Abraham

Abraham (Hebrew Avraham, "father of a multitude"), originally named Abram ("exalted father"), was the founding patriarch of Israel and, in the New Testament's reckoning, the spiritual father of all who believe. Son of Terah and born in Ur of the Chaldeans, he migrated with his father's household to Haran, and from there, at the age of seventy-five, obeyed the LORD's call to leave country and kindred for a land he had not yet seen — a response of faith that Hebrews 11:8 holds up as the very pattern of obedience. With that call came the threefold promise that shapes the rest of Scripture: a land, a great nation of descendants, and through him a blessing to "all the families of the earth" (Genesis 12:1–3).

Abraham's life is the unfolding of that promise against long delay and repeated testing. He journeyed through Canaan and down to Egypt, parted generously from his nephew Lot, was blessed by Melchizedek the priest-king of Salem (Genesis 14:18–20), and received the covenant sealed in a vision when, childless, he "believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). God changed his name and gave circumcision as the covenant sign (Genesis 17:4–11), and Abraham interceded for Sodom, appealing to the Judge of all the earth to do right (Genesis 18:23–25). Though he and Sarah faltered — laughing in doubt, taking Hagar to bear Ishmael — the promised son Isaac was at last born to them in their old age (Genesis 21:1–3).

His faith reached its summit on Mount Moriah, when at God's command he prepared to offer up Isaac, the son of promise, trusting that God could even raise the dead, and was stopped by the angel as a ram was provided in the boy's place — so that he named the place "The LORD will provide" (Genesis 22:9–14; cf. Hebrews 11:17–19). There the covenant was confirmed by oath, the blessing to the nations reaffirmed (Genesis 22:16–18). After Sarah's death he buried her in the cave of Machpelah, the one foothold he held in the land of promise, and died "an old man and full of years" (Genesis 25:8).

The New Testament makes Abraham central to the gospel itself. Paul cites Genesis 15:6 as the charter text of justification by faith: Abraham was reckoned righteous while still uncircumcised, so that he is "the father of all who believe", Jew and Gentile alike (Romans 4:11; Galatians 3:6–9). The promised "offspring" finds its ultimate fulfilment in Christ (Galatians 3:16), in whom the blessing flows to the nations; James points to the binding of Isaac to show that living faith is shown by works (James 2:21–23), where Abraham is called "the friend of God." Jesus himself declared, "Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day" (John 8:56) and proved the resurrection from the God who is "the God of Abraham" (Matthew 22:32). Thus Abraham stands at the headwaters of redemptive history as the man of faith through whose seed the whole world is blessed.