‘Father of the whole world.’

I’ve been reading some of the Berakhot Sefaria, part of the Talmud, about the rules of blessings and prayers in the Jewish faith. Reading through it, I came across an important discussion on why Abraham’s name was changed from Abram to Abraham.

In Berakhot 13a. 1-15, in the William Davidson Talmud, it says that his name was Abram because he was a father and minister to Aram. Aram was the son of Shem (Genesis 22:21), making him the grandson of Nahor, Abraham’s brother.

Getting back to Abram’s name change. In Genesis 12:1-3, we read the blessing of God on Abram. In verse 3 we read, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all people on earch will be blessed through you.” It wasn’t until Genesis 17 that God changes his name from Abram to Abraham. Genesis 12 tells us that when God called Abram he was 75 years old (v. 4). However, in Genesis 17, we find that Abram is now 99 years old, and still doesn’t have a son.

In Genesis 17, God spoke to Abram and changed his name from Abram – father of Aram to Abraham, father of many nations. Berakhot 13a puts it this way, “…with God’s blessing he became the father of the entire world…”

Paul speaks of Abraham in Galatians. He doesn’t speak of Abram, father of Aram, but of Abraham, father of the entire world. Why? Because it’s from his seed, as Paul says, Christ himself who fulfills the blessing God gave to Abraham and became a blessing not only to a nation but to the world.

From the very beginning, God called Abraham, father of the whole world, to bless the world through his seed, Jesus Christ. It’s through Jesus, the seed of Abraham, that we, the entire world, can inherit the promises of God, that is the Kingdom of God.

I don’t know if that blesses you like it does me, but I am thankful Abram listened to God. I’m thankful God changed Abram’s name to Abraham. I’m thankful Jesus, the seed of Abraham, became the blessing to the whole world, fulfilling the promise to Abraham.

Praise God!!!