Life Walk Lesson 44: The Faith of Abraham
The Faith of Our Father Abraham
When Jesus came to earth, to live as we do in the flesh, to die for us, and to be raised to life again, He spoke of Abraham, our earthly father — whose children we are if we believe in God, as He did.
The entire account of the events of Abram/Abraham’s life can be found in:
The Ancient Book of Jasher, Chapters 7-26
The Book of Genesis, Chapters 11-25.
The Apocalypse of Abraham, translated by G.H. Box, in 1918 from the Slavonic text and notes
NOTE: The Apocalypse of Abraham is the only document I have found so far, which does not corroborate the truths found anywhere else about Abraham, particularly in either Genesis or The Ancient Book of Jasher. In the Apocalypse, it makes it seem as though Abram also worship idols, under his father’s direction. I include it as an ancient document for your reference, in the effort to remain unbiased, and present all that is available so that the Student can see what has been written about Abram/Abraham.
For truth to be made evident, we look for at least “two or three witnesses” from reputable sources, and hopefully unbiased sources, that truth may be established. [On judging matters of truth: See Matthew 18:16 and 20, 1 Corinthians 14:29, and Deuteronomy 19:15]
Texts and Studies, Contributors to Biblical and Patristic Literature, edited by J. Armitage Robinson Volume II, No. 2; The Testament of Abraham; Cambridge 1892
The Kebra Nagast, Chapters 13-14
The Book of Jubilees, Chapters 11-22 can also be found in the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Volume II, R. H. Charles; for quick reference I have supplied this direct link to the document.
The Book of Jubilees was written some time in the two hundred years before Jesus’ birth, and is a record of the events of Jewish history, based on the years counted from Creation onward, marked as “in the Year of Earth”, (Anno Mundi). Each event then is recorded in the year counting from day one of Creation.
Abraham was born in 1876 A.M. according to The Book of Jubilees, but according to The Ancient Book of Jasher he was born in 1948 A.M., and Sarai was born in 1958 A.M. and she died in 2085 A.M.
Because the record of events sometimes differ in both religious and secular accounts of history, I give both dates as a reference point which has been made available to us.
It was in the year 2018 A.M., in The Ancient Book of Jasher, that it records when God came to Abram giving him the 430 year prophecy of the coming out of Egypt of the Children of Israel. (in Chapter 13)
The New Intonational Version Study Bible records Abraham’s lifetime as 2166 B.C. through 1991 B.C.
The Book of the Cave of Treasures: The History of Abraham; Abraham and Melchizedek
Abraham and the City of Ur — is a document including at the end of The Book of the Cave of Treasures, and gives the account of his life in Ur of the Chaldees
Bible Study Notes:
The Ancient Book of Jasher is quoted from by Joshua, in his Book in the Bible, and so I value the historical record given about the Patriarchs in this account.
In Old Testament Legends Being Stories out of Some of the Less-Known Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament, by M.R. James, LITT.D. Provost of King’s College, Cambridge; 1913; published by gutenberg.org (also on the Gutenberg app, at the Apple App Store), the author shares the stories we are familiar with, just as Louis Ginzberg does in his The Legends of the Jews, Volumes 1-4. In his introduction, he makes clear to the reader that he believes that the stories were not actually true, but made up to fill in the gaps left to us by Scripture.
Likewise, Ken Johnson records, in his preface to The Ancient Book of Jasher, presented by him, that “this text is not inspired by God, and was simply an extremely accurate history book, highly recommended by Scripture itself.”
From Jasher’s beginning pages one can plainly see that it agrees completely with the Books of Genesis through Joshua, which record the events from Creation to the death of Joshua, called in the Bible: the Book of the Upright, or Jasher, adding historical events in greater detail. To say it is not inspired, or even go as far as to say it is untrue because it is too fantastic to be true, and therefore unbelievable, is to walk on dangerous ground — in my opinion. It is, then, to say that no record, historical or otherwise of events which took place as recorded in the Torah or elsewhere are uninspired and not therefore not the word of God. I don’t imagine that anyone would dare to say that about the Bible, who loves God.
I must caution the student of the Scriptures to consider opinions as they are, even my own, and do your research, and then accept Scripture by faith, and uncanonized writings which corroborate Scripture, by faith — believing God is Who He says He is, and does what He says He does. When we find a record of His works on behalf of His children, outside of the Canonized Scriptures, let’s look at it through object enough eyes to believe that God is that good, people are capable of things different from our own experience, as it is written in Scripture of so many who experienced super-human strength, or miraculous healing, or even resurrection. God is that good!
It is this kind of thing Jesus Christ Himself came against the Pharisees for, who had the keys to the Kingdom, but wouldn’t let anyone in. God has not, however, left Himself without a witness, regardless of what has been omitted or included in Scripture, or hidden elsewhere. It is written somewhere, and it is, for “kings to find out” as it is written in the Book of Proverbs.
