Father Abraham, A Comparison Of The Three Major Faiths...Jews and Muslims both refer to him as "father Abraham" but he was actually born as Abram. His fathers' name was Terah and he was a descendent of Shem, a son of Noah. Abram was born in Ur of the Chaldeans which is in the southern part of the modern state of Iraq. He lived there and was married to Sarai there. Terah took the family and set out for Canaan but stopped and settled in Haran which is located in the modern state of Turkey. (GENESIS 11:10-32) After the death of Terah, we are told that GOD called Abram to continue on to Canaan (modern day Israel). We are also told of GODs' promise to make him into a great nation and to bless him. He is also promised that all peoples of the earth would be blessed through him. (GENESIS chapter 12) Later, in fulfillment of that promise, GOD made a covenant with Abram in the land of Canaan. GOD promised Abram that he would have an heir (son) from his own body and that his offspring would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. He was also promised that his descendents would possess the land of Canaan.
Abram asked how he could know that they would possess it. While Abram was in a deep sleep, GOD told him about what would happen to his descendents. He was told that they would be strangers in a country not their own and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for 400 years. GOD also told him that HE would punish the nation they served and that they would leave that nation with great possessions. (GENESIS chapter 15) Because Sarai, the wife of Abram, did not understand that GOD would allow her to have a son in her old age, she gave her maidservant (Hagar) to Abram as a wife. After she beame pregnant, Sarai mistreated her and she fled. She was met by an angel of the Lord who told her about the son she would bear and told her to return to Abram. She was told to name the boy Ishmael (GOD hears) and was told that his hand would be against everyone and everyones' hand would be against him. She returned and Abram was 86 years old when she gave birth to Ishmael. (GENESIS chapter 16) After this GOD renewed the covenant. GOD changed Abrams' name to Abraham which means father of many. This covenant is known as the Abrahamic covenant and is the basis for the Jewish faith. In the covenant, GOD promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and that kings would come from him. The covenant was to be between GOD and Abraham and his descendents. GOD promised to be their God and to give them the land of Canaan. As a sign of the covenant, every male was to be circumcised. Babies were to be circumcised when they were 8 days old. As part of the covenant, Sarai was given the name Sarah. GOD promised to bless her and give her a son. She would be the mother of nations and kings would come from her. At this, Abraham laughed and asked "if only Ishmael might live under your blessing". He was told to name the son Isaac (he laughs) and told that the covenant was established with him. GOD promised to bless Ishmael and said that HE would make him into a great nation and that 12 rulers would come from him. (GENESIS chapter 17) Father Abraham was 100 years old when Sarah had her son and he was given the name Isaac. After he was born Hagar and Ishmael were sent away when Sarah noticed him mocking Isaac. (GENESIS chapter 21) Later we are told that GOD tested Abraham and his faith. We find, in Genesis chapter 22, that GOD told Abraham to take his only son to Mt. Moriah and sacrifice him there. Although Abraham did not understand, he obeyed but GOD intervened and Isaac was spared. The Quranic accounts of Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael are quite different. In surah 002.127, it says that Abraham and Ishmael built the kaaba in Mecca. It is referred to as the first house of worship and that it is the duty of all to journey there in surah 03.096-097. (Abraham never left Canaan and went to Mecca) In surah 037.102-108, the story of the testing of Abraham is changed so that Ishmael is the one who is offered. (Although at the time Ishmael was a man and not with Abraham. Remember that Ishmael was born 14 years before Isaac and that he and his mother were sent away after Isaacs' birth.) The Abrahamic covenant was fulfilled through Isaac and the result was the Jewish faith. Remember the words of GOD to Abram about the 400 year enslavement of Abrams' descendents. That was fulfilled in the 12 grandsons of Isaac who became the leaders of the twelve tribes of the Jews. Also remember that when the covenant was renewed, GOD specifically said that it was for Isaac and not Ishmael. Ishmael went to the east and became the father of the Arab people. He had 12 sons and became a great nation. Thus the promise of GOD was fulfilled. "Father Abraham" was in fact the the father of all three major faiths. Islam through Ishmael, Judaism through Isaac, and Christianity through Jesus a descendent of one of the grandsons of Isaac. RETURN FROM FATHER ABRAHAM TO HOME
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