Answers Bible Curriculum Second Edition Unit 3 Lesson 37
This week in Sunday school, we’re looking at the long-anticipated birth of Abraham’s promised son, Isaac. Why, in anticipation of Isaac’s birth, does God ordain that Abraham and his descendants adopt circumcision? Why did God make Abraham and Sarah wait so long before providing their child? And what does the dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael from Abraham’s household show us about how one does or does not inherit the blessings of God?
Our main texts for this lesson are Genesis 17:1-27 and 21:1-21.
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but good morning and welcome to Sunday school we’re continuing on in our study of the scripture and we are right now in the life of Abraham last time we saw God formally enter into a unilateral covenant with Abraham when we say unilateral we mean one-sided though Abraham’s belief in God was counted to him as righteousness we saw that significant verse Genesis 15:6 God also strengthened Abraham’s faith by a ceremony by a covenant ceremony and in the ceremony though it was customary for two people to walk between the animals the cut animals to signify eight either one of those breaks his covenant let this happen to us it was God alone who passed through the animals indicating that God alone would be responsible for bringing the terms of the Covenant to pass even the amazing promises given to Abram and to Abraham’s seed these blessings to Abram and to a seed they would not be determined by Abraham’s obedience his ritual observance or his simple effort ironically however after this faith affirming covenant was inaugurated formally we saw there I compromised in order to bring about God’s promises themselves just when God affirmed that he alone would accomplish his word abram and sarai convinced themselves that they needed to help God by addressing God’s marriage design and giving Hagar to Abram as a second wife to what they did was wrong and contrary to God’s design and it only resulted in household strikes God dealt patiently and compassionately with Abram and Sarah and Hagar and we observed last time that God is similarly patient with us though considering that we have the scriptures we ought to learn from the example of Abram and learn that we must not sit we need not and must not sin in order to bring about God’s good promises to us but today we’re going to finally see God’s promise of a chosen seed come to pass or at least the beginning step of that promise today’s lesson is about the birth of Isaac now why is this section of scripture so significant well first we will see God vindicate his faithfulness and his wisdom by gloriously providing the son of promise at the right time at the perfect time but second we’re also going to see the truth of the Covenant ceremony of Genesis 15 re-emphasized that is God’s blessing our according to his gracious promise not according to works or ritual or even physical descent here’s our outline for today’s lesson I’m going to be looking at how God changes Abraham’s name and gives Abram the sign of circumcision in Genesis 17 then we’ll look at the birth of Isaac and the dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis 21 and as we look at each one of these passages will be considering application for our lives today as well let’s pray as we continue Lord our gracious God our our Father in Heaven thank you for these accounts these are written for our encouragement and our instruction I paid you to help me to be able to explain it clearly and I paid you to give the people good attention and full alertness so that they can benefit from your scriptures and Lord the Spirit I pray that you would be pleased to work among your people this morning bless them convict them courage them Jesus name Amen okay please open your Bibles to Genesis 17 you’re using the Pew Bible it’s just page 15 in your pew Bible we’re starting in Genesis 17 this is right after where we left off last time last time we saw Abram indeed obtained a child from his own body through Hagar a child Ishmael his name means God here’s know for Abram and for Sarah they must have been thinking surely this is the son of promise this is the heir from which we’ve been waiting so long and treating Lee as we noted last time God did not rebuke eight women Sarai for their action at least it’s not recorded in the scriptures in fact there is no appearance of God or word from God recorded in the Bible to Abram for the next 13 years that’s possible that God did speak to Abram we don’t know about it but poignant Lee the Bible records no revelation from God to Abram for the next 13 years so where abram and sarai thinking all that time that Ishmael was really the child of promise there’s a good chance and imagine how Abram and Sarai were building their lives around that planning their future around Ishmael but after this long gap God again appears to Abram and Abram is going to learn some extremely surprising news and also receive an extremely surprising command from God let’s now read Genesis 17 and we’ll do this in sections we’re gonna read all the way down to verse 22 or so but let’s start just with verse 1 to 8 all along as I read now when Abram was 99 years old eighty-six in genesis 16 abraham’s was 99 years old the Lord that his Yahweh appeared to Abram and said to him I am God Almighty walk before me and be blameless I will establish my covenant between me and you I will multiply you exceedingly Abram fell on his face and God talked with him saying as for me behold my covenant is with you and you will be the father of a multitude of Nations no longer shall