When Abraham grew up, his father arranged a marriage for him with a beautiful bride of their kin named Sarah, who was later renamed by God because she evidenced the faith and virtues of her husband. Her faith is commended by the holy Apostle Paul (Hebrews 11:11), and St. Peter sets her as a model for wives, noting her pure, gentle, quiet, and obedient demeanor towards her husband (1 Pet. 3:6). This sacred couple, Abraham and Sarah, united in both flesh and spirit, were akin to thorns amidst thorns, like sparks among ashes, and like gold among mire. While the nations descended into idolatry, leading lives devoid of God and engaging in unthinkable evils and wickedness, they recognized and believed in the one true God, serving Him with faithfulness and righteousness. They glorified and proclaimed His holy name to whomever they could, guiding them in the knowledge of God. Consequently, God guided them from place to place—from Chaldea to Harran, from Harran to Canaan, from there to Egypt, and back to Canaan—so that His divine name might be known among the unfaithful Gentiles and His greatness magnified. Thus, during those times, Abraham and Sarah stood out as God's chosen vessels, declaring His name before Gentiles and rulers. Their exemplary lives remain a foundation of faith, a reflection of righteousness, and a standard of piety for later generations. This is why the Lord, in the prophecy of Isaiah, calls the corrupt Jewish people to repentance and righteous living, presenting Abraham and Sarah as exemplars, saying: "Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you" (Isaiah 51:2). Here the Lord seems to implore, "Emulate the faith and life of Abraham and Sarah." Some biblical scholars argue that Abraham was the youngest among the sons of Terah, despite the order of mention in Scripture. They believe that Arran was the firstborn of one wife, followed by Nahor, and then Abraham from another wife, with Sarah considered to be Arran's daughter. Arran had three children: Lot, and two daughters, Melchah and Eschah. The Holy Scripture says of Arran: "This is the father of Melchah and the father of Eschah" (Genesis 11:29). Interpreters suggest that Eschah is actually Sarah, as named by Abraham. Melchah was taken as a wife by Nahor, while Eschah was married to Abraham, both being Arran’s brothers. The reason Abraham renamed his wife Eschah to Sarah reflects her reverence for him (as noted by the holy Apostle Peter—1 Pet. 3:6), referring to him as master; likewise, Abraham honored her by calling her mistress. Hence, he named her Sarah, meaning "mistress" in Hebrew. If Eschah, daughter of his brother Arran, was indeed the wife of Abraham, this means Abraham was younger than Arran; he was merely ten years older than Sarah, as can be inferred from the 17th chapter of Genesis, where Abraham asks God, "Shall a son be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah bear a child at ninety years?" (Genesis 17:17). If Abraham were older than his brothers, he would have to be significantly older than Sarah. It is uncommon for a younger brother to marry before his elder siblings, as even natural law forbids this. When Arran had Sarah reach marriageable age, Abraham had not yet taken a wife. Thus, it is evident that Arran was the eldest, followed by Nahor, and then Abraham as the youngest. The fact that Moses mentioned Abraham first among Terah's sons is likely due to his focus on narrating the faith and righteous life of Abraham alone, for from his lineage was to come the promised Messiah. Therefore, let us seek favor not in age alone, but in the virtuous lives that have earned God’s approval. George Kedrin provides insight into how Abraham's faith was born. At the age of twenty-four, he recognized the living God of the heavens, omnipresent and sovereign over all creation, and began to worship Him. He came to know the Creator from observing the visible world, having been taught by his fathers to study the celestial bodies and the nature of the earth and the sea, alongside all the wisdom of the Chaldeans, which his father Farrah, grandfather Nahor, and great-grandfather Seruch possessed. However, they were wise yet foolish, failing to perceive the true God, instead serving the work of human hands, i.e., idols. Blessed Abraham, during his youth, pondered upon the origins of all things: who was responsible for their creation, maintenance, movement, and governance. One night, looking up at the starry sky, he contemplated the source of it all, and at that moment, the light of divine understanding illuminated his mind. Additionally, according to Kedrin, an angel of the Lord actively instructed him. Such a worthy disciple deserved such a teacher! As he acquired knowledge of the one true God and faith, he endeavored to lead his father and brothers to the same understanding, but to no avail; he found none among them who shared his faith, except for his beloved wife Sarah, who believed alongside him, and they prayed together to the true God. In his sixtieth year, realizing he could not convince anyone to abandon idolatry, he grew zealous for God. That night, he secretly burned down the idol temple. Once the temple was aflame, his brothers awakened and rushed to save the idols from destruction. Arran, who took greater care of the idols than anyone else, entered the burning temple and suffered severe burns, ultimately leading to his death. It is said that Arran was the first to die before his parents, and traditionally, no son died before his father. This is recorded in the great Moscow Sobornik, specifically in “The Word about Court and a Serpent,” attributed to St. John Chrysostom. The Jews recount that the Chaldeans were furious with Abraham for destroying the idols and threw him into the fire, but he emerged unharmed through God's protection. When Farrah witnessed this miracle, he marveled, recognized the true God, and forsook the idols, choosing to worship the one true God alongside Abraham from that moment. Afterward, Abraham experienced a divine revelation commanding him to depart from that place, as the holy first martyr Stephen recounted to the Jewish assembly: "Men, brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran, saying, Depart from your land, and from your relatives, and from your father's house, and go to the land which I will show you" (Acts 7:2-3). After receiving this divine command, Abraham persuaded his father Farrah to leave the idolatrous city, as the local populace had caused them much distress and despised Farrah’s godly worship. Thus, Farrah left Chaldea, departing from Ur with his son Abraham, his grandson Lot (the son of Arran), and his granddaughter Sarah, intending to move to Canaan (Nahor remained in Chaldea with the idolaters). Upon arriving in Harran, Farrah decided to settle there. The governor of the Ammonites, Ahior, explained to the Assyrian commander: "These men belong to the Chaldean tribe, previously dwelling in Mesopotamia. Because they refused to worship the gods of their forefathers who lived in Chaldea, they forsook their father's lineage amidst various gods to dwell solely in Canaan; for God commanded them to leave and reside there" (Judith 5:6-9). Farrah did not reach Canaan, remaining in Haran due to his old age and fatigue, where he died at the age of two hundred and five. Nahor arrived in Harran as his father was passing, and together with Abraham, they buried Farrah. Following this, Nahor settled there with his family but did not abandon idol worship, for even his grandson Laban would later prove to be an idolater.
THEOSIS