AN OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY:

From Abraham to Modern Israel

Lesson 1

Now that we have completed the Tanakh, the Old Testament, from a chronological
perspective, it is time to connect the myriad of dots. Close to 15 years ago when I first taught
the Torah to you in a formal setting, in my introduction to the Book of Genesis I said that the
Torah and the Old Testament should not be taken as a series of independent historical events;
but rather there is a flow to the Scriptures that is like a beautiful river. The events we read
about are like mile markers along the way of redemption history. No doubt because of the in-
depth nature of our studies, the passing of all these years can make it challenging to get a
horizon-to-horizon view of our completed journey. That is the purpose of these next few weeks.
If you came into these studies mid-way, this will be all the more helpful. If you started at the
beginning, this will be like going to a family reunion and opening the family photo album.
Since midway through the Book of Genesis the remainder of the Bible is told through the
establishment and then the progress of the Hebrew people; that is the course of the river that
we’ll follow in this Old Testament Survey.
THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL BEGINS WITH AVRAHAM ( ABRAHAM)
Avraham (Abraham) is the best place to start because it was with him that God made an
irrevocable covenant out of which the Jewish people, and mankind’s redemption, would
ultimately come. Although Jews correctly consider him their forefather, sometimes he is even
spoken of as “the first Jew” or “the first Israelite”. Since the term “Israelite” could not have
happened until God changed Abraham’s grandson’s name from Jacob (Ya’acov) to Israel,
and since the term “Jew” began with the tribe of Judah (one of Jacob’s 12 sons), it would be
a stretch to apply either the term “Jew” or “Israelite” to Avraham (Abraham), except perhaps in
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a poetic sense.
Though the Bible doesn’t tell us, Hebrew scholars say that Avraham (Abraham) was probably
an Amorite. Amorites were one of several semi-nomadic sub-cultures living within many of the
Sumerian cities of ancient Mesopotamia. Most archaeologists believe that Amorites were the
dominant Mesopotamian culture of that day. It appears that Amorites were a particularly
troublesome people for their neighbors, as they were among the most aggressive in their
pursuit of territory and power. In fact, it is now known with some certainty that the famous war
chief and conqueror Hammurabi (who ruled about 100 years after Avraham’s time) was an
Amorite.
Avraham (Abraham) was born sometime around 2000 BC in an area historically known as the
Fertile Crescent. The Fertile Crescent was so-called because it lies in the flood plain between
and along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, where regular flooding deposited rich silt that was
ideal for agricultural use. He lived, at least for a time, in the city-state of Ur, in a region called
Mesopotamia. Today, Ur and much of Mesopotamia falls within Iraq’s borders, next to the
Euphrates River. Ur was the center of moon-god worship, and much of that ancient city has
been excavated, and there is no doubt as to its identity.
Avraham’s father was Terach (Terah), a descendant of Shem who was one of
Noach’s (Noah’s) 3 sons. At first glance, this would seem to be incongruous with Abraham
being an Amorite, because the Amorite tribe did NOT come from the line of Shem, but rather
from Shem’s brother, Ham. However, all evidence is that by the time of Abraham, the Amorite
tribe had become so successful, that the name Amorite came to represent an entire culture,
not just a large extended family (which is what a tribe is). Only about 350 years had passed
since Noach and his family escaped the world-destroying flood by constructing an ark, an
enormous ship that Noah built at God’s command. If you were alive in 2000 BC, you could
have asked Noach himself about the Great Flood, because he was still living when Avraham
was born.
In our modern era, about 200 years ago, a scholar invented a name for the countless
descendants of Noach’s (Noah’s) son Shem; the scholar called them Shemites, we .now say
Semites. The term stuck. Therefore, genealogically speaking, Avraham was a Semite since he
descended from Shem. Being a Semite identifies Avraham not to a geographical region or to a
culture, but to a specific family, a certain gene pool. Unfortunately, we most often hear this
term in our day used in the phrase “anti-Semitic”, meaning some type of predisposition or
bigotry against the Jewish people.