your name be called Abram but your name shall be Abraham for I have made you the father of a multitude of Nations I’ll make you exceedingly fruitful I will make nations of you and Kings will come forth from you I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant to be God to you and to your descendants after you I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land of your sojournings all the land of canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God all right let’s pause here for a second just observe a few things notice how old Abraham Abram is now he’s 99 so like I said 13 years since the birth of Ishmael here again we see God affirming his covenant promises and blessings to Abram but those there are a few elements that are new that are highlighted here notice that God says in verses 4 5 & 6 but Abram will be a father of a multitude of Nations where we translated a multitude of people’s that’s a little it’s a little different from what we heard before also verse 6 says that God God will cause Kings to come forth from Abram and because of these facts God decides the Abram ought to undergo a name change no longer Abram which means exalted father but Abraham which means father of a multitude again in context multitude of nations come from you now you’re gonna be called father of a multitude God has some other changes in mind in the courts with this covenant that he’s established with Abraham now let’s read on see what those changes are verses 9 to 14 now God said furthered Abraham no as for you you shall keep my covenant you and your descendants after you throughout your generations this is my covenant which you shall keep between me and you and your descendants after you every male among you shall be circumcised and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be the sign of the Covenant between me and you and every male among you who is 8 days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations a servant who was born in the house or who had bought with money from any foreigner who was not a good a sentence a servant who was born in your house or whose but would you money shall surely be circumcised thus shall my covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant but an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin that person shall be cut off from his people he has broken my covenant hmm let’s pause here again and observe God calls on Abraham here to adopt circumcision that is the cutting away of the flesh of the foreskin of all males this will be how Abraham will keep covenant with God notice though that God also identifies the purpose of circumcision what is the purpose according to verse 11 God says it shall be the sign of the covenant nurse that the penalty of neglecting this sign is severe verse 14 says what is the penalty person who was not circumcised will be cut off from the people and you can see that phrase used elsewhere the Old Testament to me and that person will be put to death so pretty serious at this point Abraham’s name has been changed he has a new physical sign of God’s covenant which he is to keep but wait there’s more that’s now read verses 15 to 22 and we’ll observe those as well then God said to Abraham has for Sarah your wife you shall not call her name Sarai but Sarah shall be her name I will bless her and indeed I will give you a son by her then I will bless her and she shall be a mother of Nations kings of people’s will come from her the neighbor ham fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart which I’ll be born to a man one hundred years old and will Sarah who is 90 years old bear a child and hear him said to God oh that Ishmael might live before you but God said no but Sarah your wife will bear you a son and you shall call his name Isaac now establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant or his descendants after him as for Ishmael I have heard you behold I will bless him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly he shall become the father of twelve princes and I will make him a great nation but my covenant I will establish with Isaac whom Sara will bear to you at this season next year when he finished talking with him God went up from Abraham now notice here in this last bit God changes Sarah’s name as well as Abraham’s he says Sarah will be called Sarah now the differences between these two names is pretty subtle Sarah means my princess while Sarah just means princess or woman of rank now at first glance that might sound like a downgrade wait her name just became more generic how how is that appropriate I think it’s along the following line of reasoning I read an explanation along these lines Sarah is no longer to be just her father’s princess you can imagine her father when Sarah was Sarah was born said oh this is my princess and he calls her Sarah it’s no longer merely to be her father’s princess or even Abraham’s princess but she is to be the princess indeed princess of the whole world because notice the explanation in verse 16 God’s explanation emphasizes her regal position nations will come from her she has promised a son with Abraham and from the son nations and Kings will come so a name change is appropriate now verse 17 reveals a curious reaction from Abraham at the thought of Sarah bearing children what does Abraham do he laughs and yes himself is this really to be then Abraham makes a suggestion before God and notice his suggestion he says oh that Ishmael might live before you that is to say why don’t you make Ishmael the son of promise and blessing you know that this is the sense of Abraham statement because notice how God responds