Hughes 1

Baylee Hughes

Miss Akers

Honors English 9

19 October 2017

Born in Ur, married to Sarah, and elderly with no children, Abraham, or Abram, seems

like an ordinary man. To be fair, he is, but God picks ordinary people to do extraordinary tasks.

Genesis, the first book of the Bible, is where the beginning of Abrahams story takes place. His

story shows that faith, one of the most important traits to hold, is produced by suffering and

struggle, because that is when it is tested the most.

Firstly, Abraham combats with the fact that he is 75 with no children, and that

Dammesek Eliezer is his heir. Him and his wife Sarah cannot seem to conceive children. God

witnesses their misfortune and Sarah is told she will indeed have a child. She laughs, for it seems

impossible. God hears her and says to the couple, Is anything too wondrous for the Lord? I will

return to you at the same season next year, and Sarah shall have a son (74). Incredibly, Sarah

and Abraham do have a son, who they name Isaac. Their original suffering and eventual

happiness show that the Lord can create miracles. Those who witness this feat see that God will

help them and can do the seemingly impossible. This is important because seeing is believing.

Beholding Gods miracles causes more people to worship him and him alone, which is part of

what Abraham is trying to accomplish.

Secondly, Abraham struggles with the test he is ordered to fulfill by God. The Lord

commands, Take your son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of

Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering (75). Abraham loves Isaac dearly, but obeys

God and takes Isaac to a mountain to be sacrificed. Suffering through the thought that he is about
 Hughes 2

to kill his future, his beloved flesh and blood, Abraham raises his knife to kill Isaac. Suddenly,

an angel calls out, Do not raise your hand against the boy, or do anything to him. For now I

know that you fear God (76). It is necessary for Abraham to suffer through this almost

heartbreaking experience, because it proves that God is not cruel, and that he will not ask

anything rash of those who obey and respect him. It is a lesson to those who chose to follow and

worship him.

Finally, it is sometimes a challenge for Abraham to uphold his covenant with God. Part

of the covenant states, I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your

name great, and you shall be a blessing (71). Abraham is promised land, offspring, blessings

and redemption, but he has to overcome difficult situations and learn from them along the way.

He leaves Haran, and heads to the promised land Canaan, where one of his tasks is to spread the

idea of monotheism, but as one person, it is hard to spread a concept to those who have

worshipped a certain way forever. It is an act of faith for him to leave behind everything he

knows to start a new civilization. Another thing Abraham has to do is make it clear that his

descendants must obey God, and that all males must be circumcised, for it is a sign of the

covenant. His struggle to uphold to covenant is significant because it shows that hard work and

trust in God pays off.

Overall, it may be said that Abrahams struggle and suffering helped to spread belief in

one God and create the 3 Abrahamic religions, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. Abrahams

hardships also show that the Lord rewards, keeps promises, and wont let suffering be in vain.

He puts many characters in the Bible, including Abraham, through tough situations because he

wants to show them and the world that having faith in him will help them to prevail.