DAY 3-Why It’s A BIG MISTAKE To Call Abraham ‘The First Jew’ Or The ‘The First Israelite’

The history of Israel begins with one man named Abraham.

Why do we start with Abraham?

Because he is the one with whom God not only made an eternal covenant but it is from Abraham’s seed that the Hebrew race sprang.

However, there is one big mistake a lot of folks make when talking about Abraham.

A lot of folks make the mistake of calling Abraham “the first Jew” or “the first Israelite”.

While it is true that Abraham is the forefather of the Jews, it is incorrect to call him the first “Jew” or “Israelite” because the term “Israelite” didn’t even come into existence until God changed Abraham’s grandson’s name from “Jacob” to “Israel”

And the term Jew didn’t even come about until the tribe of Judah came into existence.

That is why it is incorrect to apply the term “Jew” or “Israelite” to Abraham.

Onward.

Abraham was born in an area known as the Fertile Crescent.

This title makes sense because the Fertile Crescent was located in the flood plain that flowed between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and…

…the regular flooding that occurred in this area guaranteed a regular input of rich silt that made this region perfect for farmers to grow their crops.

We know for a period of time that Abraham lived in Mesopotamia in a city-state called Ur.

Today this area falls within the borders of present day Iraq. 

We also know from archaeological excavations that Ur was the center of moon-god worship.

In terms of genealogical origins, Abraham’s father was Terah who was a descendent of Shem.

And Shem was one of Noah’s three sons.

Recall the names of Noah’s three sons: Shem, Ham, Japheth.

The prophecy pronounced concerning Shem was as follows:

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem!
 May Canaan be the slave of Shem.
May God extend Japheth’s territory;
may Japheth live in the tents of Shem,
and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”
-Genesis 9:26-27

What’s interesting is that during Abraham’s time, only 350 years had passed since the great flood had occurred.

My point is…

…Noah was still living when Abraham was born.

So if you were alive in 2000 BC you could have had a conversation with Noah himself about the devastating worldwide flood that had wiped out the entire human race save for only 8 people (Noah and his family).

CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT

“If you belong to Messiah,
then you are Abraham’s seed,
and heirs according to the promise.”
-Galatians 3:29

“And do not think you can say to yourselves,
‘We have Abraham as our father.’
I tell you that out of these stones God
can raise up children for Abraham.“
-Matthew 3:9