During Avraham’s (Abraham’s) era, some 4000 years ago, civilization was in full swing though
it manifested itself quite differently from region to region, and continent to continent. In Asia,
North Africa, and the Middle East, the areas the Bible primarily concerns itself with, there were
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hundreds of tribes and clans that were nomadic to some degree. Where cities did form, they
were generally city-states. That is, small nations with defined territory that was quite limited,
and usually the territory didn’t go much beyond the city walls. Typically, each city-state had its
own king and most often its own set of gods. There were constant skirmishes between these
city-states; some serious, some amounting to little, and usually involving stealing each others
possessions, livestock, idols, food, pastureland, and sometimes taking people for slaves and
servants. The taking of people from another tribe or nation was a common way for kings and
tribal leaders of this time to more rapidly grow their own population, thereby increasing their
personal security, wealth, power, and status.
Some cultures were tent dwellers, which meant they were wanderers, constantly moving from
area to area seeking fresh pasturelands and water for their flocks and herds. Others, the semi-
nomadic, tended to stay in an area longer than their nomadic tent-dwelling neighbors; so, they
lived in non-portable huts constructed of the local flora and fauna. Then again, there were so-
called sedentary peoples, meaning they lived permanently in cities with governments, taxes,
mud-brick and stone houses, magnificent palaces and temples, roads, even sanitation
systems. Most often, these several types of cultures lived side-by-side and were symbiotic.
In Abraham’s time, only about 200 years had passed since the Tower of Babel episode [Gen.
11] when God scrambled a single human language into many so people would disperse and
repopulate other geographical areas. All but a handful of the millions of descendants of Noach
(Noah) had, by now, turned their backs on God. Idolatry was rampant. Sex was perverse and
had become part of religious ceremony. Child sacrifice was widespread. In fairly quick fashion
since the destruction of the Great Flood, the world was once again thoroughly wicked. There
were many relatively new spoken and written languages, with extensive and elegant
vocabularies.
Nimrod was the leader of the revolt against God that resulted in the construction of the Tower
of Babel. And, Nimrod is rightly credited with being the founder of what the Bible calls “Mystery
Babylon” Religions. He built the first walled city and is credited with inventing the art of
warfare. You see, Nimrod was of the line of Ham, who was a son of Noach. Ham represents a
line of people that began their wickedness within a few years of stepping out of Ark. In fact,
Nimrod was the son of Cush, the line who populated Africa. It might surprise you to know that
the great Nimrod was a black man and many ancient glyphs and carvings bear this out.
Nimrod married a woman named Semiramis, and after he died, Semiramis deified him and
declared him the sun-god. She herself was worshipped as the “Queen of Heaven”; and, as the
mother of Tammuz who was supposedly the reincarnation of Nimrod. This triumvirate of sun-
god father, queen of heaven mother, and reincarnated son would become the formula for all
the Babylon Mystery religions, that is, the pagan religions of the world, right up to today. We
find all throughout history, in all cultures, translated names and titles of Nimrod and Semiramis
assigned to their particular pantheon of gods. For instance, in Egypt the Queen of Heaven was
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called Isis; in India, Indrani; in Asia, Cybele, and in the ancient Middle Eastern lands, Ashteroth
(who we see mentioned in several places in the Old Testament).
As for Nimrod, he is also called Ba’al and known as the god-man Ninus, the builder of
Ninevah. And, since his son Tammuz is simply the reincarnation of Nimrod, Tammuz is also
Nimrod.
Hundreds of sub-cultures had erupted, and communication was well developed. Clay tablets
were being utilized as the primary writing medium for cuneiform in Mesopotamia, while a long
way southwest on the African continent, at the mouth of the Nile the Egyptians were using
papyrus and reed stylus’ to write their hieroglyphics; even building libraries for the growing
volume of records. Trade routes were opened from the Mid East, to the Far East, to India,
perhaps even to China. The Mediterranean was a super-highway of shipping that connected all
the nations that surrounded it. These regions and nations were, of course, not unknown to
each other. Trade was occurring amongst these various cultures. Stone was still the primary
material for tools and weapons, copper was in widespread use, bronze was known and iron
would soon be discovered. Egypt was already dotted with Pyramids. In fact, by the time
Abraham was born, the Pyramid building era was over. This was not a world of disinterested,
small thinking, primitive peoples. Most were smart, aggressive, forward-thinking, and
constantly seeking to improve their technology and the quality of their lives.
