Abraham Reflection

Wade Butlers states that the rest of the bible is about one man’s family, which is Abraham. It is about how God kept his three promises that he made. There are many obstacles that the family goes through, but the stories show how God never disappoints his people. In the end he fulfills his three promises.

The life of Abraham is one of varied geographical places as Abraham moves from place to place as well as an expedition through life's ups and downs with its challenges and disappointment. Abraham's spiritual life is also a journey, as he moves from periods of great faith to those moments of weakness and sin. Ultimately we find that Abraham, this man of faith, learned to trust in God as he traveled, not only from his home in Ur but as he journeyed towards faith.

Critics who suggest that the relationship between God and Abraham was caustic are incorrect and miss the whole dynamic of the relationship. The relationship between God and Abraham is one of teacher and student. God is attempting to teach Abraham how to raise himself out of savagery and into civilization. The Binding of Isaac is just another test, although a mentally agonizing one for Abraham. The entity of the story of Abraham is God trying to impress upon Abraham how important goodness is to the survival of a people.

Abraham’s response to God’s promises were obedience (4-6) and confirmation (v. 7). In Genesis 15 the writer states that the Lord took upon Himself alone the responsibility for fulfilling the covenant. Genesis 17 adds the revelation that the covenant would be everlasting. One cannot research the Covenant and not about the narrative of Abram’s life.

The various ways that Abraham is claimed the pivotal is because of; his obedience to God, his belief that there is only one God, and his willingness to answer God’s Calling. Abraham was the first real monotheist (after the flood) and as such is a pivotal figure in Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Abraham was a man who walked by faith. The calling of Abraham by God was; the offering and sacrifice of his most precious gift Isaac. God then supported this willingness and promise Abraham that he would be “Father of two nations”, one line through Isaac (to become Israelites, and one through Ishmael, whom Arabs considered their ancestors. He unites Christians, Jews and Arabs as the great man of faith.The Jews call Abraham “Father Abraham”, the Muslims

The primary patriarch of Judaism's history is Abraham. Abram was born with the name Abram; he often questioned the faith of his father and sought truth. Eventually, the one Creator and God that Abram sought called to him and told him to leave his home and family, and God would bless him with a great nation and a great number of descendants. Abram obeyed, and the forever-lasting covenant between God and the Jewish people was created. This covenant would be a start to Judaism. The covenant involves obligations and rights between God and the Jews. Over time the terms of the covenant became more stated. Abram's faith was tested to prove himself to God.

Although the Jews, Muslims, and Christians all share a common understanding in the story of Abraham, there are many things that divide their unique understandings of Abraham and their identities as Children of Abraham. The Jews strongly believe in a law and Covenant with the most high God, their one and only God. They believe it is important to have “one God that counts”. The Jews still practice Abraham’s Covenant with God which committed to “keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and justice.” For the Christians, Paul wrote, “the promise to Abraham and his descendants did not come through law.” Christians also believe that baptism in faith would more that suffice the righteousness of circumcision. Islam believes that God chooses people on the grounds of commitment rather than lineage. This means that the Muslims believe that faith plays a huge role in their relationship with God.

Abraham is chosen by God the father, to be leader of the people. God put the Jews through many hard tasks. During the time of Moses God gave them the Ten Commandments, which are set of rules the Jewish people follow.

Abraham’s seriousness and dedication in regards to his covenant with God control tense actions and events between Abraham and Isaac. Abraham is compelled in his actions by his understanding and faith that his belief in God will reap benefits. Without hesitation, he considers doing everything that God tells him to do. Abraham’s willingness and sacrifice of Isaac show the great power that God has over Abraham. Abraham’s desire for God’s approval and blessings compel him toward grave actions without the concrete command from God. Abraham merely implies God’s intentions from the limited conversations held between Abraham, God, and the angel.

God selected Abraham to be the father of the His people. The bible does not directly state why God selected him, but after reading scripture one can conclude that God selected Abraham due to his great faith. Abraham’s life lends itself as an example to all who desire to walk with God.

Abraham’s wife Sarah had not given him any children so she said to Abraham, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my servant girl Hagar; perhaps I can build a family through her. Abraham agreed…he slept with Hagar and she conceived.” (Genesis 16: 1-4)

Throughout the bible, and reading it once more by Marcus Borg, a common idea as it relates to a religious experience, is that the Bible is a human product. Throughout chapter two, Borg continuously describes the Bible as being a product of humans. He explains on page 22 that he sees scripture through the lens of the Bible being a human product, meaning that it is the “product of two ancient communities” (22). He believed that what the Bible explains things to be are words from the communities of ancient Israel and the early Christian movement. “We cannot talk about God (or anything else) except with the words, symbols, stories, concepts, and categories known to us, for they are the only language we have”, made me think about the idea that

     Abraham stands as one of the most important figures in the Hebrew Bible, and is central to the understanding of God’s solution to the problem of mankind. Man, the mysterious creature that God wraught as a semi-experiment, is constantly prone to believe he is self-sufficient and capable of survival without God, the central problem God must deal with in the Hebrew Bible. To solve this problem, God decides to strike fear in the heart of man and to revolutionise his lifestyle by creating laws and empowering a chosen group of people, who will spread the word of God by example. These people are the Hebrews, and Abraham is the father of their race, the man from whom all

The Gospel of Luke Jesus describes his purpose as one of preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God, saying, “I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to other towns as well, for I was sent for this purpose.” (Luke 4:43) Jesus told parables to help us grow a closer relationship with God and to stimulate fresh ways of thought, decision, and action. C.H. Dodd wrote, “At its simplest the parable is a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt about its precise application to tease it into active thought.” The stories are full of moral lessons that teach us that being good will get us rewards. As we hear the parables, we remember that when we serve in the Kingdom of God, we will be blessed and valued by God. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus told many parables, in which the parables of the Good Samaritan and of the Lost Sheep are two of my favorite. These stories portray Jesus’ works and how he reaches out to all kinds of people.

In our society today, it can be hard to fully understand and relate to biblical texts written in a seemingly different world. With stories of great joys and sorrows, I found that although the world we live in today is different, the messages are still highly relevant. As long as humans are still imperfect and desired filled beings, we will need the wisdom of these biblical texts to guide us. As the stories of overcoming hardships and suffering made an impression on me, the stories of love and acceptance filled me with great emotion. There are many differences that seem to separate Christians today, whether in arguments such as interpretations or certain beliefs. This has only divided an undivided religion. I found comfort and strength from texts about love and a calling for Christians to come together despite differences. In this, I found a deeper connection to myself and others.