ABRAHAM – A FATHER OF GREAT FAITH AND OBEDIENCE TO THE WILL OF GOD

Abraham was the founding father of the Jewish nation of Israel. Abraham, Hebrew Avraham, meaning “Father of many nations;” originally called Abram, Hebrew, Avram, meaning “Exalted father.” Terah, was Abram’s father (Gen 11:27), a direct descendant of Noah through his son, Shem. Abram had two brothers – Nahor and Haran, the father of lot who died in Ur (Gen 11:28). The Lord changed his name from Abram to Abraham as a symbol of the covenant promise to multiply his descendants into a great nation that God would call his own. He was the first Hebrew Patriarchs and a figure revered by the great three monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam; and to New Testament believers, “He is the father of us all (Rom 4:16).  Abraham was born in the city of Ur of the Chaldeans (present day Iraq) and married to Sarai who was barren (vs. 29, 30). Many years ago, Abram lived among his relatives in his native country of Chaldea (Gen 11:31), as head of semi-nomadic clan of herdsmen and became rich and prosperous, rancher and shepherd, raising livestock and farming in the land. Together with his father, family and household, he left the city of Ur, where he lived and traveled about 300 -500 miles north to Haran (now southeast Turkey) and lived there for 15 years and there his father died at the age of 205. This first migration to Haran was necessitated by God’s call on his life (Acts 7: 2-4), an act of separation not mentioned in Old Testament but implied in Gen 12. God told Abraham’s father to leave his home land where the people did not worship the true God.

Abraham received a second and more definite call, accompanied by a promise from God (Gen 12:1-3). At the age of 75 (Gen 12:4), Abraham obeyed the call unquestioningly; proceeded with his wife, Sarai later named Sarah and nephew, Lot and large household and relatives with him, not knowing where he was going (Heb 11:8) but trusted God implicitly. He later learned the new undesignated land was Canaan. There he would become a founder of that nation. He began his migratory life with his contingent living in tent, passing through the valley of Jabbok in Canaan and encamped at Shechem in the valley of Moreh. There he received God’s great promise, “I will make you a great nation and I will bless you…….; to your offspring I shall give this land” (Gen 12: 2-3, 6-7). By the implication of the promise, he was to become the chosen ancestor of the great Deliverer whose coming had long ago been predicted (Gen 3:15). Soon after then he moved his tent to the mountain district between Bethel, then called Luz and Al, towns about two miles apart, where he built an altar to “Jehovah.”

After a time, he moved towards the Negev. Due to the severe famine in the land, rather than wait for God’s provision, Abram was compelled to go down to Egypt and stayed there for a while. In Egypt, fearing for his life he lied that his wife was his unmarried sister and took gifts from Pharaoh in exchange for his wife. Abram lost faith in God’s provision and protection but God remained faithful and kept His covenant promise intact. The Lord inflicted sickness on Pharaoh and his household revealing to him that Abraham was God’s servant and Sarah was his wife and must be returned to him untouched. Pharaoh rebuked Abram, loaded him with gifts and urged him to leave the country (Gen 12:17-18). Abram returned to Canaan wealthier in livestock, silver and gold than he left and headed to their previous location near Bethel. There, it wasn’t long dispute arose between Lot’s shepherds and those of Abram over water and pasturage. Abram separated with Lot peacefully (Gen 12: 17-13ff).

Abraham was not only wise in diplomacy but also brave and skillful in war. ‘One of the more interesting events in Abraham’s life, he gathered a small army from his family and his employees and rescued people who had been captured by a raiding party.’ The three royal rulers of the Amorite invited him into friendship and alliance with them for the country was filled with violence and oppression. The Chedorlaomer had invaded Canaan for 14 years and made it subject and tributary to them. A large part of the army was overthrown, escapes and fled for safety. The victor’s plundered the cities of the plains and departed with rich spoil and many captives including Lot and his family. Abraham learnt of the calamity that had be fallen his nephew, gathered from his own household armed men and joined by Allied forces of the Amorite cities. He pursued and overtook Chedorlaomer and recovered all the spoils carried away including Lot and his household. Returning by way of Salem, the King Melchizedek came out with his retinue (bread and wine) to honor the conqueror. He pronounced blessing on Abraham and gave thanks to the Lord. Abraham presented him with a tenth of the spoils as priest of the Most High. After then, Abram was cheered and greeted with repeated and enlarged promises God had already made to him. He moved to the plain of Mamre in Hebron where he finally settled down (Gen 13:14, 18). This was the third resting place in the land.

