Father Abraham and Monotheism

by Christine
(Whistler, BC Canada)

I believe it is a fallacy to say Abraham was the founder of Monotheism. You could state Abraham was the father of Judaism, but definitely NOT the belief of there being only one God. The Bible states clearly that in the Beginning God created everything, from Adam and Eve onwards they DID worship one God until the world grew to extremes and during the time of Noah it was a corrupt evil filled world that God destroyed.

"Abram" came way after the flood. He was a pagan from Chaldea who worshiped other gods, but God did reveal Himself to Abram and Abram did trust Him and left for Canaan. There were others, such as Melchizedek king of Salem (ancient Jerusalem) that still worshiped the One True God of Heaven and Earth. Abram in Genesis 12-14 paid homage to Melchizedek as a true priest to the One True God, who was nameless at this point even to Abraham! God did not reveal His name until the time of Moses. But my point is there were others who also believed in and woshiped the One True God which was an ongoing belief in monotheism since the time of creation. Later this God of the Bible later revealed His name to be "I AM" to Moses when he led them Israelites out of Egypt.

Genesis 14

After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said,
“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”
And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have lifted my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre take their share.”

(Genesis 14:17-24 ESV)

Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”’

(Exodus 3:13-17 ESV)