Abraham

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going…By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar” (Hebrews 11:8, 17). These key events in Abraham’s life show the faithful obedience for which he is best known.

God summoned Abram from the city of Ur to lead God's people. Abram's family ties are in Genesis 11:26–32. Terah had three sons:

1. Abram

2. Nahor

3. Haran

Terah left Ur with Abram, Abram's wife Sarai, and Lot, whose father, Haran, had died. On his way to Canaan, Terah settled in the city of Haran (Genesis 11:31). God called Abram to a new land while he was still in Ur (Acts 7:2–4). God told Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). God blessed Abram by making a covenant (special agreement) with him that included promises of great blessing, many descendants, and a new land (Genesis 12:1–3). These promises later saved Israel from destruction when they often failed to keep their covenant with God (see Leviticus 26:40–45).

Abram left Haran when he was seventy-five years old. Upon entering Canaan, he first went to Shechem, a Canaanite city between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. God appeared to Abram near the oak of Moreh, which was likely a Canaanite place of worship. Abram built altars there and near Bethel (Genesis 12:6–8). He proclaimed the one true God at these places of false worship. Abram later moved to Hebron by the oaks of Mamre and built another altar to worship God (Genesis 13:18).

When God promised blessings to Abram again in a vision (Genesis 15:1), Abram said he was still childless because Sarai could not have children (Genesis 11:30). Eliezer of Damascus was his heir (Genesis 15:2). The Nuzi documents, found in the ancient Mesopotamian city of Nuzi, explain this. According to Hurrian custom, a wealthy childless couple could adopt an heir, often a slave, who would handle their burial and mourning. However, if a natural son was born after adopting the slave-heir, the son would replace him. It seems Abram adopted Eliezer this way, but God promised Abram's own son would be his heir (Genesis 15:4).

Abram's life was marked by his belief in the Lord, who considered him righteous due to his faith (Genesis 15:6; see Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; Jamess 2:23). Abram was not declared righteous because he was without sin. He sometimes failed to do what was right—twice he lied about Sarai out of fear, and he tried to have a son with Hagar instead of waiting for God (Genesis 16:1–5). However, he consistently returned to faith as the main principle of his life before God.

Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born to Sarai’s servant, Hagar. When Abram was ninety-nine, the Lord appeared to him and confirmed His promise of a son and blessings (Genesis 17). He added circumcision as a sign of this covenant (Genesis 17:9–14). God also changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah (Genesis 17:5, 15). Abraham laughed at the promise of another son (Genesis 17:17). Soon after, the Lord appeared again to Abraham (Genesis 18:1–15) and repeated the promise of a son. This time, Sarah laughed in disbelief (Genesis 18:10–15). Abraham was one hundred years old, and Sarah was ninety when the Lord fulfilled His promise (Genesis 21:1). The long-promised son was born and was named Isaac, meaning “he laughs.”

The ultimate test of Abraham's faith occurred when God told him to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22:1–19). Abraham obeyed, trusting that God would fulfill His plans (see Hebrews 11:17–19). As Abraham was about to use the knife, an angel stopped him and provided a ram to sacrifice instead of Isaac. Abraham's faith was proven (Genesis 22:10–13).

Christians see Isaac's sacrifice as a sign of God providing his only Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice for the world's sins. God fulfilled his promise to Abraham through Jesus Christ, who offers salvation to all who have faith (Romans 4:16–17), making believers Abraham's spiritual descendants (Galatians 3:29). Abraham's life shows that God is faithful and deserves belief and obedience. The full meaning of God's promise was realized when the gospel (the good news about Jesus) was shared with all nations, and people from all families of the earth responded in faith (see Galatians 3:6–9).

Abraham was called God's friend (2 Chronicles 20:7; James 2:23). Everyone who lives by faith should try to live like him, trusting God's guidance and support each day. Abraham is one of many great "witnesses" to a life of faith (Hebrews 12:1; see Hebrews 11). He inspires believers to keep their faith because we know God is faithful.

Passages for Further Study

Genesis 11:26–25:11; 26:2–5; Exodus 3:15–16; 6:3; 32:13; Joshua 24:2–3; 1 Chronicles 1:27–34; 2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 29:22; 41:8; 51:1–2; Ezekiel 33:24; Matthew 1:1–2; 3:9; 8:11; 22:31–33; Luke 16:19–31; John 8:31–58; Acts 7:2–8; Romans 4:1–23; 9:5–9; 11:16–17; Galatians 3:6–29; Hebrews 6:13–15; 11:8–12, 17–19; James 2:21–23