ABRAHAM Almost 4000 years ago God made himself known to a man named Abram. Abram lived in Ur (a city in modern-day Iraq). He was moderately wealthy and came from a good family. One night God came to him. He told Abram to go to Haran (modern-day Israel). Abram listened to his new God and moved to the south-west with his wife Sarai. While on his journey, God came to him again. He told him that he would be the "Father of Many" and that He would protect him and his family and guide them to the Promise Land. In return, Abram and his people must worship only God and be loyal to Him. As a sign of their COVENANT (sacred deal) God had Abram change his name to Abraham (father of many).
Abraham started his new life in the Promised Land. He soon found out that his wife was "barren". So, he had a child with his wife's servant, Hagar. Together they had a son named Ishmael. Sarai was quite jealous and prayed to God for a son of her own. God answered her prayers and she became pregnant. She also had a son, Isaac. Sarai then had Abraham banish Hagar and Ishmael because he now had a legitimate heir.
ISAAC When Isaac was 9 years old God came to Abraham again. God told Abraham that He needed to test his loyalty. God told Abraham that he must sacrifice his son, Isaac, to prove his loyalty. Abraham was heart-broken, but obeyed. He built a sacrificial altar and was about to stab his son when God's voice stopped him. God told him that he truly was a loyal servant and that he need not kill his son.
Isaac had two sons of his own, Esau and Jacob. Esau was favoured by his father and Jacob was favoured by his mother. Esau was older, thus he stood to inherit the family's wealth. Esau came home from hunting one day and was starving because he had not caught anything. Jacob had made a stew and Esau demanded some. Jacob said he would trade his stew for Esau's birthright. Esau agreed.
When Isaac was dying (blind, deaf, old) he called for Esau to give him his blessing. Esau wasn't home, so Jacob went instead knowing that his brother had given him his birthright. Isaac didn't know the difference, so he blessed Jacob. When Esau found out he was enraged and threatened to kill Jacob. Jacob ran away to save his life. While in the wilderness God came to Jacob. He told Jacob that he had been chosen to carry on the covenant of his father and grandfather. Jacob accepted. As a sign of the covenant Jacob had his name changed to Israel (father of nations).