Why couldn't Abraham keep his family tie with a pagan?
God was entering covenant promises with Abraham, intending to bring forth the nation of Israel. Out of that nation would come the Book, the whole spiritual realm of salvation, and everything else. Keeping a pagan family tie was incompatible with that covenant purpose.
Les explains that Abraham could not keep the family tie with a pagan because God was then going to deal with him on covenant promises, bringing about the nation of Israel. Out of Israel would come this Book, the whole spiritual realm of salvation, and everything else; it all began intrinsically with Israel. Les also points out that God told Abram, “I will make of thee a great nation,” but God’s idea of greatness was not numbers or military power. Israel was never a large nation by population, yet it is the very center of all God’s dealing with the human race. Through Abraham’s line, all families of the earth would be blessed.