Abraham: Father of Many Nations (2013)

Abraham

Father of Many Nations

Who Was Abraham? who was initially called Abram, was the first of • Abraham, Israel’s 3 patriarchs (Isaac & Jacob are the other two). lived in Mesopotamia and was surrounded by • Abram people that were devoted to worshipping idol gods, including his father, Terah. this time, he was married to Sarah, who was then known • Atas Sarai.

Called by God was man of great • Abram faith, strength and conviction in the Lord.

Genesis 12, God tells • InAbram to leave his country, family and all that he knows, to travel to a land unknown to him. question, Abram • Without obeyed God and did just that.

Called by God act in itself, should not be taken lightly and shows that • This Abram was one of a kind....he was not an ordinary man. all, this was a time when children were highly devoted to • After their parents. The father was considered the absolute authority in the family.

• However, Abram did not worship the gods of his father. left his father’s house and traveled to a land unknown to • He him because of his faith in the True God that very few people even acknowledged at that time.

• Abram’s faith made him a peculiar treasure to the Lord.

Called by God loved Abram so • God much that he told him that he would be the “father of many nations” and in him the “families of the earth would be blessed.”

Tough Times blessings did not come over • These night and not in the way many people would expect them too. faith was tested and tried • Abram’s on many different occasions. was 75 years old when he left • He his father and during that time he parted ways from his nephew Lot to prevent strife from their over abundant households.

Tough Times land that he lived in would • The get plagued with famine so he would have to travel into Egypt to obtain relief. wife was taken from him • His twice. also had to battle fierce kings • He from the east to save Lot from capture.

Tough Times wife, Sarai, was initially • His barren. gave her handmaiden, • Sarai, Hagai, unto him and he had his first child when he was 86 years old (Ishmael). it was not until he was a 100 • But years old that God opened Sarai’s womb and gave them their son, Isaac.

Unwavering Faith this entire time, Abram’s • During faith never wavered. epitomized obedience and • He faith because he always did what God required without fail. did not matter what the • Itsituation was Abram obeyed God.

Abram Becomes Abraham it was because of Abram’s righteousness, that God made a • And covenant with him. He was no longer Abram but Abraham (“father of many nations) and Sarai became Sarah (“mother of many nations”). only was he to be the father of many nations, but God chose him • Not and the seed descending from his son, Isaac, to build a very special and holy nation of people, that being Israel. is to this seed that he would give the 10 commandments and the • ItPromise land, and he would be a God unto them forever more. This was a part of the covenant between him and Abraham. a token of this covenant, Abraham was instructed to circumcise the • As foreskin of every man child’s male organ .

Special Note on Circumcision ordinance was required up unto • This the death of Christ. circumcision of the heart is • Today, required. Col 2: 11-13. is circumcision of the heart? It • What is removing that part of us that wants to sin. is sometimes called killing the • This old man (removing the foreskin).

The Ultimate Test

cannot talk about Abraham without • We mentioning the time when God asked him to sacrifice his son, Isaac. was in Genesis 22, where God instructed • ItAbraham to take his son Isaac and go to the land of Moriah to offer him as a burnt offering. so amazing, is that Abraham did not • What’s question or argue with God, instead he took his son, wood and a knife to the place that the Lord instructed. he was there, he set up an alter and • Once placed the wood upon it and then his precious son. But before he could sacrifice him with a knife, the angel of the Lord called out and stopped him.

Abraham Is an Example

like Abraham we live in a time and place • Just of unbelief and great wickedness. have faith, God will make his abode in • Ifus we and speak to our hearts just as he spoke with Abraham. will also make a covenant with us as he • He did with our forefather, offering us his love, protection and the promise of salvation.

we must do our part of the covenant, • But that is, the keeping of the 10 commandments without hesitation, having faith always in our Lord. like Abraham God will then delight in us • Just and we will be his chosen people a peculiar treasure.

Questions?

For questions regarding this presentation please contact us via email at info@householdofisrael.org or by phone at 219.949.9308

Special Thanks This presentation was based on the class titled, “Abraham and the Land of Idols.�

By: Melissa C. Pointer