Abraham, friend of God
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God. Hebrews 11:8-10
Abraham was not perfect. But we was known by God. We learn from the martyr Stephen in Acts 7 that ‘the glory of God’ appeared to Abram (as he was known then) whilst he still lived in the land of the Tower of Babel. A remarkably sophisticated civilisation from what we know: planned settlements, baked bricked and family homes with internal plumbing! But also a land of idolatry and pride.
It’s from there God called his friend, and patiently reiterated that call when they got waylaid in Haran. Their family situation was not clearcut—multiple wives, inter-familial marriage, death. But God continued to call.
Eventually God says to Abram, leave that place, your father’s family, your relatives and everything you know—and follow me. So he does! Along the winding road into the promised land of Canaan.
What a change to the planned settlements and plumbed houses of Ur or Haran. Living in tents amongst a suspicious set of foreigners! But Abram did it, and worshipped his new friend along the way. (Gen. 12:1-9) He didn’t always get it right—lying about his wife etc—but God was faithful and kind, promising mighty blessings to Abram and his descendants.
We are in the position of looking back. We look back to Abraham (as he become) and to Jesus. Abraham only looked forward. Forward to things he didn’t understand, but trusted. We understand more, but we still don’t know it all.
Fortunately there is one who does! The perfect friend. The Son of God himself, Jesus Christ. He is the promised ‘seed’ (Gen. 12:7—note singular in original Hebrew) of Abraham who we learn will be the promised rescuer, anointed messiah, and crucified saviour.
Like Abraham we don’t get everything right. But we can remain friends with God. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus we find a welcome into the arms of the Father. His perfect obedience counts. His perfect faith is what matters. His eternal life fills and empowers us.
With the Apostle Paul we can confidently say “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in [or ‘of’, see Greek words] the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
