Abraham is the first figure we hear about after the story of the Tower of Babel. Abraham is the first figure we hear about after the story of the Tower of Babel

Abraham is the first figure we hear about after the story of the Tower of Babel.

• Abraham is the first figure we hear about after the story of the Tower of Babel.

• He is generally believed to be the first “real” figure in Jewish history.

• Because of his willingness to listen to God and do as he says, Abraham is considered as the great “Father of Faith”, not just by Jews, but also Christians and Muslims.

COVENANT

• COVENANT

• A legal agreement – God makes promises, and humans have to do something in return.

• The idea is the same as Rights & Responsibilities – if we all have rights to peace, security and happiness, then we should take responsibility to allow others to have those rights.

SACRIFICE

• SACRIFICE

• A sacrifice is something we give up in order to show someone else how important they are.

• In the covenants, people often respond to God’s promises by sacrificing animals, their time or their money.

• It is a way of saying that nothing is more important than God.

God and Abraham made two great covenants:

• God and Abraham made two great covenants:

• God promised Abraham a land of his own

• God promised Abraham as many descendents as stars in the sky

• Each of these promises stands for a lot more than just land and a family.

• Land is about security, peace, control and opportunities
• A family is about passing on a name, property, a sense of accomplishment

These promises made by God meant that Abraham should respond.

• These promises made by God meant that Abraham should respond.

• Abraham’s response was to keep faithful to God, doing as God asked him.

• He built altars and sacrificed animals, and continued to trust God.

Abraham and his wife Sarah were both in their 90s, and had never had children.

• Abraham and his wife Sarah were both in their 90s, and had never had children.

• God made a promise that they would have children.

• Incredibly, they did have a son, and called him Isaac.

• Isaac was very precious to Abraham and Sarah, for he had been promised by God and miraculously been born when they were both very old. They wouldn’t swap him for the world ....

The Bible tells of what happened next ....

• The Bible tells of what happened next ....

• Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"       "Here I am," he replied.

• Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.“

• Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.

• Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.

• As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?"

• "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"

• Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.  When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"

• But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"

• "Here I am," he replied.

• "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

• Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

• So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."

• Abraham was a _________ man who followed what ____ asked of him and his family. After making a promise to stay _________ to God, God decided to ____Abraham.

• God told Abraham to take his son _________ up a mountain, where he was to _____ Isaac as a ________ to God.

• Just as he was about to kill him God stopped Abraham and told him to offer a ______ instead. From then on a __________ was made between Abraham and God.

Do you think Abraham made the right decision to kill his son as God asked? Why? Explain your opinion.

• Do you think Abraham made the right decision to kill his son as God asked? Why? Explain your opinion.

• What would you have done if you were Abraham? Why?

• Who would have been affected by Abraham’s decision?

• If you could speak to Abraham what advice would you give to him to help him make his decision?