Abraham believed the words of Jehovah God and obeyed Him completely. Abraham is very important in the Old Testament. The apostle Paul mentioned Abraham’s name prominently in the list of men of faith. Abraham is praised in many places in the Bible. Abraham was greatly blessed because of his faith and obedience. He is called the Father of believers.
The sons of Terah were Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran died before his father. Haran’s son Lot, Terah, took Abram, his wife Sarai, and Lot with him and set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan. Terah lived 200 years and died in Haran. The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your relatives and go to the land of Canaan that I will show you. I will bless you greatly and make your name great and make you a great nation. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.” Abram obeyed God’s command. At seventy-five years old, he took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot and went to the land of Canaan. He pitched his tent at Ai, east of Bethel, for a while. There was a severe famine in the land of Canaan.
Abram took his wife with him and went to Egypt. Sarai was very beautiful. So he lied and said that Sarai was his sister. However, when Pharaoh learned the truth, he feared God and sent Sarai away. Abram returned to where he had been before. Abram and Lot had a lot of livestock. The area was not suitable for their cattle and sheep. Moreover, the two herdsmen began to quarrel. So Abraham advised Lot, “It is better for us to separate and live in a distant place.” Lot agreed. He went east toward the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abram stayed in Canaan.
After some years, he was in the grove of scarlet trees near Maghe in Hebron. Abram had about two thousand people and thousands of sheep and cattle. He was very rich. Therefore, the kings around him respected Abram very much. One day Abram spoke to the Lord and asked, "God! You have given me great wealth and male and female slaves. But what is the benefit? Why have you not given me children? One of my servants will become a widow. He will become a widow!" The Lord replied, "You will have a son. Your descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky." Abram believed God's promise. For a long time, Sarai had no children. So she gave her maidservant Hagar to Abram. Hagar gave birth to a son. His name was Ishmael.
Abram was 99 years old. God appeared to him and said, "The offspring that Sarai will bear will be your real offspring." I will make you the father of many nations. Many warriors, kings, and prophets will come from you. You will be called “Abraham” (father of nations) and your wife “Sarah” (princess of the kingdom). You will be greatly blessed.
One day three men (angels) came to Abraham’s tent. Abraham welcomed them and prepared a meal. After the meal, the men blessed him, saying, “Your wife Sarah will become a mother in the future.” Sarah laughed when she heard their words. Because Sarah was 90 years old at the time. Abraham was 99 years old. Before the men left, they said, “Nothing is impossible for the Lord. Our word will surely come true.” Those men were the ones who said, “Sodom and Gomorrah will be destroyed with fire and brimstone.” Abraham pleaded with the angels not to destroy the cities even if there were at least 10 righteous people in them.
Abraham was 100 years old. Then Sarah gave birth to a son named Isaac. The truth that God can do what humans think is impossible became true in the case of Abraham and Sarah. Isaac’s descendants gradually expanded to millions. They became prominent in world history under the names Jews, Hebrews, and Israelites. Obeying Jehovah’s command, Abraham sent Hagar and her son Ishmael away to a distant land. Isaac grew up and became an adult. God put Abraham to a test. He asked him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, to me. Abraham obeyed God’s command. Isaac took a donkey and a load of wood and set out. He went to the mountain God had told him about in the land of Moriah. He told the servants to stay at the bottom. “Let us go and worship the Lord and come back,” he said. He placed the wood on Isaac’s head. He took a knife and fire and climbed the mountain. In the middle of the way, Isaac said, “Father! Here is the wood and fire for the burnt offering. But where is the lamb?” Abraham replied, “My son! God will provide for the lambs." (Jehovah Jere) He said. They all came to the top of the mountain. Abraham built a altar, arranged the wood, and laid Isaac on it. He was about to kill Isaac with the sword. But the angel of the Lord stopped him and said, "You were ready to sacrifice your only son to me." Abraham saw a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. He offered it up to God in place of Isaac. Abraham called the name of that place "Jehovah Jere." He took Isaac and his servants with him and returned to Beer-a-sheba.
Sarah lived to be 127 years old. Abraham buried her in the cave of Machpelah, which was in front of the field he had bought. Abraham was old and did not want to take a foreign woman as his daughter-in-law. So he sent his chief servant, Eliezer, to Nahor. Eliezer went to that city. There he saw Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel and sister of Laban, a suitable girl for Isaac. Rebekah was very beautiful. She was a humble and obedient young woman. She agreed to go with Eliezer. Her brother and father also agreed. Rebekah followed Eliezer to the land of Canaan. On the way, Isaac met her. Rebekah respectfully got down from her camel and covered her face. Isaac married her. He loved Rebekah very much.
After Sarah died, Abraham married a woman named Keturah. He had many children by her. Abraham gave gifts to all his wives and sent them away. He gave all his possessions to Isaac. Abraham died at the age of 175. His body was also buried in the cave of Machpelah.
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