接受神呼召的动机和力量，第三面是神的应许（创十二2-3）。荣耀的神向亚伯拉罕说甚么？首先，祂说，“你要离开本地、本族”（创十二1）。也许你想这不是应许，但这句话含示应许。当神告诉亚伯拉罕离开他的本地，就含示神应许亚伯拉罕一个地方。神有一个地方为着亚伯拉罕。甚至那要他离开本地的命令，也含示应许，就是美地的应许。亚伯拉罕能说，“神命令我离开本地，这意思必定是祂有一个地方为着我。”神告诉亚伯拉罕离开本地、本族和父家，往神所要指示他的地方去。那必是一个应许。神的应许是一个激励，叫他离开本地。
一、使蒙召的人成为大国
在创世记十二章二节神对亚伯拉罕说，“我必叫你成为大国。”这话与亚伯拉罕的背景是个对比。在巴别，有许多由宗族所组成的邦国。亚伯拉罕活在那种气氛中。当神临到亚伯拉罕，告诉他要离开本地，亚伯拉罕也许在他自己里面说，“成为邦国的事又如何呢？”因此神应许要叫他成为大国。神又说，“我必赐福给你，叫你的名为大。”这与巴别也是对比。当人在巴别造塔。他们是在设法传扬自己的名，但神在祂的应许里，似乎告诉亚伯拉罕：你不需要形成邦国，我要叫一国从你而出。
神应许亚伯拉罕，要叫他成为“大国”。这“大国”就是神的国，包含旧约的以色列国、新约的教会、来世的千年国、以及永世里的新天新地（在千年国里有两部分－属天部分和属地部分。属天部分是诸天的国，过去和现今世代中的得胜者要在这部分与基督同王；属地部分是弥赛亚国，由将来的犹太国所组成）。旧约时代的以色列国、新约时代的教会、要来的千年国、以及永世里的新天新地，都包括在神应许亚伯拉罕所要成为的这“大国”里。这就使亚伯拉罕的名为大。除了主耶稣的名以外，地上没有别的名比亚伯拉罕的名更大。他是这“大国”的父。他是以色列国的父，教会的父，千年国的父，以及永世里所有蒙救赎者的父。这是何等的“大国”！
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God’s Promise (1) — Gen. 12:2
The third aspect regarding the motive and strength to accept God’s calling is God’s promise (Gen. 12:2-3). What did the God of glory say to Abraham? First, He said, “You must leave your land and your kindred” (Gen. 12:1). Perhaps you think this is not a promise, but this word implies a promise. When God told Abraham to leave his land, it implied that God promised Abraham a land. God had a place for Abraham. Even the command to leave his land implied a promise, the promise of the good land. Abraham could say, “God commanded me to leave the land; this must mean He has a place for me”. God told Abraham to leave his land, his kindred, and his father’s house and go to the land He would show him. That must be a promise. God’s promise was an incentive, calling him to leave his land.
I. Making the Called One a Great Nation
In Genesis 12:2, God said to Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation.” This word is a contrast to Abraham’s background. At Babel, there were many nations formed by clans. Abraham lived in that atmosphere. When God came to Abraham and told him to leave his land, Abraham might have said within himself, “What about becoming a nation?” Therefore, God promised to make him a great nation. God also said, “I will bless you and make your name great”. This is also a contrast to Babel. Men at Babel built a tower trying to make a name for themselves, but in His promise, God seemed to tell Abraham: You do not need to form a nation; I will make a nation out of you.
God promised Abraham that He would make him a “great nation”. This “great nation” is the Kingdom of God, which includes the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, the church in the New Testament, the Millennial Kingdom in the age to come, and the New Heaven and New Earth in eternity (in the Millennial Kingdom there are two parts — the heavenly part and the earthly part. The heavenly part is the Kingdom of the Heavens, where the overcomers of the past and present ages will reign with Christ; the earthly part is the Messianic Kingdom, composed of the future Jewish nation). The nation of Israel in the Old Testament age, the church in the New Testament age, the coming Millennial Kingdom, and the New Heaven and New Earth in eternity are all included in this “great nation” that God promised Abraham he would become. This made Abraham’s name great. Apart from the name of the Lord Jesus, no name on earth is greater than Abraham’s. He is the father of this “great nation”. He is the father of the nation of Israel, the father of the church, the father of the Millennial Kingdom, and the father of all the redeemed in eternity. What a “great nation” this is!