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Author: Arthur Bardis
In the initial outset of Abraham’s life, he did not portray a life of total faith. After many difficult occasions, the Lord helped strengthen and perfect his faith, to the point that he went faithfully to sacrifice his only son. During his hours of crisis, he knew that he could trust in God. Despite his failures, Yahweh was determined to fulfill His plan, and to transform him from a child of faith to a great man of faith. Through this journey, the dimensions, and aspects of Abraham’s faith will be highlighted. Abram, The Man Who Pioneered Faith
“Get out of your country … to a land that I will show you” At this command of God, Abram trustingly obeyed, detached himself from his home and native land, and went forth in simple faith and courage. Although his roots were entrenched in Ur’s familiar and highly civilized culture, Abram (at the age of 75) moved his family to an unfamiliar destiny. The patriarch was willing to risk an unknown future on God’s leadership. It was a definite response of faith to an unspecified and undifferentiated promise. Claus Westermann (Old Testament Scholar), suggests, “the significance of the promise associated with this command also goes far beyond Abraham.” The Failure of The Patriarch Under Tight Circumstances “Soon after there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt.” The fruitful land had now turned into barrenness, so Abram decided to move to Egypt. There was no sign of prayer, no indication of turning to God. Under those harsh environmental conditions he panics, and opts to reject the land that Yahweh had promised for the more fertile, and greener pastures of Egypt. In this time of distress, Abram struggled; his faith in the Lord decreased. The decision to leave for Egypt brought on a “chain reaction of harsh consequences which demanded hard choices in the midst of difficult circumstances.” The patriarch lost his courage, and persuaded his wife to say half the truth, but with the purpose to deceive the Egyptians. He momentarily put aside Yahweh’s promises in regards to land and security, and did not take counsel in his heavenly Protector. Here Abram fell through unbelief, and distrust, even after the Lord had appeared to him twice. He acted simply on his judgment, and looked at the difficulties that were surrounding him, rather than fully relying upon the Lord. Yahweh was transforming Abram through difficult tests. His trust and reliance on God, was growing. The renovation, and the rising of his faith later led him to offer his relative (Lot) the most desirable land in Palestine, leaving himself the dry region. “Abram’s unselfishness, self sacrifice, pure motives, and righteous use of authority set him apart as a great man.” The Abrahamic Covenant On various occasions, Abram received promises from the Lord. The principal areas of promise were that Abram’s wealth and prosperity would increase, Canaan would become his nation’s homeland, and that all the nations would be blessed through him. In Genesis 15:1-5, God appears to Abram again, reiterates His promises saying to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” The Almighty’s plan to have a people for Himself was into motion. Abram “believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” That is, he was confident that God would perform what He promised. The promises of the Lord were great, but so was the patriarch’s faith in Him who promised them. This action of faith established him as righteous and just before the Almighty. God revealed a glimpse of His plan, and instructed Abram to bring a heifer, a female goat, a ram, a turtledove, and a pigeon. God used this Chaldean covenant to convince Abram that He would fulfill His promise. Throughout Genesis, when Abram speaks he gives expression to questions that appear to reveal doubt. By contrast, when he is silent, it seems as if his actions exhibited more faith. Despite his frequent failures, God was determined to fulfill His plan and promises. Abram questioned the Lord, because humanly this seemed impossible. It is very significant to note here for the first time, it is recorded that Abraham ‘spoke to God’. Up to this point when God spoke to him, Abraham obeyed but did not speak in return. In the vision of Chapter 15, however, Abram not only replied to God’s promise, but also raised a question of how the promise would be fulfilled. In was obvious that the fulfillment of the promises had no present application to Abram. Waiting For The Fulfillment of Yahweh’s Promise in Regards to Progeny “Sarai said to Abram, See now… I shall obtain children by her. And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.” After waiting for ten years Sarai decided to bring a resolution to their problem, and suggested another method of acquiring a child. Abram gets influenced from his wife’s idea, does not get counsel from God, and leans towards human reasoning. This story was intended to head off the divine promise by supplying it with a human solution. God asked Abram and Sarai, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” “Walk