The Bible has numerous references to Abraham. His life story is chronicled in great detail in [the book of Genesis]. Abraham actually has much too much material for one post to discuss! I’ll just touch on a few key points. The entire account of Abraham’s life can be found in Genesis, books 12 through 25 of the Bible. He is frequently mentioned as one of Israel’s ancestors later on. “Abraham, who is the father of us all” is how they even refer to him! (Romans 4:16)
Historical background
Around 1800 BC was Abraham’s age (see timeline). Although he spent the majority of his life traveling as a nomad in the area that is now Israel, he was born in Ur, a city in the south of Babylonia. God specifically gave Abraham the mandate to leave his homeland.
“Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you,” the Lord commanded him. And I will bless you and exalt your name so that you will be a blessing, and I will make a great nation out of you. According to Genesis 12:1-3, “I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who dishonors you. In you, therefore, shall all the families of the earth be blessed.”
God’s unique relationship with the people of Israel, Abraham’s descendants, began with this promise. As the final blessing for all the nations of the world and a descendant of Abraham, it has reached its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
Abraham had to wait for a long time
God had called Abraham when he was 75 years old. By then, Abraham and his wife did not have any children. And yet, God had promised to multiply him… That was a struggle for Abraham, and he even tried to solve the problem himself by marrying one of his servants and having a son by her. But on various occasions, God reassured him of His promise. The Bible gives us an intimate insight into Abraham’s encounters with the Lord, e.g. in Genesis 15:1-6.
“After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: ‘Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ But Abram said, ‘O Lord God, what will You give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ And Abram said, ‘Behold, You have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.’ And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: ‘This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir’. And He brought him outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them’. Then He said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be’. And he believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness.”
Finally, when Abraham was 100 years old, his wife Sarah bore him a son. The book of Hebrew summarizes: “And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise” (Hebrews 6:15).
Abraham as an example of faith
Abraham is cited in the New Testament as an example of faith: “With faith, Abraham complied with the invitation to travel to a location that would become his inheritance. And without understanding his destination, he left (Hebrews 11:8–10). Abraham’s faith was put to the test once again when his son Isaac was born later in life.
Proceed to the land of Moriah and offer your only son, Isaac, as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I will tell you about (Genesis 22:2). This is what God said to Abraham. It has to have been the most trying time of Abraham’s life. But his opposition and uncertainties were overpowered by his confidence in God.
When Abraham’s faith was put to the test, he offered up Isaac. At the same time, the one who had received the promises was offering up his only son, about whom it was said, “Your offspring shall be named through Isaac.” He believed that God was even able to bring him back to life, and in a metaphorical sense, he did (Hebrews 11:17-19).
Because God supplied a ram in lieu of the boy, Isaac was ultimately spared. This is a potent illustration of [Jesus’ atoning death] for Abraham and all believers.
Abraham as the father of the Jews and of all believers
The ancestors of the Jewish people are Abraham, his son Isaac, and his grandson Jacob. The Israelites were granted [a particular place among the nations] by the covenant that God made with Abraham, which was carried down to succeeding generations. Being descendants of Abraham made them proud.
However, God had also promised that via Abraham, other countries would also be blessed, and Jesus Christ’s ministry fulfilled that promise. According to the apostle Paul, “this mystery is that through the gospel in Christ Jesus, the Gentiles [non-Jewish people] are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise.” (Ephesians 3:6).
The majority of individuals are not biological descendants of Abraham. “That is why it [=the promise of blessing and salvation] depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring-not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, I have made you the father of many nations” (Romans 4:16–17). Nevertheless, he is called “the father of us all” because he is an example of the saving faith that we should all follow.
Some lessons for us
- It took Abraham a very long time to become pregnant with a son. At that point, he and his spouse were so old that having children was just not possible. Nevertheless, God kept His word! Let us preserve our faith in God and keep in mind Abraham’s story if we ever have to wait for Him to accomplish His promises.
- Abraham’s faith was far from flawless. He occasionally lost hope or made poor decisions. For instance, in Genesis 12:10–20, he tells Pharaoh that his wife is only his sister, despite the fact that he married Hagar, his servant, in order to conceive a child by her. However, Romans 4:3 summarizes his life as follows: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Let us be inspired by the faith of Abraham!
- The life of Abraham demonstrates God’s faithfulness. God kept His word to Abraham even when he erred or had doubts. Abraham was blessed with a son by God, who also made Abraham a blessing to all the nations of the world.
Thanks to GospelImages for the wonderful image
