Abraham​—An Example of Faith

“[Abraham was] the father of all those having faith.”​—ROMANS 4:11.

1, 2. (a) How is Abraham remembered among true Christians today? (b) Why is Abraham called “the father of all those having faith”?

HE WAS the forefather of a mighty nation, a prophet, a businessman, a leader. Yet, among Christians today, he is best remembered for the quality that moved Jehovah God to view him as a friend​—his unwavering faith. (Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23) His name was Abraham, and the Bible calls him “the father of all those having faith.”​—Romans 4:11.

² Did not men before Abraham, such as Abel, Enoch, and Noah, show faith? Yes, but it is with Abraham that the covenant was made to bless all nations of the earth. (Genesis 22:18) He thus became the figurative father of all who would put faith in the promised Seed. (Galatians 3:8, 9) In a sense, Abraham can be considered our father, for his faith serves as an example to be imitated. His whole life may be viewed as an expression of faith, for it consisted of numerous tests and trials. Indeed, long before Abraham faced what might be called his supreme test of faith​—the command to offer up his son Isaac—​Abraham proved his faith in many lesser trials. (Genesis 22:1, 2) Let us now examine some of these early tests of faith and see what lessons they can teach us today.

The Command to Leave Ur

3. What does the Bible tell us about Abram’s background?

³ The Bible introduces us to Abram (later known as Abraham) at Genesis 11:26, which says: “Terah lived on for seventy years, after which he became father to Abram, Nahor and Haran.” Abram was a descendant of God-fearing Shem. (Genesis 11:10-24) According to Genesis 11:31, Abram lived with his family in prosperous “Ur of the Chaldeans,” a city that once sat east of the Euphrates River.a Thus, he did not grow up as a tent-dwelling nomad but as a city dweller in a place that offered much in the way of luxury. Imported goods could be purchased in Ur’s bazaars. Whitewashed 14-room homes, complete with indoor plumbing, lined its streets.

4. (a) What challenges did Ur present to worshipers of the true God? (b) How did Abram come to put faith in Jehovah?

⁴ For all its material advantages, Ur presented a serious challenge to any who wanted to serve the true God. It was a city steeped in idolatry and superstition. Indeed, its landscape was dominated by a towering ziggurat honoring the moon-god Nanna. No doubt Abram was under much pressure to share in this vile worship, perhaps including pressure from some relatives. According to some Jewish traditions, Abram’s father, Terah, was himself a maker of idols. (Joshua 24:2, 14, 15) Whatever the case, Abram was not a practicer of degrading false worship. His aged forefather Shem was still alive and no doubt shared his knowledge of the true God. As a result, Abram put faith in Jehovah, not Nanna!​—Galatians 3:6.

A Test of Faith

5. What command and promise did God give to Abram while he was still in Ur?

⁵ Abram’s faith was to be put to the test. God appeared to him and commanded: “Go your way out of your country and from your relatives and from the house of your father to the country that I shall show you; and I shall make a great nation out of you and I shall bless you and I will make your name great; and prove yourself a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and him that calls down evil upon you I shall curse, and all the families of the ground will certainly bless themselves by means of you.”​—Genesis 12:1-3; Acts 7:2, 3.

6. Why did it take real faith for Abram to leave Ur?

⁶ Abram was old and childless. How could he be made into “a great nation”? And just where was this land to which he was ordered to go? God did not then tell him. It therefore took real faith for Abram to leave prosperous Ur and all its comforts. The book Family, Love and the Bible observes about ancient times: “The gravest of all punishments that could be meted out to a family member who became guilty of a serious crime was to cast him out, to deprive him of his ‘membership’ in the family. . . . This is why it was such an extraordinary manifestation of unquestioning obedience and trust in God when Abraham, following the divine call, left, not only his country, but also his kindred.”

7. How might Christians today face tests like those faced by Abram?

⁷ Christians today may face similar tests. Like Abram, we may feel pressure to put material interests ahead of theocratic concerns. (1 John 2:16) We may have opposition from unbelieving family members, including disfellowshipped relatives, who might try to lure us into unwholesome association. (Matthew 10:34-36; 1 Corinthians 5:11-13; 15:33) Abram thus set a fine example for us. He put friendship with Jehovah ahead of everything​—even family ties. He did not know exactly how, when, or where God’s promises would be fulfilled. Still, he was willing to stake his life on those promises. What fine encouragement this is to put the Kingdom first in our own lives today!​—Matthew 6:33.

