The Faith of Abraham
The faith of Abraham is emphasized throughout the Bible. You cannot think of this great man without marveling how his faith impacted every decision of his life. We have faith because we read the Bible (Rom. 10:17), but Abraham did not have one! Yet look at how God had revealed Himself to this “father of the faithful” and given him the depth of understanding about God. We would be better people if we thought of God in this same way.
Abram Knew God As the Most High God
“Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to the Lord, God most High…’” (Gen. 14:22). The pagans had their gods, but the God of all gods was Jehovah. There is none higher and the Most High said we are to have no other gods!
Abraham Knew the God of All the Earth Would Do Right
When God revealed to Abraham about the judgment about to come on Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham had such a close relationship with Him that he confronted God. Not on the basis of how great Abraham was, but on the basis of the nature of the Most High God. “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked… Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right” (Gen. 18:25). Lives are changed when we see the holiness of God.
Abram Knew God was Worthy of Our Worship
When he entered the Promised Land, “There he built an altar.” Then when he came to Bethel, “He built an altar to the Lord, and called on the name of the Lord.” He came back to Bethel, “And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.” When he went to Hebron, “Abram…built an altar to the Lord.” He took Isaac to the top of the mountain in Jerusalem, “And built an altar there” (Gen. 12:7, 8; 13:4; 13:18; 22:9). You could have followed Abraham by following the smoke which ascended from his altars!
When he met Melchizedek, a priest of God Most High, Abram gave tithes to him (Gen. 14:18-20). How blessed we would be if we too understood that God is worthy of our worship and seeks our gifts.
Abraham Knew That God Was Eternal
Abraham came to Beersheba, “…and there called on the Lord, the Everlasting God” (Gen. 21:33). God was not someone who was part of Abraham’s life when it fit into his lifestyle. God was eternal. He is the One who was, and is, and is to come (cf. Rev. 4:8). Abraham understood that He is I AM before this name was given at Mt. Sinai.
There is More
This is only the beginning. Read Genesis to know the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He is your God!