It was during this same time, much farther west near the Atlantic Ocean, that an unknown
people constructed a strange structure that scientists still puzzle over to this day: its name is
Stonehenge.
Avraham (Abraham) no doubt started life as a pagan [Gen. 12]. His father, Terach (Terah),
was a merchant of idols…...standard idols of the various Mystery Babylon religions. It is likely;
therefore, that Abraham owned and worshipped a number of gods himself. On the other hand,
he could have been one of a few that still believed in the One God that Noach (Noah) spoke of,
but that is unlikely. Certainly if Avraham had despised idols, it is not easy to imagine his getting
along well with his father, who would have taught him otherwise. It’s also probable that
Avraham worshipped God Almighty as well as some number of other gods. It’s hard to know.
The spiritual mind of the people of that time had no problem with the idea of worshipping many
gods and adding a new one if he or she happened along. People of Avraham’s day also
tended to put their gods in a hierarchy, with one being dominant and the rest following in a kind
of celestial pecking order.
One of the great curiosities of history is that it appears that atheism, the belief that there is no
god, that there is no spiritual world and that there is nothing greater than mankind, is a
relatively modern concept, as every ancient society ever discovered is found to have
worshipped superior beings.
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Avraham had two brothers, an unusually small family for that time. One died. Avraham
(Abraham) married Sarai (Sarah), his half-sister, who was unable to give him children.
Marrying close family members was the norm for the day and not yet forbidden by God. For
reasons we’re not given, Avraham’s father Terach (Terah) gathers his family together and
leaves the comforts and security of city life in Ur, traveling north and west about 600 miles until
they arrive at Haran. Why they stopped there we don’t know, because the clearly stated
original destination was a place called Canaan, about 400 miles to the south. In any case, the
family decided to settle in Haran. What Avraham did for a living there is anybody’s guess,
though Genesis tells us that when he moved on he took flocks and herds with him, so he was
prosperous.
One day, when Avraham (Abraham) was about 75 years old, God revealed Himself to him. The
way the scriptures seem to flavor it, it is not a first-time introduction. God tells Avraham to
leave Haran, but doesn’t tell him where he’s going; this probably has something to do with his
aged father and surviving brother deciding to stay put. God strikes a covenant, a unilateral
contract, with Avraham that if he will follow Him, God will give him a land of his own, bring forth
a great nation from his seed, and from this, the whole world will be blessed.
There is practically no information at all about Avraham (Abraham) prior to this time. All things
considered, he was probably a fairly ordinary person, and surprised as anybody at this God
choosing him to carry out such a grand plan. I’ve often wondered how God first gained
Avraham’s attention; I suspect by speaking to him, at least that’s the way the Bible presents
it. As an Amorite, Avraham was surrounded by a number of idols and gods. It’s unlikely any of
those pieces of wood or stone ever had much to say to him, so however God communicated
with him, it was spectacular and believable enough that Avraham did what he was told.
Avraham (Abraham) took his wife Sarai (Sarah) and Lot, his nephew (the son of the deceased
brother), a few servants, and probably a number of cousins, and struck out for parts unknown.
Apparently taking a cue from his father’s intended original destination, he eventually wandered
into Canaan, stopping at the site of Shechem. Canaan was not a country or a nation, it was
simply a named region, and the term “Canaan” was used then much in the same way we
today talk of “The Middle East”. That is, it is a generalized geographical area that has been
given a title.
The widely scattered inhabitants of Canaan were called Canaanites and, although there were
ancient family ties between the residents of the various city-states and villages in Canaan, they
were not a homogenous people. Speaking of them as Canaanites is roughly analogous to our
speaking of the inhabitants of the Middle East as Arabs. In reality, the so-called Arabs of the
Middle East see themselves based on a national identity (Iraqis, Iranians, Egyptians, Syrians,
etc.), much as the Canaanites would have identified themselves more in relation to the city-
state, tribe, king or village to which they were attached. They would not all have even been
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descended from Canaan. This is much like our modern use of the term Arabs where many of
these people have no Arab background, and don’t even speak Arabic; but they are
nonetheless all lumped together from a Western perspective.
