GOD OF ABRAHAM, is the short form/name of THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, and THE GOD OF JACOB. Besides, GOD OF THE ANCESTRAL is another name refers to God. However, as we move on, these three names of God would be used interchangeably.
If we open the bible, there are multiple places in the Bible where God is referred to as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:15; Acts 7:32). It is the way how God introduced himself or how God was being introduce by individual people to other/different people.
1. Gen 28: 10- 17: When the split occurred between Jacob and Esau, Jacob left Beer-Sheba and went toward Haran. Then he came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. So, he took one of the stones and put it under his head and lay down in that place. Then, as he slept calmly he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
Then the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac” and he further proceed to tell how he would give the land on which he lay.
Then immediately the subsequent reaction we found is – V 17: he (Jacob) was afraid, and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
2. Exo 3: 1-6: When Moses encounters God in the mount of Horeb.
So, there the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush, so God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then the Lord said, "Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." And He said further, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
Then again, immediate reaction we could see is – V 6b: Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
3. The third incident happened during the time when Prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal offered a burn offering in the mount of Carmel.
At the time of the offering of the oblation, the prophet Elijah came near and said, "O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding. Answer me, O LORD; answer me, so that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back." Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench.
When all the people presented there saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD indeed is God; the LORD indeed is God."
Therefore, in all these accounts, though the receivers who encounter with God and who have received a direct message from God have experienced a miraculous encounter or unusual phenomenon, the way how they gave immediate reactions have a significant importance in today’s Christian life.
However, before we come to the point of interest, one important area I would like to mention in relation to the name of God as God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is;
This name of God emphasizes two different things;
i) The covenant that God made with Israel and
ii) The Israelite’ special place as God’s Chosen People.
As found the records in the bible, God has repeated the Abrahamic Covenant to three different generations:
i) Abraham,
ii) Isaac, and
iii) Jacob
Therefore, they were all given the promise of land, many descendants, and blessing.
As we know, the Lord first calls Abram out of Ur (of the Chaldees) to the land of Canaan, establishing a covenant with him (Genesis 12:1–3). Then God reaffirms the same covenant with Abraham’s son, Isaac (Genesis 21:12; 26:3–4), and later with Isaac’s son, Jacob (Genesis 28:14–15). Therefore, the Lord who established and ratified this covenant is rightly called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Therefore, when God reveals or refers himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the name carries a couple of important implications.
- First: when He identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He clearly distinguishes Himself from the gods of Egypt in whose land the Israelite's dwelt.
- Second: By revealing himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, individual people who encounter with God would realize the faithfulness, trustworthiness, the glory and fearfulness of God.
As we have already mention in the beginning, when the LORD appeared to Jacob and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac”
Then immediate reaction given by Jacob was – in V 17: Jacob was afraid. It does not mean here that - Jacob has something doubt in his mind, but Jacob definitely had no doubt. It is indicates that by receiving or seeing the revelation of God Jacob could realized his father's God 'who really is'. This further indicates that his father had maintain a healthy uprightness to teach his children that God is by nature a fearful God, who is to receive with fear, with honor and respect...
In the same way, when Moses encounters with God in the mount of Horeb as he went besides the burning bush; Then again, immediate reaction we could see, after the revelation of God is – V 6b: Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
The message behind of the reactions according to my understanding and what I would like to bring out as my point of interest is;
Though there is a belief, according to ‘J’ tradition that ‘those who saw “God or the angel of the Lord” face to face would die,’ this concept or belief is to be kept aside…But, whenever God introduce him-self as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; individual person who received God’s introductory remark have come to acknowledge that – God who reveals himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the real God who is worthy to be praised and worshiped, to be feared and to be received with reverential treatment.
This further indicates that – The three forefathers; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have presented well their God to their offspring as the God who is worthy to be praised and worshiped, to be feared and to be received with reverential treatment. Therefore, whenever the new offspring of the forefather encounter with the same God who introduces himself as the God of their ancestors, without any doubt or without any reservation in their minds they could have accepted and submitted themselves to God. They could have done so because their forefathers have set an example for their offspring.
In 2 Cor. 3:2 Paul has written, “You are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men.”
Peter too, has mentioned in 2 Pet. 2:12, “Having your conversation honest among the gentile; that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers; they may by your good work, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
The way how we present our living God to other people around us through our action and deeds; can have a very profound impact on them. This is what I called it as my point of interest from this short sharing, something we need to take very seriously.