he says no it responds with a note and he says I love less Ishmael I will make a great nation of him even twelve Prince’s will come from him for your sake Abraham and by the way we see this fulfilled in Genesis 25 the God makes clear that issue will not be the son of promise or the inheritor of the special covenant of abraham instead God promises that in one year Abraham will have a child through Sarah and they are to call the child’s name Isaac what does Isaac mean he laughs Isaac means he laughs furthermore whatever I already said that God declares the Isaac not ishmael will inherit the Abrahamic covenant from god now we read verses 23 to 27 but just know there that part of the passage describes how Abraham obeys God and he has himself and all the males in his household circumcised and that would include Ishmael Ishmael was also circumcised all right with these observations let’s consider interpretation now always our three steps and the inductance Bible study method first question why does Abraham lass is it from joy and amazement or is it from unbelief it’s actually kind of a hard question to answer on the one hand God does not rebuke Abraham for what Abraham says in his heart which we might have expected it if Abraham was just honoring God and how God could have called him out on it furthermore when Abraham laughs as he fell on his face that’s an expression of worship even of gratefulness why would he do that if he didn’t believe what God said on the other hand what Abram thinks and his laughter it sounds very similar to what we see in Genesis 18 from Sarah when the angel of Yahweh visits Abraham along with the other two angels on their way to Sodom and he repeats this promise of a child being born within one year Genesis 18 12 says Sara laughed to herself saying after I have become old shall I have pleasure my lord being old wholesome and then listen how the angel of Yahweh responds in the next two verses Genesis 8 18 verses 13 to 14 and he always said to Abraham why did Sarah laugh seeing saying shall I indeed bear child I’m so old there’s anything too difficult for Yahweh at the appointed time I will return to you at this time next year and Sarah will have a son so Sarah gets an indirect rebuke for her laughter so I didn’t hear me Hannah deserved one seems to be doing the exact same thing that she did and the favor him really believed God’s bottom I say what’s grateful for it why does he immediately suggest that Ishmael be the heir and here and the inheritor so you can understand interpreters in this passage go in different directions as to what Abraham’s laughter means can’t be too dogmatic about it I’m inclined to think that his laughter is also of disbelief to some level and perhaps the reason that Sarah is reviewed today bruh ham isn’t is because well when Sarah laughs she’s already heard from her husband most likely from Genesis 17 that God has made this promise so she ought to have progressed in her faith but no she’s still laughing by the time in April the angel of Yahweh comes in Genesis 18 still whatever unbelief whatever slowness to accept God’s promised that Abraham and Sarah are displaying they do eventually progress they do come to believe and expect that God will keep his promise because Hebrews 11:11 is able to say Hebrews 11:11 by faith even Sara herself received the ability to conceive even beyond the proper time of life since she considered him faithful who had promised now we might think as some later Jews that circumcision was the prerequisite for Abraham to receive God’s covenant or for him to be counted righteous before God how does the chronology of Genesis refute this idea actually what do you think the see if you can ask that question that’s right that’s right that’s right we mentioned those things last week God had already given the Covenant promises to Abraham and he was said to be counted righteous in Genesis 15 before circumcision which is what the New Testament writers also point out circumcision was not a requirement for blessing or for salvation it was a sign of it it was a testimony a reminder of God’s special covenant with Abraham and with Abraham see so the chronology argues against circumcision it has a prerequisite now though we might still ask why circumcision I mean all the things God could have chosen to be the sign of the cabinet why did he choose circumcision I mean is it circumcision a little grotesque well there is no explanation in the Bible as to why God chose this specific sign for a sign of the a Mohamad covenant but we can observe different aspects of God’s covenant with Abraham and circumcision it shows that these this is an appropriate sign just briefly mentioning one circumcision is certainly very intimate which appropriately reflects this serious and personal nature of God’s covenant promises second circumcision represents a cutting away at the most intimate level a concept that the scripture will come back to again and again in pointing to man’s need for a radical change on the inside even a circumcision of the heart man needs a cutting away at his most fundamental level circumcision would point to this third circumcision would certainly a set apart the descendants of Abraham from most if not all of their pagan neighbors as we try and uncover the practices and beliefs the ancient world I think I’ve heard that there are other peoples that also circumcised but not exactly in the same way that God called Abraham to do so certainly most did not even if some did to some extent and this would separate the descendants of Haven the Hebrews the Israelites the Jews from the other peoples of the earth and this is part