Mohanchand patil biography of abraham

Most scholars accept that the Patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—may be beyond historical recovery. These scholars acknowledge that the Biblical accounts of the Patriarchs were written during the tenth to sixth centuries B. But some scholars have asserted that within these later, written accounts of the Patriarchs are authentic elements of reliable history.

The best-known and most important scholar who argued that the Patriarchal narratives do indeed contain accurate glimpses of ancient life was William Foxwell Albright, who dominated the field of ancient Near Eastern history for nearly half a century. Albright and his followers claimed that the Biblical stories about the Patriarchs reflected the world of early second millennium B.

They also pointed out that marriage contracts discovered at Nuzi, in upper Mesopotamia, require a barren wife to provide her husband with a slave woman with whom to have children; further, sons borne by the slave woman cannot later be sent away. In Genesis, Sarah gives her slave Hagar to Abraham; when she later demands that Abraham send Hagar and their son Ishmael into the wilderness, Abraham is very reluctant to grant her wish.

More recent scholars have not shared the confidence of Albright and his school in pinpointing the exact era of the Patriarchs. We now know that the Biblical names that Albright thought were restricted to the early second millennium B. The social customs contained in the Nuzi documents have also proved to have been more widespread than first thought.

Still, scholars are in wide agreement that certain aspects of the Patriarchal stories reflect details that are historically reliable, particularly because they are contrary to what we would expect from the period of the Monarchy, when the stories were written down. Interestingly, the earliest known reference to the name Abraham may be a town listed by Pharaoh Shishak I on a monument he erected to commemorate his military victories during his campaigns in B.

This area was settled in the late 13th century B. The life of Jacob, the son of Isaac, reflects the journeys of his father and grandfather. He is born in Beersheba, where Isaac lives, but later journeys to Haran, where Abraham journeyed after leaving Ur. With his two wives and two concubines Jacob fathers 12 sons, who will go on to found the 12 tribes that will constitute the Israelite nation.

After Jacob returns from Haran, he lives primarily in the central hill country—the very area that will see the emergence of the Israelites. From its position in the list, it seems that Jacob-El was located in central Canaan. Given its name, location and time period, the town of Jacob-El suggests an awareness of the person we know from the Bible as Jacob.

Many scholars believe that the story of Joseph has historical roots. Some suggest that Joseph lived during the Hyksos period , when Egypt was ruled by Semites who had invaded from the east. But other scholars are wary of drawing too many connections between the historical record and the Joseph story. The king of Egypt, for example is called Pharaoh, but that title did not come into use until the mids B.

On the other hand, several of the names in the Joseph story vouch for a historical core. Perhaps most telling of all are numerous instances of foreigners coming to Egypt and rising to prominent positions there. During the reign of Pharaoh Merneptah B. And more than this, God's grace was also essential for the lives of the Israelites for whom Moses wrote about Abraham.

They too needed God's mercy in their lives in their day, day after day. And for this reason, as Moses composed his stories of Abraham's life, he drew their attention over and over to God's grace. In addition to the theme of God's grace, we should also notice that Genesis stresses Abraham's loyalty. God did not merely choose Abraham to receive his mercy; he showed mercy to the patriarch so that Abraham would respond with faithful obedience.

As we have seen, the first imperative of Genesis stresses Abraham's responsibility to be faithful to the Lord in a particular way. God commanded him there:. It doesn't take much imagination to see that this divine call required enormous loyalty from Abraham. He was to leave his homeland and his father's estate behind and to go to a place yet to be shown him.

Yes, God had shown mercy to Abraham, but Abraham was also expected to show deep-seated, loyal service to God. Unfortunately, many Christians tend to think of Abraham merely as an example of faith and trust in God. This is an important theme in Abraham's life and it is highlighted in several New Testament passages. But we must never overlook the fact that God commanded Abraham to be obedient, to give him his loyal service.

God required loyalty from the patriarch many times. He was to be faithful to God in every circumstance. Perhaps the most dramatic example of a time when Abraham was required to show his loyalty to God is found in Genesis 22, a time when God commanded the patriarch to sacrifice his son Isaac to prove that he loved God more than he loved his son.

It would be hard to imagine a higher requirement from God. Although Abraham was required to show faithfulness in this and many other ways, Genesis makes clear one of the most important responsibilities Abraham had. There God said:. As this passage demonstrates, Abraham was required to go to the land that God would show him. Abraham was to inhabit the land of promise, and this theme appears many times in the stories about the Patriarch.

It was very important to the larger plan of God both for Abraham and his faithful descendants that the Patriarch go to the Promised Land. And when we recall that Moses wrote these stories about Abraham for Israelites whom he was himself leading toward the Promised Land, it is not surprising at all to see this emphasis. As followers of Christ, we understand that although salvation is a free gift of God's grace, God expects us to show our gratitude to him by doing our best to obey his commands.

