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Abraham

Abraham. Our Father in Faith “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can…so shall your descendants be" . Vocabulary. Abraham – a descendant of Shem; founder of Hebrew Nation Abram – original name of Abraham

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Abraham

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  1. Abraham Our Father in Faith “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can…so shall your descendants be"

  2. Vocabulary • Abraham – a descendant of Shem; founder of Hebrew Nation • Abram – original name of Abraham • Angel – messenger from God; pure spirits; in Scripture appearance usually terrifying • Isaac – Son of Abraham & Sarah; born when they were very old; Isaac not first son of Abraham, he was only child of Sarah, Abraham’s wife, making Isaac heir of God’s promise • Ishmael – Abraham’s son by Hagar, Sarah’s servant; founder of Arab tribes

  3. Vocabulary continued • Lot – Abraham’s nephew; settled in the prosperous plains, leaving Abraham in wilderness of hill country • Monotheism – belief in one God • Moriah – mountains around Jerusalem; where Abraham went to offer Isaac as a sacrifice • Patriarch – male ruler, elder, or leader • Sarah – wife of Abraham & mother of Isaac • Sarai – original name of Sarah • Sodom & Gomorrah – cities of the plain destroyed by God because of wickedness; Lot settled there • Ur – city in Plain of Shinar; birthplace of Abraham

  4. Key Biblical Figures

  5. God God delivers from all evil • If humanity tends toward rebellion God tends toward forgiveness and mercy • Spares Adam and Eve, Cain, and Noah • Gives them a new start

  6. God God fulfills promises Noah Abraham Isaac God will make them Jacob into a great people Moses God is a God of the future who calls forth in Israel a trusting hope that must expect new and greater divine acts still to come

  7. Covenant • Covenant binds God to Israel Covenant is the heart of Biblical Faith because it expresses a unique bond between God and people • God directs all of history • Divine providence – divine lordship • God blesses and punishes • Sets obstacles and show the way • All is in the hands of God

  8. Abraham, Our Father in Faith First Patriarch of the Jewish Faith Father in Faith Three Great Religions Judaism – Jews Christianity – Christians Islam – Muslims

  9. Mesopotamia

  10. Ur of the Chaldeans Ziggurat – 2100 B.C. – Artificial mountain built of mud-brick; temple on top – built during 3rd Dynasty period of Ur – a period of great prosperity for the city • Abraham • - born in Ur • Ur • Great port city • Towering • ziggurats • Polytheism • belief in many gods • Thousands of • shops, merchants • all over world, • many languages

  11. Lifestyle • - Herdsmen and Wanderer • - Nomadic Lifestyle • - Probably traveled with flocks • of sheep, herds, goats • - Transportation - donkey • - Abram & family • semi-nomadic • - Easily able to settle in • Canaan; urban & agricultural • setting • Traveled with extended • family & flocks

  12. The Patriarch Abraham

  13. Three Sons

  14. Abram’s Call “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” (Gn 12:2-3) Three Promises Land and a Nation Kingship and Name Blessings for all Nations

  15. Promises Fulfilled Land and Nation Covenant with Moses Kingship and Name Covenant with David Blessings for all Nations Through Jesus Christ

  16. Abram’s Call • - 75 years old when heard God’s call while in Haran • - Called to a radically different life • - Acceptance to God’s call led to great change for mankind • - Chosen to carry out first step of God’s plan for salvation • - Faith-filled and humble before God • - Open to God’s call • - Willing to leave all behind • - Man without a country will inherit a whole land

  17. The Beginning of the Journey “He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. (Gn 12:5) From Haran to Canaan – caravan 20 mi per day – 500 mi in about a month From Ur Shechem(Canaanites were in the land)

  18. Impossible Task Numerous offspring – Sarai barren, no son to carry on name Cut off from kin will be blessed by all families of the earth Against all odds broke with family and homeland to start a new family in an undesignated land * Blessings a typological reversal of primordial curses in Eden directed against earth, human generatively, and human labor

  19. Forced to Egypt • - Severe Famine • - Abram surrenders wife to Pharaoh lest he be put to death • - Acquires massive estate – animals, slaves • - Pharaoh afflicted by plagues – Sarai wife not sister • Orders Abram and Sarai on their way • (Gen 12:10-18)

