Centuries ago God spoke to a heathen Chaldean named Abram who immediately realized that he was looking at and listening to the only true God. Abram not only BELIEVED IN THIS GOD, but also BELIEVED HIM. Abram realized immediately that the difference between BELIEVING IN GOD and BELIEVING WHAT GOD SAID was the difference between being accepted by Him or rejected by Him. He also understood that believing Him necessitated OBEYING HIM, which would prove his faith in WHAT HE SAID. What God said, Abram did without comment or hesitation–the universal and timeless proof of faith. In Genesis 12:1-3 we find God making a two-fold promise to Abram which involved a condition that had to be met–Abram had to leave his family and his country and move to an unknown land. The two-fold promise was that God would bring forth from the childless man 1) a single “seed” and 2) a great nation consisting of multiple “seed.” Later, in Genesis 22:18 the Lord repeated the promise of a single “seed” that would be a blessing to the entire world. Generations later one Saul of Tarsus would remind the church at Galatia (3:8,16) that the Almighty had fulfilled that promise. That singular seed was Jesus of Nazareth. Notice that this single seed would be distinct from the multiple seed that would produce a great nation. That nation would become known as Israel, meaning “power with God.”

Later, as recorded in Genesis 17:1-8, God made a promise to Abraham that was also conditional: “Walk before me and be perfect and I will … multiply your seed exceedingly … and you will be a father of many nations.” Note that now the promise involved many nations. It was at this point that God changed Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning “father of many.” Because of Abraham’s obedience God promised that he would “… be exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you and kings will come forth from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed (descendants) after you throughout their (plural seed) generations.” “And I will give to you and your seed after you … all the land of Canaan (Palestine) for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

Let us remember that up to this point God’s promises to Abraham involved conditions that he was required to meet. Abraham had to leave his country and his family. He had to walk before God in righteousness. Abraham fulfilled both requirements. Now we find the Almighty going one step further in dealings with Abraham.

In Genesis 22:16-18 we find God putting Abraham to the ultimate test–he must kill his son Isaac. We all know the outcome of that test. At this point God’s promises to Abraham would be without conditions. His trust in the former pagan was total. Abraham had proven himself worthy of that trust. God now knew that He could use him in the fulfillment of His great plan. In this passage God reiterated His promise of a world-blessing seed and multitudinous nation-creating seeds. And why did God so bless Abraham? “… because you have obeyed My voice.” Note this ultimately important fact: Abraham BELIEVED AND OBEYED GOD’S WORDS. This man not only believe in Him (Who and What He was), he obeyed those WORDS, which would later become the Holy Bible. Abraham–the “father of the faithful”–knew that believing in God would be meaningless unless he obeyed what God said. Nothing has changed. L.J.