From Creation to Abraham

I am preaching through a series on Abraham during the Sunday night services at the church I attend. I have been very excited about the subject matter, and planned to teach on this ever since I took a Hebrew exegesis class of Genesis 12-36 last Spring. Abraham occupies such a central place in story in Genesis. The earth is created, people sin, murder, fill the earth with violence, God curses the ground and wipes the slate clean, only have to people refill the earth with the same indolence. Abraham is called out of the cursed humanity, bearing the burden of having a barren wife. Sarah at this point represents as a walking parable, the barren, hopeless state of humanity after Creation. Abraham is called out of his own family line, led to a new land, and given a great promise by God. "In you shall all families of the earth be blessed..." The 'good' creation from the garden which was 'cursed' when sin entered the world now finds a focal redemptive point in Abraham. Abraham's faith is not the cause of this blessing, however, as much as God's faithfulness to his own covenant. That is the central point of Genesis. God will be faithful to his intent for Creation, and faithful to his word as Abraham's God. God is created a new humanity, that will be gathered in Abraham for blessing even as he scatters them from Shinar in a curse of chaos.