Dear People Who Keep Company With God,

Abram built the third altar at the Oaks of Mamre that are in Hebron. The name Mamre means fatness or riches. The name Hebron means fellowship in the original language. These names together speak of a place of inheritance, blessings and favor.

The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; 15 for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. 16 “I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. 17 “Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth; for I will give it to you.” 18 Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord. Genesis 13:14-18

The story of Abram’s third altar begins with the Lord reaffirming His promises to Abram after Lot had separated from him.  When the Lord first called Abraham, He told him to, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives.” Genesis 12:1.As a young Christian I heard a wise old man speak about this and it has stuck with me for over 33 years now. He shared how Abram partially obeyed the Lord. He left his country but took his father (Gen. 11:31) and his nephew Lot (Gen. 12:4) along with him. For this reason, God intervened in the affairs of Abram to teach him the importance of whole heartedness in God’s economy. We will never come into our place of true inheritance in the Lord and all the blessings and favor that await us there until we become whole hearted in our relationship with Him.

It is significant that Abram’s name was changed to Abraham at Hebron (Gen. 17:5). Abram means exalted father and Abraham means father of many nations. That was a pretty significant promotion. At Hebron, the angels revealed to Abraham that he would have a son who would be called Isaac (Gen.18: 1-15). Later, Sarah died at Hebron (Gen. 23:2); Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah as her burial place (Gen. 23:9). It seems Hebron was a home base for Abraham.

The whole character and nature of Hebron is rooted in whole-heartedness. This is revealed in the life of Caleb and David who had significant background and identity founded in Hebron. Caleb, along with Joshua, followed the Lord fully and did not give a bad report when the twelve spies from Israel were sent to spy out the land (Deut. 1:36 & Josh.14:8) and he inherited Hebron (Josh. 14:12-14).

The New Testament testimony of David is, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.” Acts 13:22. David was anointed king over Judah at Hebron (2 Sam. 2:3-5) and later he was anointed king over all of Israel at Hebron (2 Sam. 5:1-3).  David actually ruled Judah from Hebron for the first 71/2 years of his reign (2 Sam. 5:5).

When by the grace of the Lord we become whole hearted in our relationship with Him we will find our Hebron, our place of true inheritance in the Lord and all the blessings and favor that await us there. At Hebron we will come into a place of worshipping the Father in spirit and truth (John 4:23).

Many Blessings, BW

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