It’s important to understand how the land of Canaan originally came about. A few hundred
years prior to Avraham’s birth, Noach had occasion to be humiliated by his son Ham (of whom
Nimrod was a descendant) [Gen. 9]. Ham had wandered, uninvited, into his father’s tent, and
found him asleep, drunk, and naked. Ham went out from the tent and informed his two
brothers, Shem and Japheth, who promptly covered up their father’s nakedness making sure
they didn’t look upon him. When Noach awoke and found a cloak over him, he was incensed
and asked what had happened. His sons informed him, and the irate Noach responded by
issuing a curse upon one of Ham’s sons: Canaan. The exact nature of the offense is unclear.
And, why the grandson Canaan took the brunt of Noah’s anger, we’re also left to ponder.
As with many biblical curses and blessings, the one Noah pronounced upon Canaan was
prophetic in nature. Some years after the incident, Ham’s son Canaan left the home of his
father and grandfather and moved to a region far to the south that eventually came to be
known by his name ……the land of Canaan. Over the centuries, the descendants of Noach’s
other two sons, Japheth and Shem, remained generally friendly and on favorable terms with
one another. But, the descendants of Noach’s third son, Ham, through the specific line of
Ham’s son Canaan, became rivals and at times enemies of the descendants of Japheth and
Shem.
Many of the sons that Canaan spawned eventually spread over the area, grew and divided to
become their own tribes, and then established their own city-states and villages. In time, they
even warred with one another. Some 1000 years later, we find those descendants of Canaan
who had stayed in the land fighting to keep Moses and the Israelites out. Tribes from other
areas also settled in that region. Jebusites, Girgashites, Hittites, Hivites, and even the tribe
Avraham originally belonged to, the Amorites, all eventually became enemies of Israel. NOTE:
If Avraham, who it is confirmed in the Bible is a descendent of Shem, was indeed an Amorite
(a tribe originating from Ham), then it must have been so through intermarriage, or perhaps
simply by joining the Amorite tribe by a statement of allegiance; a customary event. For by the
time of the birth of Avraham, centuries had passed since the origination of the Amorite tribe
and, as happened with many other tribes, the Amorites had grown, splintered into factions, and
some faction members had moved to other areas and become sub-tribes in many other
regions.
The location inside the land of Canaan that Avraham first stopped at was a place called
Shechem. Today, Shechem is known as the Arab city of Nablus, located in the West Bank
area of dispute in Israel. There, at Shechem, God made His plan clear to Abraham. As written
in Gen. 12:7, God said that this was the land He was going to give him for his descendants.
Abraham built an altar there, presumably made an animal sacrifice, and, after a short stay,
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moved on; eventually, all the way south to Egypt, because a severe famine had come upon
Canaan. After a run-in with Egypt’s Pharaoh in which Avraham (Abraham) gave up his wife
Sarai (Sarah) to Pharaoh momentarily (apparently to avoid a dangerous confrontation), the
famine ended and Avraham took his family back to Canaan.
Abraham arrived back in Canaan a wealthier man than when he left it, because the Pharaoh
thought Abraham’s God was a threat to him, and so gave Abraham valuable gifts so that he
might leave without incurring this God’s wrath. Though Abraham now had much silver and
gold, the family’s real wealth was still their flocks and herds.
At about this same time, far to the north in Mesopotamia, Abraham’s birthplace, thousands
mourned the death of Noach (Noah)…..yes, the Noah of Noah’s ark…….who died at over 900
years of age.
Canaan was a tough place to live. Totally unlike the more dependable Fertile Crescent of
Mesopotamia of Avraham’s origin, famines were part of life in Canaan. Everything was based
on the soil, which means it depended on the fickle rains. No rain, no crops, no pastureland, no
survival. Which would explain why the Canaanites might have held the world record for the
number of gods they had. A god for rain, a god for wind, a god for clouds, a god for barley; you
name it, they had a god for it. But, the chief god was Baal. At least, he was the most popular.
