Abraham

Long ago, God spoke to a man called Abram. He told Abram to leave home and go to a new land. God promised to make Abram’s family a great nation and give them that land. Through Abram’s family, God would bless people all over the world.

So Abram set off with his wife, Sarai. They lived in tents. But they had no children. God took Abram outside. He told Abram to look up and count the stars, if he could. Abram’s family would be like the stars, too many to count! Abram believed God.

They waited many years. Then God gave them new names. Abram became Abraham, and Sarai became Sarah. At last, when Abraham was 100 years old, Sarah had a baby boy, Isaac. God had kept his promise!

Isaac’s son Jacob tricked his brother and his father. But God still promised to be with him, and gave him a new name, Israel. Jacob had twelve sons. He loved Joseph most, so Joseph’s brothers hated him. They sold him to traders, who took him to Egypt.

Joseph was made a slave. Then he was unfairly put in prison. But God was with him. God helped Joseph explain the dreams of the king of Egypt. Seven years with lots of food were coming, then seven hungry years. So the king put Joseph in charge of all Egypt, to store up food. In the hungry years, Joseph’s brothers came to buy food.

Joseph told them who he was, and forgave them. Then Jacob’s whole family moved to Egypt. The brothers planned to harm Joseph, but God planned it for good. Many, many years later, Jesus was born into Abraham’s family. Through Jesus, God rescues and blesses people all over the world, just as he promised Abraham.