Abraham's Virtues
God Blessed Abraham in All Things
Yoram Hazony makes the case that in Genesis, Abraham is painted as a paradigmatically virtuous character. The primary evidence is that while Abraham is not perfect, God has confidence that he will “command his children and his house after him, and they will keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and right.[1]" Also significant is Genesis 24:1, “And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.”
Reflections on Abraham
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Abraham and Melchizedek in the Loggia di Raffaello in Vatican City.[/caption]
What is a father?
Genesis presents Abraham as being the father of many nations.The whole Bible presents the Israelites as the ‘sons of Abraham’ on multiple occasions.
The New Testament, in particular, presents anybody with appropriate faith in God (whatever that means…but usually faith in Christ) as a child of Abraham.
This is significant for many reasons, not the least of which is that the father in the Bible is a figure for the accumulated wisdom of the past in a way that is indicative of a divine voice:[1]
Abraham and Happiness
Gen 12:1-3 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. (2) And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. (3) I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."Gen 24:1 Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.