Abraham Alone: Land and Offspring

Central to Yahweh’s covenant relationship with Abraham is the promises of land and offspring. The land is dealt with first in chapters 12-15, where it is clear the Canaanites will be removed from the land and it will be given to Abraham and his offspring (12:6-7); the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah being the first fruits of this promise. This explains Yahweh’s speech in 18:17-21, where He tells Abraham of his plans for these cities precisely because Abraham’s offspring will inhabit this land and will need to understand that holiness is essential to maintaining possession.

Though it is promised at the beginning of his story (12:1), it is not until the end that Abraham attains any portion of the land, and a small piece, even then, for his and Sarah’s burial (23:17-18) near the trees of Mamre (23:17).[1] That Abraham never fully realizes this promise is reinforced by the narrators’ repeated reference to the land as “Canaan,” though Abraham has lived there for years (12:5, 13:12, 16:3, 17:8, 23:2 & 19). However, it cannot be ignored that Abraham is staking a claim for himself and Yahweh through the land when he builds altars to Yahweh and calls on Yahweh’s name (12:8), and plants trees (21:33).

A second feature in Yahweh’s covenant is the promise of offspring, dealt with in chapters 16-24. The offspring promise evades fulfillment for a number of years after the initial promise is made. Yet Abraham righteously believes God will fulfill what He has resolved to do pertaining to the promise of progeny (15:16).

Offspring and ancestry play vital roles in the narrative as the means by which a person might live on after they die. Abrahamic religion has no concept of eternal glory or damnation; both are restricted to this life. His offspring, then, assist Abraham in seeing himself as part of a larger narrative Yahweh is developing; a narrative extending beyond him into a larger cosmic plan (12:3).

So, the promise of offspring also highlights the importance of family. The idea of an autonomous individual is entirely absent. Indeed, the text views independence and self-seeking as negative. The prime example of this being Lot’s self-serving decision to choose the beautiful plains of Jordan (13:10-11), which ultimately costs him his wife, his home and the purity of his family line (19:36).Yet even when he violates this norm, a sense of familial responsibility (12:17) and obligation (14:10-16) arises in the clan. Such family solidarity is not even not broken in death (25:8).[2]

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[1] Trees appear frequently in these narratives, often in association with the building of altars (13:18) or an appearance of Yahweh (18:1). Though the mentioning of them is unexplained and ambiguous, they probably symbolizing permanence and ownership over a land where he roams as a transient nomad, a transience which can be endured, however, as the land is a promised, perpetual possession (17:8).

[2] I find it particularly interesting that Abraham goes to be with his fathers, when it was his fathers that he was originally called forth from. Abraham’s ancestors were probably polytheists, but whatever life-after-death theology there is in the Abraham narratives, it seems to include those who do not follow Yahweh. Unless, of course, this phrase is to be taken as idiomatic.

Abraham Alone

What would our theological worldview look like if we only had Abraham’s narratives to work with? In the next three posts I will do exploratory pieces on how the Abrahamic story viewed God without relation to the rest of the Christian canon. This is not necessarily a “my personal theology” piece. It is just some thoughts and a bit of exploration.

The three posts will be centered on three lenses through which we might view Abrahamic religion: First, a specific deity, Yahweh, has entered history, calling and covenanting with the patriarch Abraham. Second, central to Yahweh’s covenant relationship with Abraham is the promises of land and offspring. And finally, Abrahamic religion was distinct from, but at times in solidarity with, Canaanite religions and cultures.

Abrahamic religion rests on the root premise that a single,[1] specific deity has entered history, calling and covenanting with the patriarch Abraham. Though the narrative identifies this deity by numerous names and titles, two stand out: Yahweh (employed over 65x), the personal name of this deity, and Elohim (employed over 40x), a general word for a god, often used both interchangeably with Yahweh (14:22) and at times is given specific nuance by the name Yahweh (24:12, 27, 48).

This Yahweh is not a deity inextricably attached to Abraham or Canaan. Rather, Yahweh transcends both, as demonstrated by His ability to call (12:1) and protect Abraham in foreign lands (12:17), repeatedly leave Abraham after speaking with him (17:22, 18:33), and the language of transcendence the narrative employs, such as when the “cry has come up” to Him from Sodom and Gomorrah (18:21). Furthermore, there is no reference to a centralized city. Abraham’s nomadic lifestyle kept his religion decentralized, preserving the idea of Yahweh as “Other” than Abraham or any geographic location. Indeed, the whole of earth and heaven is owned by Him (14:22).

Yet, while Yahweh is “Other,” it is not beyond Him to interact with free creatures or take on physical form (18:22). He is not threatened by doubts (15:1-6) and is not impatient when they question His actions (18:22-32). Yet because He interacts with free creatures, Yahweh also holds them morally responsible for their decisions (18:20-21), all the while sympathetic to their mistakes (20:6-7), even repeated ones (12:10-20, 20:1-18).[2]

Yahweh’s immanence is displayed further when He enters time and space.[3] In this He provides a purpose for history, blessing the nations through the historical lineage of Abraham (12:3), which permeates history (17:7). The covenantal promises are “everlasting” (17:7, 8, 13, 18) and this covenant is grounded in historical acts which can be remembered (15:7). He stands above history as its Judge (18:25), and solidifies and protects His covenant with Abraham with historical acts (12:17, 20:3). But most of all, Yahweh’s historical immanence is revealed in the fact that He has spoken.

