Dealing with your Haran.
In Genesis 28 we read the story of Isaac and how he sent Jacob his son to go and find a wife for himself in Haran. On his way there he was sleeping on a rock and God appeared to him in a dream. When he left the place he met Rachel, the daughter of his mother's brother, at the well. She took him to her father, Laban, who was his uncle, who asked him to stay and work for him.
Haran has a significant meaning in the Bible. The first time we read about Haran is in the book of Genesis. It was the name of one of the three sons of Terah. Terah was Abraham's father so Haran was Abraham's brother.
Gen. 11:26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
As we read about their family history we see that Haran died before his father. The Bible doesn’t say why or how he died. This is significant in the life of Abraham as we shall see.
Gen. 11:27-28 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 Chaldeans.
Not long after this happened God called Abraham out of the land of the Chaldeans to go to a place that God will show him. Before this happened, and God called Abraham out of his country, something happened.
Gen. 11:31-32 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.
Terah, Abraham's father, decided to move from Ur of the Chaldeans towards Canaan. On their way to Canaan they came to a town or city that was called Haran. This town or city had the same name as Terah’s deceased son. Terah decided to stay in Haran, the city with the same name. There was something about that name that reminded him of his dead son. The outcome is that Terah stayed so long that he eventually died in Haran.
We all have our places that are called Haran. What is important is that we do not do what Terah did. He could never move past the place of his dead son. Abraham was still living in Haran when God called him. I wonder why Terah was going to Canaan because that is the same place God told Abraham to go. I just wonder if God called Terah but he got stuck in Haran so God had to call Abraham to do what Terah never did?
Gen. 12:4-5 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
When God calls Abraham to go to Canaan He gives him very distinct orders as to what he must do.
Gen. 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.
Look at this again. Why would God ask him to get away from his country, his family, and his fathers house? I believe it is because his family chose to stay and fellowship with the thing that reminded them of the dead. Abraham was commanded to leave all that stuff behind. God does not want us to fellowship with dead stuff.
What are some of the things that you feel like you lost? Some of the spiritual battles you faced and your spending too much time getting over the mistakes you have made? What are the Haran’s in your life that want to stop you from moving on to the next thing? God is calling you to move on and leave all that behind because your destiny is not in the places of defeat and loss.
God can redeem your Harans. Jacob is sent to Haran to get a bride. This reminds me of the beautiful things that God can bring out of our mistakes. God can bring happiness from Haran to Jacob where his great grandfather could only experience despair and defeat. It reminds me of the scripture that says that God can give us beauty for ashes. Ashes are burned out of wood. Have you felt like burnt out wood lately? Have you given it all only to find out you are in Haran? He can redeem you from all that stuff. God can bring happiness from your places of emptiness and burnout.
When Abraham left Haran he took Lot with him. Lot was Haran’s son. When you leave that place of defeat with a new calling from God on your life, take your family with you.