Genesis 21-24
There are a number of babies being born and gathered into thankful families in and around our church, but none so longed for as the baby born to Abraham and Sarah, 99 and 90 years old respectively.
In chapter 21, the long-awaited, divinely-promised boy is born. At first, Sarah laughed in disbelief, now she laughs for joy, and down through the ages God’s people laugh with her! As for Abraham, before he believed, and God reckoned his faith to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6), now his faith has become sight. He can hold his little boy!
What will God do for the other son and mother? Does Isaac’s birth mean that God will toss Hagar and Ishmael aside? No! God cares for them and makes provision for them (Genesis 21:15-21).
All seems right with the world now that Abraham and Sarah have a son, and Hagar and Ishmael are cared for. All that’s left to do is settle a water dispute between them and Abimelech’s tribe. But wait…
Is it possible?
Does God command Abraham to kill the very son God had promised? Two things: 1) Yes, God does call us to offer back to Him the gifts He has given us. When we do so, we are imitating the Lord, who gave up His One and Only Son for us. But what about the child sacrifice, the murder that God commanded? 2) Yes, God seems to violate His own code here. This account is quite nearly inexplicable to us. The only help we get are the indications—in the text itself—that Abraham believed God would somehow continue to keep His promise, either through a resurrection or, as it turned out, some other avenue. Read Hebrews 11:17-19, the New Testament commentary on Genesis 22!
It’s a sad day for Abraham and Isaac when Sarah dies, but Abraham turns his grief into one of the most remarkable expeditions in Scripture, sending his trusted servant (possibly, the former heir, Eliezer, from Genesis 15:2) to find a wife for Isaac from the family back in Mesopotamia. The success of this mission is a comfort to Isaac in the loss of his mom and proof to Abraham that God is still keeping His promises!
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
In chapter 21, the long-awaited, divinely-promised boy is born. At first, Sarah laughed in disbelief, now she laughs for joy, and down through the ages God’s people laugh with her! As for Abraham, before he believed, and God reckoned his faith to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6), now his faith has become sight. He can hold his little boy!
What will God do for the other son and mother? Does Isaac’s birth mean that God will toss Hagar and Ishmael aside? No! God cares for them and makes provision for them (Genesis 21:15-21).
All seems right with the world now that Abraham and Sarah have a son, and Hagar and Ishmael are cared for. All that’s left to do is settle a water dispute between them and Abimelech’s tribe. But wait…
Is it possible?
Does God command Abraham to kill the very son God had promised? Two things: 1) Yes, God does call us to offer back to Him the gifts He has given us. When we do so, we are imitating the Lord, who gave up His One and Only Son for us. But what about the child sacrifice, the murder that God commanded? 2) Yes, God seems to violate His own code here. This account is quite nearly inexplicable to us. The only help we get are the indications—in the text itself—that Abraham believed God would somehow continue to keep His promise, either through a resurrection or, as it turned out, some other avenue. Read Hebrews 11:17-19, the New Testament commentary on Genesis 22!
It’s a sad day for Abraham and Isaac when Sarah dies, but Abraham turns his grief into one of the most remarkable expeditions in Scripture, sending his trusted servant (possibly, the former heir, Eliezer, from Genesis 15:2) to find a wife for Isaac from the family back in Mesopotamia. The success of this mission is a comfort to Isaac in the loss of his mom and proof to Abraham that God is still keeping His promises!
Until tomorrow,
Pastor Gary
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