Difference between revisions of "Abraham"
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Revision as of 20:10, 4 October 2008
Abraham | |
RELATED TOPICS | |
SERMONS, ESSAYS AND OPINIONS |
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CONTENTS |
Abraham was a major figure in the Old Testament. He is considered the father of the Jewish people. The account of his life is found in the Book of Genesis, beginning in Chapter 11. In the New Testament Abraham is mentioned prominently as a man of faith and the apostle Paul uses him as an example of salvation by faith.
Abram came from the lineage of Shem, who came from Noah. Abraham was first called Abram. According to Genesis, God called Abram to faith and obedience, calling him to leave his home of Ur, and move to a land that He would show him. Abram, his wife Sarai (Sarah), and his extended clan then moved to the land of Canaan. In this land, God promised to bless him and make him a great nation (although Abraham was childless at the time). Trusting this promise, Abram journeyed down to Shechem, then to a spot between Bethel and Ai. He then moved to the oaks of Mamre in Hebron. The Bible tells us that Abraham trusted God, and God credited this to him as righteousness.
Abrahamic covenant
God called Abraham to go to a place where he would show him, and promised him that he would become a great nation, that was blessed with a great name - see Genesis 12. God promised that all people on earth would be blessed through him. This promise of blessing, descendants and land is known as the Abrahamic covenant. By this covenant, God indicates that he has a plan to fulfill his purpose of bringing blessing to all people.
God made this promise to Abraham at critical stages in Abraham's life. He also repeated the promise to Abraham's descendants, at critical stages in their lives.
Circumstances in which the promises are repeated in Genesis
The story of Abraham directly follows the genealogy following the story of Babel. A contrast is seen in Genesis 11 where people try to make themselves great and fail, and Genesis 12 where God promises to make a man great.
God reaffirms his promise to Abraham in Genesis 15. This is at an important stage in Abraham's life, because Abraham is increasingly worried that he has no son. It is in Genesis 15 that the covenant is formalized, and further detail regarding it is given.
The promise is again reaffirmed to Abraham, this time in Genesis 17. This again is in the context of Abraham worrying that he has no son through his wife Sarah. In th previous chapter (some years previously) Abraham had slept with Hagar, his slave, and a son Isaac was born. Abraham had tried to do things his way, showing he did not completely trust God. Yet in chapter 17, God specifically promises a child through Sarah specifically. Circumcision is defined as the sign of the covenant.
After Abraham has died, God continues to reaffirm the promise to his descendants. He does this to Isaac in Genesis 26 when Isaac, fearing famine, considers leaving Canaan, and going to Egypt. A generation later, the promise is affirmed to Jacob (Genesis 35). This affirmation occurs in the context of Jacob's sons deceitfully taking revenge on some Canaanite; Jacob is worried that the Canaanites will respond by attacking his family.
Quotes
Links
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