8. What effect did Abram’s faith have upon his immediate family members, and what might Christians learn from this?

⁸ What about Abram’s immediate family members? Evidently, Abram’s faith and conviction had a dramatic effect on them, for both his wife, Sarai, and his orphaned nephew named Lot were moved to obey God’s call and leave Ur. Abram’s brother Nahor and some of his offspring later left Ur and took up residence in Haran, where they worshiped Jehovah. (Genesis 24:1-4, 10, 31; 27:43; 29:4, 5) Why, even Abram’s father, Terah, agreed to leave with his son! The Bible thus credits him, as family head, with making the move toward Canaan. (Genesis 11:31) Might we too enjoy a measure of success if we tactfully witness to our relatives?

9. What preparations did Abram have to make for his journey, and why might that have involved sacrifice?

⁹ Before setting out on his journey, Abram had much to do. He had to sell property and goods and purchase tents, camels, food, and needed equipment. Abram may have suffered financial loss in making such hurried preparations, but he was delighted to obey Jehovah. What a momentous day it must have been when the preparations were complete and Abram’s caravan stood outside the walls of Ur, ready for travel! Following the curve of the Euphrates River, the caravan traveled northwestward. After weeks of travel, covering some 600 miles [1,000 km], it arrived in a city of northern Mesopotamia called Haran, a major stopping point for caravans.

10, 11. (a) Why did Abram likely remain in Haran for a time? (b) What encouragement can be given to Christians who care for aging parents?

¹⁰ Abram settled down in Haran, likely doing so out of consideration for his aged father, Terah. (Leviticus 19:32) Many Christians today likewise have the privilege of caring for aging or sick parents, some even having to make an adjustment in order to do so. When that is necessary, such ones can be assured that their loving sacrifices are “acceptable in God’s sight.”​—1 Timothy 5:4.

¹¹ Time passed. “The days of Terah came to be two hundred and five years. Then Terah died in Haran.” Abram was surely grieved by this loss, but when the mourning period was past, he immediately departed. “Abram was seventy-five years old when he went out from Haran. So Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot the son of his brother and all the goods that they had accumulated and the souls whom they had acquired in Haran, and they got on their way out to go to the land of Canaan.”​—Genesis 11:32; 12:4, 5.

12. What did Abram do while living in Haran?

¹² It is interesting to note that while in Haran, Abram ‘accumulated goods.’ Although he had made material sacrifices in order to leave Ur, Abram left Haran a wealthy man. Clearly, this was due to God’s blessing. (Ecclesiastes 5:19) While God does not promise wealth to all his people today, he is faithful to his promise to provide for the needs of those who ‘leave homes, brothers, or sisters’ for the sake of the Kingdom. (Mark 10:29, 30) Abram also ‘acquired souls,’ that is, a body of servants. The Jerusalem Targum and the Chaldee Paraphrase say that Abram ‘proselytized.’ (Genesis 18:19) Does your faith move you to talk to your neighbors, workmates, or schoolmates? Far from settling down and forgetting God’s command, Abram had used his time in Haran productively. But now his time there was up. “At that Abram went just as Jehovah had spoken to him.”​—Genesis 12:4.

Across the Euphrates

13. When did Abram cross the Euphrates River, and what was the significance of this act?

¹³ Once again Abram had to travel. Leaving Haran behind, his caravan headed west, traveling some 55 miles [90 km]. It may be that Abram halted at a spot on the Euphrates across from the ancient trade center of Carchemish. This was a prime spot where caravans crossed.b On what date did Abram’s caravan cross the river? The Bible indicates that it took place 430 years before the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt on Nisan 14, 1513 B.C.E. Says Exodus 12:41: “It came about at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, it even came about on this very day that all the armies of Jehovah went out of the land of Egypt.” Evidently, then, the Abrahamic covenant went into effect on Nisan 14, 1943 B.C.E., when Abram obediently crossed the Euphrates.

14. (a) What could Abram see with his eyes of faith? (b) In what sense are God’s people today more blessed than Abram?

