Heroes are heroes for a reason. Although they are not perfect people (only Jesus is perfect), the heroes of our faith inspire us to believe in God, follow God’s way, and impact the world in eternally positive ways. Abraham is one of my heroes.
Abraham was blessed to be a blessing to all nations. God called him to leave his homeland and move to a new land. God promised descendants and land. Abraham took his wife, his nephew, his employees, and all that he had and journeyed to a foreign land.
He did not move just to receive personal blessings. Furthermore, the blessings were not to stay contained in his family. Abraham through his obedience was to be used by the Lord to bring blessing to all nations. Wow. God calls us to be a blessing to all nations today.
“The Lord said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)
Abraham believed the Lord and it was credited to him as righteousness. He was declared to be in right standing before the Lord because of his faith. He was not declared righteous because of his obedient acts; he was declared righteous because of his unwavering faith. The obedient acts then followed.
In Genesis 15, God reaffirms his promise to Abraham. God responds to Abraham’s faith. At times, God’s promise of descendants must have been impossible to believe, so much so that Abraham and Sarah decided to take matters into their own hands. But they quickly realized that they should do things God’s way. God’s way is the best way for us, and it always brings Him glory.
“He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.” Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:5-6)
Abraham was called to live a blameless life and to be father of many nations. Heroes seem to be larger than life because of their outstanding attributes. Abraham was called to live a blameless life even though all of those around him were not. God calls us to do the same today.
The Lord promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. He gave him this promise before he and his wife had any children, and his wife was seemingly well past childbearing years. Steadfastly, Abraham believed the Lord and continued to walk faithfully with him. Even at times when he stumbled, he quickly repented of his sin and returned to obedience. His faith guided his actions.
“When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. Live in My presence and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: “As for Me, My covenant is with you: you will become the father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:1-4)
Abraham was the father of the promised son. Isaac was born to Abraham and Sarah when they were well advanced in years. Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90. Wow. Isaac’s birth foreshadowed the most miraculous birth to come, the birth of Jesus the Messiah some 2000 years later. Jesus was born from the line of Isaac. Jesus was a descendent of Father Abraham. And spiritually speaking, so are all of those who put their trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Because if you ask me who my real hero is, it’s Him — Jesus.
“The Lord came to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him. Abraham named his son who was born to him — the one Sarah bore to him — Isaac. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him. Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.” (Genesis 21:1-5)