February 19, 2026
Series
Out of Ur
In this two-part Bible study series, Geoff Henstock explores Abram’s call to leave Ur and the world that shaped it. Beginning with the Genesis genealogies and Terah’s family, the articles set Abram’s story within a wealthy, sophisticated culture saturated with idols and false worship. The series then follows the move through Haran, showing why God’s promise required more than travel, and why faith meant a clean break from compromise as Abram journeyed toward the land God would show him.
Part 1 sets the scene by following the Genesis genealogies from Shem to Terah and showing how the narrative narrows toward Abram as the focus of God’s purpose. It then explores Terah’s family in Ur and what life in Ur likely looked like, including the city’s prosperity, strong religious culture, and the pressures of a polytheistic environment.
Part 2 examines the call to leave Ur and explains why Genesis can sound like Terah led the move even though the call was to Abram, connecting the timeline with Acts 7. It then focuses on why the family stalled in Haran, how lingering there reflects spiritual compromise, and why Abram’s westward journey becomes a picture of moving toward God through a clean break from idolatry.
Part 1
In a world of wealth, idols, and 5,000 gods, God quietly chose a barren woman and an ordinary family to change the course of history.
Part 2
God called Abram out of Ur, but his journey stalled in Haran until he fully separated from idolatry and moved west toward God’s promise.