It is sad to me that the current generations have not even seen any of these stories until now, because there have been many along the way, whether in Churches or Synagogues, to discourage them from reading them, and gleaning the treasures of wisdom within them all.
In his preface for The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, Volume 2, R. H. Charles goes into great detail about how Scripture, and uncanonized writings have come to us. Particularly how some have not come to us because the powers that be in the former generations stopped people from having access to them; some were even banned from the Church, and some were accepted but not allowed to be read in Church.
Whereas I respect the Church Fathers for their attempt to make absolutely certain that the writings available to them were accurate, doctrinally, or otherwise, God has not hidden them from this generation, and so I present them for study, so that we may know Him better through them. When we need faith to believe for our miracle, we can draw on the former believers’ experiences with God, and pray, believing for our own needs, according to His riches and grace.
Accepting Truth
God called Abram a righteous man in Scripture, because he believed God, and God chose Abram out of a bad situation: not because he was part of it, but because he wasn’t part of it, just as Jesus chose His disciples.
God saved Abram’s life multiple times from birth onwards, and Abraham died in faith waiting for the ultimate promise, which we will all enjoy together as one Body in Christ at the consummation of all things. Abraham truly lived as a child of God, as did righteous Enoch, and Methuselah before him, and Moses and Elijah after him.
When Jesus came, His Father spoke in the presence of Moses, Elijah, Peter, James and John, “This is My Beloved Son. Listen to Him.” [Luke 9:35] What immense Grace!
Then Jesus went down that very Mountain and He set a young boy free, who had been tormented by the Devil. By God’s Own Word, the Devil now had to listen to, and obey, God, and stop pushing humans into one extreme or another — sometimes into fire, and sometimes into water, but allow them to walk freely on the path marked out for them by God.
If you remember the story from the Book of Enoch — it was on that very mountain where the fallen angels made a covenant with one another to sin against God, not listen to Him, and begin their destruction of God’s creation. [1Enoch 1-16] After some of my own research, I found that some Bible scholars have argued whether or not it was Hermon or Tabor, however, more recent finds have confirmed that it was more likely to have been Mount Hermon, because there were houses and building structures on Mount Tabor at the time, and was not as remote and private a place as was Mount Hermon. In the NIV Study Bible, it is recorded in the margin reference as Mount Hermon.
Again, I caution the Bible Student to do their own research; it is for this reason I have supplied everything I have found so far on so many of these subjects. Many have spoken about the Patriarchs, or Moses, or the Prophets. Having read about the events of their lives from more than one source, I encourage us to look again through new eyes at the men and women God walked with for our benefit.
We can, thereby, promote the truth about them wherever it may be found, whether in the Scriptural accounts of their lives, or in ancient, and uncanonical writings about them. Many have spoken ill of Moses, or Jacob, and even the disciples, as though by so doing we may look better than they; often it is to use them as examples of God calling them, and if so, then surely He can call us, because we haven’t done what they did. That too is dangerous ground.
However, in reading the whole story, from the various sources I have provided, we gain a larger perspective on what actually occurred, and must, then, stand in faith, and in awe, of God’s working in all of us, equally loved and chosen by Him, from the Foundation of the World.
It is important to me that we all base our ideas, opinion, or even our teachings, on actual facts, recorded in authentic historical accounts, not on hearsay, very careful to be faithful to God, to the best of our ability, and to His intent, based on the known Word of God, and His way of doing things, which sets us free from error, to live in His Presence with Him.
In the absence of truth, we are left with stories, parables and legends, of which there are plenty. Even Jesus used parables to make a point.
This generation has a profound desire for tangible evidence of the possibility of an authentic relationship with God and with one another, as Jesus desires us to have, just as He had with our Father in Heaven. The only way we can pass on to the next generation the empowerment to believe God is to give them the truths to believe from the Word of God and that which corroborates its evidence.
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 11 The Record of the Faithful
Encouragement:
While walking by faith, and not by sight, we are not blindfolded, nor hindered, even so. God instructs us where to go, and what to do, what to say, and how to say it, just as He did for everyone with whom He walked in ancient times, including Jesus Christ. Have faith in God, and in His Word.