of many aspects of what God would call the people of Israel to do as a separate and special people they were to be his kingdom of priests intercessors for the world attracting people drawing people to Yahweh circumcision was gonna be one of the ways that they were gonna be set apart even in Jesus’s day that was still true you know it’s interesting just learning a little bit about the history at that time but there are many Jews and Jesus’s day who wanted to become more like the Greeks and the Greeks they they had their gymnasiums where where people would do athletic events and they were naked and this was a great embarrassment to the Jews because the Jewish males if they were gonna participate in this they’d have to reveal that they were circumcised and that would just bring the scorn of the Greeks this is gonna be a way that God is gonna separate his people and forth just another observation circumcision is ours too obviously connected to the promise of seed because it is reflected on the male seed bearing capacity and isn’t that one of the central aspects of God’s covenant with Abraham thus through circumcision God has acknowledged as the one who will grant descendants will bring about the seed and he’s the one who will bring about the promises to that seed so for a number of reasons and perhaps more than what I’ve even mentioned circumcision was an appropriate picture of different spiritual truths related to Abraham and to Abraham’s seed we must note however that there is nothing magical or righteous about cutting away a part of the human body even the foreskin so as as a consequence we should ask is circumcision required today the answer is not at all why is that well certainly the New Testament makes it quite clear as circumcision is not required and first Corinthians Paul so circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing in Galatians in other places also have besides this truth being physically circumcised being physically uncircumcised makes no difference now because as a sign remember that’s what circumcisions purpose was as a science circumcision fulfilled its purpose along with many of the other Old Testament pictures and science how was it fulfilled in Christ because the ultimate seed our Lord Himself was circumcised and he brings all of those who are in him into the true circumcision if you want to be part of the true circumcision those who are truly set apart to God true inheritors even of Abrahamic blessing then you need the circumcision of the heart not the skin and that’s only accomplished by the spirit in Christ in fact the Bible repeatedly warns against adding circumcision as a requirement for followers of Christ and many Jews in the early church work insisting on this they say hey you want to be a follower of Jesus you need to be circumcised and you need to keep other aspects of the law but the Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 3:3 libyans 3:3 beware of the dogs beware of the evil workers beware of the false circumcision for we are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh so Paul makes it pretty clear physical circumcision doesn’t make you truly part of that the Jews who insist on that they reveal themselves to be the false circumcision their mere mutilators but we are the true circumcision Jew and Gentile through Christ sadly today there are still groups calling themselves Christians who insist and teach that followers of Christ must be circumcised keep dietary laws and follow other Old Testament rituals we have already seen we’ve already pointed out their righteousness came by faith apart from circumcision circumcision was only a sign and a picture of what would we be fulfilled in Christ well there are other aspects this passage I’d like to make comment on but I think will be more useful to do so once we look at our next passage so let’s now move to Genesis chapter 21 Genesis 21 just to inform you again about what passes between these two passages Genesis 18 and 19 you may remember it gives us the account of the angels visiting Abraham and Sarah as God is on his way to assess and a judge Sodom and the other wicked cities of the valley and Genesis 20 which we didn’t look at ya Abraham so germs in the southern land of Guerard and while he’s there what do you know he gets into a situation where he fears the king of the place king named Abimelech and he thinks that Abimelech will kill Abraham over Sarah who’s still beautiful even at age 90 and so Abraham says oh this beautiful woman she’s my sister Sarah goes along with that now what happens well like before and Egypt the King takes Sarah as whites but God intervenes God protects Sarah and he curses this king and the Kings whole household until Sarah is given back to Abraham this the King does along with many gifts as a testimony to Sarah’s being untouched unviolated by the king Abraham and Sarah go on their way along with great possessions and all their people miss bring this to Genesis 21 so let’s now we won’t do this one in sections we’ll read it all together first one down to verse 21 then Yahweh took note of Sarah as he had said and Yahweh did for Sarah as he had promised so Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him Abraham called the name of his son was born to him whom Sarah bore to him Isaac then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old as God had commanded him now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him Sarah said God has made laughter for me everyone who hears will laugh with me and she said who thus said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children and I have borne him a son in his