Know this; our concept of ‘time’ is NOT God’s concept at all! How many children did Abraham have? According to the Bible (Genesis 25), Abraham had eight (8) biological sons with three different women. While Isaac is frequently highlighted as the “only” son in the context of the covenant, Abraham fathered Ishmael (via Hagar), Isaac (via Sarah), and six sons with his later wife, Keturah: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
We need to know that Jesus
Key Details on Abraham’s Sons:
Ishmael: The first son, born to Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian maid.
Isaac: The second son, born to Sarah, Abraham’s wife. He was the promised heir.
Six Sons of Keturah: After Sarah died, Abraham married Keturah, who bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
Biblical Context:
Galatians 4:22: Mentions Isaac and Ishmael, but not the sons of Keturah.
Hebrews 11:17: Refers to Isaac as Abraham’s “one and only son,” referring to him as the son of the covenant promise.
Significance: Isaac became the patriarch of the Israelites, while Ishmael and Keturah’s sons became fathers of other tribes.
In John 8:56, Jesus stated, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad”. This refers to Abraham perceiving the future coming of the Messiah (Jesus’ “day”) through faith in God’s promises, or potentially witnessing a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ (theophany) in Genesis 18.
Interpretations of how Abraham saw Jesus include:
By Faith and Promise: Abraham believed God’s covenant promise (Genesis 12, 15, 22) that through his “seed” (identified as Christ in Galatians 3:16) all nations would be blessed.
Prophetic Vision: God granted Abraham a forward-looking vision of the messianic age, allowing him to see the future redemption.
Theophanic Appearance (Genesis 18): Some theologians, as noted in discussions on Reddit/r/Bible, believe the “Lord” who appeared to Abraham as one of the three visitors at Mamre was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ.
A theophany is a temporary, tangible, and visible manifestation of God in the Bible, primarily occurring in the Old Testament to communicate with humanity. These divine encounters often appear as human figures, fire, or natural phenomena to confirm covenants, provide direction, or display God’s presence. Key examples include the burning bush, the pillar of cloud at Sinai, and God’s appearances to Abraham and Jacob.
Key Characteristics and Purpose
Definition: Derived from Greek theos (God) and phaneia (appear), a theophany is a temporary, sensory appearance of God.
Purpose: These moments serve to initiate encounters, deliver divine commands, provide comfort, or bring judgment.
Common Forms: God appears as the “Angel of the Lord,” in human form, as a burning bush, or through cloud and fire.
Context: Frequently occur during crucial covenant-making moments, such as with Abraham and Moses.
Prominent Theophanies in the Bible
The Burning Bush (Exodus 3:2): God appears to Moses to commission him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
Abraham’s Visitors (Genesis 18:1): God, accompanied by two angels, visits Abraham in human form.
Jacob’s Wrestling (Genesis 32:22-30): Jacob wrestles with a man identified as God, calling the place Peniel.
Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:9-11): A terrifying display of fire, smoke, and thunder, where Moses and leaders see God.
Elijah’s “Still Small Voice” (1 Kings 19:12): A quieter, auditory theophany.
Theophany vs. Christophany
While a theophany is any appearance of God, some theologians distinguish a Christophany as a pre-incarnate appearance of the Son of God (the Second Person of the Trinity), often identifying this with the “Angel of the Lord” who speaks with divine authority.
The Ultimate Theophany
The New Testament portrays the incarnation of Jesus Christ as the ultimate, permanent, and definitive theophany—God coming in the flesh, rather than a temporary manifestation.
From the Afterlife: Some suggest Abraham, from the realm of the dead, witnessed the coming of Jesus.
The statement was part of a dialogue where Jesus asserted his divine existence, stating, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).