Of Sons and Sacrifice - Part 1 (Genesis 21:1–21; 22:1–24)

“Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.” (Genesis 21:2, NIV).

A child is a joy to most expectant parents.  But what if you were nearly 100 years old?   “Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”” (Genesis 21:6, NIV). Abraham obeyed God and named the boy Isaac (17:19) and also obeyed Him in the rite of circumcision (17:12).    "Both Abraham and Sarah at first laughed in disbelief (17:17; 18:12), but when Isaac was born Sarah laughed for joy at the supernatural work of grace (v. 6)." [1]

"Abraham was 75 years old when he originally responded to God’s call by leaving his home (12:4). Twenty-five years have passed since God promised Abraham that he would make him a great nation (12:2)." [2]   As the passage reminds us, God is faithful to His Word.  ". . . the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised . . . at the very time God had promised him." [3]   In Genesis 18:10 (NIV), God said to them:

"¹⁰ Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him."

Faith is always trusting in the revealed Word of God -- always.  Today we often hear of people who are trusting in their faith, but that is not faith.  Apart from correctly hearing and believing the Word of God there is no faith.  My advice, always to Christians is to rest only on the properly interpreted, objective, Word of God -- the Bible.  For those areas where God does not give specific promises, He gives us confidence to trust in Him and His character.

“And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.” (Hebrews 11:11–12, NIV).

Father, to us who are so dependent and so depraved, You have give to us Your Book -- Your Word. Outside of this precious Book, there is no object strong enough; there is no object wise enough; and there is no object perfect enough to trust in.  You have given to us sufficient promises to live life with great joy.  In Your Will You have revealed to us that You are faithful, that You will cause all things to work together for the good of Your people; and You will not abandon those whom You have set Your electing love upon.  We are truly blessed.   Father, help me in my unbelief to trust You more today and rest solely upon Your grace.  Amen.

_________________________________________

1.  Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Ge 21:3). Nashville: T. Nelson.

2. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ge 21:5). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

3. The New International Version. 2011 (Ge 21:1–2). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan

God’s Faithfulness Despite Relapse – Part 3 (Genesis 20:1-18; 21:22-34)

“At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do.” (Genesis 21:22, NIV)

The inspired historian records the birth of Isaac after the debacle with Abimelek.  But there is one more segment in the Abraham, Abimelek story before we deal with the birth of Isaac.  Not only did Abimelek recognize that Abraham was a prophet but he also recognized that Abraham was fearfully more powerful than he -- because he had God on his side.  So to protect his interests he comes to Abraham to establish a treaty.

“Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.” Abraham said, “I swear it.”” (Genesis 21:23–24, NIV)

"Abraham and Abimelech make a covenant to deal honestly with each other (vv. 23–24). Abraham originally dealt falsely with Abimelech by telling him that Sarah was his sister." [1] But now they promise to tell the truth.  So in keeping with that, and to make sure the slate is clean, Abraham brings up an issue of contention.  Abraham had to confront Abimelek about a well Abimelek's servants had seized.  Abimelek responded to Abraham that he wasn't aware of the problem. So they went ahead and made a covenant.

"The oaths were in God’s name . . . By accepting the gift, Abimelech was obliged to acknowledge Abraham’s right to the well. The covenant had to be ratified by witnesses and oaths (v. 31) . . . The planting of this small tree in the Negev probably served as a landmark of God’s grace, a pledge that Abraham would stay in the land, and perhaps as a symbol of God’s shading presence." [2]

It was there that "called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God." [3] That is El Olam in Hebrew. "The everlasting God would be 'a logical epithet of a Deity called upon to support a formal treaty … expected to be valid for all time'" [4] Later, the prophet Isaiah would record these words:

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.” (Isaiah 40:28, NIV).

