In the Romans series we come to Abraham in Romans 4. I followed a note in the New Bible Dictionary that spoke of what Abraham had as a theology. Here are noted for my class:
Abraham’s Theology
God’s Attributes
Most High – Genesis 14:22 – 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth…”
Lord of Heaven and Earth – Genesis 14:22 (above) and Genesis 24: 1-4 – Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4 but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.”
Almighty – Genesis 17:1,2 – When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless,2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.”
Eternal – Genesis 21:3 – 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.
Judge of All Nations – Genesis 15:13-14 –13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
and People – Genesis 18:23-28 – 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”
Just and Righteous – Genesis 18:17-19 – 17 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”
Merciful – Genesis 20:3-6
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” 4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? 5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
Wise and Merciful – Genesis 20:6 –
His Name is “The Lord” – YHWH – Genesis 12:8 – 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. 8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.”
Genesis 13:4 – 2 Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, 4 to the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord
Genesis 13:8 – 18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.
Abram/Abraham Chronology
Chapter 11 – Born of Terah, in the city of Ur. After death of his brother Haran, Terah moved with Abram and Lot towards Canaan but stopped at Haran.
Chapter 12 – Aged 75, called to leave and follow, takes Lot, receives promise of the and (12:7), during drought is rescued from Egypt by plague.
Chapter 15 – Age 85? – covenant renewed, “count the stars…”, 15:6 his faith is counted as righteousness.
Chapter 16 – Age 86? – has child by Hagar
Chapter 17- Age 99 – given names Abraham and Sarah, covenant of Circumcision, Isaac’s birth predicted.
Chapter 21 – Age 100 – Isaac Born, Sarah is 90
Chapter 22 – Age 110-115 – Isaac offered to God
Chapter 23 – Sarah dies at age 127
Chapter 25 – Abraham dies at age 175.
Fresh Read 