Abraham

Tremper Longman III & Raymond B. Dillard
An Introduction to the Old Testament

Theologically speaking, the centerpiece of this middle section of Genesis is the Abrahamic covenant. Here God promises Abraham descendants and lands and finally assures him that he will be a blessing to the nations. The Old Testament acknowledges that these promises are fulfilled in part within its own time frame as Isaac is born and from him descends the Israelite nation, as Israel itself occupies Palestine, and as individuals from the nations (Rahab, Naaman, Nebuchadnezzar) turn to Israel’s God. All of the promises of God, however, including those to Abraham “are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Cor. 1:20), and Christians are now considered “Abraham’s offspring” (Rom. 9:8).

Even further, however, the book of Hebrews (Heb. 11:8-19) draws our attention to Abraham’s life as a struggle of faith. As described above, Abraham received God’s promise and then struggled in the face of obstacles to the fulfillment of that promise. So Hebrews draws an analogy with Christians. They too have received the promise of God, but daily confront obstacles. Abraham is presented as an example in order to support the Christian reader in this struggle.