Despite the difficult living conditions apparently Avraham and his nephew Lot prospered. So
much so that they had to part company because their herds and flocks were growing large
enough to outstrip the land they mutually occupied, and it caused disputes among the
herdsmen [Gen. 13]. Lot must have liked the city life because he moved to Sodom,
somewhere near the southwestern bank of the Dead Sea.
A little time later, without warning, peaceful old Avraham finds himself having to be a warrior
leader [Gen. 14]. It seems some kings (that is, several city-state rulers) from a region east and
north of Canaan decided to invade 5 Canaanite Kings in the area where Avraham lived. In the
process, the invading kings sacked the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and made Lot one of
their prisoners. Family being what it is, Avraham (Abraham) recruits 318 men and off they go to
chase down the kings of the east, in hopes of rescuing Lot. A few miles north of Damascus
(Syria) they catch up to the raiders and defeat them, free Lot, and reclaim the stolen booty.
Avraham returns to the cheers of the people and the gratitude of the Canaanite Kings. He is
also honored by the mysterious King and High Priest of the city of Shalem (centuries later this
city will be called Jerusalem)…..his name is Melchizedek. It is Hebrew tradition that
Melchizedek was none other than Shem, a son of Noach. This is entirely feasible, but is not
certain; Melchizedek is more a title than a name: in Hebrew this title means “king of
righteousness”. And, although Shem would have been hundreds of years old by then, the table
of generations in the Bible indicates that Shem was indeed alive while Abraham was living in
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Canaan. Making Melchizedek to actually be Shem answers a lot of questions about this
obscure, but most interesting, Bible character, who later will be compared, in some ways, to
Christ.
We now arrive at an important point in the Bible [Gen. 14:13]; the first known use of the word
“Hebrew” is presented, and it is ascribed to Avraham. No other ancient source uses the word
“Hebrew” as the title of a specific people group prior to this usage in Genesis. There is much
conjecture as to the word’s origination and its meaning. Some scholars think it identifies a new
culture with Avraham as its founder. Others believe it is a term that represents a new religion,
the first monotheistic religion. Another line of thinking is that the word “Hebrew” is a perversion
of the Sumerian word “Hapiru” (which, when spoken in ancient Semitic sounds almost
identical to the word “Ipuru”) meaning “wanderers and outcasts”…..people that have no
particular ethnic or regional ties. Modern Hebrew scholars almost unanimously say the word
meant “one who crossed over”…..likely referring to Abraham crossing over the Euphrates River
in order to journey south to Canaan.
The issue of the origination of the word “Hebrew” revolves around whether the term as
originally used was religious, or racial, or cultural, or simply descriptive. Regardless of its
etymology, Judaism and Christianity see “Hebrew” as a term describing the biblical ancestral
line of the promises made within the covenant that God gave to Avraham, and Avraham ratified
by leaving Mesopotamia and moving south to Canaan in search of the land God promised
would be his. Therefore, the Hebrew line begins with Avraham as its founder, then on to his
son Isaac, then Isaac’s son Jacob (eventually renamed Israel), and finally to the 12 tribes of
Israel, which includes the Jews as we know them today. All are included under the title of
“Hebrew”.
Now back in Canaan after his short stay in Egypt, Avraham, having so long-lived a nomadic
lifestyle and again in the cyclical need of new pasturelands for his flocks and herds, decides to
move on. This time, he and his clan backtracks somewhat and settles at the desert oasis
known as Beersheba. Sarai (Sarah), his wife, still hasn’t given Avraham a child, and they both
have given up hope, even though implicit in God’s promise to make them into a great nation,
is children.
Sarai (Sarah), now very old and beyond childbearing years, gives her maidservant, Hagar, to
Avraham to bear him a child in her stead. This was a completely normal and customary
practice for 2000 BC. Jewish tradition says Hagar was an Egyptian, possibly even a daughter
of the Pharaoh, acquired during Avraham’s stay in Egypt. Likely Hagar was one of the gifts
Pharaoh gave to Abraham as a peace offering and a customary way to create an alliance.
