Comparing and Contrasting Abraham and Moses in the Bible. Describe their differences in faith, if they challenged or questioned God, their...

Both Abraham
and Moses have life-changing encounters with God. They react to these experiences with faith and
perseverance, placing their future and that of their family in the hands of the God they met and
loved.

Abraham, whose name was changed from Abram by God, receives an
incredible promise, or covenant, from God when he is 99 years old. Genesis 17 tells of God's
promise to make the childless Abraham the father of a great nation which will be given the land
of Canaan and will be loved by God for all eternity. As a sign of acceptance of this blessing,
every male in Abraham's family is to be circumcized.

Abraham is incredulous
in response to the promise that he and his wife will have a child, but he accepts God's word.
When Isaac is born, as told in Genesis 21, Abraham delights in his son but recognizes that Isaac
is a gift from God. When God asks Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering in Genesis 22,
there is no hesitation to obey God's direction - which brings confirmation of God's blessings
upon all generations of Abraham's family.

Moses, on the other hand, is not
quick to agree to God's directions when he first encounters him. In Exodus 3, Moses hears the
voice of God come out of the burning bush, directing him to go to Pharaoh and demand that the
Hebrew slaves be allowed to leave Egypt. Moses vigorously argues against these directions,
explaining in Exodus 4 that he will not be able to communicate adequately to deliver such a
message. With Aaron at his side and with God providing the 10 plagues, Pharaoh does send the
slaves away under Moses's leadership. Moses spends much of the next 40 years arguing with the
people as they complain against him and God, asking God why he has been chosen to lead such an
ungrateful group of people, and praising God for his continuing presence and love. Exodus 16
tells of the people demanding food in the wilderness, and Moses explaining the provision of
manna and quail. Exodus 19-20 tell of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments from God; Exodus 32
tells of Moses's reaction to Aaron's creation of the golden calf in response to the people's
demands while Moses was away.

In the end, both Abraham and Moses are found to
be faithful servants of the living God.