Abraham was 75 years old when God told him to move to Canaan. We have no explicit biblical information on Abraham prior to Canaan, but nonetheless, God chose him. Therefore, we can surmise that God liked Abraham’s attitudes, persuasiveness, good characteristics, and his belief and actions to promote one God.  Josephus, who lived in the first century stated that Abraham had a military background and was knowledgeable about mathematics, sciences, and astrology because he lived in Assyria (Josephus, The Complete Works, William Whiston (Translator), Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1998, p44). Abraham used this knowledge to teach and impress the Egyptians when his party went to Egypt because of the famine. What we can learn about Abraham is based on chronological events that occurred in Canaan and are covered in Genesis.  This synopsis will define Abraham.

We know that Abraham reached out to other people, but Noah did not. As noted, Abraham leaves the East to go to Canaan with Sarah, Lot and other people too.  Abraham builds an alter in Canaan to please God, and he immediately recognizes there is famine in Canaan, so he and his party go to Egypt.  Sarah is his half-sister (Genesis 20:12), and she is very beautiful.  Abraham is concerned someone will kill him to take her. Therefore, he enlists her to call him her brother. This concern is verified because Pharaoh takes her, but Pharaoh rejects her when he learns that she is Abraham’s wife, and he gives Abraham a large gift.  As noted, Abraham uses his knowledge of mathematics, sciences and astrology to teach the Egyptians because the Assyrians were more advanced than the Egyptians.

When Abraham leaves Egypt, he sees there are disputes between his people and Lot’s people, and he asks Lot to choose the land he wants. Lot chooses Sodom, and Abraham moves in the opposite direction to Hebron. This action shows that Abraham is gracious and considers other people before himself.  

Later, when Lot’s family is captured by the four northern kings, Abraham and his 318 men and two confederates militarily attack the four kings at night and continue to harass them until Damascus. The four kings had more soldiers and were very powerful and experienced. They had just destroyed 11 kingdoms in the south.  Nonetheless, Abraham defeats them and recognizes it is God who made it happen.  Hence, the bible states he had 318 men and not 300 men, since 18 is associated with life and God’s help. Abraham rescues Lot and family and others too and returns the spoils to the Sodomites. He didn’t take any of the spoils because he realized God made it happen, and he didn’t want the Sodomites to state that they made him rich.  

Abraham’s wife Sarah was infertile, and she used Hagar, an Egyptian, to have a baby. But Sarah was disappointed when Hagar became pregnant and changed her attitude toward her. Abraham allowed Sarah to punish her. Later, when Sarah exiled Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham was upset, but God intervened and said to listen to Sarah, and Abraham did. These episodes show that Abraham listened to his wife, even when his own interests were involved.  

Abraham was in great pain (circumcision) and uncomfortable (hot day) when God visited him (Genesis 18:1-10). Yet, he left God and ran and bowed down to three strangers to encourage them to come to his tent.  They agreed to come. He personally helped them to rest in the shade, to drink water, to clean their feet with water and to eat food. He rushed everyone to prepare it quickly, and he gave them his best. They ate, even though we later found out they were angels and angels don’t eat.  Abraham did his best. God was not angry that Abraham abandoned him and bowed down to the strangers; in fact, God was very pleased with his behavior. God rewarded Abraham and Sarah with the promise of a boy within the next year, even though they were old and Sarah was in menopause. God broke the laws of nature to do this. Why? Couldn’t he have done it earlier? Perhaps, the explanation is that God was speaking to us. I, God, will break the laws of nature for you too when you behave like Abraham.  

Next, we see that Abraham pleaded to save the lives of the Sodomites.  He bargained God down from 50 righteous people to 10 righteous people to save Sodom. It is another great characteristic—compassion to save lives.  

We see that Abraham did not challenge God when God told him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. This shows his great obedience to God, even if it didn’t make sense. If it had been me, I would have pleaded.  

Finally, we see Abraham give gifts to his other children and sent them to the East. He recognized Isaac as his only son in terms of inheritance and his family’s future.  

In summary, God recognized Abraham’s greatness in the East and chose him to go to Canaan. He could be deceitful to save his own life, but he was gracious to Lot, Sarah, the strangers, the Sodomites and to many others. He put his life in danger to rescue Lot. He displayed great customer service to the three strangers, despite his pain (circumcision), discomfort (hot day) and being in the presence of God.  We learn that in God’s opinion, it is more important to help your fellow man than to respect him. God gave Abraham and Sarah the greatest reward possible, and God broke the laws of nature to do it for them.  This may be a message to us that God will break the laws of nature for us, if we behave like Abraham.The Isaac sacrifice incident showed his total obedience to God even it didn’t make sense. And he listened to his wife and gave her discretion, which is a good lesson for all married men. Abraham was great, and we need to emulate him.