Abraham And Moses example essay topic

In the Old Testament, Abraham and Moses were two very prominent leaders chosen by God to do his will. Throughout Genesis and Exodus, both men play important roles in fulfilling God's will. They are put to many tests, given covenants, and communicate constantly with God. Although they have many similarities such as being leaders and men of God, there are also many differences between the two. In terms of leadership, Abraham was a noble leader. Although he grew up in a camp where the notion of one God was not accepted, he eventually manages to become the leader of a tribe and make the people believe in his faith.

He leads them around endlessly from Ur to Canaan, to Egypt, then back to Canaan. His tribe followed him around without much questions. They just followed his leadership. Moses was also a great leader. When he led the Hebrews out of Egypt to the Red Sea, some people questioned Moses saying, "It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert" (Exodus 14: 12). Moses being a calm leader replied, "Do not be afraid.

Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still" (Exodus 14: 13-14). In the mist of his people doubting him and the Egyptians on the chase, Moses reassures his people to put their faith in God. This shows Moses courageous leadership in a time of eminent danger. After they cross the Red Sea, with the help of the Lord parting it, the Red Sea closes on the Egyptians and Moses and his people are safe.

After all this, Moses and his people encounter many struggles such as thirst, hunger, attacks from enemies, however Moses always manages somehow to renew the faith of his people and lead them to the promise land. Just like Abraham, Moses was a worthy leader. They both managed to keep the faith of their people in God and they lead the people to the places they were destined to go. The only difference is that Moses faced more doubt from his people then Abraham did. Although they were similar leaders, they did have a different relationship with God. Abraham from the onset did not question God at all.

Anything that God told him to do, it was done. For example, God asked Abraham, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about" (Genesis 22: 2). Abraham did not question why God wanted him to sacrifice his one and only son; nevertheless, he did not question God and preceded with him command. When they got on the top of the mountain, God saw that Abraham truly had faith in him, thus he sent a ram instead so that Abraham did not have to sacrifice his son. Abraham never had a doubt in God's will and was offering even to sacrifice his own flesh and blood to prove his undoubting faith.

Moses on the other hand, questioned God. When he first encounters God in the form of a fiery bush, Moses questions God's will by asking, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3: 11). Although he meets God in a physical form, he still questioned him with doubts of his own abilities. Unlike Abraham who had unquestioning faith, Moses started out his relationship with God with a lack of faith. Eventually, Moses does develop the same undoubting faith that Abraham processed. Only initially did he have doubts about his relationship with God.

Finally, they both received similar covenants, however they communicated with God in a different way. God told Abraham, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all people on earth will be blessed through you" (Genesis 12: 1-3). These covenants set Abraham on his long journey from Ur, to Canaan, to Egypt, and back to Canaan. Moses gets a message to free God's people and lead them into the promise land.

God specifically states, "So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of the land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey - the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hiv ites, and Jebusites. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt" (Exodus 3: 8, 10). Moses received a similar covenant based on the fact that both he and Abraham were promised a new great land. The only major difference was that Moses had to set the Israelites free first. And although they received similar covenants, they received it in a different way.

When Abraham received his, he got it through prayer. This seems to be dominant during Abraham's days as a leader. He communicated with God mostly thought prayer. When he asked God for advise on what to do about Hagar and her son, he does it though prayer. When he asked God about the wicked city of Sodom, he did it in prayer. And finally when he was about to sacrifice his son, Isaac, he prayed to the Lord.

Moses also talked to God through prayer, but he also got a visual when God took on the form of the burning bush. When Moses was tending to his flock, "There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, Moses! Moses!" (Exodus 3: 2, 4). The first time Moses speaks with God, Moses talks to him in a physical form rather than through prayer. In addition, when Moses was about to part the Red Sea, he talks to God directly rather than through prayer.

God responds "Why are you crying to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground" (Exodus 14: 15). Unlike Abraham, who communicated to God solely through prayer, Moses communicated to God in a physical form and a direct way, in addition to prayer. In conclusion, both Abraham and Moses were great leaders of their people. Moses had the extra burden of freeing them first, however they both ended up convincing their people to put their faith in God and lead them properly.

As far as their relationship with God goes, they both had undoubting faith in the end, but Moses had different relationship with God initially since he questioned himself. Abraham did everything God told him to without question, including almost having to sacrifice his son. They both ended up caring out their respective covenants, both dealing with the promise of a new land filled with glory. The last point is that they communicated a bit differently with God. Moses talked to God directly, in the form of a burning bush, and through prayer. Abraham only conversed with God through prayer.

In short, both men of God had many similarities and differences, in various aspects of their lives and connection with God.