Elmer Towns comments that by calling on God as El Olam, Abraham was calling on the One Who is always and eternally available to us....People today need just such a God as the eternal, unchangeable Lord, El Olam. [5]

• Brenton Brown & Ken Riley [6] co-wrote this popular song, sung by Chris Tomlin:

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

_______________________________________________

1. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ge 21:22–34). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.  

2. Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Ge 21:23–33). Nashville: T. Nelson.

3.  The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Ge 21:33–34). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

4. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (60). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

5. http://www.preceptaustin.org/el_olam-everlasting_god.htm

6. 2005 Thankyou Music (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

God’s Faithfulness Despite Relapse – Part 2 (Genesis 20:1-18; 21:22-34)

“Then Abimelech brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him.” (Genesis 20:14, NIV)

This deceitfulness of Abraham was not sudden failure or unexpected trap.  According to verse 13, this guise was a plan that Abraham and Sarah determined to do even before they left their home of origin.  There is not even a hint that Abraham thought he did anything wrong (from Genesis 12).  This was their survival plan. But again, God interferes to preserve His plans and purposes.

There seems to be something that is often true to me. The integrity of the unsaved can at times exceed the morality of a believer, especially when they are not walking in that belief.  God’s Word is making a sharp contrast here. Abraham is the friend of God, the Father of the faithful, yet Abimelech is acting as the ‘righteous one’.  “The king’s actions are a very public affirmation that he has not acted inappropriately toward Sarah, and thus he is not the father of any children she may have.”^[1] This has huge consequences, if not, true on the story of redemption.

“Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelech’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.” (Genesis 20:17–18, NIV)

Now we see into another aspect of pressure that God had applied to this nation.  But in spite of that, God allows Abraham to pray for them, for their healing and that he might be a blessing to them.  “Abimelech’s large gift of a thousand pieces of silver (no coins existed at this time, so pieces is not accurate, everything was weighed) was proof of his high esteem for Abraham and Sarah and would serve to stop any scoffing on the part of her household.”^[2] (“To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”” (Genesis 20:16, NIV)).

“This is the first use of the word “prophet” in the O.T.”.^[3]  “The ordinary Hebrew word for prophet is nâbi, derived from a verb signifying “to bubble forth” like a fountain; hence the word means one who announces or pours forth the declarations of God. The English word comes from the Greek prophetes (προφητης), which signifies in classical Greek one who speaks for another, specially one who speaks for a god, and so interprets his will to man; hence its essential meaning is “an interpreter.”^[4]  In spite of Abraham’s fear and failure, Abimelech still viewed Abraham as a prophet of God – one who represents or speaks for God.

Father what grace is extended to Abraham that retains his honor and dignity in the face of such a precarious testimony. I am warned in my heart, Lord, that this is no excuse for sin or failure to trust You. But what matchless grace! I think of the Shepherd’s Song that reminds me that “grace and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.”  Lord how I need that.  You know my heart – a heart that is proud, a heart that manufactures idols – and yet You grant my life dignity and purpose in the Gospel. May the perfection of Christ be seen in my life today?

---

^[1] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (85). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

^[2] KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (57). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[3] Believer’s Study Bible. 1991 (W. A. Criswell, P. Patterson, E. R. Clendenen, D. L. Akin, M. Chamberlin, D. K. Patterson & J. Pogue, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (Ge 20:7). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[4] Smith, W. (1986). Smith's Bible Dictionary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

God’s Faithfulness Despite Relapse – Part 1 (Genesis 20:1-18; 21:22-34)

“Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar,” (Genesis 20:1, NIV)

“The Sodom and Gomorrah narrative places Abraham in Mamre—Hebron. The Negeb is the desert area between Canaan and Egypt, southward toward the Sinai Peninsula. Shur was the location of a defensive wall in the eastern Nile delta. The city of Gerar was in the western Negeb, west or northwest of Beer-sheba.”^[1] “and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.” (Genesis 20:2, NIV). “The Philistine king of Gerar in the time of Abraham.”^[2] 

