Abraham is a type of God the Father in scriptures. The "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" is mentioned in more than a few places in scripture:

Abraham:

Renamed by God from Abram to Abraham (Gen. 17:5). Abram in Hebrew (~bra) means 'Exalted Father' (from the Hebrew ~ryba with Abiram = "my father is exalted" or "(the) Exalted One is (my) father").

Abraham in Hebrew (~hrba) means 'father of a multitude' or even 'exalted father of a multitude'.

Isaac:

Nearly sacrificed by his father as a sacrifice to God (Gen.22:9). Instead a ram was sacrificed instead of his son. Because Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only begotten son (vs. 16), God promised to make Isaac's descendents as numerous as the stars in heaven. God had earlier made a covenant with Isaac (Gen. 17:19).

Jacob:

Name changed from Jacob (Heb. Ya`aqob, meaning "heel holder") to Israel (Heb. Yisra'el, meaning "God prevails"). Jacob was given this name by a 'man' who prevented him from crossing a stream at night. He wrestled with this 'man' all night until it was daybreak. Jacob would not let the 'man' go unless he was blessed (evidently he was something more than a man), and then the 'man' finally blessed Jacob on the condition that he let him go. The man called Jacob by the new name of Israel, and Jacob called the place Peniel (Heb. "Pnuw'el", meaning "facing God") because Jacob had thought he saw God's face and had lived. It is worthwhile to notice that Jacob had twelve sons. These twelve sons are the "sons of Israel", and they are usually identified as "God's people" in the Hebrew texts.

So, we have an exalted father, a sacrificed only begotten son, and the man who represents God's people as one who overcomes by wrestling all night.

The significance of this triad relationship didn't become important until Christianity when the God of truth was seen as the 'Father', and the only begotten son who was sacrificed by the 'Father', and the 'sons of God' who are the new Israel as mentioned by Paul (Rom. 2:29).

• Abraham is a type of God the Father - wandaqueen - January 2, 2005 - 04:29 UTC