Published on October 20, 2010 and Edited Last on December 30, 2010

Abraham’s life is a remarkable success story. When God set His plan of salvation into motion, He chose Abraham, a Hebrew, as the starting point. Through him and his descendants, God would continue His divine work.

Abraham was a man who was known intimately by God, predestined, called, justified, and ultimately glorified to initiate God's plan of salvation (Romans 8:29-30). God's call to Abraham was clear and direct: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you." Abraham was called to leave Ur of the Chaldeans and journey to the land of promise, where he would become the father of a new people, through whom God would bless all the families of the earth (Galatians 3:7-9). As part of this call, God made specific promises to Abraham, contingent upon his separation from idolatry and his migration to a new land, which was later revealed to him. Having received these promises (Acts 7:2-4), Abraham obeyed by faith, leaving his family and household, not knowing where he was going (Hebrews 11:8-9). He left Ur for the promised land of Canaan, which is known today as Israel.

Abraham is the man whom God called from Ur of the Chaldeans to the land of promise, to become the father of a new people through whom God would reach all the families of the earth (Galatians 3:7-9). He was predestined, called, and justified to begin God's plan of salvation (Romans 8:29-30). As part of the call, the Lord made promises to Abraham, contingent upon his severing ties with idolatry and migrating to a new land, which was later revealed to him. These promises, made to Abraham (Acts 7:2-4), required Abraham's faith and obedience when called to go to the place that would become his inheritance. Though he did not know where he was going, Abraham obeyed and left Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan, the promised land.

It was to Abraham himself that God revealed His promises and blessings (Genesis 12:1-3), blessing him in all things (Genesis 24:1). “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Just as God had plans for Abraham, He also has plans for modern-day Abraham, Karen. As God blessed Abraham in all things—wealth (Genesis 12:10-16, 13:1-2), riches (Genesis 20:14-16), health (Genesis 15:15), land (Genesis 13:14-15, 17:8), a son (Genesis 21:1-7), and salvation (Genesis 15:1)—God will bless Karen in similar ways. When she dies, her spirit will go to paradise were Abraham is at (Luke 16:19-31).

Abraham and Karen became a channel of blessing for their descendants and the nations. They exemplify the moral and spiritual qualities demanded by our Creator from those who would seek fellowship with Him. God said of Abraham, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him” (Genesis 18:16-21).

The history of the Jewish people begins with Abraham, the Hebrew, his wife Sarai, and the events leading to the judgment of Sodom, Gomorrah, and their neighbors (Genesis 12:1-20, 15:1-21, 18:1-33, 19:1-29; Jeremiah 50:40).

The prophecies related to Abraham and his descendants were fully realized in the coming of Jesus Christ, who came not only as a prophet but as the Messiah and Son of God. God has revealed to Karen Rajabian that the promises made to Abraham and the prophecies fulfilled in his life are now being fulfilled in her and in the lives of the Arabs, the church (symbolized by Sodom and Gomorrah), and the U.S. government. Just as Abraham and his descendants served God and witnessed the first coming of Jesus Christ, Karen serves God, and her descendants will witness the second coming of the Lord, when He will take His faithful servants (the church), who will be holy, without blemish, to heaven before God destroys the world.

Through this, God will complete His plan of salvation, using a Jewish descendant—Abraham and his descendants in this generation.

Abraham exemplified the faith and patience demanded by God, believing in His promises (Hebrews 6:12-15). Abraham waited 25 years from the time the promise was first given until Isaac, the promised son, was born (Genesis 12:4; 21:5). The importance of this promise to Abraham forms the basis of the personal hope for every true believer. Abraham and his descendants are promised the land forever, not just for life (Genesis 15:7-21). While this promise has not yet been fully realized, it is evident that Abraham would not be alive to inherit it at present (Genesis 15:7-21). God led Abraham to the land where the Jewish people now dwell (Acts 7:1-8), and His promises were made to Abraham’s descendants (Galatians 3:16-18). Although these promises have had partial fulfillment, they await the establishment of God's Kingdom on earth. It was in the land of promise that Abraham first met God.

God said to Abraham, "I will make you a great nation" (Genesis 12:2); "I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant" (Genesis 17:6-7). Abraham committed himself to God’s promises, and Jehovah reaffirmed His covenant when Abraham was nearly 100 years old. The blessings of this covenant were conditional on obedience (Genesis 17:1-8). The possession of the land was promised as an everlasting possession (Genesis 17:8).

The book of Genesis records six instances where God appeared to Abraham to reinforce the promise of the land of Canaan, a son through whom Abraham would be multiplied, and the circumcision covenant (Genesis 12:1,7; 13:14-17; 15:17-21; 17:7-8). These agreements ultimately brought blessings to all the families of the earth (Genesis 12:1-3), and God fulfilled His promise through the birth of Isaac and later Jacob, who became the father of the 12 tribes of Israel (Genesis 21:1-7; 25:26). The nation was promised greatness and multiplication (Genesis 12:2; 13:16; 15:5). The Messianic blessing would come through Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 12:1-3).

God partially fulfilled His promise to Abraham with the birth of Isaac, who became the father of Israel’s great nation (Genesis 21:1-7; 24:1-67). Later, Jacob, son of Isaac, became Israel (Genesis 32:24-28), and the 12 tribes of Israel were born (Genesis 29:1-35; 30:1-43). God confirmed His promises to Abraham with Isaac (Genesis 26:1-5), Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15), and the children of Israel (Exodus 6:6-8). Even after the new covenant, Israel remains an identifiable nation (Jeremiah 31:35-37). Ishmael, Abraham’s first son, became the father of the Arabs, though he was not included in this covenant (Genesis 17:20-21; Romans 9:7-13). Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all trace their roots to Abraham, the father of both the Jews and Arabs. Through Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve tribes, Israel became the great nation promised to Abraham.

The Jewish people became an independent nation in 1948, and since then, they have returned to their ancient homeland. The nation of Israel has been restored for the sake of the Lord: "I will take the children of Israel from among the nations...and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land" (Ezekiel 37:21-22). God’s plan for Israel includes the regathering of His people, the establishment of the nation, and the restoration of the monarchy under King Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ will reign forever, and through His righteous rule, Israel will reach the greatness promised to Abraham.

Abraham’s faith becomes a life-changing blessing to all nations as the gospel spreads. The Gentiles, when they come to faith, are blessed along with believing Abraham and Karen (Galatians 3:8-9) and become part of his spiritual seed through baptism into Christ (Galatians 3:26-29). Those who bless Abraham and Karen and their descendants will be blessed, while those who curse them will be cursed. The fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham points to a future time when Christ’s righteous reign will bring peace and unity to the earth, and all nations will be blessed through Him (Revelation 11:15; Isaiah 2:2-4).