The book of Genesis provides the foundation of belief for Jews and Christians. Without the book of Genesis the Bible is just a random source of stories devoid of context.
The book of Genesis tells the story of the creation, God’s plan and intent for humankind, man’s sin, and God’s punishment. The holiness of God is revealed along with his judgment and salvation in the story of Noah, the ark, and the flood. Mankind and the world is given a second chance through Noah and his family but humankind quickly deviate to their own plan through the tower of babel. God disperses humankind over the face of the earth. Then we arrive at the life of Abraham, an ordinary man who is called a friend of God.
God called to Abraham (who was originally called Abram) to leave his home country, his relatives, and his father’s house and go to the land that God would show him. God promised to make a great nation of him, bless him, and to bless all the families of the earth through him (Gen. 12:1-3). When Abram arrived to the land of Canaan (which is present day Israel) God told him that He would give this land to his seed (descendants).
God continued to meet and speak to Abram through the years and reminded him of the promises He had for him. At one point God told Abram, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great” (15:1). Abram asked God what He will give him since the heir of all that he owned was his servant Eliezer. God responded that Eliezer would not be his heir but one coming from his own body would be his heir. Abram believed God and it was counted as righteousness to him (Gen. 15:6). It was this act of faith that set the standard for faith in God today.
God then told Abram that He was giving him this land (Israel) to possess but Abram asked how he will know that he will possess it. God then asked Abram to bring certain animals and birds to make a covenant with Abram. God made a covenant with Abram and promised this land to his seed or descendants (Gen. 15:7-21).
As Abram and Sarai struggled to understand the promises of God as they did not have any children, Sarai decided to help God out by producing a descendant through her maidservant, Hagar. Sarai gave Hagar to Abram as a wife and she became pregnant. Then there was some tension between Sarai and Hagar resulting in Hagar fleeing. The angel of the LORD met Hagar, told her to return to Sarai, informed her that she would bear a son, to call his name Ishmael, and that God would multiply her descendants. He also told her that Ishmael would always be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and that he would live to the east of his brothers. Hagar returned, bore a son to Abram, and named him Ishmael (Gen. 16).
Thirteen years later God appeared to Abram again, admonished him to walk before Him blamelessly, and promised to establish His covenant with Abram. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sara and God told Abraham that Sara would bear him a son. Abraham laughed (Iztak) and asked God to consider Ishmael as the receiver of the covenant but God said NO! Isaac (in Hebrew “Itzak,” which literally means “he laughed”) would be born through Sara and God would make an everlasting covenant with Isaac (Gen. 17). God also instructed Abraham that every male in his house and every male born to him must be circumcised as a sign of the covenant. Abraham obeyed God.
Abraham was an ordinary man but he was set apart. God called to him and Abraham listened. God told him to go and he went. God told him to leave his family and all that he knew and he obeyed. God told him to trust him and he did. God told him unbelievable events that would occur in the future and Abraham believed God. In the book of Isaiah it is recorded that God called Abraham His friend (Isaiah 41:8).
Abraham is called the friend of God!
How did Abraham reach this level of intimacy with God?
Abraham walked with God, obeyed God, talked with God, and believed God’s promises. God invited Abraham to walk with Him during his fleeting days upon this earth and Abraham joined Him. God is still alive and He still calls out to men and women today!
When Yeshua walked this earth He invited twelve men to be His friends and to walk in covenant relationship with Him (John 15:12-17). Let us learn a very practical lesson from the life of Abraham. Let us heed the voice of God above through His Son Yeshua today and become the friends of God!
Shabbat Shalom!
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Thank you Daniel. As we grow in our relationship with God, learn to trust in Him more and more and live in obedience to Him and His call on our lives, how amazing are our rewards and blessings. To be a friend of The King? Awesome!!
Another wonderful study.
Thank you for this weeks portion which is encouraging… how Abraham reached his level of intimacy with God.
Shalom,
God Bless