ABRAHAM – A FRIEND OF GOD

KEY VERSE:
“Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Genesis 15:6 (NIV)

Our first glimpse of Abraham in the bible is in Genesis 12 where God asked him to leave his homeland in Mesopotamia for an unknown place...”Now the Lord said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1. Abraham had a decision to make. His decision was between setting out with his family and belongings for parts unknown or staying right where he was. He had to decide between the security of what he already had and the uncertainty of travelling under God’s direction.

All Abraham had to go was God’s promise to guide and direct him and Abraham set out in faith…”By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tent…for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” James 11:8, 9a&10.

Abraham could hardly have been expected to visualize how much of the future was resting on his decision of whether to go or stay, but his obedience affected the history of the world. His decision to step out in faith and follow God set into motion the development of the nation that God would eventually use as his own when he visited earth himself. When Jesus came to earth, God’s promise was fulfilled; through Abraham, the entire world was blessed…”So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.” Matthew 1:17.

The test of Abraham’s faith reached a crescendo when God asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac on one of the mountains in Moriah – fifty miles near Jerusalem…”God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Genesis 22:1b–2. Now, Isaac was a child of promise; a miracle child born to Abraham and Sarah when she was ninety years old and he was a hundred years old.

It is pertinent to note that at this point in time, Ishmael, the son born by Sarah’s maid, Hagar, had been sent away with his mother…”So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy (Ishmael) to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.” Genesis 21:14.

But Abraham’s experience of God over the years had taught him many tough lessons about the importance of obeying God in faith. Even when Isaac asked about the lamb for the sacrifice on their way to the land of Moriah, Abraham answered him in faith…”And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering?” So the two of them went together.” Genesis 22:8. Abraham obeyed God completely and when he was about to slay Isaac, God provided a substitute sacrifice in a ram…”Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.” Genesis 22:13.

It must have been difficult for Abraham to let go of Isaac especially as human sacrifice was a pagan custom and he could have refused on that basis. But sometimes, God asks us to do seemingly silly and impossible things. Abraham’s faith allowed him go beyond the norm in obeying God.