One of the sad stories we left behind to those people around us, as Mahatma Gandhi said is, he said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” He admired the Sermon on the Mount (which shaped his whole philosophy of life) and hoped to see Christians live up to its standards. While living with Christians in England, South Africa and India, he expected to experience the qualities like unconditional love, forgiveness, willingness to sacrifice, meekness, etc. which are considered as the true qualities of Christ. But to his utmost dismay, Christians in his era never lived up to the standards preached by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount and on the Cross.
Therefore, a very strong statement what I would like to make, as a responsible minister is - Our contemporary world is in need of true witnesses and not just noisemakers or orators, a self-promoter or a self-righteous preacher whose theories and words of mouth do not reflect their actions.
We rather need a person whose words and actions are in line with the standard that please God and who fears God.
Bruce Rzengota, a pastor of cmaChurch of Morgantown once had done a survey on things that America needs. Many have replied with their answers; America needs Fatima, revival, fewer taxes, more job, universal health care, a clean environment, better school, leader not politicians, etc. and many more.
In addition to these suggestions, he wrote, ‘for some I have no doubt that it will be an encouragement, a reminder that how they have chosen to live their lives matters and is making a difference.’ And at the end, he gave his own answer by leaving the statement which says - WHAT AMERICA (AND BY EXTENSION THE WORLD) NEEDS MOST IS FOR THE CHURCH TO TRULY BE THE CHURCH.
In line with this statement, reinterpretation of the same statement we may draw out which is also very relevant to our present context is – what the present world needs most is a true Christian. A spirit filled and guided dynamic Christian, who fears God, and who would set an exemplary life for others.
A Christian should be a living sermon, a walking message. The authentic Christian life is a sermon in action. If we live this kind of life, even without saying a single word, people around us will hear our story loud and clear!
Then they will give respect to our living God and may further embrace our living God.
Let the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob be made known to others, to our roommates, to our colleagues, to our children, and to our fellow human being as the fearful God of us, the loving and merciful God of us who is full of glory in his holiness.
Let other people around us acknowledge our God through our actions and deeds and say, ‘your God is the living God, magnificent, powerful, full of grace and mercy, approachable, fearful, forgiver, faithful, and so on.
Let us also remember that we are epistle/ a letter written to be read by others through which others could learn ‘who our God is’, so that people may come to the feet of God with fearful hearts and may further embrace God to know more about him and to let Him rule over them.
If we open the bible, there are multiple places in the Bible where God is referred to as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 3:15; Acts 7:32). It is the way how God introduced himself or how God was being introduce by individual people to other/different people.
1. Gen 28: 10- 17: When the split occurred between Jacob and Esau, Jacob left Beer-Sheba and went toward Haran. Then he came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. So, he took one of the stones and put it under his head and lay down in that place. Then, as he slept calmly he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
Then the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac” and he further proceed to tell how he would give the land on which he lay.
Then immediately the subsequent reaction we found is – V 17: he (Jacob) was afraid, and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
2. Exo 3: 1-6: When Moses encounters God in the mount of Horeb.
So, there the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush, so God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then the Lord said, "Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." And He said further, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
Then again, immediate reaction we could see is – V 6b: Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
3. The third incident happened during the time when Prophet Elijah and the prophets of Baal offered a burn offering in the mount of Carmel.
At the time of the offering of the oblation, the prophet Elijah came near and said, "O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding. Answer me, O LORD; answer me, so that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back." Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench.
When all the people presented there saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD indeed is God; the LORD indeed is God."
Therefore, in all these accounts, though the receivers who encounter with God and who have received a direct message from God have experienced a miraculous encounter or unusual phenomenon, the way how they gave immediate reactions have a significant importance in today’s Christian life.
However, before we come to the point of interest, one important area I would like to mention in relation to the name of God as God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is;
This name of God emphasizes two different things;
i) The covenant that God made with Israel and
ii) The Israelite’ special place as God’s Chosen People.
As found the records in the bible, God has repeated the Abrahamic Covenant to three different generations:
i) Abraham,
ii) Isaac, and
iii) Jacob
Therefore, they were all given the promise of land, many descendants, and blessing.
As we know, the Lord first calls Abram out of Ur (of the Chaldees) to the land of Canaan, establishing a covenant with him (Genesis 12:1–3). Then God reaffirms the same covenant with Abraham’s son, Isaac (Genesis 21:12; 26:3–4), and later with Isaac’s son, Jacob (Genesis 28:14–15). Therefore, the Lord who established and ratified this covenant is rightly called the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Therefore, when God reveals or refers himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the name carries a couple of important implications.
