Abraham is given as another example of a just person living by faith. "...Abraham believed God,
and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God" (James 2:23). (Cf. Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3). God made a covenant with Abraham, and he became the father of the nation of Israel. (Gensis Chapters 12-17). Abraham is the first person to be called a Hebrew. (Genesis 14:13). Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec (Genesis 14:18-22).
Genesis 15:6: And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for
righteousness.
Romans 4:3: For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was
counted unto him for righteousness.
Genesis 14:13: And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the
Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and
brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
Genesis 14:18-22: 18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and
wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19And he blessed him, and
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said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy
hand. And he gave him tithes of all. 21And the king of Sodom said unto Abram,
Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22And Abram said to the king
of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the
possessor of heaven and earth,
The Old Testament does not talk about Abraham's faith. But it gives the record of his obedience which clearly reveals his faith in God. Not all of the events of Abraham's life are given in Hebrews 11. Only three events are mentioned, but they are enough to illustrate the writer's point and to give encouragement to the readers. Abraham was called to a life of dependence upon God and to a life as a pilgrim among the lawless inhabitants of Canaan. He was a follower of God who lived in the world but was not of the world.
THE CALL OF ABRAHAM
Verse 8: 8By 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.
The Person who called him.
He is called the LORD (Genesis 12:1).
Genesis 12:1: Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country,
and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew
thee:
He is the God of glory (Acts 7:2).
Acts 7:2: And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory
appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he
dwelt in Charran,
Abraham was prompt in his obedience (Verse 8; Genesis 12:1-8).
Genesis 12:1-8: 1Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy
country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I
will shew thee: 2And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and
make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3And I will bless them that
bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the
earth be blessed. 4So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and
Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed
out of Haran. 5And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all
their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in
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Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of
Canaan they came. 6And Abram passed through the land unto the place of
Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land. 7And
the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land:
and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. 8And he
removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent,
having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar
unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
Abraham obeyed even though he did not know where he was going (Genesis 12:2; Acts 7:3. He obeyed because he believed God. He believed that God knew what was best for him. He believed that God would lead him in the right way.
Acts 7:3: And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred,
and come into the land which I shall shew thee.
THE SOJOURNING OF ABRAHAM
Verses 9-16: 9By 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: 10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder
and maker is God. 11Through faith also Sara herself received strength to
conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she
judged him faithful who had promised. 12Therefore sprang there even of one,
and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the
sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. 13These all died in faith, not having
received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of
them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims
on the earth. 14For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a
country. 15And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they
came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16But now they
desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be
called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Sojourn (Greek paroikeo)—to dwell beside or near; to sojourn, to dwell as a stranger.
Elements of his sojourning (Verse 9).
It was by faith. It was in a land that belonged to strangers (Genesis 12:5, 6). He and his company lived in tents, which were temporary and moveable shelter. He had Isaac and Jacob as joint heirs.
Eyes with a focus (Verse l0).
He looked for a city whose builder and maker is God. He was given some promises (Verse l3a).
(Cf. Genesis 13:14-16; 17:1-8)
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Genesis 13:14-16: 14And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was
separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou
art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15For all the land
which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16And I will make
thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the
earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
Genesis 17:1-8: 1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD
appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me,
and be thou perfect. 2And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and
will multiply thee exceedingly. 3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with
him, saying, 4As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a
father of many nations. 5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but
thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6And
I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings
shall come out of thee. 7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee
and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a
God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8And I will give unto thee, and to thy
seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for
an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Expectations (Verses l3-16).
There was the promise of a country—the promised land (Verses 13-15). There was the promise of a city (Verse l6), in a better country, and a city which God has prepared.
THE TRIAL OF ABRAHAM
Verses l7-19: 17By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he
that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18Of whom it
was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19Accounting that God was able
to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Obeyed by faith.
Abraham obeyed when he did not know why God was working in this manner (Genesis 22:1-5).
Genesis 22:1-5: 1And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt
Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2And
he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee
into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the
mountains which I will tell thee of. 3And Abraham rose up early in the morning,
and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son,
and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place
of which God had told him. 4Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes,
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and saw the place afar off. 5And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye
here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again
to you.
He offered up his only begotten son through whom the promises of covenant would come (Verses 17, 18; Genesis 22:6-14). Note the steps of faith which Abraham took (Genesis 22:3-10).
Genesis 22:3-14 : And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his
ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the
wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God
had told him. 4Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the
place afar off. 5And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the
ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. 6And
Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and
he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
7And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said,
Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the
lamb for a burnt offering? 8And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself
a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 9And they came
to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and
laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon
the wood. 10And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his
son. 11And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said,
Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12And he said, Lay not thine hand
upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou
fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13And
Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in
a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up
for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14And Abraham called the name of
that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it
shall be seen.
1.
He rose up early in the morning (Verse 3).
2.
He went to the place of which God had told him (Verses 3, 9).
3.
He built an altar (Verse 9).
4.
He laid the wood in order Verse 9).
5.
He bound Isaac (Verse 9).
6.
He laid him on the altar (Verse 9).
7.
He stretched forth his hand (Verse l0).
8.
He took the knife to slay his son (Verse l0).
He obeyed because he believed in God's power Verse 19; Genesis Chapters 15-18).
Conclusion
Abraham showed his faith by his obedience to God. He obeyed God when he did not know where 191
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he was going. He obeyed God when he did not know how God's will would be accomplished. He obeyed God when he did not know when God would fulfill promises. He obeyed when he did not know the purpose of God.
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