If this story sounds familiar, it is.  We encountered a similar event in Chapter 12:11-13.  “There is also no mention of Sarah’s beauty, and we already know that she is well past childbearing age (18:11 and note). It is possible that the goal of taking Sarah in marriage would be to form an alliance with Abraham, a man of great wealth and reputation.”^[3] “On the brink of Isaac’s conception (18:10–14; 21:1, 2), the program of redemption through the seed of Abraham was placed in jeopardy.”^[4] 

“But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation?” (Genesis 20:3–4, NIV)

Abimelech know he had not yet done a wrong; and God knew that (v6).  God told him to return Sarah to Abraham and if he didn’t he and his family would be destroyed.  Verses 8 and following detail the conversation between Abimelech and Abraham.  Abraham explained why it was right that he call her his sister.  He explained to the king that he did it out of fear.  In Genesis 20:11 (NIV), we read:

¹¹ Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’

Abraham not only exercised a lack of faith in God but we prejudicially judged the nation, as if they had no moral standards.   That’s not the sense that we get when we read the words of Abimelek, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.”” (Genesis 20:9, NIV).

We not only learn in this passage of the amazing care that God showered on Sarah in spite of her husband’s failure; but we learn that God does not stand by idly when His purposes and plans are in jeopardy.  We’ve heard the saying that God is a gentleman and will not force you to do anything you don’t want.  There is some truth to that, but the reality is that God will do whatever it takes to get you to do what He wants.  This story is an example of that.   Lastly we learn that our lack of faith – our sin – will always hurt others.  People are affected by our unbelief. 

Father, how gracious you are when you willingly step in and see to it that we don’t sin! I know that You don’t do that all the time.  But when You do it is an obvious expression of Your great mercy.   Today as we seek to serve You and make much of You, I pray that fear of man will not be an excuse to sin.  Grant me holy boldness to do what is right – to do what fulfills Your plans for my life; for Your Church and for the glory of Jesus.   Amen!

---

Nile delta The northernmost region of Egypt where the Nile River divides into channels that feed into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the most fertile regions in Egypt.

^[1] Barry, J. D., Grigoni, M. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ge 20:1). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

^[2] Easton, M. G. (1893). Easton’s Bible dictionary. New York: Harper & Brothers.

^[3] Barry, J. D., Grigoni, M. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ge 20:2). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

^[4] Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Ge 20:2). Nashville: T. Nelson.

Christianity Cannot Be Moderately Important - C. S. Lewis

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic-on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg-or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.” [1]



_____________________________________
1. Gordon, Christopher; North, Wyatt (2014-04-18). C.S. Lewis: A Life Inspired (pp. 89-90). Wyatt North Publishing, LLC. Kindle Edition.

Bargaining with God - Part 4 (Genesis 18:16–33; 19:1–38)

“With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished.”” (Genesis 19:15, NIV)

The story of Abraham now shifts to his nephew Lot in Sodom.  Two angels visit Lot and we see before us the horror of rape and homosexuality. After escaping the violence of Sodom, the angels warn Lot and his family of judgment and warn them to leave.  Lot flees the city as God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah.  Lot's wife look back at this scene and becomes a pillar of salt.  Abraham then goes back to where he interceded with God and sees the destruction.

“Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord. He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.” (Genesis 19:27–28, NIV)  

It is then the passage notes that God delivered Lot because of Abraham.  “So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.” (Genesis 19:29, NIV).

