What was so special about the Patriarch Abraham,that caused him to be chosen ?

Question

A father of many nations.

Answer 1

He was the first to believe the voice in his head.

Answer 2

Abraham is a great story. I think it is such a great story because it illustrates how God can use normal, everyday people in the world to do amazing things. I think what makes Abraham so special is that he was a man of great faith. He was asked to do many things that required going against the grain. And for that God rewarded him by the blessing of offspring.

Answer 3

Nothing was special. He was taken out of an idotatous nation. He was no more special than anyone else.

The only real difference that I can see in the Scriptures is that rather than try to work to please God, Abraham believed God Who justifies the ungodly and that was what made Abraham righteous. (see Romans 4) He trusted in the Lords righteousness in Jesus Christ and that is what pleases God. He was justified by faith in Jesus Christ. (John 8)

Answer 4

Abraham trusted the Lord and walked by faith, God called Abraham His friend

God chose the Jews, (the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) to bring redemption to the world through Jesus Christ, the Savior. God made a Covenant with Abraham which establishes this very fact. God chose the Jews to be a people separated unto God. Through the Jews, God revealed Himself to mankind. The Jews were a people through whom the salvation (Messiah) would come to the whole world.

Through Abraham, God established for Himself a people who would worship the One True and Living God in the midst of universal polytheism. The Jews were to be a witness and a light for Him in the earth. God performed many wonderful miracles in their midst. The whole world heard about the Jews and were afraid of "their God." God not only enabled them to win battle after battle over their enemies but the LORD fought the battles for them. Unfortunately, time and time again, they turned to other gods and worshipped idols and forgot the Lord of Heaven and by their disobedience came warnings of judgment and then after
time, the judgment ... but God did not forget His covenant made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Answer 5

Because he actually listened to the voice of his wife, Sarah, and took her opinions into consideration.

Answer 6

Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3.
He believed in God and it was credited to him as righteousness.
It was his absolute faith in God.

Answer 7

He was exceptionaly pious and rightous, as well rich (by the standards of the time).

Answer 8

Because, more than his fathers, and more than anyone else around, he was sincerely seeking to follow God and to know how he could do his will. Check out the following, from the Book of Abraham (an extra-biblical text):

2 And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers.
3 It was conferred upon me from the fathers; it came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time, yea, even from the beginning, or before the foundation of the earth, down to the present time, even the right of the firstborn, or the first man, who is Adam, or first father, through the fathers unto me.
4 I sought for mine appointment unto the Priesthood according to the appointment of God unto the fathers concerning the seed.
5 My fathers, having turned from their righteousness, and from the holy commandments which the Lord their God had given unto them, unto the worshiping of the gods of the heathen, utterly refused to hearken to my voice;
16 And his voice was unto me: Abraham, Abraham, behold, my name is Jehovah, and I have heard thee, and have come down to deliver thee, and to take thee away from thy father’s house, and from all thy kinsfolk, into a strange land which thou knowest not of;
17 And this because they have turned their hearts away from me, to worship the god of Elkenah, and the god of Libnah, and the god of Mahmackrah, and the god of Korash, and the god of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; therefore I have come down to visit them, and to destroy him who hath lifted up his hand against thee, Abraham, my son, to take away thy life.
18 Behold, I will lead thee by my hand, and I will take thee, to put upon thee my name, even the Priesthood of thy father, and my power shall be over thee.
19 As it was with Noah so shall it be with thee; but through thy ministry my name shall be known in the earth forever, for I am thy God.

Abraham was chosen because he desired to be chosen and to serve the Lord.

Answer 9

He walked with God and God called Abraham His friend.
When one walks with God, they have full faith in Him and trust Him(YHWH) completely.