¹⁴ Abram had left behind a prosperous city. Yet, he could now envision “the city having real foundations,” a righteous government over mankind. (Hebrews 11:10) Yes, with but scant information, Abram had begun to perceive the outline of God’s purpose to redeem dying humankind. Today, we are blessed to have a far more extensive understanding of God’s purposes than did Abram. (Proverbs 4:18) The “city,” or Kingdom government, for which Abram hoped is now a reality​—established in the heavens since 1914. Should we not, therefore, be moved to acts of faith and trust in Jehovah?

The Sojourn in the Promised Land Begins

15, 16. (a) Why was courage required for Abram to build an altar to Jehovah? (b) How can Christians today be bold like Abram?

¹⁵ Genesis 12:5, 6 tells us: “Finally they came to the land of Canaan. And Abram went on through the land as far as the site of Shechem, near the big trees of Moreh.” Shechem was 30 miles [50 km] north of Jerusalem and lay in a fertile valley that has been described as the “paradise of the holy land.” Even so, “at that time the Canaanite was in the land.” Since the Canaanites were morally perverse, Abram would have to take pains to protect his family from their corrupting influence.​—Exodus 34:11-16.

¹⁶ For the second time, “Jehovah now appeared to Abram and said: ‘To your seed I am going to give this land.’” How thrilling! Of course, it took faith for Abram to rejoice in something that would be enjoyed only by his future offspring. Even so, in response Abram “built an altar there to Jehovah, who had appeared to him.” (Genesis 12:7) One Bible scholar suggests: “The rearing [of] an altar in the land was in fact a form of taking possession of it on the ground of a right secured to the exercise of his faith.” Building such an altar was also a courageous act. Doubtless, this altar was of the type later specified in the Law covenant, consisting of natural (unhewn) stones. (Exodus 20:24, 25) It would be dramatically different in appearance from the altars used by the Canaanites. Abram thus took a bold public stand as a worshiper of the true God, Jehovah, exposing himself to ill will and possible physical danger. What about us today? Do some of us​—particularly young ones—​hold back from letting our neighbors or schoolmates know that we worship Jehovah? May Abram’s bold example encourage all of us to take pride in being servants of Jehovah!

17. How did Abram prove himself to be a preacher of God’s name, and of what does this remind Christians today?

¹⁷ Wherever Abram went, Jehovah’s worship always took priority. “Later he moved from there to the mountainous region to the east of Bethel and pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. Then he built an altar there to Jehovah and began to call on the name of Jehovah.” (Genesis 12:8) The Hebrew phrase “call on the name” also means “declare (preach) the name.” No doubt, Abram boldly declared Jehovah’s name among his Canaanite neighbors. (Genesis 14:22-24) This reminds us of our duty to have as large a share as possible in making “public declaration to his name” today.​—Hebrews 13:15; Romans 10:10.

18. What was Abram’s relationship with the inhabitants of Canaan?

¹⁸ Abram did not stay in any of those spots very long. “Afterward Abram broke camp, going then from encampment to encampment toward the Negeb”​—the semiarid area south of the mountains of Judah. (Genesis 12:9) By keeping on the move and establishing himself as a worshiper of Jehovah in each new location, Abram and his household “publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land.” (Hebrews 11:13) All the while, they avoided getting too close to their pagan neighbors. Christians today must likewise remain “no part of the world.” (John 17:16) While we are kind and courteous to our neighbors and work associates, we are careful not to get entangled in behavior that reflects the spirit of the world alienated from God.​—Ephesians 2:2, 3.

19. (a) Why would nomadic life have presented challenges for Abram and Sarai? (b) What further challenges were looming on the horizon for Abram?

¹⁹ Let us not forget that adjusting to the rigors of nomadic life could not have been easy for either Abram or Sarai. They dined on the products of their flocks instead of on food purchased at one of Ur’s well-stocked bazaars; they lived in tents instead of a well-built home. (Hebrews 11:9) Abram’s days were active; he had much to do in managing his flocks and his servants. Sarai no doubt managed the tasks traditionally done by women of that culture: kneading flour, baking bread, spinning wool, sewing garments. (Genesis 18:6, 7; 2 Kings 23:7; Proverbs 31:19; Ezekiel 13:18) Still, new trials were looming on the horizon. Soon Abram and his household would be confronted with a situation that put their very lives at stake! Would Abram’s faith prove equal to the challenge?