old age child grew and was weaned and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian whom she had born to Abraham mocking therefore she said to Abraham drive out this maid and her son but a son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac madder distressed Abraham greatly because of his son but God said to Abraham do not be distressed because of the lad injure made whatever Sarah tells you listen to her for through Isaac your descendants shall be named not the son of the maid I will make a nation also because he is your descendant so Abraham rose early in the morning took bread and a skin of water gave them to Hagar putting them on her shoulder and gave her the boy and sent her away she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba when the water and the skin was used up she left the boy under one of the bushes and she went and sat down opposite him not a boat shot away or she said do not let me see the boy die and she sat opposite him and lifted up her voice and wept God heard the lad crying and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her what’s the matter with you Hank I do not fear for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is eyes lift up the lad and hold him by the hand for I will make a great nation of him thank God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad drink God was with the lad and he grew and he lived in the wilderness and they came an archer it lived in the wilderness of Paran and his mother took why friend from the land of Egypt alright let’s start again with observations so the promised day has finally come a son has been born to Abraham and Sarah and how old are the parents at this time verse 5 says Abraham is a hundred so Sarah’s about ninety now do you know any couples who have their first child at such an age now it’s true the lifespans were slightly longer at that time both Abraham and Sarah admit they are old and yet they’ve had a child this is extraordinary and consider how long they’ve waited for this child Abraham and Sarah they were already childless when they left Iran when Abram was 75 and that’s when God gave Abram the promises and called Abraham’s Canaan we don’t know how long they were married before that but surely they’ve been hoping a child for many days before they left hurrah just for illustration sake let’s say Abram and Sarah I got married when Abram was thirty and Sarah was twenty that would mean by the time Isaac was born the Sarah had been barren for seventy years decades of waiting for a child no doubt the couple had renewed hope in having children after God called Abram gave him the promises but it was still 25 years to wait consider all the hurdles that almost prevented the birth of this child twice Sarah was taken as wife by another man and then there was the giving of Hagar to Abraham that could have closed off Sarah forever in terms of having children why go to Sarah you got Hagar you’ve got Ishmael but God’s plan would not be thwarted through all of those years God was working God was protecting God was providing and God was remaining patient with this couple and at the appointed time as – since a child of promise was born actually notice the repetition of phrases and verses 1 & 2 we see phrases like as he had said as he had promised at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him this wasn’t so this wasn’t an accident it’s not like God was wiping the sweat off his brow and saying you know glad we got that to work out well it was all according to God’s sovereign will notice the child is named Isaac in accordance with God’s command but the significance of that name has changed he laughs Isaac the name he laughs originally was a reference to the amazement even disbelief of Abraham and Sarah but now what is the significance of that name look at verses 6 and 7 Sarah says God has made laughter for me everyone who hears will laughs so the scoffing unbelief what does it then turn to grateful celebration and amazement notice Abraham circumcised is Isaac on the eighth day in accordance with the command given to Isaac it’s part of the Covenant Genesis 17 and then verses seven eighths say that Sarah nurses Isaac herself this went on for some time Abraham puts on a great feast on the day of Isaac’s weaning the day when Isaac was going to stop nursing this would have been about two or three years later women in ancient days they often nurse longer than mothers today do in America even up to three years old so this day of feasting a celebration this would have been about two or three years later it’s at this occasion that conflict renews again between the wives and why notice verse 9 Sarah sees the son of Hagar Ishmael mocking now the word from mocking has the same roots in Hebrew as the name Isaac both have to do with laughter so this 15 16 year old Ishmael he’s laughing at the feast and not in a good way so what a CEREC all for in response first n drive out the maid and her son and there’s the reason she says for the son of the maid will not be an heir with my son Isaac now this might sound a little harsh right Sarah it’s kind of kind of cranky oh let’s remember how easily polygamy provokes jealousy and anger between wives and between the sons of wives we’re gonna see this happen a number more significant times the Old Testament but lega me always being brings jealousy and strife you can see that when you go against God’s design you just create problems for yourselves but Sarah besides maybe understanding why she might be upset or jealous Sarah does also have a point doesn’t keeping Hagar and Ishmael around confuse the inheritance and confuse the promises of