Abram was a native of Ur of the Chaldeans which was located in modern day Iraq. From there he was called by God to leave his own country and people and journey to a new land, where he would become the founder of a new nation, the nation of Israel. He obeyed the call unquestioningly and (at 75 years of age) proceeded with his barren wife, Sarai, and his nephew Lot, to the land of Canaan (between Syria and Egypt), the Promised Land, which later became Israel. Abram’s exodus from his homeland, and Israel’s Exodus from Egypt, were two key events in the formation of national Israel.
God’s call of Abram was a call of pure grace; there is no evidence that God chose Abram because he deserved His favor or saw any untapped potential in him. God was beginning to form a family of faithful followers for Himself. Thus Abraham became the first Hebrew, and it was through Abraham’s descendants that the Jewish nation would arise, and one of those descendants would be the Savior, not only for the Jews but for the whole world.
Abraham eventually appears as a man of great spiritual depth and strength, yet at the same time, he was a person with common human weaknesses and needs. He started slow but finished strong in his relationship with God.
Abraham’s faith demonstrates unquestioning obedience. When God told him to do something, he almost always did it. This is the most basic characteristic of faith. That is one reason Abraham has been called “the father of the faithful.” God revealed Himself nine times to Abraham (12:1-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15; 17:1-21; 18; 21:12-13; 22:1-2; 22:15- 18), and each time Abraham’s response was unquestioning obedience.
The Book of Genesis covers more than 2,000 years and more than 20 generations. Yet, it spends almost a third of its text on the life of one man – Abraham. Men and women in the Bible are famous for many different things, but Abraham is great for his faith.