G-d question

Who was this god of Abraham that seems to tie Islam, Judaism and Christianity together? Abraham seems to predate the split; who the heck is he? Does he predate Christ?

Do vague memories of Zoraster and Mazda mean anything in the current mix?

Well, that’s all big stuff. I guess my current question boils down to who was Abraham?

Abraham was the man who first theorized monotheism. In the paganistic world of 18th-century-BC Babylon, he became an outspoken believer in a single diety controlling all aspects of reality. If you believe what the Bible says about him (and G-d), he achieved prophecy and communicated with G-d, and G-d promised that his descendants would inherit the land currently known as Israel.

His eldest son, born of a maidservant, was Ishmael, who is considered by Arabs and Jews to be the forefather of the Arabs. His second son, born of his actual wife, was Isaac, the forefather of the Jews (descendants of his son Jacob; his son Esau became a pagan and is not really germane to the OP). Judaism was based on this monotheism since that very beginning.

Christ was a Jew, thus a descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. His teachings, heretical to the mainstream of Judaism, form the basis of Christianity, though most of today’s Christians are converts to said teachings and not physical descendants of Abraham.

The descendants of Ishmael also became pagans, but returned to Abrahamic monotheism when Mohammed arose, in the 7th century, and originated Islam. Islam was eventually spread to non-Abrahamic people as well.

Zoroaster and Mazda do not play into the historical significance of Abraham.

…and don’t be afraid to put the ‘O’ in between ‘G’ and ‘D’. ;j

Also not germane to the OP, but I’m going to mention it anyway, in addition to being the forefather of the Arabs, Jews, and Edomites, he was also the forefather of the Midianites, the Medanites, the Asshurites, the Letushites, the Leumites, and the people of Sheba.