Abraham was born into an idol worshipping family in a time that paganism was widespread throughout civilization.

Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Long ago your fathers—Terah father of Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. Joshua 24:2

Idolatry is an abomination in the eyes of the Most High because it opposes His plan in creating mankind.

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27

We need to remember that from the beginning, God created mankind to be His representative on earth. He was given dominion over everything and was the image of God.

Sin broke this partnership and mankind began to multiply far from the Creator. With Noah came the attempt to begin mankind all over again, with him as the model. Time passed, his descendants turned away once again, and false gods began to multiply. In the end there were gods of every type and preference!

When God called Abraham to leave Harran and his father’s house at the age of 75, and go to a land that He would show him, He did it solely to separate him from this pagan faith.

The absolute obedience of Abraham pleased God and set in motion the plan to create a nation through which the One who would bless all the people of the earth would be born. The truth is, the gospel did not begin with Matthew, but with Genesis! Abraham was the harbinger of the gospel!

Those who looked at Abraham saw the image of God Himself, both in his conduct and in his quality of life. Through Jesus and the person of the Holy Spirit, everyone who looks to Abraham, who lives out a sacrificial faith, will also reflect the image of the Most High God.

When a person receives the baptism in the Holy Spirit he becomes this living image on earth. Whoever looks at him, sees God Himself! This is what Jesus revealed to us:

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father. So how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” John 14:8-9

God doesn’t want to be seen in your life through an image made with human hands. He wants you to represent Him through your character and through a quality life. We look to Abraham!