  20. Abram and Lot Separate - Land could not support both Abram and Lot - Quarrels between herdsmen - Abram – no strife - Land – Lot’s preference - Lot selects cities of the Plain – moves tent as far as Sodom – entire Jordan Plain - Sodom – people wicked, great sinners against Lord - Abram settles in Canaan (Gen 13:1-18)

  21. The Four Kings Lot & possessions seized Abram recovered Lot Upon return from victory, greeted by Melchizedek, king of Salem Bread, wine, blessing Melchizedek – priest/king Type of Christ royal priest Bread/wine – ancient symbol - nourishment and celebration Roots of Eucharist in stories like this

  22. Covenant with AbramGod’s Oath: Land & a Nation • No offspring • Who will my heir be? • “Your own issue shall be your • heir” • “Look up at the sky and count • the stars, if you can, so shall • your descendants be” • God swears covenant oath • Solemn promise land would be • Abram’s

  23. Serious Oath Sealed With Sacrifice • Animals in a way represented people swearing oath • If oath broken “May it be my blood spilled on the ground instead of the animals” • By passing through, swearing a covenant • Fire symbolizes special presence of God (Gn15:17) • Burning Bush (Ex 3:2) Pillar of fire (Ex 13:21) • Fire symbolizes God holiness appearing to purge & purify those who deviate from God’s way – Sodom and Gomorrah; 7th plague against Egypt (Ex 9:23)

  24. Children • Several ways to have a child: • Adopt one of servants • Conceive children by wife’s servant • surrogate wife ** • Child from wife • ** Corrupt institution of polygamy had spread all over world • ** Common for patriarch to have children by several wives, slaves, and concubines

  25. Birth of Ishmael Abram & Sarai try to speed up God’s plan Abram takes another wife – Hagar, Sarai maidservant Sarai would claim child as her own Hagar – son Ishmael For Abram’s sake God made Ishmael great nation – Father of Arabs Love and Jealousy Relationship between Abram, Sarai and Hagar – tension - abuse Conflict fierce - Hagar leaves but must return so that Ishmaelites have clear connection to Abraham, their ancestor Today – speak out against abuse & harassment

  26. Kingship and a NameCovenant Oath, Name Change, Outward Sign • Abram – 99 years old • Lord appears – I will make my covenant between me and you and make you exceedingly numerous • Name change • Abram – Exalter Father • Abraham – Father of a Multitude • Covenant • Kept by Abraham and offspring throughout generations • Every male circumcised

  27. Kingship and a Name cont. • Circumcision – visible sign of God’s covenant with Abraham • Set People of God apart from other nations • Practiced by many peoples in ancient world • In Israel, performed shortly after birth • Symbolized person belonged to God • Required by the covenant that God first made with Abraham then Moses and all of Israel • Today – most Jews continue circumcision as a religious practice

  28. Kingship and a Name cont. *Son promised to Abraham and Sarah * Sarai – name changed to Sarah – Princess or Queen * Sarah laughs when overhears that Abraham will have a son in a year * Name – Isaac – “he laughs” in Hebrew

  29. Sodom and Gomorrah Abraham bargains with God for fate of Sodom Sodom wicked – only Lot & daughters saved from destruction Everything Lot had destroyed Prosperous cities sunken, barren wasteland – poisonous lake in middle – Dead Sea Lot cowers with daughters in mountain cave Children of Lot by his daughters founders of Israel’s worst enemies, Moabites & Ammonites Older daughter’s son Moab Younger daughter’s son Benammi, ancestor of Ammonites

  30. Binding of Isaac The Aquedah Abraham gains a son in Isaac but loses Ishmael to Sarah jealousy When God tells him to sacrifice his only remaining son, Abraham obeys Sacrifice of Isaac as a type of the sacrifice of Christ

  31. Human Sacrifice • People who surrounded ancient Israelites practiced human sacrifice all the time • Sacrificed children to their horrible idles • For Israel their God never demanded human sacrifice • The Lord’s own hand stayed Abraham’s hand • Because of Abraham’s faith, God swears oath • All nations of the world will be blessed through Abraham • God will use Abraham’s descendants to bring salvation to the world

  32. Abraham’s Family Abraham, Sarah, and his descendants make up a nation of people from whom God would bring salvation

  33. Humble Obedience to God • Recurring Theme • Abraham’s answer to God’s call • Willingness to offer son as sacrifice • Trust in God • In spite of Sarah’s age and had no children, Abraham believed God when he would have numerous descendants • Father of a multitude of nations

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