Abraham a Great Patriarch as a “Father of Faith” in The Holy Bible

Abraham as a Father of Nations

In History we read a name which is very popular not only in Christianity but also in other religions. Did you know about Him? As a Christian we know many personalities which are very holy and important for us. 

But some personalities are not known by us but are very dear to other religions. In the battle of many different personalities a single person won. He is prophet Abraham and very dear to many religions. He is a common ancestor of Jews, Christians and Muslims.

A main prophet on which a religion stands varies like for Jews He is Moses, for christians He is Jesus Christ and for Muslims He is Prophet Muhammad (P B U H). But a main and great person for all of these religions is Abraham. He is known as the Father of Nations for a reason.

Abraham’s Early Life

Different religions have a different story about Abraham but mostly it is common. Abraham was the son of Terah and they lived in Ur. He had a wife whose name was Sarah. She was a very pretty and nice woman. Her original name was Sarai.  

God told Abraham about his speciality and his chosen personality for mankind. Abraham was ordered to move from his land Ur to Canaan. Along with this order God also made some promises to Abraham that his descendants will be rewarded with the gifts from God and they will be remembered. 

As we all know at that point Abraham and Sarah were childless. For the accomplishment of God’s order and promise he travelled from Ur to Canaan with his wife Sarah and Nephew Lot. God promises Abraham in (Genesis 12:2-3). 

Abraham’s Difficulty During The Journey

When they moved from Ur during Journey they faced many difficulties as during that time it was a rule of Pharaoh and every beautiful woman was his wife. Abraham was afraid of Pharaoh’s cruelty and to remain prevented he spoke some lies. 

We all know that God hates lies and He also prohibited him to speak lies but he did it. Due to his lie Sarah had to face difficulties and was caught by Pharaoh and how many days she remained as a Pharaoh’s wife is unknown but we know that it was a bad situation. 

Along with this situation there was also a difficulty for Abraham and Lot when the Army of Sodom took away Lot. At this difficult time Abraham showed bravery and took help from God. After that He become successful in Lot’s independence. 

On the other side when Pharaoh got to know the truth he decided to let go Sarah but ordered them to never come back. On this they went to the promised land Canaan to accomplish God’s orders and to get His reward.

Abraham’s tests

Abraham is known as a person with great faith. He has a firm belief in God. Now comes a question why he is known as a person who has a great and firm belief in God. There is a reason behind it.

As We all know, God takes a test from his servants to check their faith in Him. So, God did the same with Abraham. He had to face many trials and in many trials he remained steadfast and passed the test.

Below we’ll discuss some of his trials and test which is mentioned in some most important religions

Migration From the Land

Can you imagine a place where you lived a whole life but suddenly you have to migrate to another place?

I know it hurts. It is very difficult for a person to leave his native home for a stranger place. But on God’s order Abraham did this and he moved from Ur to Canaan. During this journey he also faced many trials and difficulties.

Delaying in Giving a Heir

Abraham did not have a child and he was very sad about it. He and his wife prayed a lot for a child. In the response of their prayer God promised them to give them a child. They wait years to hear this good news. On God’s promise they spend many years but remain childless. 

Sarah was very disappointed and wanted an heir. So she thinks that maybe they will get the heir from another woman. Thus she gave this idea to Abraham and He did this. 

With a relationship of his servant Hagar he got a son named Ismael. But after 13 years God also gave a son to Sarah named Isaac. Ismael was the founder of Arab’s nation and Isaac was the founder of Israel’s nation.

Sacrificing His Own Son

Suppose God grants you a child after many years and after this happiness he orders you to sacrifice him. What was your situation? We can’t even imagine it. Right? But do you know this is what happened with Abraham. 

God gave him Isaac after long years then ordered him to slaughter on His way. This order was very hard to complete but Abraham was a true believer so he decided to do it but on the spot God protected Isaac and replaced him with a lamb. This shows how God helps his servants. Here is a twist in the story which I hope most people are not aware of, especially christians.

As a Christian our belief is that Abraham was going to slaughter Isaac but on the spot God replace with lamb but according to Muslim he was not Isaac but Ismael. On that belief they celebrate a day named “Eid-ul-Adha”. On that occasion they sacrifice animals in the remembrance of Abraham.

Abraham And Fire

And not only this incident but according to them God tested him with fire and the opponent pushed him in fire but God protected him. He turned the fire into water and stones and wood into fishes. Imagine how magical it would be? 

I have a Muslim friend and he told me this and I decided to share it with you guys. But the conclusion of all the trials is that He was very pious, humble, righteous and a firm believer who did what God told him to do.

Faith of Abraham And Relationship with God 

Abraham was a man of firm faith and had a unique and great relationship with God. God also declared him as a dear and beloved servant of Him. According to me it is very difficult for a person to fulfill all the orders especially when the test is hard. I always decided to act upon God’s order but sometimes I can’t do it. 