before me and be blameless.”The Lord appears to Abram and confirms His covenant with him. He establishes the rite of circumcision as the sign of obedient faith, and attests to its promises by changing his name from Abram to Abraham, and his wife’s name to Sarah. Abraham’s final response in this instance showed that he obeyed the covenant, as commanded in Genesis 17:9, as he circumcised all male members of his household, according to God’s instructions. He was finally allowing he Lord to walk in front of him, and he behind in full obedience.Twenty-five years had passed since Yahweh had promised to Abraham progeny. “The fulfillment is strangely, almost perversely it seems, postponed.” Time was a catalyst for the waning of Abraham’s faith. The delay should have helped him to realize that the nation that was going to be raised was to be of God alone. Yahweh acted at a time, when humanly it was impossible. It was truly a supernatural work, a unique work of God without any human element to it. God does not lie when He makes a promise, but it seemed that Abraham’s faith was subject to a declining state at a critical point. The Climax of Abraham’s Obedience And Faith
“The only true test of love is in how much we are prepared to do for the one to whom we profess it.” Abraham addressed his young men ‘I and the lad will go and yonder and worship and come again.” This statement portrays assurance of an unwavering faith, that some how or other God would spare his son. Initially we are given no hints to the nature of Abraham’s inner thoughts. Isaac breaks the silence and raises the question, “Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham replies, “God will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” To this point we are now assured by his outcome, the quality of Abraham’s faith. Amidst the anguish and silence, there is confidence that the Lord will provide. The father of faith “Abraham, was tempted about the offering up of his well-beloved son Isaac, to prove his pious obedience, and so make it known to the world, not to God.” “Finally, at the very climax of the narrative, when Abraham’s faith had stood the supreme test and he had shown his willingness to lay upon the altar the child who was the avenue into the future, Yahweh again reaffirms the promise in its threefold dimension: a numerous posterity, possession of the land, and the blessing upon the nations of the earth.” Abraham obeyed God’s voice, overcame the final hurdle, and he exclaimed, “ the LORD will provide,” as an expression of deliverance from desperate need, an expression of joy, praise of God. The conflict of the two natures is evident in Abraham’s life. He had made many mistakes, experienced many difficulties, and had gained a wealth of knowledge, faith and understanding from the Lord. Abraham’s initial faith was not a great one, but it grew and developed through testing. His faith was manifested by his obedience, decisions, and expostulations with Yahweh. God enabled him to overcome, even the biggest of his temptations. It is therefore appropriate to call Abraham a ‘man of great faith’ as he overcame, not because he was perfect and always consistent, but because he allowed, and trusted the Almighty God to be his shield, and bring him into victory. Present Day Relevance The Lord wants us to place our full trust, and to allow Him to take care of the unknown in our life. Faith is not a one-time encounter with God. It is a long-term commitment, and continuous. God’s covenant promises of grace, as the Apostle Paul declares, apply to all of us who believe, and share the faith of Abraham. Living by faith means a complete confidence in God’s faithfulness. The Patriarch’s great faith should inspire us to replace theoretical talk about God with a practical walk with God. Bibliography Epp, H. Theodore. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. U.S.A: The Good News Broadcasting Association Inc., 1970. Keil, C. F.; Delitzsch, F. Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., no date), vol. 1, 213-214. Lasor, William Sanford.; Hubbard, David Allan.; Bush, Frederick William. Old Testament Survey. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pubishing Company, 1996. Meyer, B. A. Abraham or the Obedience of Faith. London: Morgan and Scott, No Year. Ross, P. Allen. Creation and Blessing. U.S.A.: Baker Book House Company, 1988. Swindoll, R. Charles. Abraham the Friend of God. U.S.A: Insight for Living, 1988. Sailhamer, John. The Pentateuch as Narrative. U.S.A: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992. Tabb, A. Mark. Names of The Heroes of the Faith. Chicago: Moody Press,1997. Westermann, Claus. Genesis, A Practical Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987. Wenham, J. Gordan. Word Biblical Commentary, Genesis 1-15. Texas: Word Incorporated, 1987. Wenham, J. Gordan. Word Biblical Commentary, Genesis 16-50. Texas: Word Incorporated, 1987. Wood, J. Leon. A Survey of Israel’s History. Grand Rapids; Zondervan publishing House, 1986.
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