THE LIFE OF ABRAHAM

This series covers the life of Abraham, starting from the end of Genesis 11, and going all the way to his death in chapter 25. Abraham’s life is filled with exciting stories, from rescuing his nephew, Lot, from marauding kings to escaping famine down in Egypt. As you would imagine, Abraham figures largely in these chapters, but we must exercise caution when reading his story. Right from the beginning, it is the God of creation who bestrides the narrative. The same God who created the earth is the one who now calls Abraham. Yahweh is his name. He is the God who promises that he will bless Abraham by making him into a great nation. He promises to bless the entire earth through him. And it is Yahweh who ensures that the promise keeps moving forward.

As we read about Abraham’s relationship with God, we see a man who believes and obeys. But he also doubts and mistrusts. He is not the hero, but a man whose story teaches us about the faithfulness of God. His life is packed with wonderful stories about the way God stays true to his promise.

Abraham lives a life of faith that has many parallels with our own lives. Sometimes we believe, but then again, we also doubt. And yet, God’s promise to him is able to weather the storms of his disbelief and the enemies that sometimes encircle him. We too face obstacles, and yet God is faithful to us, ensuring that in the midst of our struggles, he is always to be trusted. For that reason alone, it is a story that speaks volumes to us today.

NOTE: Sadly, in the interests of time, we have had to omit some sections of the narrative. This does not mean that we don’t think they’re important or that they can’t teach us anything. It is pure and simply a question of the amount of time we can devote to a series. We do, however, cover the vast majority of Abraham’s life.