Who Was Abraham in The Bible?
Abraham is the ancestor of Israelites. He had a very deep faith and a very strong relationship with God. God gave them many trials to test His faith. It also founded a nation of Abraham known as the Israelites. Abraham is a personality who is given a very sacred place in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. His life has left a deep imprint on religious history. Reference: (Genesis 12:1-3)
Abraham’s Lineage
Abraham was a descendant of Noah and his father’s name was Terah. Abraham’s real name was Abram. He lived in an ancient city called Ur. This area is found in Iraq. Abraham belonged to a generation who were the first prophets of the Bible. Abraham started his life in Ur but when God wanted, he had to leave his ancestral home, His family, and relationship. He migrated leaving behind all his wealth and property. Along with this, he has given many other sacrifices due to which he is still very important in Islam, Christianity and Judaism. Reference: (Genesis 11:27-32)
Covenant with Abraham
In the Bible, the name of the covenant is known as the covenant between Abraham and God, in which God promised Abraham. He told him that his nation would become one, which would be very great, would prevail over different nations, and would rule it on the earth. In addition, God gave them many signs and also made a promise that His descendants will be given the land of Canaan. Reference: (Genesis 17:1-8)
Abraham’s Journey From Ur to Canaan
Abraham was living in Ur, then God ordered him to migrate from here, then Abraham fulfilled God’s order and migrated from Ur to Canaan. It is written in the Bible that God ordered Abraham to leave his homeland, family and relatives and settle in a new land where his descendants would be more blessed. And so it happened when Abraham traveled and reached Canaan, his personality changed a lot and God made him the founder of the Israelites. In this way, God opened more ways for Him and He became closer to God. After that, God made more promises to Him that they will spread their descendants on the whole earth. Reference: (Genesis 12:1-9)
Abraham’s Wife, Sarah
Sarah was Abraham’s wife and played a very important role in his life. Sarah’s original name was Sarai. Sarah was a very good and beautiful woman but she was worried about having children because she was getting old and childless. God promised them that He would give them children in their old age. This was also a surprise for them because Sarah and Abraham were also old. But it should be remembered that God’s promise is always true and fulfilled. In their old age, God blessed Sarah and Abraham with Isaac. This proves the power of God. Reference: (Genesis 17:15-16)
Hagar And Ishmael
Sarah and Abraham were very old, so they did not believe in God’s promise, but Sarah wanted children, wanted an heir, so she married Abraham to her servant, whose name was Hagar. They had a child named Ishmael and he is called the first son of Abraham in the Bible and he is also the founder of the Arab nation. The birth of Ishmael started a new history that gave birth to two traditions, an Islamic one and other Judaism. Hagar and Ishmael were separated from Abraham for some reason and created a new nation from Ishmael. Reference: (Genesis 16:1-16)
Birth of Isaac
God had promised Sarah and Abraham that he would give them a son, so God fulfilled his promise and gave them a son when they reached old age. He was named Isaac. He was their first son. This was the reward of Abraham’s test. He passed each of God’s tests, so God rewarded him in the form of Isaac. Then Abraham’s descendants continued from him. Reference: (Genesis 21:1-7)
Abraham’s Test & Sacrifice
A great test for Abraham from God was that God asked him to sacrifice his son and said: Sacrifice your son in my way, this is my command. It was a very difficult stage for Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, but he considered it a command from God and decided to sacrifice his son. God appreciated his faithfulness and when Abraham was sacrificing his son, God replaced him with a lamb and saved his son. This shows that Abraham did not prioritize his son and the son’s love over God, which shows the strength of his faith and that God also blessed him with mercy after this stage. Reference: (Genesis 22:1-18)
Relationship of Abraham with Lot
Lot was the son of Abraham’s brother. Lot participated in a journey with Abraham and had some disagreements between them, such as when their animals became too numerous. So there was less space to keep them. Abraham asked Lot to keep his animals in another place so that it would be easy to manage. Lot found a place and kept his animals there. That place was full of sins. That is why God’s punishment fell there and Lot’s animals became a part of it. Then Abraham prayed to God for Lot and for this plight and expressed love and compassion. Reference: (Genesis 13:5-13, 18:16)
Disobedience of Abraham And Sarah
God’s promise is always irrevocable and always fulfilled. A promise was made by God to Sarah and Abraham that he would give them an heir, but the faith of Sarah and Abraham became weak even though their lives are full of sacrifices and everyone is aware of the strength of their faith. But there came a moment of weakness in their faith. They thought that we are too old, how will we have children. Sarah married Abraham to the servant Hagar to get an heir. After marrying Hagar, Abraham had a son who was named Ishmael. After that, God also gave Sarah a son, who was named Isaac, so she realized that God’s promises are always fulfilled, so you should always trust him. Their faith was weak but still God blessed them with mercy. Reference: (Genesis 16:1-16)
Abraham’s Intercession
Abraham’s heart was very soft. He always had compassion for people. Abraham has always prayed for the people of his family as well as for the sinners. In the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah there were sinful people, so God decided to punish them. Ibrahim prayed for those people that there are some good people among them, so do not punish these cities for their sake. Although those cities were destroyed, this prayer shows that Abraham was a very merciful person. Reference: (Genesis 18:16-33)
Abraham’s Death
Abraham was 175 years old when he died. His sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, where his wife Sarah was also buried. It was the responsibility of Abraham to convey God’s message to the people. After him, his generations have taken over, and then his sons founded their own nations and religions around the world. In the Bible, he is called the “Father of Faith” because he maintained a strong relationship with God. Reference: (Genesis 23:1-2)
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Abraham’s entire life was spent in faithfulness to God. He kept his faith strong and remained close to God. He faced many difficulties in life but he believed in God and remained steadfast. His life reflects many instances in which he sacrificed his favorite things to God, even sacrificing his son Isaac because God commanded. But God also accepted his sacrifice and blessed him with blessings and mercy. A sheep was substituted for his son and Isaac‘s life was saved. Abraham is called the father of faith. God spread his descendants on the earth and created different nations, from which Christianity, Muslims and Judaism were born. From the life of Abraham, we get a lesson to always keep your faith strong no matter what kind of trials and difficulties you face. Always trust God’s promises.
