S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Aside from Moses, no Old Testament character is mentioned more in the New Testament than Abraham. James refers to Abraham as "God's friend" (James 2:23), a title used of no one else in Scripture. B...

Login or Sign Up to view the rest of this answer.

July 01 2013 • 10 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

This Abr’am found: he raised the knife;
God saw, and said, “Forbear!
Yon ram shall yield his meaner life;
Behold the victim there.” (William Cowper, hymn 6, based on Genesis 22:13)

Genesis 22:13 says,	

"Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son." 

"Jehovah-Jireh -- Jehovah will see; i.e., will provide, the name given by Abraham to the scene of his offering up the ram which was caught in the thicket on Mount Moriah. The expression used in Genesis 22:14, "in the mount of the Lord it shall be seen," has been regarded as equivalent to the saying, "Man's extremity is God's opportunity.""
https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/jehovah-jireh/

This was the Lamb provided by God Gen. 22:8; John 1:29, and the Substitute available in the stead of his son Gen. 22:13; 2 Cor. 5:21.

We have the presenting of Isaac, a demonstration of trust on Abraham's part but nevertheless, a testing of confidence (Gen. 22). What a request God made! I mean, Wow, which of us fathers would be willing to sacrifice even one of our children? Be that as it may, Abraham didn't retain his solitary child of guarantee. What God needed was Abraham's heart, not Isaac's life. So, when the blade was raised to kill Isaac, a substitute showed up. (God always provides for His own). After this penance, Abraham got the declaration that he had satisfied God. 

The Bible offers us numerous sorts of Christ, Isaac being one of the chiefest, however, Abraham is the solitary kind in Scripture of God the Father. Abraham so adored God as to surrender his lone child, and hundreds of years before Christ was brought into the world went into the inward heart of John 3:16. 

Some of the above was taken from H.L. Lockyer.

New Testament scholars found in this story the hinting of another Father-Son story. What Abraham was happy to do- - give up his child - God did. He offered His own Son on Calvary (John 3:16). --"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. "

When I was a young Christian, I once explained this true story of Abraham's sacrifice of his son, Isaac, as a perfect picture of God offering His Son, Jesus, for us on the cross. I explained it to an elderly Jewish couple that I was trying to win to Christ, Al, and Ellie. They thought I was crazy, but I was trying to love them into the Kingdom of God.

January 03 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Danny Hickman Supporter Believer in The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

The best lesson of Abraham's life is told in the first verses of Genesis 12, when God told Abraham what he had planned for Abraham's life. He gave Abraham a promise to make of him a great nation. He told Abraham that through his blessing of Abraham the whole world would be blessed. 

The best part of it is that he didn't give Abraham a caveat or any conditions that must be met. God clearly stated that he was going to bless the whole world through this man whom he had chosen, and no reason was given for why he chose him. 

If Abraham asked God why he had been chosen, the writer of the story either omitted it or didn't know about it. As far as we know, Abraham accepted the offer with no questions asked. 

I like the way the story is told:

1) God makes a promise to do a miracle through Abraham. He's going to give a man who is already 75 years old and his 65 year old wife a baby boy..

2) Abraham lied and told the king of Egypt that his wife Sarai is his sister. He isn't presented as a fearless faith filled saint.

3) Abraham listened to his wife and impregnated his wife's housekeeper. He took another wife because years had passed since God had made the promise and nothing had happened. 

4) It took 25 years for it to come to pass, but God kept his promise to Abraham; a promise that (here it is) was made before Abraham had done anything good or bad.

Romans 9:10,11 gives corroborating testimony that God does indeed make decisions about people in advance of them ever doing anything. It recounts the story of Jacob and Esau, Abraham's grandsons by his son Isaac. It says, ".. when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad - in order that God's purpose of election would continue, not because of works but because of him who calls - she was told, "The older will serve the younger.""

