IThe call of Abraham: Read

Genesis 12:1-13.

The Hebrew name Abraham

is related to the root word for
father. Abraham, therefore, is
the great forefather, the father
of the Israelites.

The threefold promise.

A great nation will come from

Abraham (Gen. 15:5; 17:4)

A land w/c the nation will
possess (Gen. 12:7)
A blessing to be bestowed on all
the nations of the world
because of Abraham (Gen. 18:18)

God confirmed and sealed his

promises by a covenant. (Gen. 15)
A covenant is an agreement, a
pact binding man to God. And
God always takes the first step
to establish a special
relationship with man/woman.

The external sign of

Abrahams new union w/ God
is circumcision (Gen 17).

The circumcision of all male

descendants is to be a
perpetual sign and reminder of
the covenant (Taylor, p.24)

It becomes a distinctive
sign of the people a mark
of belonging to Gods
people.
(Charpentier, p.71)

Election, Promise and Covenant.

God chooses who He will to be
His instrument in His saving
activity.
The first choice is Abraham, an
insignificant man from an
insignificant clan.

Why? Because God wants

him and God chooses as he
wishes.
The choice is always Gods
alone.

The Old Testament is one of promise

from beginning to end.
To Abraham, God made three promises.
They are followed by many others to
chosen men and women of destiny.
But one thing is sure.
Gods fidelity to His promises assures
their fulfillment. (Flanagan, p.24)

A covenant is the divinely initiated

union between God and man.
It is a solemn undertaking, an
agreement, a pact binding man to
God.
It is usually celebrated w/ rituals w/c
involved the shedding of blood.
(Flanagan, p.24)

Abraham-Cycle.

(Genesis 11:27-25:11)

Faith is the
response that
Abraham makes to
God.

The ultimate test of

Abrahams faith is
when God tells him to
offer Isaac as a
sacrifice w/c was the
ancient ritual for
entering into
communion with God.
(Rohr & Martos, p.95)

Believers down through the

ages (Jews, Christians &
Muslims, look up to
Abraham as a model of
faith.
St. Paul affirms this is his
letters to the Romans
(Chapter 4) and to the
Hebrews (Chapter 11):

It is sharing Abraham's faith

more than his blood w/c
makes people his
descendants.
The Roman Canon of the Mass
(Eucharistic Prayer I) refers to
Abraham as our father in
faith (Taylor, p.23)

II- Isaac, the Son of Promise

Gen. 21:1-7
The Hebrew name
Isaac is related to the
word for laughter.

For us Christians,
Isaac prefigures Jesus.
(Taylor, p.27)

III- Jacob/ Israel

Gen. 25:19-35:29
By default of Esaus
birthright (Gen. 25:29-34) and
deceit in receiving his
fathers blessing (Gen. 27:1-40),

Jacob becomes the heir and

transmitter of Gods
promise to Abraham and
Isaac.

Gen 32:25-31: After wrestling

with the angel of the Lord,
Jacob received Gods blessing
after w/c his name is changed
to Israel, a name w/c means
the man who has struggled
w/ God.

The change of name implies a

change of mission in life.
Jacob becomes the divinely
commissioned Israel, father
of the chosen people and the
special object of Gods
protection.

Gen. 35:23-26: Jacob becomes

the father of 12 sons Reuben, Simeon, Levi,
Judah, Issachar,
Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad,
Asher, Joseph, Benjamin.

These are the 12 patriarchs

from whom the 12 tribes of
Israel take their descent.
Joseph is replaced by Ephraim
and Manasseh, his sons.

Levi is set apart, because his

descendants, the Levites, have
become the ministers of the
altar. (Flanagan, p.29)

IV- Joseph Gen. 37:1-50-26

The shining light in
the family of Jacob
was Joseph.
Sold into Egypt as a
slave by his jealous
brothers, he proves to
be a model of virtue
and wisdom.

The life-story of Joseph highlights

the wonderful lesson of
forgiveness and the marvelous
workings of Gods providence,
bringing good out of evil.

During the bitter famine in

Canaan, Jacobs family was in
danger of dying from starvation.

God has seen to it that one

of the family and that was
Joseph was in a position,
influential enough to keep
the family alive. (Flanagan, p.28)