God called Abraham to be a teacher of His word, He chose him to be the father of a great nation, because He saw that Abraham would instruct his children and his household in the principles of God's law. And that which gave power to Abraham's teaching was the influence of his own life. His great household consisted of more than a thousand souls, many of them heads of families, and not a few but newly converted from heathenism. Such a household required a firm hand at the helm. No weak, vacillating methods would suffice. Of Abraham God said, "I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him." Genesis 18:19. Yet his authority was exercised with such wisdom and tenderness that hearts were won. The testimony of the divine Watcher is, "They shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." Genesis 18:19. And Abraham's influence extended beyond his own household. Wherever he pitched his tent, he set up beside it the altar for sacrifice and worship. When the tent was removed, the altar remained; and many a roving Canaanite, whose knowledge of God had been gained from the life of Abraham His servant, tarried at that altar to offer sacrifice to Jehovah.

Gud kaldte Abraham til at undervise i sit ord. Han udvalgte ham til at være fader for et stort folk, fordi han så, at Abraham ville oplære sine børn og sit hus efter grundreglerne i Guds lov. Og det, som gav Abrahams lære kraft, var påvirkningen fra hans eget liv. Hans store husholdning omfattede mere end tusinde sjæle, hvoraf mange var familieoverhoveder og ikke få for ganske nylig var blevet omvendt fra hedenskabet. En sådan husholdning krævede en fast hånd ved roret. En svag og vaklende fremgangsmåde ville ikke være tilstrækkelig. Om Abraham sagde Gud:»Jeg har jo udvalgt ham, for at han skal pålægge sine børn og sine efterkommere at vogte på Herrens vej.« 1Mos. 18,19. Dog blev denne myndighed udøvet med en sådan visdom og kærlighed, at det vandt hjerterne for ham. Den guddommelige vægters ord lyder således: de skal»vogte på Herrens vej ved at øve retfærdighed og ret.« 1 Mos. 18,19. Og Abrahams indflydelse strakte sig ud over hans eget hus. Hvor som helst han opslog sit telt, rejste han et alter ved siden af for at kunne ofre og tilbede. Når teltet blev flyttet, blev alteret stående; og mangen omflakkende kana'anæer, der havde fået sin viden om Gud gennem hans tjener Abrahams liv, tøvede ved alteret for at ofre til Jehova.