Have Faith Like That of Abraham!

“Those who adhere to faith are the ones who are sons of Abraham.”​—GALATIANS 3:7.

1. How did Abram cope with a new trial in Canaan?

ABRAM had left a life of comfort in Ur in obedience to Jehovah’s command. The inconveniences he experienced in the following years were merely a prelude to the trial of faith that he faced in Egypt. The Bible account says: “Now a famine arose in the land.” How easy it would have been for Abram to feel bitter about his situation! Rather, he took practical steps to provide for his family. “Abram made his way down toward Egypt to reside there as an alien, because the famine was severe in the land.” Abram’s large household would hardly go unnoticed in Egypt. Would Jehovah prove true to his promises and protect Abram from harm?​—Genesis 12:10; Exodus 16:2, 3.

2, 3. (a) Why did Abram conceal his wife’s true identity? (b) In responding to the situation, how did Abram deal with his wife?

² We read at Genesis 12:11-13: “It came about that as soon as he got near to entering Egypt, then he said to Sarai his wife: ‘Please, now! I well know you are a woman beautiful in appearance. So it is bound to happen that the Egyptians will see you and will say, “This is his wife.” And they will certainly kill me, but you they will preserve alive. Please say you are my sister, in order that it may go well with me on your account, and my soul will be certain to live due to you.’” Although Sarai was over 65 years old, she was still strikingly beautiful. That put Abram’s life at risk.a (Genesis 12:4, 5; 17:17) More important, Jehovah’s interests were at stake, for he had said that through Abram’s seed all the nations of the earth would bless themselves. (Genesis 12:2, 3, 7) Since Abram was still childless, it was critical that he remain alive.

³ Abram spoke to his wife about using a ploy they had earlier agreed upon, namely, to say that she was his sister. Note that although he had patriarchal authority, he did not abuse his position but elicited her cooperation and support. (Genesis 12:11-13; 20:13) In this, Abram set a fine example for husbands to exercise loving headship, and Sarai, by demonstrating her subjection, is an example for wives today.​—Ephesians 5:23-28; Colossians 4:6.

4. How should faithful servants of God today conduct themselves when the lives of their brothers are at stake?

⁴ Sarai could say that she was Abram’s sister because she really was his half sister. (Genesis 20:12) Furthermore, he was not under obligation to divulge information to people who were not entitled to it. (Matthew 7:6) Faithful servants of God in modern times heed the Bible’s command to be honest. (Hebrews 13:18) They would never, for instance, lie under oath in a court of law. When the physical or spiritual lives of their brothers are at stake, such as in times of persecution or civil distress, however, they heed Jesus’ counsel to be “cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves.”​—Matthew 10:16; see The Watchtower, November 1, 1996, page 18, paragraph 19.

5. Why was Sarai willing to obey Abram’s request?

⁵ How did Sarai respond to Abram’s request? The apostle Peter describes women like her as “hoping in God.” Sarai could therefore appreciate the spiritual issues involved. Besides, she loved and respected her husband. Sarai thus chose to ‘subject herself to her husband’ and conceal her married status. (1 Peter 3:5) Of course, doing so exposed her to risks. “As soon as Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians got to see the woman, that she was very beautiful. And the princes of Pharaoh also got to see her and they began praising her to Pharaoh, so that the woman was taken to the house of Pharaoh.”​—Genesis 12:14, 15.

Jehovah’s Deliverance

6, 7. In what distressing circumstance did Abram and Sarai find themselves, and how did Jehovah deliver Sarai?

⁶ How distressing this must have been for Abram and Sarai! It appeared that Sarai was in line to be violated. Moreover, Pharaoh, unaware of Sarai’s true marital status, lavished gifts upon Abram, so that “he came to have sheep and cattle and asses and menservants and maidservants and she-asses and camels.”b (Genesis 12:16) What contempt Abram must have felt for these gifts! As bad as things may have looked, Jehovah had not abandoned Abram.

