Up to this point, God has spoken to mankind as a whole (all gentiles), but now He is going to create a nation and give His Word through them.
“The second division of Genesis now begins. Until this point, the book has told of mankind in general, and not of a particular people, especially chosen by God, through whom to work in the World. Now it tells of such a people. Mankind generally had refused to follow God, and therefore, God would now confine His Word to one people, a people who would develop from the progeny of the man Abraham. These people would not be an end in themselves, however, but a means by which God’s redeeming provision through Christ could be brought to completion, that the benefits might be taken back to all mankind again.”
-Leon J. Wood (Commentary on Genesis)
God promised Adam and Eve that He would send a redeemer through the seed of the woman, the Human race. Now we are being introduced to the one family that would be used as the chosen channel of this Divine purpose.
“Abram, Abraham – The Father of a multitude. The original name of the son of Terah was Abram, meaning “Father of height.” Abraham was given to him when the promise of a numerous progeny was renewed to him by God.” – Lockyer
o Isaiah 41:8 8But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.
Abraham is 1 of the 4 important people of the book of Genesis. (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph) In these 4 people, you have a type of Redemption
o Abraham is a type of God’s Sovereign Election:
§ Sovereign Predestination is illustrated in Abraham
· Predestination – God planning man’s Salvation before the Creation of the World. This does not mean God picks and chooses who is going to be saved. It is His will that all come to His terms of Salvation. So far in our study, we have already seen this with Cain and Abel. After Cain rejected God’s way (by grace through faith illustrated in the shedding of innocent blood) God went to Cain and tried to reason with Him. He went looking for Cain just like He went looking for Adam and Eve.
We see this with Abramham. Abraham and his family (Abram) lived in Ur of the Chaldees where there was idol worship. Yet he was saved the same way we were. By Grace through Faith.
James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Can you say that? I know I can. One day I believed God and came His way, not my way, His way. Faith in Jesus Christ (just like Adam, just like Abraham) I put my faith in God’s terms of Salvation and was declared Righteous through the Blood of Jesus Christ and not only am I child of God but I can say that I have a friend that sticketh closer than any brother.