What does Paul mean by 'would continue?' I think he means Abraham was the first to be chosen by God in this new covenant and it will continue. The previous verses of this chapter sums it up nicely. Paul explains that 'not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named." This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring' (Romans 9:6-8). (Remember, Abraham had a son named Ishmael with his wife's housekeeper, Hagar, and other children by his third wife, Keturah, whom he married after his wife Sarah's death. He had 12 grandsons by Ishmael, alone. They are children of "the flesh," not of the promise like Isaac. And even Isaac's son Esau didn't have the status of "chosen").

The most important lesson learned from the study of Abraham's story is "God's purpose of election." I think it has been mostly disregarded by the traditional church. Most of the preaching I've heard all of my life about Abraham, pictured him as 'picked to bless' because he had such great faith. God's purpose of election is usually overlooked, as far as I can tell. Abraham was blessed at 100 years old with a son by a 90 year old woman, BEFORE he had his faith in God tested. He wasn't chosen because he was born with great faith, his faith was purified, strengthened through being tested.

God has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills (Romans 9:18). The bible makes it plain that God chose the father of the faith, Abraham; and God either chooses us the way he chose Jacob, or he rejects us the way he did Esau. 

There's nothing unfair about it. All have sinned and is deserving of eternal death (the fate of the unsaved). God has mercy on whomever he wills. It's that simple..

December 26 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Appelt Supporter

Usually Abraham (or Abram his original name) is thought to be just a nomad with flocks and herds traveling from place to place. But certain things in the Old Testament point to a man with more importance as some kind of leader, chieftain, prince or king. 

Babylonian clay tablets mention a man called Abi-ramu, also called Abarama in Eblaite tablets. Hecataeus and Nicolaus of Damascus mention Abraham in their historical accounts. In fact, Josephus quoted Nicolaus in saying Abraham reigned as king at Damascus before moving into Canaan. Eliezer the ruler of Damascus presented him with the kingdom and surrendered himself to serve him. Genesis 15:2 literally reads, “the heir of my house is this Damesek (of) Eliezer.” Damasek was his servant. Josephus cited a village east of Damascus called “The Habitation of Abraham.” 

The importance of his position is reflected in how he associated with kings, implying equal status with them. Abraham interacted with Pharaoh, Genesis 12:10-20. Josephus stated that Abraham shared knowledge of arithmetic and astronomy to the Egyptians. Some like Archaeologist David Down suggested this is why Khufu or Cheops, second pharaoh of the fourth dynasty, was the first to have a pyramid with a perfectly square base, oriented to compass points.

Abraham, with an army of 318 trained servants, successfully fought the forces under Chedolaomer’s confederacy who had defeated the forces of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham rescued captives including his nephew Lot, Genesis 14:1-16. Afterwards the King of Sodom offered Abraham a deal, but he refused, Genesis 14:21-24. And Melchizedek, King of Salem, met him with bread and wine, and blessed him, Genesis 14:18-20.

Abraham also had dealings with Abimelech the king of Gerar, a city in Philistine territory, Genesis 20:1-18, 21:22-33. Making a covenant with him and rebuking him, means he must have been his equal. 

When Abraham approached the Hittites to purchase a burial place when Sarah died, they considered him “a mighty prince,” Genesis 23:1-9. After negotiating, he paid a great amount for the only land he owned. 

These examples suggest Abraham was an important figure, but it was his faith in God that made him the man he was, Genesis 15:6, Hebrews 11:8-10. God revealed to Abraham prophecies of His people especially the 400 years of oppression in Canaan and Egypt. He had a longing for the heavenly city, which probably was the reason he allowed Lot to choose the well-watered plain. Abraham interceded with the Lord over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. The level of Abraham’s communion and communication with the Lord made him the “friend of God,” II Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, James 2:23. No one else had this distinction. His heart was faithful, Nehemiah 9:7-8.

Abraham believed the impossible, Genesis 15:4-6. Furthermore, the test of Genesis 22 confirmed Abraham’s love for the Lord was greater than for his son. Also, Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead, Hebrews 11:17-19. 

Abraham, a pilgrim and stranger, was a powerful leader and a faithful witness for God.

May 09 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report