⁷ “Then Jehovah touched Pharaoh and his household with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.” (Genesis 12:17) In some undisclosed way, the true cause of these “plagues” was revealed to Pharaoh. He responded immediately: “With that Pharaoh called Abram and said: ‘What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? Why did you say, “She is my sister,” so that I was about to take her as my wife? And now here is your wife. Take her and go!’ And Pharaoh issued commands to men concerning him, and they went escorting him and his wife and all that he had.”​—Genesis 12:18-20; Psalm 105:14, 15.

8. What kind of protection does Jehovah promise Christians today?

⁸ Today, Jehovah does not guarantee us protection from the ravages of death, crime, famine, or natural disaster. We are promised that Jehovah will always make available protection from things that can endanger our spirituality. (Psalm 91:1-4) He does so primarily by providing us timely warnings through his Word and “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Matthew 24:45) What about the threat of death from persecution? While individuals may be allowed to die, God will never allow the extermination of his people as a whole. (Psalm 116:15) And if death claims some faithful ones, we can be confident of their resurrection.​—John 5:28, 29.

Sacrificing to Keep Peace

9. What indicates that Abram stayed on the move in Canaan?

⁹ With the famine in Canaan evidently over, “Abram went up out of Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the Negeb [the semiarid area south of the mountains of Judah]. And Abram was heavily stocked with herds and silver and gold.” (Genesis 13:1, 2) Local residents would thus see him as a man of power and influence, a mighty chieftain. (Genesis 23:6) Abram had no desire to settle down and become involved with Canaanite politics. Instead, “he made his way from encampment to encampment out of the Negeb and to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at first between Bethel and Ai.” As always, Abram gave priority to Jehovah’s worship wherever he went.​—Genesis 13:3, 4.

10. What problem developed between the herders of Abram and Lot, and why was it important that it be resolved quickly?

¹⁰ “Now Lot, who was going along with Abram, also owned sheep and cattle and tents. So the land did not allow for them to dwell all together, because their goods had become many and they were not able to dwell all together. And a quarrel arose between the herders of Abram’s livestock and the herders of Lot’s livestock; and at that time the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling in the land.” (Genesis 13:5-7) The land did not provide enough water and pasturage to sustain both Abram’s and Lot’s flocks. Tensions and hard feelings thus developed between the herders. Such bickering was unbecoming to worshipers of the true God. If the squabbling continued, a permanent breach might result. So how would Abram handle this situation? He had adopted Lot after the death of Lot’s father, perhaps raising him as his own. As the older one of the two, was not Abram entitled to take the best for himself?

11, 12. What generous offer did Abram make Lot, and why was Lot’s choice unwise?

¹¹ But “Abram said to Lot: ‘Please, do not let any quarreling continue between me and you and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we men are brothers. Is not the whole land available to you? Please, separate from me. If you go to the left, then I will go to the right; but if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.’” Near Bethel there exists what has been called “one of the great view-points of Palestine.” Perhaps from there “Lot raised his eyes and saw the whole District of the Jordan, that all of it was a well-watered region before Jehovah brought Sodom and Gomorrah to ruin, like the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt as far as Zoar.”​—Genesis 13:8-10.

¹² Although the Bible describes Lot as “righteous,” for some reason he did not defer to Abram in this matter, nor does it seem that he sought the older man’s counsel. (2 Peter 2:7) “Lot chose for himself the whole District of the Jordan, and Lot moved his camp to the east. So they separated the one from the other. Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, but Lot dwelt among the cities of the District. Finally he pitched tent near Sodom.” (Genesis 13:11, 12) Sodom was prosperous and offered many material benefits. (Ezekiel 16:49, 50) While Lot’s choice may have seemed wise from a material point of view, it was a poor choice spiritually. Why? Because “the men of Sodom were bad and were gross sinners against Jehovah,” says Genesis 13:13. Lot’s decision to move there would eventually cause his family much grief.

13. How is Abram’s example helpful to Christians who might become involved in a financial dispute?

¹³ Abram, though, displayed faith in Jehovah’s promise that his seed would eventually own the entire land; he did not quibble over a small section of it. Generously, he acted in harmony with the principle later stated at 1 Corinthians 10:24: “Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person.” This is a good reminder for those who might get involved in a financial dispute with a fellow believer. Instead of following the counsel at Matthew 18:15-17, some have taken their brothers to court. (1 Corinthians 6:1, 7) Abram’s example shows that it is better to suffer financial loss than to bring reproach upon Jehovah’s name or to damage the peace of the Christian congregation.​—James 3:18.