But look at Abraham, in the tough situation he was never caught by his inner wishes but he did what God wants from Him. His personality has a huge impact on us and our society. We should learn from him how to fulfil God’s orders and remain steadfast despite many trials and difficulties.

Abraham’s Two Families

Here I will discuss his story in a little bit detail. I have discussed earlier that Abraham had two wives. His first wife was Sarah and second one was Hagar. As he was not getting a child from Sarah but they were eager to get a child. That’s why He went to Hagar for a child and from the Hagar’s womb God gifted them a beautiful child whose name was Ismael. 

Sarah was ready for this but later she started to get jealous of Hagar because she had a child. Sarah wanted her own son despite Hagar’s son. According to God’s promise He granted Sarah a son whose name was Isaac. 

After getting son Sarah never wanted to bear Hagar and Ismael with them. So she decided to push them away. Abraham was not in favor of Sarah but God promised him to take care of his wife Hagar and Ismael so he let them go.

Abraham And Sarah’s Son

After many difficulties God gave them happiness and relief but again it was time of trial and God ordered to sacrifice Isaac as I mentioned earlier. But now I’ll explain the whole scenario. 

So, Abraham was sleeping when he had a dream that he was sacrificing his son Isaac. He got up with severe tension, as he can’t even think to do that. It was not just a dream but an order. Now I hope that you might think about how it could be an order. 

So, basically not as a common man the dreams are just a nightmare but In case of the prophet’s dream it is an order from God. So he thought about it and decided to share it with his son.

When he shared his dream with Isaac then he told him that he is ready to be slaughtered. On his agreement Abraham took him away to forest and here he closed his eyes and started to sacrifice Isaac. but God sent an angel for help and he stopped Abraham. He replaced him with a lamb and instead of Isaac lamb was sacrificed.

Abraham And Hagar’s Son

As we all know that Abraham had two sons the name of one child was Isaac while the name of the other son was Ismael who was the son of Hagar. 

I don’t know if it is true or not but my Muslim friend told me that Abraham built a Muslim’s prayer center known as Qaba with the help of Ismael.

Teachings of Abraham’s Life 

He lived a life of 175 years. Abraham, Sarah and his descendents (Joseph, Jacob, Moses, Isaac, David etc. ) are buried in the cave of Machpelah. He Abraham’s Life is a source of great teaching for us as after reading his life we can conclude that he faced many difficulties and trials. but despite these trials he remains steadfast and does what God wants from him. So we should always try to do what God ordered. 

He proves that everything is from God and we should always accept his decisions and do what he is saying. If he gives something is his blessings and we should thank him but if he takes away something then we should never be disappointed and accept his decisions. 

His life gives us a lesson of firm faith, God’s oneness, being an obedient servant and God’s truthfulness. If you are interested in reading the full story of Abraham and his life then make sure to read from (Genesis 12) to (Genesis 25).

Bible Verses About Abraham And His Family

Here I mentioned some Bible verses about Abraham and of many other relevant events. 

(James 2:23)

And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.

(Galatians 3:7)

Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.

(Genesis 11:26)

After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran.

(Genesis 25:8)

Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.

(Genesis 12:1-3)

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

(Genesis 12:4)

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran.

(Hebrews 11:8)

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

(Genesis 15:4)

Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”

(Genesis 15:6)

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

(Genesis 15:1)

After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.

(Genesis 22:3)

Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.

(Hebrews 11:17-19)

By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

(Genesis 12:10-20)

Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.

(Genesis 20:1-18)

Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.

But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.”

Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.”

Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”

Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.” And Abimelek asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?”

Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

Then Abimelek brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. And Abimelek said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.”

To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.

(Genesis 16:1-15)

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”

Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.

When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.” “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”

The angel of the Lord also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.

He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne.

(Galatians 3:29)

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

(Genesis 17:17–23)

Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”

Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.  I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. 

He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.

(Galatians 3:6-9)

So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 

Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

(Genesis 15:6)

Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

(Romans 3:28)

For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

(Genesis 3:15)

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

(Genesis 4:26)

Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.

(Galatians 3:8)

Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”

(Matthew 3:9)

And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

(James 2:21)

Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?

(Hebrews 11:8–10)

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

(Luke 3:8)

Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.

(John 8:39)

“Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did.

Conclusion

This article is about Abraham a great patriarch as a “father of faith” in the Holy Bible. He was a very obedient servant of God and he always trusted him and his plans. He used to live in Ur but then on God’s command they moved Canaan. Canaan was the land of God’s promises fulfilment. Here he got two sons Isaac and Ismael. 

Isaac was the son of Sarah but Ismael was Hagar’s son. Israelites have a link with Sarah’s son while Muslims have a link with Ismael. God takes many tests of Abraham like slaughtering his son Isaac, being a childless parent and many others but he remains steadfast and a believer.

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