Abraham
The Patriarchal Age Pt. 3

In lesson 4 we studied about Noah and the tower of Babel. In this lesson we will study about a great man of faith, Abraham.

In the same chapter [Genesis 11] we learn about the tower of Babel, we meet Abraham. Abraham was a great and good man. God promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his seed [Genesis 22:18].

Abraham obeyed God and in Hebrews chapter 11, we read that Abraham was a man of faith. At one time God told Abraham to go to a land that he would show him [Genesis 12:1-3]. He obeyed God and was blessed.

According to Romans 4:19-21, when God told Abraham that Sarah would give birth to a son “he considered his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief: but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: and being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able to perform”. Sarah did conceive and bear a son just as God had promised. See Genesis 21:1-5.

As we said before Abraham was a man of great faith. God tested his faith one day by telling Abraham to take his son, Isaac, and offer him as a sacrifice on an altar. Abraham did as God told him thus proving his love for God. Just as Abraham was ready to kill Isaac God stopped him. God sent a ram to be offered instead of Isaac and God was very happy that Abraham loved Him more than he loved his son.

When Abraham was very old he had his oldest servant promise to return to his homeland and find a wife for Isaac. With God’s help the servant brought Rebekah back as a wife for Isaac. Isaac and Rebekah had twin sons, Esau and Jacob. Esau became a hunter and Jacob was a plain man or a man who lived in tents. Isaac loved Esau more than he loved Jacob. Rebekah loved Jacob more than she loved Esau. Because of this jealousy Rebekah deceived Isaac into pronouncing a blessing on Jacob instead of Esau. Because of this Jacob and Esau parted. Esau even planned to kill Jacob.

Jacob left home and went to live with his uncle. He fell in love with his uncle’s daughter, Rachel and asked permission to marry her. His uncle consented only if Jacob promised to work for him seven years. Then Jacob did only to be tricked by his uncle. His uncle gave his older daughter, Leah to Jacob as wife. Jacob worked for seven years and then was given Rachel for his wife.

After a long while Jacob and his wives and children went back to his homeland. He was re-united with Esau his brother.

Jacob had thirteen children. In the next lesson we will study about one of these in particular.

This lesson has covered from chapter 11 through chapter 33 of Genesis. Read and study this along with your lesson.