Something to Look Forward to — Paradise
2Enoch [Slavonic Enoch] 5
“From there, the men took me up to the Third Heaven [поѫ̆ста мѧ ѿтѫдоу мѫжа и възведоста мѧ на третое нб̄о] and placed me in the middle of Paradise [постависта мѧ по срдѣ породи].118 This place is of immense beauty [мѣсто то несъвѣдимо добротоѫ].119 I saw all kinds of trees with sweet blossoms [въсѣдрѣвесаблг̄оцвѣтна], and their fruits were ripe and aromatic [плоди и х зрѣли и блг̄оѹханїи]; and all food brought along {there} gave off a beautiful fragrance [въсѣ брашна принесена и кыпеща дыханїем блг̄овонным]. In the midst of it was the Tree of Life [дрѣво жизньно ], exactly on the spot where God rests [на не м же почивает Гь̄] when He goes into [е̑гда въсходит]120 Paradise [въ раи].121 This tree, in its goodness and fragrance, is unspeakably gorgeous [то дрѣво нескажаемо еͨ͡ добротоѫ и блг̄овонством и красно] beyond all other existing creations [пач вʼсѧѫ твари сѫщеѧ ]. All around it looks like gold and fire-like red [ѿ въсѫдѹ златовидно и цървено ѡбраз ом и ѡгнезрачно ], covering entire Paradise [весь пород]. It combines properties of all trees {ever} planted and all fruits. Its roots are in Paradise [корен е̑моу е въ породѣ ] at the exit to Earth [на исходѣ земно м]. Paradise [Раи]122 lies between mortality123 and immortality124 [междоу тлѣнїе м и нетлѣнїем]. From it two springs emanate, from one of which milk and honey issue forth [е̑динь точи т ме д и млѣко ], and {from the other} oil and wine [е̑леи и вино].125 They divide into four parts; while streaming silently [ѡбходѧт тихо м шествїем] they approach Eden's Paradise [раи Едомскь ] between mortality and immortality [междоу тлѣнїе и нетлѣнїе ]. Going further to the other side, they divide into 40 parts and pour out gently onto Earth. They make a circuit and revolve, like all elements of the air [имат обращенїе крѫгоу свое̑моу яко инїе стухїѧ воздоушнїе]. There is not a single tree {in Paradise} which does not bear fruit and each tree provides an abundant harvest. This entire place is blessed [всѧ мѣсто бл̄гословестъвно], and 300 exceedingly luminous angels who guard Paradise [хранѧт породоу] with unceasing voices and melodic singing serve God all day long. And I said, 'How beautiful this place is!’”
From: The Book of the Cave of Treasures — The Creation of Humans, Paradise
The history of the twenty-two distinct acts of creation on the six days, 1-16. Institution of the Sabbath: its observance by the highest angels, with whom Israel is afterwards to be associated, 17-32. (cf. Gen. i-ii. 3.)
[Chapter 2]
- “And the angel of the presence spake to Moses according to the word of the Lord, saying: Write the complete history of the creation, how in six days the Lord God finished all His works and all that He created, and kept Sabbath on the seventh day and hallowed it for all ages, and appointed it as a sign for all His works.
- For on the first day He created the heavens which are above and the earth and the waters and all the spirits which serve before him -the angels of the presence, and the angels of sanctification, and the angels [of the spirit of fire and the angels] of the spirit of the winds, and the angels of the spirit of the clouds, and of darkness, and of snow and of hail and of hoar frost, and the angels of the voices and of the thunder and of the lightning, and the angels of the spirits of cold and of heat, and of winter and of spring and of autumn and of summer and of all the spirits of his creatures which are in the heavens and on the earth, (He created) the abysses and the darkness, eventide <and night>, and the light, dawn and day, which He hath prepared in the knowledge of his heart.
- And thereupon we saw His works, and praised Him, and lauded before Him on account of all His works; for seven great works did He create on the first day.
- And on the second day He created the firmament in the midst of the waters, and the waters were divided on that day -half of them went up above and half of them went down below the firmament (that was) in the midst over the face of the whole earth. And this was the only work (God) created on the second day.
- And on the third day He commanded the waters to pass from off the face of the whole earth into one place, and the dry land to appear.
- And the waters did so as He commanded them, and they retired from off the face of the earth into one place outside of this firmament, and the dry land appeared.
- And on that day He created for them all the seas according to their separate gathering-places, and all the rivers, and the gatherings of the waters in the mountains and on all the earth, and all the lakes, and all the dew of the earth, and the seed which is sown, and all sprouting things, and fruit-bearing trees, and trees of the wood, and the garden of Eden, in Eden and all plants after their kind.”
1Enoch 14:1-14 — Enoch see by vision the “first house” — like tessellated crystal, reflective of the Mosaic Covenant with The people of Israel
1Enoch14:14-25 Enoch see “another house” — reflecting the New Covenant
The Best Wine Saved for Last
Exodus 3 The Promised Land — a Land flowing with Milk and Honey; promised to Abraham — from the Nile to the Euphrates — First Covenant with a Chosen People
John 2 — Water into Wine and Luke 10 — Jesus gives Oil and Wine to all; New Covenant, hinted at throughout the Old Testament as God’s desire for all mankind. The good news of God's love for all of mankind, is for all people.
Faith, Believing, and Obeying
John 20:1-31
Hebrews 11:1-40
Hebrews 12:1-29
Acts 8:1-40
Acts 10:1-48
Acts 15:1-41
Acts 19:1-41
Revelation 22:1-21
Note: 84 times in the Gospel Book of John, the word "believe" occurs:
1. Believe
2. Believe
3. Believe
4. Believe
Regarding The Holy Spirit
Acts 2:1-47
Joel 2:1-32