Moses understood this principle as well. He knew that God's grace to Abraham led Abraham to be loyal to God. And for this reason, we are going to see that the requirement of loyalty appears many times as we study the life of Abraham. Moses knew something about his original Israelite audience. They were prone to forget the importance of faithful living before God.

Although God had shown them much mercy as he delivered them from Egypt and sustained them in the wilderness, they turned from God's commandments. And for this reason, one of the main themes in the stories of Abraham was Abraham's loyalty to God. This theme appears so frequently because Moses' original audience, and we today as well, need to be motivated to serve God in faithful obedience.

As we have seen so far, God showed much grace to Abraham, and required faithful devotion from him. The third theme we should notice in Genesis is the blessings offered to Abraham. You'll recall that God said this to the Patriarch in Genesis God offered the patriarch three blessings. In the first place, God said that Abraham would become a great nation.

His progeny would grow beyond number. And his descendants would actually become an empire, a grand nation. At that time Abraham and those who were with him were relatively few in number. And Abraham had no children of his own. Yet, God promised that the number of Abraham's descendants would one day be more than the stars in the sky.

In the second place, God told Abraham that he would bless him. In all likelihood, this expression means that Abraham and his descendants would receive the blessing of tremendous prosperity. Abraham and his descendants would live in abundance and wealth. They would not be wanderers on the earth, nor would they be mere settlers. As Abraham and his children proved faithful, they would enjoy great prosperity.

In the third place, God's offer of blessing entailed the bestowal of a great name on Abraham. In other words, if Abraham would go to the Promised Land and serve God faithfully, the massive numbers and prosperity of his descendants would make him and them honored throughout the world. Great glory would come to the patriarch and his faithful descendants.

In fact, throughout the stories of Abraham, Moses pointed out over and over that these kinds of blessings were poured out on Abraham. Abraham had sons; he gained wealth as he went from one experience to another. He became a well-known figure in the region. For the Israelites who heard these stories, Abraham's blessings brought great hope for their future blessings as well.

The gifts of descendants, prosperity and fame given to the patriarch were mere foreshadows of even greater gifts God would give to Abraham's faithful descendants. As Christians, we have received so many blessings from God that we can hardly name them all. And of course, the Israelites who followed Moses toward the Promised Land had also received countless blessings from God.

They had been delivered from slavery; they had increased in number; they had been protected and sustained throughout their entire journey and they were on their way to the land of promise, a land of great blessing in the future. But the Israelites were like us, prone to forget all that God had done for them and what was in store for them.

So Moses wrote about God's blessings to Abraham to remind his Israelite audience of the blessings that God had given them in their lives so that their hearts would be filled with gratitude. In addition to God's mercy, Abraham's loyalty, and God's blessings to Abraham, Genesis also draws attention to the fact that blessings would come through Abraham to other peoples.

Remember what God said in Genesis These words explained that Abraham would not only receive blessings but that all peoples on earth will be blessed through him. God did not call Abraham to the Promised Land simply to enrich his life and the lives of his descendants. God called Abraham to be a conduit of divine blessings to all the families of the earth.

Now it is important to remember that this passage teaches that Abraham's worldwide blessing would come about in two ways. In Genesis God said:.

Mohanchand patil biography of abraham

According to this passage, Abraham would serve as a double-edged sword among human beings. Because Abraham was favored by God, when people from other nations blessed Abraham, that is, when they honored him and thus honored the God whom he served, then God would bless them. But when people of other nations cursed or attacked Abraham and thus disdained Abraham's God, God would punish them.

The fates of other peoples depended on how they treated Abraham. In his lifetime, Abraham came into contact with many people representing other nations such as the Philistines, the Canaanites, the Egyptians, and his nephew Lot, who was the father of the Moabites and the Ammonites. These interactions were significant because they showed specific ways in which God kept his word to bless and curse other peoples depending on how they treated Abraham.

They also indicated that even in his own lifetime Abraham had begun to become a blessing to the world. All too often it is easy for God's people to forget this important teaching. The Israelites in Moses' day were like many Christians living today. We enjoy the blessing of salvation from God and life from God, but we forget why these blessings have been given to each of us.

Each and every blessing God gave to Israel under Moses' leadership and each and every blessing he gives to his church today is designed for a greater purpose. We have been blessed so that we will spread the blessings of God throughout the world. God called Abraham to himself so that Abraham would lead the nations of the world into God's blessings.

God called Israel to himself in Moses' day so that they would lead the nations of the world into God's blessings. And God has called the church to himself today so that we may lead the nations of the world into the blessings of God. Abraham in History and Tradition. Yale University Press. A Century of Biblical Archaeology. In Williamson, H.

