Abram as Israel

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In this articles, we going are to see that Scripture presents Adam as a representative of Israel  Adam as the first human’s expulsion from Eden anticipates Israel’s exile. Adam is not the only figure, however, that the writers of Genesis pattern on the future experiences of Israel. 

  Abram, too, foreshadows the future experience of Israel when he enters Egypt and comes back out again; in Abram, we find an early rendition of Israel’s exodus.

After Abram and his family come into Canaan, Scripture notes, “famine was in the land . Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.

Gen.12.10 - And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

Just as Abram goes down into Egypt due to severe famine, the Israelites end up in Egypt because of famine: “The sons of Israel came to buy [food in Egypt]… for the famine was in the land of Canaan” 

(42:5). Indeed, these are the very “sons of Israel” , says Exodus, “who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household” (Exodus 1:1). In going down to Egypt because of famine, Abram’s journey points to that of Joseph’s brothers – the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel.

When Abram tells Pharaoh that Sarai is his sister, and Pharaoh takes her into his house, “the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues ” (Gen 12:17).

   This scriptures make it clear precursor to when God later afflicts Pharaoh with plagues. Speaking of the slaying of the first born of Egypt, God tells Moses, “I will bring one more plague upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; afterwards, he will send you out” (Exod 11:1). Just as the final plague got Pharaoh to “send out” the Israelites in the exodus, Genesis records of Abram that the Pharaoh also “sent him away” along with Sarai (Gen 12:20). 

   All the way back in Genesis 12, the writer offers a foretaste of what will happen in Moses’ day; just as Adam anticipates Israel’s Exile, Abram anticipates the nation’s Exodus. Based on the similarities between these events in the lives of Abram and Israel, we can affirm the rabbis' assertion that "whatever was written about Abraham was [also] written of his children [Israel]" (Genesis 40:6).

OUR mandate is to preserve the faith of the Apostolic Generation.

Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.

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