God now there’s something interesting here though that we should note according to the custom of that time who would have the right of inheritance and first blessing and a family would it not be the first born even in the law of Moses this is true in fact Deuteronomy 21 verses 15 to 17 it makes reference to basically the same situation that Abraham was dealing with when there’s a man who has two wives Deuteronomy 21 15 to 17 says the man cannot make the son of a loved wife who was born later first born in place of a son of an unloved unloved wife who was born earlier according to law of Moses the true firstborn must always receive their firstborn inheritance so according to custom of the day and according to the later law of Moses who should be Abraham’s heir Ishmael it’s God said it won’t be Ishmael it’ll be Isaac and Sarah is now making a demand that ish me I’ll be given the boot it’s not as if Abraham has no love tradition yeah I mean just a few years ago Abraham was pleading with God why don’t she make Ishmael the son of promise I understand that Abraham as the true father of Ishmael had a love for this boy it was basically a young man at this point so he’s distressed as verse 12 says so God speaks Dave what is it that God says Abraham go rebuke Sarah for being Petty and unkind God says God says don’t be distressed even here listen to what Sarah is saying why end of verse 12 says for through Isaac your descendants or your seed shall be named God says I’ll bless and multiply interests me also because easier descended but it’s going to be Isaac who’s the inheritor and we can already see God’s special blessing and protection on Ishmael then verses 15 to 21 who won’t talk about that specifically but in the wilderness God provides for them and he brings them blessing so with God’s approval Abraham sends his son Ishmael and his wife Hagar away but only basic provisions and that’s it no inheritance from Abraham to Hagar Ishmael everything will go to Isaac all right put these observations let’s turn again to some interpretation questions is there a national explanation for the birth of Isaac this is all a fortunate amazing coincidence no clearly not this was a miracle it was an impossible outcome without God’s direct intervention people at this level of old age they just don’t have children and this is why Abraham and Sarah laughed it was impossible except that God intervened because God was going to keep his promise but along with that we might ask this question why did God make Sarah and Abraham wait so long for Isaac thank God is the powerful sovereign he has all things under his control but he’s specifically ordained that Abraham and Sarah would be childless until this specific moment which meant that they would have to endure years of pain and sorrow and waiting and longing and hoping why I mean God couldn’t you just spare them all that trouble could she just how did the goodness of your heart God provided the child that they wanted why don’t you make them wait so long we could generalize the question why would a good all-knowing all-powerful God make any of his people wait to receive what is good this question forces us again to confront the transcendence of God how the God who is thinks desires and acts on a level far above our own why does God make his people wait not in spite of his goodness but because of his goodness because God is wise because He is good because he’s glorious he makes his people wait Psalm 84 11 says for Yahweh God is a Sun and shield Yahweh gives Grace and glory no good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly how can that be it didn’t hear obviously withhold something different Abraham and Sarah know because what does the greatest good for man is the greatest good getting everything a person wants in life experiencing physical comfort receiving relief from painful circumstances Jesus says he came to bring abundant life John 10:10 but what is the essence of that life you’ve heard me quote this fourth Lord’s a verse that’s been on my mind a lot recently but John 17:3 John 17:3 this is eternal life that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ when you have sense that’s eternal life thus Jesus is also able to pray in John 17 24 john 17 24 father I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am so that they may see my glory which you have given me for you loved me before the foundation of the world now brothers and sisters you must grasp the following truth if we want steadfast faith the greatest good we can have in life and in eternity is to see to know and to enjoy our glorious God I’ll say that again weight is good we can have in life and in all eternity is to see to know and to enjoy our glorious God that’s what Jesus was saying all says the same thing and how do we do that well in life seeing and knowing God seeing his glory it often comes by God bringing us into hard circumstances how do I even put us into what seemed like impossible situations well we are tempted to compromise or despair and then when it seems that there is no hope left except that which is in God that’s when God steps in to powerfully rescue and vindicate in this way God grows us in our faith and he causes us to know him more and he leads us to treasure him above all things even the blessings of the earth there are good things on the earth but the greatest good is God this is what God was doing with Abraham and Sarah he made them wait not because he wanted to deprive them of good because he wanted to give them ultimate good and he wasn’t just looking out for them he was looking out for us – who thousands her many years later by looking