Many more years passed and this couple was still childless and they began to question God’s promises. Confused and disturbed, they decided to take matters into their hands.  First, Abraham suggest that his chief servant, Eliezer be made his heir but God rejected his suggestion. Sarai was then 75 year old and seemingly beyond the age of fertility; she persuaded Abram to go into her Egyptian maid, Hagar so as to have a son by her. Hagar gave birth to Ishmael, intending him as heir of the promise. When Ishmael was 13 years old, God once again visited Abram when he was 99 to remind him of His promises in more explicit manner, reaffirmed and reinforced his covenant with him. The patriarch’s name was changed from Abram to Abraham (Gen 17:4-5) and the rite of circumcision was instituted as a sign of the covenant. It was affirmed that the heir to these covenant promises would be the son of Sarai, though she was 90 years old and his name would be Isaac. At the same time in commemoration of the promises, Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah. On that same day, Abraham, his son, Ishmael and all the males in his household were circumcised. About three months after that, as Abraham sat at his tent door, he saw three men approaching. They accepted his hospitality and enjoyed sumptuous meal made by Abraham and Sarah and their servants. One of the visitors reaffirmed the promise of Sarah birth to her own son and rebuked Sarah’s unbelief. After that, Abraham moved to southward to Gerar. Sadly, there Abraham lied again about Sarah’s identity, this time to king Abimelech (Gen 20); soon after, he moved to Beer-Sheba. It was probably there that Isaac was born while Abraham was then 100 years old.

God brought more severe and the biggest test to Abraham of his faith. God commanded him to go and sacrifice his prayer answered son, Isaac, the promised heir, “Take your son, your only son, yes Isaac whom you loved so much and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will show you” (Gen 22: 1ff). This time Abraham’s faith stood the test (Heb 11:17-19). This would have brought shock to any parent to be blessed after long waiting. He proceeded in the spirit of unhesitating obedience, tied and laid his son on the altar, believing God would either resurrect Isaac from dead or provide substitutionary sacrifice. God intervened as the angel of God stopped his lifted hand and a ram provided in his stet; the place was called “Jehovah-Jireh” meaning “The Lord will provide.” Abraham’s faith had been tested, and proved by his obedience to God. Abraham returned with Isaac to his home at Beer-sheba (Gen 22:19). He moved again back to Hebron and after some years Sarah died at about 127 years and Abraham purchased a burial place, at the cave of Machpelah from Ephron, the Hittite and there he buried Sarah, together with the adjoining ground, as a family burying place.

Abraham next concern was to provide a wife for Isaac. He sent his chief steward, Eliezer to Haran (or Charran, Acts 7:2) the place his brother Nabor and his family resided (Gen 11:31). Rebekah, the daughter of Nabor’s son Bethuel was fetched to marry Isaac (Gen 24). Abraham looked inward and took another wife, Keturah after the time of mourning for Sarah had past. Through Keturah, Abraham had additional six sons whose descendants were afterwards known as the “Children of the East” (Judges 6:3) and their names were: Ishbak, Joksham, Medan, Midian, Shuah and Zimran. At the age of 175 years, after 100 years he first entered the land of Canaan, Abraham died and was buried in the Old family burial cave at Machpelah (Gen 25:7-10).

Abraham’s faith pleased God and God blessed him and his generation. He became renowned as a prince of God (Gen 23:6); was called, “the friend of God” (James 2:23), “faithful Abraham (Gal 3:9), “the father of us all” (Rom 4:16 and Muslims call him Ibrahim as well as call himself God of Abraham (Gen 26:24). God visited Abraham on several unique occasions. God tested him severely in more than one instance and Abraham believed God and trusted Him and demonstrated extraordinary faith and obedience to the will of God. Little wonder God expressed His love for Abraham (Isaiah 41:8). He was not a perfect human being and made a couple of mistakes; was impatience, fearful and had a tendency to lie under pressure. The greatest lesson, learned from Abraham’s life is that God can use us in spite of our weaknesses to fulfill His purpose. Also God calling will usually come to us in stages and He’s willing to rescue us from foolish mistakes and weaknesses. God promise will surely come to pass despite delays and challenges on the way to its fulfillment.

Pastor/Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godswill, Discipleship Digest, Weefree (We are free in Christ) Ministries, P O Box 720035, Houston, TX, 77272; email: gkapin53@yahoo.com; Web: weefreeministries@org; 832.881.3929 ©