Part 2 – Abraham, Joseph, Moses & the 10 Commandments

The story of Abraham, Abraham A Friend of God

Story Of Abraham: 2000 BC to 1825 BC

{Gen. 12: Through Gen. 25:}

The Story Of Abraham, he is a central figure in the Bible and is considered the father of the Jewish people. He is also an important figure in Christianity and Islam. According to the Bible, Abraham was born in Ur, a city in ancient Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq) around 2000 BCE. God called Abraham to leave his homeland and go to a land that God would show him, which was Canaan (present-day Israel). Abraham obeyed God’s call, and he, along with his wife Sarah and nephew Lot, left their homeland and journeyed to Canaan.

God made a covenant with Abraham, promising him that he would become the father of many nations and that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. However, Abraham and Sarah were childless, and Sarah was past childbearing age. God promised them that they would have a son, and when they were both very old, Isaac was born. Isaac became the father of Jacob, who was later renamed Israel, and his twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel.

Abraham is known for his great faith in God, as demonstrated when he was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac in obedience to God’s command. At the last moment, God provided a ram for the sacrifice instead of Isaac. This event is seen as a foreshadowing of God’s sacrifice of his own son, Jesus, in the Christian faith.

Abraham is revered as a prophet in Islam, where he is known as Ibrahim. The story of Abraham in Islam is similar to that in the Bible, with some differences in detail. Abraham is considered one of the most important prophets in Islam, and he is often referred to as the “friend of God.”

Joseph sold into slavery

1750 BC to 1630 BC:  Joseph Sold As A Slave:

{Gen. 37 Through Gen. 50}

According to the Bible, Joseph was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, who was later renamed Israel. Joseph was favored by his father, which caused jealousy and resentment among his brothers. One day, Joseph’s brothers decided to sell him into slavery and told their father that he had been killed by a wild animal.

Joseph was taken to Egypt and sold as a slave to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. Despite being a slave, Joseph was a hard worker and quickly gained the trust of Potiphar, who put him in charge of his household. However, Potiphar’s wife became infatuated with Joseph and tried to seduce him. When Joseph refused her advances, she accused him of attempted rape, and Potiphar had Joseph thrown into prison.

In prison, Joseph interpreted the dreams of two fellow prisoners, which eventually led to him interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams. Pharaoh was so impressed by Joseph’s interpretation that he appointed him as his chief advisor and put him in charge of managing the food supply during a severe famine.

During the famine, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt to buy food, not realizing that Joseph was the powerful official they were dealing with. Joseph recognized his brothers and tested them before revealing his identity to them. He forgave them for what they had done and invited them and their families to live in Egypt, where they would be provided for during the famine.

The story of Joseph sold into slavery and rising to power in Egypt is a powerful tale of perseverance, forgiveness, and redemption. It is a central story in the Book of Genesis and has inspired countless works of literature, art, and music over the centuries.

Moses and the ten commandments

1570 BC to 1450 BC:  Story Of Moses:

{The Book of Exodus}

According to the Bible, Moses was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and to receive the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. After the Israelites were freed from slavery, they traveled through the desert for several weeks before reaching the base of Mount Sinai.

God summoned Moses to climb the mountain and receive the Ten Commandments on two stone tablets. When Moses reached the top of the mountain, he was instructed to wait for God to reveal the commandments to him. As Moses waited, God spoke to him in a thunderous voice and gave him the Ten Commandments, which he inscribed on the tablets with his finger.

The Ten Commandments were a set of laws that were meant to govern the behavior of the Israelites and to define their relationship with God. They included prohibitions against idol worship, blasphemy, murder, adultery, theft, false testimony, and coveting. The commandments also included instructions to honor parents, keep the Sabbath holy, and have no other gods before God.

When Moses returned from the mountain, he found that the Israelites had grown impatient and had begun to worship a golden calf. Moses was angry at their disobedience and smashed the tablets on which the commandments were written. He then returned to the mountain to receive a new set of tablets, which he brought back to the Israelites.

The Ten Commandments are a set of ethical and religious laws that are fundamental to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. They are considered to be the most important laws given by God to the Israelites through Moses on Mount Sinai, as recorded in the Old Testament of the Bible. 

Here are the Ten Commandments:

  1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
  2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
  3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
  4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
  5. Honor thy father and your mother.
  6. Thou shalt not murder.
  7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
  8. Thou shalt not steal.
  9. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.
  10. Thou shalt not covet anything that belongs to thy neighbor.
The Ten Commandments

These commandments are considered to be the foundation of moral and ethical behavior in many religious traditions, and they continue to be studied, taught, and revered by millions of people around the world today.