at their lives because we to are to learn to wait on our faithful God who at the perfect time will provide exactly what is right and exactly what is good for us until the Henry we are two ways in faith and in obedience now I think I saw a hand when I was explaining that yeah go ahead yeah yeah thanks for mentioning that so Romans for other place in the New Testament talking about how God was growing Abraham in faith he was accomplishing great good for Abraham and it’s the same thing for us that’s actually where I want to go where I want to go next ask yourself has God put you into such a situation in your life where you are waiting for something good are you waiting for deliverance from temptation or difficulty are you waiting for vindication as you suffer persecution I know these times are hard if you’re not in such a situation right now well you will be guess this is what it this is what it means to live in this fallen world and as a child of God even Abraham as much as he has grown in faith up to this point at the birth of Isaac he’s not done growing in faith or displaying God’s glory as we’ll see next week but he was learning that he could trust God and so can you you can trust God even in the difficulty you can trust his wisdom you can trust his love you can trust his power he knows your needs and he is Ellis to do you good he knows your suffering he knows your pain he’s not callous towards you he’s very sympathetic he has a tender heart towards you but his love will not settle for giving you something less than the best God is not an indulgent father he is a good father like Hebrew says sometimes we undergo the discipline of God not because we’ve actually done anything wrong because he wants to bring about a greater good for us and notice when at the time seems pleasant but once we’ve been trained by a thought or Hebrew sets we get that that good reward that’s what God is doing with us so as you enter into those situations where you’re you’ve just got to wait continue in faith continue in obedience at the perfect time God will provide for you because you are as precious child he himself is to be your shield while you waits is now what God said to Abraham and we heard it repeated in the psalm look to God for your life not to the passing things of the world what’s your eyes fixed on him for in so doing you’ll have true satisfaction and sustenance now one other question I ask is how is it right that God has shorted Abraham to cast out Hagar initial pain this kind of seems on nothing and even unfair I mean Ishmael’s technically Abraham is firstborn how can this be right well truly this dismissal was a hardship at some level to a garnish now nevertheless God proved faithful to provide for them it’s a blessed Hagar and her son again we see that the bottom part of the passage they were not truly abandoned but as to whether this is unfair we have to be careful not to misinterpret it rather was being put on display in this passage is the nature of God’s blessings to Abraham do the blessings of Abraham come as what is due to all the physical descendants of Abraham or do the blessings come as a gracious gift to those whom God has chosen in Abraham’s descent brethren it’s the latter case though Ishmael was the firstborn and he was circumcised God passed over Ishmael in inheritance because God had chosen that his promises would go to Isaac instead this theme of God’s choice rather than man’s do by descent or by merit it is going to keep on appearing in Genesis as it already has why did God choose Abraham nothing mentioned the scriptures as to why he merited it or inherited it God simply was gracious to him why does God choose Isaac over Ishmael why does God choose Jacob over Esau why does God choose Joseph for prominence above all his brothers when Joseph is the youngest before Benjamin is born why do these things keep on happening because God wants to show that blessing even salvation blessing it comes by grace and not by works or by the sense we see this in a negative way – in the Torah in the books of Moses the people of Israel that are rejected by God an entire generation destroyed in the wilderness they were ethnic descendants of Abraham yeah God says they will not inherit my blessing and isn’t that the same thing that John the Baptist said in Jesus’s day don’t tell me your sons of Abraham because God can raise up sons Abraham from stones Paul also in Romans 9 verses 6 to 8 he says this Romans 9 6 – 8 but it is not as though the Word of God has failed today not all israel who are descended from Israel know we’re all they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants but through Isaac your descendants shall be named that is it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God but the children of the promise who are regarded as descendants ah this is this is the concept we need to see it’s about promise it’s about grace it’s not about what is dude that’s why God is able to have Ishmael and Hagar dismissed what we’re seeing really in Genesis 21 in throughout Genesis and the rest of the Torah is God’s sovereign election on display what Romans will say what Romans will quote God has mercy on whom He wills to have mercy he has the right to do that mm-hmm how are some implications of this truth especially for us today consider this also application lines God’s gracious choice means that no one should trust in works or lineage for salvation just because your parents are Christians or just because you go to church doesn’t mean that you truly belong to God you have to ask yourself does my heart really belong to God have I truly repentant my true follower I can’t