The Faith of Abraham

Abraham is recorded in the Scripture as being the father of all who believe. Rom 4:11. He was a man of exceptional faith. However, his faith was not mystical. It was birthed in him by the word of God. It was established by the Lord when He spoke to him at strategic points in his life. On one of these occasions, the word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision. Yahweh Son said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward’. Gen 15:1. What did this mean?

Abraham had become a king of kings by faith but he was still unfulfilled with respect to the promise of God. He was yet to bring forth an heir from his own body. On this account, Abraham may have been apprehensive, or even fearful. However, the Lord said to him, ‘Do not fear’. Gen 15:1. He preached peace to Abraham in the same way that He later preached peace to all men from the cross.

This was Yahweh Son, ‘I AM’, speaking to Abraham, and telling him that He would be his shield and reward. The Lord had promised Abraham that he would have a son. However, in this encounter, Yahweh Son was telling Abraham that He Himself would be his son. Paul spoke of the Lord Jesus Christ being the ‘reward of the inheritance’. Col 3:24. He would be Abraham’s exceeding great reward. What an astonishing promise! The Lord of heaven and earth was telling him that He would be born in his lineage, after his flesh. When Abraham put forward the alternative that one who was born in his house could be the heir, the Lord quickly corrected him. ‘One shall come forth from your own body, He shall be your heir.’ Gen 15:4.

Abraham was quickened in his mortal body, and we know that he and his wife gave birth to Isaac in their old age. But more than this, when the fullness of time came, Jesus Christ was born in his lineage. By this means, he became the father of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Abraham participated in the covenant purpose of God. He revealed the firstborn Son in the flesh, through his body.

Although we don’t become fathers in the same way as Abraham, this is the same call for every Christian. Paul testified to the Galatians that the Father ‘was pleased to reveal His Son in me’. Gal 1:16. The life of Christ is committed to all believers to reveal in their lives. When we do this, we accrue for ourselves an eternal reward. It is reserved for us in heaven, ready to be revealed in the last day. There is no need to fear for this inheritance, because the Lord is our shield. Paul wrote, ‘I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day’. 2 Tim 1:12. This was the faith of Abraham who ‘died in faith’ and yet was fully convinced that God would fulfill all His promises.

Victor Hall

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Feature Articles
May 2008

Marvellous Faith

The Living Song

Present Truth

The Faith of Abraham

Wisdom and Folly

The Valley of Baca

The Nature of Business

Willing Obedience

Light to the Nations