Resources

Abraham is very important to Judaism. Jews believe that God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees (Mesopotamia) in order to make a covenant with him. Through this covenant, God would bless him and give Abraham’s descendants a new land. Abraham left his home to become a wandering herdsman because he had faith in God’s promise: “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-4) God led Abraham through a series of trials in order to test whether or not Abraham really believed God’s promise. The most drastic trial Abraham experienced occurred when God told Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac through whom the future Messiah (Savior) was promised. Although greatly troubled, Abraham went through with God’s request because he reasoned that God would still somehow fulfill his promise. God rewarded Abraham’s obedience by sending and angel to stop him from killing Isaac and providing a lamb to take Isaac’s place. In essence, without Abraham, Jews would not be the “chosen people” among the nations through which a Savior would later come.