- First: when He identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He clearly distinguishes Himself from the gods of Egypt in whose land the Israelite's dwelt.
- Second: By revealing himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, individual people who encounter with God would realize the faithfulness, trustworthiness, the glory and fearfulness of God.
As we have already mention in the beginning, when the LORD appeared to Jacob and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac”
Then immediate reaction given by Jacob was – in V 17: Jacob was afraid. It does not mean here that - Jacob has something doubt in his mind, but Jacob definitely had no doubt. It is indicates that by receiving or seeing the revelation of God Jacob could realized his father's God 'who really is'. This further indicates that his father had maintain a healthy uprightness to teach his children that God is by nature a fearful God, who is to receive with fear, with honor and respect...
In the same way, when Moses encounters with God in the mount of Horeb as he went besides the burning bush; Then again, immediate reaction we could see, after the revelation of God is – V 6b: Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
The message behind of the reactions according to my understanding and what I would like to bring out as my point of interest is;
Though there is a belief, according to ‘J’ tradition that ‘those who saw “God or the angel of the Lord” face to face would die,’ this concept or belief is to be kept aside…But, whenever God introduce him-self as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; individual person who received God’s introductory remark have come to acknowledge that – God who reveals himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the real God who is worthy to be praised and worshiped, to be feared and to be received with reverential treatment.
This further indicates that – The three forefathers; Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have presented well their God to their offspring as the God who is worthy to be praised and worshiped, to be feared and to be received with reverential treatment. Therefore, whenever the new offspring of the forefather encounter with the same God who introduces himself as the God of their ancestors, without any doubt or without any reservation in their minds they could have accepted and submitted themselves to God. They could have done so because their forefathers have set an example for their offspring.
In 2 Cor. 3:2 Paul has written, “You are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men.”
Peter too, has mentioned in 2 Pet. 2:12, “Having your conversation honest among the gentile; that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers; they may by your good work, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
The way how we present our living God to other people around us through our action and deeds; can have a very profound impact on them. This is what I called it as my point of interest from this short sharing, something we need to take very seriously.
One of the sad stories we left behind to those people around us, as Mahatma Gandhi said is, he said, “I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” He admired the Sermon on the Mount (which shaped his whole philosophy of life) and hoped to see Christians live up to its standards. While living with Christians in England, South Africa and India, he expected to experience the qualities like unconditional love, forgiveness, willingness to sacrifice, meekness, etc. which are considered as the true qualities of Christ. But to his utmost dismay, Christians in his era never lived up to the standards preached by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount and on the Cross.
Therefore, a very strong statement what I would like to make, as a responsible minister is - Our contemporary world is in need of true witnesses and not just noisemakers or orators, a self-promoter or a self-righteous preacher whose theories and words of mouth do not reflect their actions.
We rather need a person whose words and actions are in line with the standard that please God and who fears God.
Bruce Rzengota, a pastor of cmaChurch of Morgantown once had done a survey on things that America needs. Many have replied with their answers; America needs Fatima, revival, fewer taxes, more job, universal health care, a clean environment, better school, leader not politicians, etc. and many more.
In addition to these suggestions, he wrote, ‘for some I have no doubt that it will be an encouragement, a reminder that how they have chosen to live their lives matters and is making a difference.’ And at the end, he gave his own answer by leaving the statement which says - WHAT AMERICA (AND BY EXTENSION THE WORLD) NEEDS MOST IS FOR THE CHURCH TO TRULY BE THE CHURCH.
In line with this statement, reinterpretation of the same statement we may draw out which is also very relevant to our present context is – what the present world needs most is a true Christian. A spirit filled and guided dynamic Christian, who fears God, and who would set an exemplary life for others.
A Christian should be a living sermon, a walking message. The authentic Christian life is a sermon in action. If we live this kind of life, even without saying a single word, people around us will hear our story loud and clear!
Then they will give respect to our living God and may further embrace our living God.
Let the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob be made known to others, to our roommates, to our colleagues, to our children, and to our fellow human being as the fearful God of us, the loving and merciful God of us who is full of glory in his holiness.
Let other people around us acknowledge our God through our actions and deeds and say, ‘your God is the living God, magnificent, powerful, full of grace and mercy, approachable, fearful, forgiver, faithful, and so on.
Let us also remember that we are epistle/ a letter written to be read by others through which others could learn ‘who our God is’, so that people may come to the feet of God with fearful hearts and may further embrace God to know more about him and to let Him rule over them.
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