshua indicates that his own ancestors were polytheists. The tradition which connects Abram's father, Terah, with Dr, points to the city ere the chief god of many gods was the moon god. In Joshua 24: 2-3, ere is a reference to Abraham's father: 'Joshua said to all the people. This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has to say: 'Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the River Euphrates and worshipped other gods. One of those ancestors was Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor. Then I took Abraham, your ancestor, from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him through the whole land of Canaan.

At some point, Abram became aware of a God whom he must obey and worship. The experience which made Abram follow this God alone is not described in the traditions which were preserved, but the consequences of his single-minded faith are described: 'When Abram was seventy-five years old, he started out from Haran, as the Lord had told him to do; and Lot went with him. Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all the wealth and all the slaves they had acquired in Haran, and they started out for the land of Canaan' (Genesis 12: 4-5).

If we look again at verses 1-2, and verse 3, we see that God's command is followed by God's promises. God takes the initiative in revealing himself to Abram and promises him great things. Abram, who has no son by his wife, is promised true descendants and not merely adopted descendants. The land of Canaan will be given to Abram's descendants who will become a great nation. Abram will be blessed and will also become a source of blessing to all the nations. God requires only one thing from Abram, and that is obedient trust or faith. One man's trusting response is sufficient for God's purposes. From this one man would come a group of people through whom God would continue to work for the good of all the nations. God's promises point to an aim for the life of all mankind, not only for the life of Abram and his descendants.

But it is not made clear how the promises to Abram were going to be fulfilled. In Genesis 15, a sign is given to Abram that God's purposes are linked to God's covenant with him.

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