The blessed father of the faithful failed to be a blessing

Abraham was to bring blessing

God reached out to Abraham and his words brought hope for restoration to a fallen world.

God called Abraham to leave his home and embark on a journey of faith. He promised him a land, descendants, and blessing… blessing for him and blessing though him to the rest of humanity. (Genesis 12:1-3)

Abraham obeyed and became the father of the faithful.

God led Moses to compile a record of the early events of human history and the life of Abraham, the ancestor of the Jews. He wrote an honest account of Abraham’s struggles. He has great successes in his walk of faith but also surprising failures.

Abraham almost brought a curse on the Egyptians

The first recorded event after his call was a failure. There was a famine in the land of promise and Abraham went to Egypt where the Nile gave more stable crops. He lied and made Sarah a collaborator in a plan to pass her off as his sister. She was taken into Pharaoh palace and Abraham was treated well because he was her brother.

However, the Egyptians came under a curse because their king had taken Abraham’s wife. The Egyptians found out about the ruse and sent him out of their land. (Genesis 12:10-20

Moses may have seen Abraham’s trip to Egypt as a precursor to the experience of the Jews in his day. Like Abraham the Jews left Egypt richer than when they came. There were also plagues on the Egyptians. However, in Abraham’s time the Egyptians were deceived. In Moses’ day they knowingly disobeyed God.

People were to be blessed through Abraham but he brought a curse on the Egyptians in the first recorded trip after his call.

God’s people are to be a blessing in a fallen world.

When have you been a blessing to others?

When have you failed to be a blessing?