Abraham was a man favored of God. The Lord said: “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.” Abraham was honored of God because he cultivated home religion and caused the fear of the Lord to pervade his whole household. It is God who says: “I know him, that he will command”—there will be no betraying of sacred trust on his part, no yielding to anyone but God; there is a law, and Abraham will keep it; no blind affection will cloud his sense of right and interfere between God and the souls of his children; that kind of indulgence which is the veriest cruelty will not lead Abraham astray. {5T 547.3}

Abraham var et menneske, der fik Guds gunst. Herren sagde: »Jeg har jo udvalgt ham, for at han skal pålægge sine børn og sine efterkommere at vogte på Herrens vej ved at øve retfærdighed og ret.« Abraham blev æret af Gud fordi han opdyrkede hjemmereligion og fik frygt for (548) Herren til at gennemtrænge hele hans husstand. Det er Gud som siger: »Jeg har jo udvalgt ham, for at han skal pålægge - der sker intet bedrag af den helligede tillid fra hans side, ingen overgivelse til andre end Gud; der er en lov og Abraham vil holde den, ingen blind kærlighed vil omtåge hans fornemmelse for det rigtige og komme ind mellem Gud og hans børns sjæle; den slags føjelighed som er den værste grusomhed, vil ikke lede Abraham bort.