Hagar becomes pregnant. Sarai becomes greatly jealous and treats Hagar so terribly that she
runs away. God finds Hagar, convinces her to go back, and promises her a boy child. She
returns and shortly gives birth to Yishma’el (Ishmael).
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Before Hagar becomes pregnant, God formalizes His covenant with Abraham. In typical Middle
Eastern fashion, an animal is sacrificed, cut into pieces, and divided into two piles; then, the
agreeing parties walk between the two piles as an indication of their acceptance of the terms.
However, we’re told that ONLY God walked through the pieces of the animal. This is an
important detail because it indicates that the covenant that has been made between God and
Abraham is unilateral. This means that Abraham had NO duties to perform; whatever was to
happen was God’s responsibility. The terms of the covenant would be carried out by God
regardless of what Abraham, or his descendants, did. That’s why this covenant is often
referred to as a promise….God promised things to Abraham, but Abraham made no promises to
God.
At this point, God gives Avraham the rites of male circumcision as the sign and seal of His
everlasting covenant with the Hebrew people [Gen. 15, 16, 17]. It is observed to this day. Male
circumcision was not uncommon in those times, but it was not known to have been associated
with a covenant until this incident. A few years later, Abraham’s elderly wife Sarai (Sarah)
shocks everybody by becoming pregnant at the age of 90, and gives birth to Yitz’chak (Isaac).
Although people at that time lived a little longer than we do now, Sarah was still way beyond
childbearing age. Rather than now feeling satisfied, however, Sarai (Sarah) doesn’t like the
competition, so she throws a fit and demands that Avraham disown Hagar and her child,
Yishma’el (Ishmael), now 13 years old. Avraham complies; Hagar and Ishmael are thrown out
of the camp. Out in the desert and near death, mother and child are rescued by God who tells
Hagar that Yishma’el (Ishmael) will father a great nation, and produce 12 princes.
Yishma’el (Ishmael) will go on to become the forefather of the Arab races and is often
(erroneously) referred to by Muslims as the father of Islam. The dispute that began over
Yishma’el (Ishmael) and Yitz’chak (Isaac) brought about by Avraham’s and Sarai’s disbelief,
and impatience is being played out before our eyes every day in the never-ending Middle East
conflicts.
It is most important that we pause here and examine for a moment a key element of God’s
plan for mankind as outlined in Genesis; one that is apparently misunderstood even by many in
today’s Christian Church. And, that most important element answers this question: just exactly
which of Avraham’s descendants would be used to bring about the promises contained in the
covenant made by God with Avraham? That is: which family line from Abraham does the
covenant apply to?
Islam claims that God is going to bring about whatever His plans are for the world through
Avraham’s son Ishmael and Ishmael’s descendants. Jews and Christians claim that God’s
divine plans will be carried out through the descendants of Avraham’s son Isaac. Put into
contemporary terms: which group is God’s chosen people……..the Hebrews, from Isaac; or the
Arab Muslims, from Ishmael? This is a distinct fork in the road that cannot be bypassed: one
direction is correct, the other is not. No amount of religious or political tolerance can bring
about compromise on this issue.
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The answer to this most fundamental question is found in Genesis 17. Open your Bibles to that
place.
READ GENESIS 17:15-22
It’s several years after Ishmael has been born, and Avraham is well satisfied that he has, in
Ishmael, the male heir to his wealth, his tribe, and most importantly to God’s covenant
promises. Quite unexpectedly God appears and tells Avraham that Sarai is going to bear him a
son. And, that it is THIS son that God is going to use to carry on the promises given to
Avraham. The startled Avraham argues against this. He asks God to please make it Ishmael
that is blessed as his heir and not this yet to be born child. Avraham’s astonishment and
disappointment is easily understandable. First, Sarai is a very old woman, and it simply cannot
be possible that she could conceive in that long-dead womb of hers. But, second, and most
important to Avraham, is that Ishmael is currently his much beloved, and one and only, son. All
of his plans and hopes for the future rested in Ishmael. From the moment Hagar conceived,
Avraham was overjoyed with the prospect of having a son, and that son was Ishmael. It is
certain that Avraham told Ishmael, almost a teenager at the time God threw this curveball at
him, all about God, and that someday Ishmael would carry with him God’s incredible blessing
and plan for mankind. Suddenly, without warning, it seems God changed Abraham’s plans.