The spoken word, amidst all the varied means of Yahweh’s self-revelation, is the most frequent and most important. It is the key to understanding all of Abraham’s actions from leaving his father’s house (12:1-4) to the near sacrifice of his son (22:1-3).[4] Because Yahweh has spoken,[5] obedience is imperative and must not only be immediate (12:4), but also wholehearted. Abraham exemplifies the desired response by leaving his sense of identity and security when Yahweh calls (12:3). Indeed, this leaving of his identity also gets highlighted when Yahweh gives him a new name, symbolizing Abraham’s new identity under covenant (17:5).

Subsequent to the initial call, Yahweh also covenants with Abraham in a bilateral covenant involving promises from Yahweh and obligations for both parties. Abraham’s responsibilities include walking blameless before Yahweh (17:1) and ritual circumcision.[6] First Abraham, then his offspring, must be circumcised on the eighth day after birth (21:4). Circumcision symbolizes the commitment between Abraham and Yahweh (17:10), and those who disobey will be cut off from the people (17:14).

Yahweh solidifies the covenant in a dream where He walks through the carcasses of designated animals (15:8). Generally, in ancient near eastern treaty ceremonies, it is not the suzerain who walks through the carcasses, but the vassal. This action signifies the painful destruction of the vassal should they scorn the covenantal stipulations. Yet, interestingly, here it is not the vassal, Abraham, but the suzerain, Yahweh, committing to take the punishment for the broken covenant (15:17-18). Clearly the covenant entails a personal commitment by Yahweh. Indeed, He even covenants with Abraham twice (15:7-19, 17:1-14) to emphasize His deep investment in the fulfillment of this covenant.[7]

This is not an absent or silent deity. Yahweh is a God who engages with and gives purpose to the world and his servant Abraham.

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[1] The text is relatively unclear as to whether other deities actually exist or not. The title used of Yahweh in 14:19, “God Most High” (which will be discussed later), assumes a possible hierarchy of deities, at the top of which resides Yahweh. Abrahamic religion may not be strictly monotheistic, but whatever the case, the assumption of the text is that only one deity, Yahweh, is to be followed by Abraham.

[2]That Abrahamic religion assumes Yahweh interacts with free creatures is demonstrated most clearly in the narrative where Abraham barters with Yahweh over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. Though the cities are not spared, the narrative directs us to understand Yahweh as a deity able to be reasoned with, objected to, and who might legitimately change His mind (18:24-32).

[3] Abrahamic religion knows nothing of how Yahweh relates to time, but only that He participates in historical events.

[4] While noting the spoken word as the primary means of revelation, it should also be noted that Yahweh frequently appears to Abraham as well. These appearances often without explanation, but at times are explained as the Angel of Yahweh (16:7, 9, 11; 22:11, 15). Angel of Yahweh appearances often get highlighted narratives focused on God’s interaction others who are not Abraham: Hagar and Ishmael (16:7) and possibly Abraham’s servant whom he sent to find Isaac a bride (24:40).

[5] Other means by which Yahweh communicates are also important. Specifically, when Abraham is connected with prophets (20:7) through his visions (15:1) and receiving the “word of Yahweh,” (15:1, 4).

[6] That circumcision is distinctively male rite suggests Abrahamic religion is patriarchal. Male headship is assumed in Abrahamic religion, and Abraham is the representative of the whole household. This may explain the emphasis on gravesites, for it allows subsequent followers of Yahweh access to Abraham and ideally the blessings which flow from his historical actions. This also explains the unquestioned authority Abraham wields with the members of his household, even when he exiles his son (21:14). Yet, while Abrahamic religion is clearly patriarchal, it should be noted that Sarah is not excluded entirely from the narrative. She is included in the covenant (17:15) and is as much a chosen vessel as Abraham, for the child of promise comes through her, not Hagar. Also, Hagar narratives not only suggest Yahweh’s concern for the outcast and marginalized, but also that Yahweh makes promises to women.

[7] In chapter 17, Abraham is not the only one included in the covenant. Four parties are involved. Yahweh’s obligations include making Abraham the father of many nations (17:2), giving him the land of Canaan (17:8,), bringing kings from him as offspring (17:6), and making the covenant everlasting (17:7). Abraham’s obligations include circumcision (17:10-14) and a name change (17:5). Sarah’s also involves a name change (17:15) and the promise offspring (17:16), specifically Isaac (17:21). And Ishmael’s promise includes offspring and nations coming from him (17:20), while circumscion still remains necessary even though he isn’t the child of promise. Once again, suggesting this covenant is conditioned upon obedience.