Abraham
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Searching the Scriptures
David A. Bass, Rockford Church of Christ
One of the grand characters of the Old Testament is a man named Abraham. Three times in the Bible he is called “the friend of God” (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). What greater compliment could anyone receive than to be called “the friend of God.” We can be “friends of God” if we will follow the example of Abraham.
Abraham was a man of tremendous faith! We first see this great faith when God called him to leave his home, family and friends and travel to a strange land which he knew nothing about (Genesis 12:1-9). We read in Hebrews 11:8-9, “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:”
It was because of his faith that Abraham obeyed God.
A second example of Abraham’s great faith is seen in regard to the promise of his son. His wife, Sarah, was well beyond child bearing years, and besides that she had always been barren. Abraham was an “old” man by any standards, yet his faith never wavered. Several thousand years later, Paul wrote, “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness” (Romans 4:18-22).
Abraham believed that God would keep His promises.
Another example of the great faith of Abraham was that of offering his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:1-18). God had called Abraham to take his only son and offer him as a sacrifice. The Bible records that Abraham rose up “early in the morning” to begin his journey, and he did exactly as God commanded him. We read in Hebrews 11:17-19, “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”
There is no indication either in the Old Testament or New Testament that Abraham hesitated or wavered in his faith. Imagine the heartache that Abraham must have had as he made that sad journey and then traveled up that mountain with the fire, the wood and his son as the sacrifice.
Abraham built an altar, placed the wood, tied up Isaac, and placed him on the altar, ready to take his life when God’s angel stopped him! What faith! As always, he obeyed God, believing that God knew what was best for him and would keep His promises.
Next time, we will continue our study of this great Old Testament character. Search the Scriptures! Rockford Church of Christ; 8997 U.S. Hwy. 231; Rockford, AL 35136. Contact us at: Dabass1962@bellsouth.net.
