Abraham - A Friend of God

ONE of the places where people went to live after the Flood was called Ur. It became an important city with some nice homes in it. But the people there worshiped false gods. That was the way they did in Ba'bel too. The people in Ur and Ba'bel were not like Noah and his son Shem, who kept on serving  Jehovah.

Finally, 350 years after the flood, faithful Noah died. It was just two  years later that Abraham was born. He was a very special person to God. He lived with his family in that city of Ur.

One day Jehovah told Abraham:  'Leave Ur and your relatives, and to a country I will show you.' Did Abraham obey God and leave behind all the comforts of Ur?  Yes, he did. And it was because Abraham always obeyed God that he came to be known as God's friend.

Some of Abraham's family went along with him when he left Ur. His Father Te'rah did. So did his nephew Lot. And, of course, Abraham's wife Sarah went too. In time, they all arrived  at a place called Ha'ran, where Te'rah died.  They were far away from Ur.

Next time: Conclusion of Abraham - A Friend of God

From the jw.org publications