THE GOD OF ABRAHAM BY DR. EMMA C. INNOCENT

WHO IS ABRAHAM?

Father of a multitude, son of Terah, named (Gen. 11:27) before his older brothers Nahor and Haran, because he was the heir of the promises. Till the age of seventy, Abram sojourned among his kindred in his native country of Chaldea. He then, with his father and his family and household, quitted the city of Ur, in which he had hitherto dwelt, and went some 300 miles north to Haran, where he abode fifteen years. The cause of his migration was a call from God (Acts 7:2-4). There is no mention of this first call in the Old Testament; it is implied, however, in Gen. 12. While they tarried at Haran, Terah died at the age of 205 years. Abram now received a second and more definite call, accompanied by a promise from God (Gen. 12:1,2); whereupon he took his departure, taking his nephew Lot with him, "not knowing whither he went" (Heb. 11:8). He trusted implicitly to the guidance of Him who had called him.¹

WHY MUST WE STUDY OR KNOW THE GOD OF ABRAHAM?

The God of Abraham is mentioned 17 times in the Bible.  It is worthy top note that when something is mentioned seventeen times, it is of high important. Repetition is the major way to prove to imprint a message. Abraham is the patriarch of Faith in Christ. In the dispensation where sin and unrighteousness were rampart and prevailing, more so, no role model anywhere, Abraham obeyed God by faith. He didn’t see God physically nor follow idolatry practiced in the land of Chaddees but trusted in a God he never knew. Abraham’s righteousness was by faith in God. This gave birth to a new race traceable to Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. This is to show us that in Christ, it is by faith and not by your works.

Another reason why we should know the God of Abraham is that God operates with mankind through His names. Your name identifies you. So when God want to show you an aspect of His way to you, He reveals his name to you in that area. The God of Abraham was first introduced by God himself and God himself demanded that people should call Him by that name, continually.

Gen. 26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

Ex. 3:15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: THIS IS MY NAME FOR EVER, and THIS IS MY MEMORIAL UNTO ALL GENERATIONS.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the name that will forever be used. This will be the first time God will declare himself as the God of a person. This is to show you the relationship that God had with Abraham. Abraham wasn’t the first righteous man to walk with God neither was he the last yet out of all the names God chose to call himself, he chose to call himself the God of Abraham.

WHO THEN IS THE GOD OF ABRAHAM?

1.      The God of Abraham is the God that saves from sin

Gen.12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Gen.12:7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

The first thing that God did to Abraham is to deliver him out from his people, his old ways. The God that cannot save you from sin, cannot save you from poverty. The first step is to come out of the bondage of sin. God had to call him out first before he can use it. If you want God to use you, you must be called out and sanctified.

Isa 51:2 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I CALLED HIM ALONE, and blessed him, and increased him.

Salvation is personal even though prosperity can be collective. The God of Abraham can save you from sin and that is possible through the blood of Jesus. The God of Abraham is interested in relationship first. He is a miracle worker but not a magician. You can’t use the God of Abraham. He demands for relationship. Repent now and receive a new nature of righteousness to live above sin.

2.      The God of Abraham is the God that defends and protect

Gen. 12:14 So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful.  15 The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house.  16 He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.  17 But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

Gen. 15:1a  After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield…”

Gen. 20:18 for the LORD had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife. (NKJV)

Abraham’s wife was very beautiful even at the age of 80 plus that a king could desire her. She was beautiful indeed. This is the reason why we say that pastors should marry beautiful women. If you see my wife, you will say Jesus is Lord. Abraham had already told her to say that he is her brother. So imagine when the king of Pharaoh took his wife, Abraham would have been praying in his privacy for God to step in. God quickly responded even when Abraham lied. This is to show you that the God of Abraham is ready to defend you. Anyone that is fighting to take your position and your possession, the God of Abraham will fight against them in Jesus name.

2Th 1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you

Ps 94:1 O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.

3.      The God of Abraham is the God of Enlargement

Gen. 12:14 And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are-northward, southward, eastward, and westward;  15 "for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.

I Sam. 2:7 The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. 8 He raises the poor from the dust And lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory. "For the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, And He has set the world upon them.

The God of Abraham is the God of Enlargement. He is the God that moves people from the dust and from the dunghill top set them upon thrones. The dust is the lowest anyone can be on earth. Anything lower than the dust is the grave. Or are you in the dunghill, a place where refuse are kept, even from there the God of Abraham will locate you. There is no one that God cannot lift up. Once His mercy locates you, your story changes for good.

Pray this prayer: O God of Abraham, take me from where I am to where I suppose to be.

4.      The God of Abraham is the God that rewards

Gen. 15:1  After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.

Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 

The God of Abraham is the God that rewards labours. Have you been labouring in the kingdom and you have not seen commensurate reward, I activate your reward from today in Jesus name. 

Pr. 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

Have your hope been dashed to pieces and you think that there is no more help for you? The God of Abraham is still on the throne.

5.       The God of Abraham is the God that keeps covenant

Gen. 15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates

Covenant is an agreement between two or more parties. The God of Abraham is the covenant keeping God. When you are in your deepest pain vow can take you put of it. When you make a vow to God, God goes to you future and bring the blessing in the present. Vow fast forward your blessing to you. Covenant separates you from others.