"The word zahkar (“remember”) often refers to God remembering His covenant with His people (see Exod 2:24; Psa 105:8)." [1]  There wasn't fifty or twenty or even ten righteous people found in Sodom. In great mercy God saved Lot and his family because He "remembered" Abraham.  Think of it: God remembered Abraham and spared Lot! "The Hebrew verb z-k-r denotes more than a recollection; it often appears in conjunction with some activity—i.e., a memory that prompts a specific course of action." [1] 

"Note, 1. God will certainly give an answer of peace to the prayer of faith, in his own way and time; though, for a while, it seem to be forgotten, yet, sooner or later, it will appear to be remembered. 2. The relations and friends of godly people fare the better for their interest in God and intercessions with him; it was out of respect to Abraham that Lot was rescued: perhaps this word encouraged Moses long afterwards to pray (Ex. 32:13), Lord, remember Abraham." [2]

Years later the prophet prayed these words to God recorded in Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV),

² Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.

"The prophet beseeches Jehovah in the exercise of His wrath to also remember to exercise His mercy (Heb racham, to love, to pity, or to be merciful)." [3] 

Today Father as You enjoy Christ, the God-Man by Your side; exalted, honored above all authorities and powers, appearing in the Heavens as a Lamb Slain from the Foundations of the World -- Oh God remember Christ!   Remember His perfect life, remember His completely satisfactory atonement, remember His victorious resurrection and remember His constant intercession for us.  In wrath Father remember mercy. Father as we not only have loved-ones today far from the Gospel; as we not only ourselves deal with our own sin-loving, wandering hearts, remember mercy.  For the sake of Jesus, remember mercy. In your sin-consuming, fiery holiness -- remember Your Son.  For it is in His Name I pray.

_______________________________________

1. Barry, J. D., Grigoni, M. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ge 19:29). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

2. Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (49). Peabody: Hendrickson.

3. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (1768). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

 

Bargaining with God - Part 3 (Genesis 18:16–33; 19:1–38)

Can you really bargain with God?  An important review would be to remember the previous Blog. God in his mercy and kindness, condescends to reveal Himself to us in humans terms so that we might understand some of Himself.  This idea forms the basis of the chapter.  So again we pose the question: Can you really bargain with God?

“Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”” (Genesis 18:27–28, NIV)

What if there were 50? 45? 30? 20? 10? “. . . He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.” (Genesis 18:32–33, NIV).  "God’s mercy is evident in His willingness to spare the sinful majority for the sake of even ten righteous. Fewer than ten could be saved individually, as happens in ch. 19." [1]

Ephesians 1:11 (NIV), says that God "works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." And yet we read in 1 John 5:14 (NIV), " ⁴ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."  There is a mystery to this but not a contradiction. It seems in Scripture that you can change the will of God, if it is His will, that you change His will. 

Another way to say this is that God not only establishes the end, but He also establishes the means to the end.  In other words, God's sovereignty in some cases requires and incorporates our prayers in the accomplishment of His perfect, immutable will.  "The Scriptures that are interpreted as God seeming to change His mind are human attempts to explain the actions of God. God was going to do something, but instead did something else. To us, that sounds like a change. But to God, who is omniscient and sovereign, it is not a change. God always knew what He was going to do. God does what He needs to do to cause humanity to fulfill His perfect plan." [2]  Michael Houdmann is right. The drama we see in Scripture is again an interpretation of God through human lenses. It's an anthropomorphism.  

“I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.” (Isaiah 46:10–11, NIV)

So, yes, we can bargain with God -- pray, intercede, etc. with the confidence that God hears and answers.  And yes our prayers are often ordained as necessary to the outworking of God's will.  But in an ultimate sense, God enveloped even our life-changing prayers into His sovereign, unchanging will.

Father, again I am disabled by the mystery, the complexity of Your simple and clear will.  Grant me, dear Father, the infusion of prayers that come from Your throne room, that are drenched by Your Word, that I might pray in Your will.  Today I especially pray for those whom I love who have refused to repent.  They have on them the promise of impending doom.  Oh Father, save them from Your judgment.  Bring them for the City of Destruction to the Celestial City.  For Your glory and fame, Amen.

___________________________________________
1.  Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Ge 18:32). Nashville: T. Nelson.
2. http://www.gotquestions.org/God-change-mind.html#ixzz30TGElvMX