The main content of Abraham’s life is written in Genesis 11:27-22:20-24. And it’s written in a Hebrew literary structure known as a chiasm.
A chiasm is a literary device in which a sequence of ideas is presented and then repeated in reverse order. The result is a “mirror” effect as the ideas are “reflected” back in the last half of the passage.
This structure helps the reader in several ways.
First, it provides a literary structure to keep track of the story. In modern literature, we use chapters, headings, and spaces with a table of contents to help keep track of the content. But in ancient literature — they didn’t waste precious space on the page with chapter breaks, headings, and so forth. Instead, they would use literary structures, such as chaisms, to help organize the content and make it memorable.
Second, the chiastic structure puts the key component in the center of the chiasm in order to bring it into focus. Everything crescendos and decrescendos toward the center. And the center structure then gives insight into the whole unit.
So here’s how Abraham’s Life breaks down…
So when you see it like this — you have Genesis 15-17 in the center. This is where we are told that Abraham believes and it was credited to him as righteousness. This is where we see Abraham enter into a covenant with God. This is where we see the promises of God further explained and God marking him with the sign of the covenant through circumcision.
Remember, Abraham is faith illustrated. He is the man of faith. And this helps us understand all these other significant moments in his life that are recorded for us in Genesis.
It can also be helpful to see the corresponding parts and study them together to see some of the similarities and how they form and inform each other.
Take Genesis 22 for example. In Genesis 22, Abraham is going through his final test of faith. And it’s written in a way to remind us of his first major test in Genesis 12 when he leaves his homeland to go to the land that God will show him.
Both Genesis 12 and Genesis 22 use the same phrase, “go to the land…” It’s an identical Hebrew phrase. Each one uses a trifold general to specific wording to highlight the object that is testing his faith. In Genesis 12, Abraham is to leave his country, his kindred, and his father’s house. And in Genesis 22 the movement follows the same pattern — Abraham give up your son, your only son, Isaac whom you love.
Both tests are used by God to bring his faith into greater maturity. It’s doing what James 1:2-4 says that trials and testing do to our faith.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
In Chapter 12 Abraham is being tested to walk away from his past as represented in his country and kindred. In Genesis 22, Abraham is being called to give up his future, represented in Isaac. In other words — God is asking Abraham — will you put your whole life in my hands? Abraham — do you trust me completely?
And until Abraham is given an actual opportunity to put his faith into practice, it remains theoretical. God puts Abraham’s faith to the test, not to trap him or harm him, but to grow him and develop him so that he would become perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.