Abraham - Friend of God

*Biblical Character Study*

1. Abraham 

*Abraham - Friend of God*

He is known as the father of faith and friend of God. But how does one earn the sobriquet of 'friend of God'?

The story started with a most unusual request, leave your family, friends and country and go to a place I will show you. [Gen 12:1] And Abraham obeyed

*GOD told Abram: "Leave your country, your family, and your father's home for a land that I will show you. I'll make you a great nation and bless you. I'll make you famous... So Abram left just as GOD said, and Lot left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran [Gen 12:1-4]*

*Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, blessed him and increased him [Isa 51:1-2]*

*And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith." He was even called the friend of God. [Romans 4:3]*

*Abraham - Simplicity of heart*

A study of Abraham will constantly reveal a man that was one with his word and at peace with himself. He expressed his feelings and emotions to God without fear. Whether it was his fear that his servant will inherit him or his plea for Sodom.

He had no issues with allowing his younger cousin pick a land first or running errands to serve strangers despite the fact that he had over 300 hundred men in his household. God indeed looks at the heart of men. How is your heart?

*Abram said to Lot, "Let's not have fighting between us, between your shepherds and my shepherds. After all, we're family. Look around. Isn't there plenty of land out there? Let's separate. If you go left, I'll go right; if you go right, I'll go left." [Gen 13:8-9]*

*What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. [Gen 18: 25-26]*

*Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant." "Very well," they answered, "do as you say." So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah."Quick," he said, "get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread." Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.[Gen 18:6-7]*

*Abraham - Absolute dependence on God*

For a strong man who had 318 trained men of War in his house, Abraham's dislike for quarrels and show of force is exemplary. He would rather have God fight for him than push his case.

On two different occasions, he trusted God to preserve his wife than to go into quarrels over her. You are tempted to take him for a weakling yet he fought 5 nations and prevailed. 'Do you know who I am' geng, Why must you always show yourself?

*But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram's wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. "What have you done to me?" he said. "Why didn't you tell me she was your wife? [Gen 12:17-19]*

*When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people. [Gen 14:14-16]*

*Abraham - Right discernment*

Abraham's ability to rightly discern men and things were divine. He knew who to give tithe to and who to serve, which gifts to collect and which to reject.

We learn from Abraham that not all favours should be received.. [Gen 23:6]

..he insisted on paying for the burial ground for his wife [Gen 23:11] and refuse to take the spoils from the victory of the 5 kings so his wealth will only be attributable to God. Discernment is key.

*No, my lord, he said. "Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead." Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land and he said to Ephron in their hearing ."Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there." [Gen 23:11-13]*

*But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me..."[Gen 14:22-24]*

*Abraham - Right parenting*

The most important parenting commendation a person can have was that given by God to Abraham. Abraham did not only fear God but also taught his children and family to fear and obey God.

When Isaac was old enough to marry, he also ensured that he married right. Beloved, your work and love for God is not complete if your offspring are not taught to know God. And it cannot be done by proxy.

*And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him." [Gen 18:17-19]*

*Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east [Gen 25:5-6]*

*Abraham - Not perfect*

It is often the case that we ascribe perfection to men of old and get discouraged by our seeming imperfections. But a study of Abraham clearly shows that he had shortcomings.

He doubted God, gave misleading statements twice and committed adultery yet God never left him.

Beloved, don't run away from God because you have not gotten it, he is here to help you and strengthen you for the journey.

*As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me but will let you live..

Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you." [Gen 12:11-13]*

*But Abram replied, "O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don't even have a son? Since you've given me no children..

Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir." [Gen 15:2-3]*

*The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife. The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God's promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God's own fulfillment of his promise [Gal 4:22-23]*

*Abraham - Faith towards God*

In conclusion, Abraham is the father of faith not because of his perfection but rather his absolute confidence in God. Even when God told him to release what he got by faith, his trust in God did not waiver,[Romans 4:20] counting God faithful to raise Isaac..

..from the dead.[Hebrews 11:19]

Beloved, believe God more than your situation, and when what you are in faith for comes, do not let it replace God in your heart. Our faith will also be counted as righteousness.

*By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."..Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. [Hebrews 11:17-19]*

*Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham's faith, God counted him as Righteous. [Romans 4:20-22]*

*And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.[Gen 15:6]*