rely on my descent or my works yes my heart has another implication God’s gracious choice means that those without spiritual pedigree or some great record of works they should never despair Gentiles can be saved just as much as the Jews notorious sinners can be saved just as much the self-righteous and hypocritical because it’s not about merit or what is due it’s about God’s gracious choice God’s gracious choice also means that God deserves great glory and praise I mean consider yourself why should you be an Isaac and not Ishmael why should you be placed into the tree of Abrahamic blessing when others are not there’s no reason except that God chose to be gracious to you therefore how should you live if you haven’t yet trusting God you ought to do that he’s given an invitation to you he says come you too can be an inherited Abrahamic blessed says fuel deny yourself take up your cross follow Jesus Christ you will see the blessing but if you’re already in Christ you should live a life of thankfulness they should live a life of trust and obedience because look at how gracious God has been to you this is what Paul says in Ephesians 4:1 walk worthy but that great salvation calling you’ve received from God see God’s grace to Abraham and to Isaac to Sarah it was written for our instruction therefore may we learn from their experience to worship to trust and obey this is what God’s Spirit wills for us to do questions about what you’ve heard today yeah Steve just make sure sound sound guys just make sure you turn the mic back on yeah I can hear you now hmm right right right yeah before you go on to your other comments let me just recap what you’re saying yeah that’s true is worth me emphasizing it’s not as if Abraham is Sarah we’re gonna have this child without continuing have intercourse with one another no that was the means by which guy was gonna bring it about the point I’m just trying to emphasize is that naturally this would not happen at such an old age this was miraculous on some level anyways keep going Steve mmm hmm hmm hmm that’s a place another good points Deva I didn’t think about that specifically we do have a problem if we say that circumcision is necessary for blessing or salvation because it’s only given the mass what does seem to make females somehow less spiritual inheritors but you’re right Steve has we go to that passenger in Galatians has neither male or female female in Christ doesn’t mean that there aren’t role distinctions but it means in the level of receiving salvation blessing in standing before God they are totally equal they are full inheritance just as much as men up which would show us again circumcision could not be a prerequisite so that’s a good point other questions or comments yeah Roy hmm that’s a good question right is there significance that circumcision would also at some level require blood as a covenant it’s interesting it’s not mentioned in the passage so I don’t know if I would make too much of that certainly covenants were often associated with blood because of the seriousness of it now when we saw the covenant god inaugurated with Abraham it was the blood of death let me be cut asunder just like these animals were if I don’t finally keep the Covenant the author keepers will also make a connection between covenants being inaugurated with blood even the Mosaic Covenant the author keepers will say was not without blood and its inauguration because Moses sprinkles blood on the people when he when he gives them the terms that covenant also enough to think about that a little bit more again no blood it’s not there’s no attention drawn to blood in the passage ordaining circumcision but it is true that Hebrews does talk about covenants being inaugurated in blood I’d have to think about that more but interesting observation all right I think that’s all the time we have for questions today if you have any others definitely please email me as I send out the sunday-school TVs each week you should have my email so you can just reply back to that that’s it for now this certainly sounds like a good place for and they lived happily ever after I mean faith is vindicated the child is born what more do we need to hear well this is just the first step but rather the next step in God’s great plan of redemption not as if all the problems of Abraham have come to pass moreover God is not done growing and displaying Abraham’s faith because next time let me see Abraham put to the ultimate test when God commands Abraham to sacrifice the son of promise we’ll talk about that next time let’s close in prayer we thank you for your scriptures God we’re instructed in a number of different ways and we have a number different ways that we can consider application god when it comes to waiting on you trusting in you but also seeing God that it is all by grace we have nothing to bring to you God to say this is why I should be seen in terms of from ourselves you know the only reason that we can have salvation is because of Jesus Christ because of his gift of salvation to those to him your son raised we thank you that you’re showing grace to us but those of us who know you the Lord God I pray that you bring more people to yourself even at Calvary today and through those who are attending Calvary or here this Sunday school God use this as your instance so that we can display the aroma of grace that we can spread that aroma and that what people would be saved but would you give yourself great glory in that because you were worthy of it I pray God that we’d be fixed on your glory and sustain the by it even as we wait for various things in this world Jesus thank you all house