14. How was Abram to be blessed for his generosity?

¹⁴ Abram was to be blessed for his generosity. God declared: “I will constitute your seed like the dust particles of the earth, so that, if a man could be able to count the dust particles of the earth, then your seed could be numbered.” How encouraging this revelation must have been for childless Abram! Next, God commanded: “Get up, go about in the land through its length and through its breadth, because to you I am going to give it.” (Genesis 13:16, 17) No, Abram would not be permitted to settle in the comfort of a city. He was to remain separate from the Canaanites. Christians today must likewise stay separate from the world. They do not consider themselves superior to others, but they do not closely associate with any who might lure them to engage in unscriptural conduct.​—1 Peter 4:3, 4.

15. (a) What significance may there have been to Abram’s travels? (b) What example did Abram set for Christian families today?

¹⁵ In Bible times, before a person obtained possession of land, he was entitled to inspect it. Traveling about may thus have served as a continuous reminder that one day this land would belong to Abram’s offspring. Obediently, “Abram continued to live in tents. Later on he came and dwelt among the big trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron; and there he proceeded to build an altar to Jehovah.” (Genesis 13:18) Abram once again demonstrated the high priority he assigned to worship. Are family study, family prayer, and meeting attendance given high priority in your family?

The Enemy Attacks

16. (a) Why are the opening words of Genesis 14:1 ominous in tone? (b) What was the reason for the invasion of the four eastern kings?

¹⁶ “Now it came about in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam,c and Tidal king of Goiim, that these made war.” In the original Hebrew, the opening words (“Now it came about in the days of . . . ”) have an ominous tone, pointing “to a period of trial ending in blessing.” (Genesis 14:1, 2, footnote) The trial began as these four eastern kings and their armies made their devastating invasion of Canaan. Their objective? To squelch the rebellion of the five cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela. Sweeping aside all resistance, they “marched as allies to the Low Plain of Siddim, that is, the Salt Sea.” Lot and his family lived nearby.​—Genesis 14:3-7.

17. Why was Lot’s being taken captive a test of faith for Abram?

¹⁷ The Canaanite kings fiercely resisted the invaders, but they suffered a humiliating defeat. “Then the victors took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food and went on their way. They also took Lot the son of Abram’s brother and his goods and continued on their way. He was then dwelling in Sodom.” News of these devastating events soon reached Abram: “After that a man who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew. He was then tabernacling among the big trees of Mamre the Amorite, the brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner; and they were confederates of Abram. Thus Abram got to hear that his brother had been taken captive.” (Genesis 14:8-14) What a test of faith! Would Abram nurture hard feelings toward his nephew for taking the best of the land? Remember, too, that these invaders came from his homeland, Shinar. To go up against them would be to destroy any possibility of ever returning home. Besides, what could Abram do against an army that the combined forces of Canaan had been unable to defeat?

18, 19. (a) How was Abram able to rescue Lot? (b) Who received credit for this victory?

¹⁸ Abram again put his unquestioning trust in Jehovah. “With that he mustered his trained men, three hundred and eighteen slaves born in his household, and went in pursuit up to Dan. And by night he resorted to dividing his forces, he and his slaves, against them, and thus he defeated them and kept in pursuit of them up to Hobah, which is north of Damascus. And he proceeded to recover all the goods, and he recovered also Lot his brother and his goods and also the women and the people.” (Genesis 14:14-16) In a display of strong faith in Jehovah, Abram led his vastly outnumbered troops to victory, rescuing Lot and his family. Abram now encountered Melchizedek, the king-priest of Salem. “Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine, and he was priest of the Most High God. Then he blessed him and said: ‘Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, Producer of heaven and earth; and blessed be the Most High God, who has delivered your oppressors into your hand!’ At that Abram gave him a tenth of everything.”​—Genesis 14:18-20.

¹⁹ Yes, to Jehovah belonged the victory. Because of his faith, Abram once again got to experience Jehovah’s deliverance. God’s people today do not engage in carnal warfare, but they do face many tests and challenges. Our next article will show how Abram’s example can help us to deal with them successfully.