It is intriguing and interesting to observe that the Bible has both general commands and then actual real-life examples or case studies of people actually ignoring or obeying His commands.
The Christian idea of justification by faith, and the proving of such faith, called sanctification, is but one:
Many Bible verses address the topic of justification by faith and the sanctification of souls to show that we actually prove our faith and fear of God.
Abraham, is referred to as, our father in faith, in the Roman Catholic Church's Eucharistic Prayer. I would concur!
In early human history, God waited patiently for the man to fulfill His desire for a family of those who would follow Him. Abraham was also one of Jesus Christ's literal historical ancestors (Luke 3:34), the line of the promised Messiah!
We are introduced to Abram (his initial name) in Genesis 12. Here God told Abram to "get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house." In Genesis 12:3 God promised Abram, "I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you..." Abram did as he was told, (Case Study I Justification, or faith in God's promise).
In Genesis 12:10-20, Abram left Canaan (the land God showed him) and went down to Egypt. Afraid of being killed by the Egyptians, Abram said that his wife Sarai was his sister (she was a half-sister). The Pharaoh admired her and took her as his wife. Despite, being misled, the Pharaoh was cursed (Case Study I Sanctification, or promised fulfilled) for cursing Abram. Genesis 12:17 notes, "...the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai..." After Pharaoh discovered this, he let Sarai and Abram go on their way.
After that Egyptian adventure, Abram, Sarai and his nephew, Lot, went back to Canaan and were blessed materially there. Actually, Lot and Abram split up since they became too numerous for the land to support them. After having to rescue Lot in his newly chosen land, and acknowledging his material blessings, Abram poured out his heart to God in complaint, saying, 'Look, You have given me no offspring...'
Here, in Genesis 15:5, God promised, 'Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.' And he said to him, 'So shall your descendants be.' In Genesis 15:6 we have Case Study II Justification, as the verse says, "And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted to him for righteousness." This is the same type of faith the new Christian possesses. John 3:16 notes, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes (like Abraham, our father, active belief is required) in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
So, we continue with Abraham's literal, historical life. His name is changed to Abraham, meaning "father of many nations." Sarai, getting old, decides to give Abram a child through his servant girl, Hagar. This son, Ishmael grows. But in Genesis 18:8 the promise of a son between Abraham and Sarai is affirmed. Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed for rampant homosexuality (Genesis 19:4-5, 24).
And, after all this, Abraham's wife Sarai gives him a son, Isaac. Abraham was literally 100 years old (Genesis 21:5) when Isaac was born. Case Study II Sanctification, partially.
And, finally Abraham's faith was tested again when God asked him to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering. Only when he was ready to slay him did the Angel of the Lord stop him. Case Study Sanctification II Final for testing Abraham's faith. However, Abraham didn't actually see the descendants as the stars part, but it has happened.
