Tag Archives: Abraham

Abram’s First Son (Gen 16)

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Text Summary:

Abram’s wife Sarai suggests he have a child with her Egyptian slave Hagar since she had not given him any children into their eighties.  Hagar gets pregnant, becomes proud, and despises Sarai, so Sarai treats Hagar so cruelly that Hagar runs away.  An Angel of the Lord tells Hagar to return so she can have many descendants from her son.  He warns that Ishmael will be wild and against everyone and live apart from his relatives.  Abram is 86-years-old when Ishmael is born.

My Thoughts:

Aging Legacy: Getting closer to their mortality – Sarai and Abram are in their eighties – has likely made them realize they have no one to leave their great wealth.  Sarai is too old to have children, so she offers up her slave girl as a solution.

Pride: Sarai is all for Hagar’s pregnancy until Hagar throws it in her face. Hagar’s pride triggers Sarai to become cruel enough to force her to leave.

Wearing pride on the outside may feel good at the time, but more often than not boasting causes resentment that can flair against you later.  Instead, wear your pride on the inside – just smile and enjoy the moment to yourself.  If you can’t keep it inside, run to a place where you are alone to celebrate out loud.

Karma: It is kind of ironic that Abram has Egyptian slaves and his descendants later become enslaved by the Egyptians.  I guess things ultimately come full circle.

God’s Promise to Abram (Gen 15)

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Text Summary:

God tells Abram not to fear and promises him as many descendants as the stars and all the lands of modern day Israel. Abram trusts God and sacrifices a few animals. Abram dreams his descendants will be enslaved for 400 years but the enslaving nation will be punished and his descendants will gain great wealth.

My Thoughts:

God’s Promise: God promises Abram many descendants and land.  The perspective is interesting, to be focused on ones lineage instead of just oneself for today.  This perspective drives strong marriages, interest and dedication to educating children, and building long-term family assets instead of borrowing against future generations.  We desperately need this perspective today.

Do Not Fear: From a personal perspective, the key message of this story is not to fear. Trust in God and things will work out – eventually.  We have all had fears since the dawn of time:  fear of not having enough to eat, fear of losing a job and not being able to provide for our family, fear of losing our house, fear that our children will come to harm or not be successful, etc.

Fear can keep you from a fulfilling life by preventing you from simple things like trying new foods or meeting new people.  Fear also causes stress that weakens your immune system and reduces the quality and quantity of life.  In extreme cases, fear can even paralyze a person into total inaction.

Put your mind at ease and trust in God.  It may take time.  Don’t expect things to happen overnight, in weeks, or even months.  Life is not a TV show where the issue is solved in an hour, less commercials if you DVR ;-).

Take little steps towards your goals.  Listen to what is in your heart.  Pray for guidance. Push through the fear and do it anyway.  Your confidence will grow after each little step you overcome.  Do something different today: smile and say “Hi” to someone passing by, sign up for that cooking class you always wanted to take, write down some things you would like to do or accomplish.  It is your life, make the most of it each day!

God be with you.

Abram Saves Lot (Gen 13-14)

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Text Summary:

Abram (a.k.a. Abraham) returns from Egypt very rich, so much so that he and his nephew Lot have to separate to have enough land for all their animals.  Lot moves to Sodom and is taken with all his possession when a group of kings invade.

Abram learns of Lot’s fate from an escapee and sends an army of 318 men to rescue him. Abram wins the battle and shares the loot with his allies and the remaining kings.  Abram is blessed by Melchizedek, a king and priest, in the name of the Most High God.

Interpretation:

Sounds like a historical record of how Abram saves Lot from the captors of Sodom. Abram is benevolent enough to share the resulting loot with his allies and the remaining ill-fated kings.

God Calls Abram (Gen 12)

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This seems to be more historical, introducing Abram (a.k.a. Abraham) and setting the stage for things to come, than a story with specific meaning.  Abram obeys God by moving to Canaan, modern day Israel, and is told he will be given “many descendants, and they will become a great nation”.

But, then famine hits and they all move to Egypt where Abram deceives the King into buying his wife Sarai (a.k.a. Sarah) as his sister.  The King receives terrible diseases from God, likely carried by Sarai, on him and the people of his palace, so he kicks Abram’s clan out of Egypt.  Abram returns to Canaan rich.

Abram doesn’t seem like the noblest father to the 3.6 billion Christians, Muslims, and Jewish people of today (see Wiki Number of Followers chart) in this story.