Avraham fell on his face and begged God that Ishmael be the heir to the covenant. God
emphatically said “NO!” But, then in His mercy, God told Avraham not to worry; that Ishmael
would prosper, be a great man, would bear 12 princes (that is, 12 tribal leaders), and have
countless decedents. And, that is exactly what happened as the millions of members of the
various Arab tribes we see today are the result. Nonetheless, it would be Isaac, God said, the
child to be born by Sarah, who would carry on with the promises of the covenant. Avraham
was anything but happy with this new situation; yet, obediently, he complied. It would be Isaac,
and his descendants, the Hebrews, that would carry on the promise first given to Abraham.

Despite his human failings, in Gen. 15:6, we see that “He (Avraham) believed Adonai (God),
and He (Adonai) credited it to him as righteousness”. While on the surface it is wonderful to
see God’s mercy and grace in action, there is something much deeper in this passage to
consider: God has just given mankind His formula for personal salvation. That is, we are
required to believe God (meaning to trust Him), and then He will credit us with righteousness.
Seven hundred years before Mosheh (Moses) received the Torah (the Law) on Mt. Sinai, two
thousand years before Yeshua (Jesus) was crucified, God revealed the only path to a right
relationship with Him: Trust in Him.
We find that some years after Hagar and Ishmael’s desert ordeal, young Yitz’chak (Isaac) has
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his own near-death experience. Out of the blue, God orders Avraham to take Yitz’chak (Isaac)
to an altar on a hilltop and sacrifice him (let’s drop this false picture of a young, innocent child
being led out for sacrifice…..Isaac was about 30 years old at this time and knew full well what
was happening). Though certainly devastating, it would not have seemed all that strange to
Avraham, for human sacrifice to a god was fairly normal for the day, and particularly customary
within the pagan tribes of Canaan. Avraham obeys. He takes Yitz’chak (Isaac) to Mt. Moriah,
the place where the Temple will be built some 900 years into the future. Today, this place is
called the Temple Mount, in the heart of Jerusalem. Moments before Avraham is to plunge his
flint blade into Yitz’chak’s (Isaac’s) chest, God stops him, and provides a Ram, a male sheep,
to be sacrificed in his stead. Another covenant follows promising to bring forth many great
nations from him and millions of descendants. A relieved father and son return home. Sarai
(Sarah), Isaac’s mother, dies shortly thereafter. Hebrew tradition says that the cause of her
death was the strain of Yitz’chak’s (Isaac’s) experience on the altar of sacrifice. In the city of
Hebron, Avraham buys land with a cave on it, and there buries Sarai.
Avraham, now very old, appoints a trusted servant to find a suitable wife for his son,
Yitz’chak (Isaac) [Gen. 24]. Abraham despises the local Canaanite women, and so directs his
servant to journey northward, back to his ancestral home in Mesopotamia, to find an
appropriate member of Abraham’s extended family for Yitz’chak (Isaac) to wed. In the city of
Nahor, the servant finds Rivkah (Rebecca) the daughter of Avraham’s brother Nahor (though
the place the servant went was named Nahor, it was not the namesake of Avraham’s brother,
but of a distant relative by the same name); Nahor was the brother who had elected to stay
behind many years earlier, rather than journey with Abraham to Canaan. About the time
Rivkah (Rebecca) arrives back in Canaan to marry Yitz’chak (Isaac); Avraham dies at 175
years of age and is buried alongside his beloved Sarai. Avraham, revered by Jew, Christian,
and Muslim; a man with character flaws, weaknesses, and all the other human attributes that
trip every one of us up, loved and trusted God. And God blessed him for it.
We’ll continue with our OT survey next week.
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