Bible Character Explorer
Patriarchal Period • c. 2166 to 1991 BC (traditional dating)
Abraham
Father of FaithThe man through whom God promised to bless all nations
"And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness."
Genesis 15:6 (KJV)
Overview
Abraham stands at the beginning of the redemptive story as the man God called out of Ur of the Chaldeans and into covenant relationship. His life is not a story of a perfect man but of a man who learned to trust a faithful God over decades of waiting, failure, and renewal. He is the father of Israel by birth and the father of all who believe by faith, a connection the New Testament makes explicit in Romans 4 and Galatians 3.
Gospel Connection
Abraham's life is the story of God making an unconditional promise and keeping it. Paul's argument in Romans 4 is that Abraham was justified by faith before circumcision, which means his justification was not based on law or ritual but on trusting God's word. This is precisely the basis on which every person is saved through Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:8 says the Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and preached the gospel in advance to Abraham: 'In you shall all nations be blessed.' The gospel Abraham heard and believed is the same gospel we believe. Jesus Christ is the offspring through whom every promise to Abraham is finally and fully kept.
Discover More
See how this life points to Christ in the Gospel Connection section above.