Understanding the History of Ancient Israel. British Academy. The fact is that we are all minimalists — at least, when it comes to the patriarchal period and the settlement. When I began my PhD studies more than three decades ago in the USA, the 'substantial historicity' of the patriarchs was widely accepted as was the unified conquest of the land.

These days it is quite difficult to find anyone who takes this view. Cambridge University Press. In Hoffmeier, James K. In Arnold, Bill T. The Cambridge Companion to Genesis. Tyndale Bulletin. Pritchard ed. Princeton, Hebrew Bible and Ancient Israel. Retrieved 8 March Retrieved Retrieved 11 March I: In the Fiery Furnace. I: The Covenant with Abimelech.

I: Joy and Sorrow in the House of Jacob. I: The Birth of Esau and Jacob. There is, then, covenantal continuity between the inaugural administration of God's one gracious covenant in the garden of Eden Gen. The Abrahamic administration serves to reveal more of the person and work of Christ and, in this way, continue to administer Christ to human beings through faith.

Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Retrieved 31 October The Golden Legend. Internet Medieval Source Book. Retrieved 3 April The Ultimate Guide to the Bible. Journal of Early Christian Studies. S2CID Archived PDF from the original on 9 October Retrieved 1 June Library of Alexandria. Michigan University press. Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books.

Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran. Oxford At The Clarendon Press. George Segal. Miami Art Museum. Collections: Recent Acquisitions. Retrieved 10 September Christian Iconography — a project of Georgia Regents University. Retrieved 18 April Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. University of Chicago Press.

Sheet music". Archived from the original on 13 September Retrieved 8 August Duluth News Tribune. Barney, Laura Clifford ed. Some Answered Questions Newly revised ed. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. MacNutt, Howard ed. The Promulgation of Universal Peace. Shogi Effendi ed. Translated by Shoghi Effendi.

Carr, David M. Dever, William G. Enns, Peter The Evolution of Adam. Baker Books. Exum, Jo Cheryl Brill Publishers. Ginzberg, Louis Translated by Henrietta Szold. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society. Holweck, Frederick George A Biographical Dictionary of the Saints. Herder Book Co. The Book of Jasher. New York: Noah and Gould. Jeffrey, David Lyle Princeton University Press.

Levenson, Jon Douglas Lings, Martin Maulana, Mohammad Encyclopaedia of Quranic Studies Set of 26 Vols. Anmol Publications. McCarter, P. Kyle Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible. Amsterdam University Press. McNutt, Paula M. Reconstructing the Society of Ancient Israel. Mendes-Flohr, Paul In Thomas Riggs ed. Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices.

Farmington Hills, Mi: Thomson Gale. ISBN — via Encyclopedia. Biblical History and Israel's Past. Grand Rapids, Mich. The disagreements end when Lot moves his family and livestock near the city of Sodom Genesis - Abraham, after separating from Lot, moves his family to near Hebron verse King Chedorlaomer of Elam, in the Bible's first series of wars, leads a coalition of three other monarchs in a campaign that seeks to conquer and pillage.

Battling while they travel south down the King's Highway, they end up at the southern end of the Dead Sea where they fight the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah Genesis Chedorlaomer's forces soundly defeat the Sodom-led army, taking Lot and his family as prisoners. Abraham gathers up his male servants, along with several allies, and pursues Chedorlaomer as he travels north.

He soon catches up with him at Dan and defeats him, saving the life of Lot. Upon his return he is greeted by Melchizedek, a physical manifestation of Jesus Christ, to whom he gives a tithe Genesis - God promises Abraham Abram , at age 85, that he will produce a son in his old age. The Eternal also makes a covenant with him and reveals his descendants will be afflicted for many years before being released with great wealth Genesis Abraham agrees to Sarah's proposal of him having a child through her Egyptian servant Hagar Genesis - 4.

Hagar, however, after becoming pregnant, begins to disparage and despise Sarah. This earns her a harsh response from her mistress that forces her to flee while still pregnant. The Lord steps in and, through an angel, commands her to go back verses 4 - At the age of 99 Abram is contacted by the Lord Genesis The Eternal makes a unilateral covenant with him, promising to bless him exceedingly through a child he will produce with Sarai.

His named is changed to Abraham while Sarai's is changed to Sarah to reflect the blessings they will receive. Abraham, as a sign of the covenant, circumcises himself, Ishmael now 13 and his entire household Genesis - God, a short time later, decides to visit Abraham in the form of a physical manifestation of Jesus Christ accompanied by two angels Genesis Abraham then negotiates with the Eternal not to destroy Sodom if only ten righteous are found verses 20 - Ten righteous are not found in Sodom, however, and it along with several other sinful cities of the plain is cauterized from the earth through heavenly fire.

Abraham journeys to Gerar and, once again, has Sarah lie about their relationship. The patriarch, although once again caught in a deception, is saved by God's intervention and allowed to live in the area.