Old Testament Reading: Genesis 26

“Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. And the LORD appeared to him and said, ‘Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.’ So Isaac settled in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, ‘She is my sister,’ for he feared to say, ‘My wife,’ thinking, ‘lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,’ because she was attractive in appearance. When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing with Rebekah his wife. So Abimelech called Isaac and said, ‘Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?’ Isaac said to him, ‘Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’’ Abimelech said, ‘What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.’ So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, ‘Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.’ And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him, and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him. (Now the Philistines had stopped and filled with earth all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of Abraham his father.) And Abimelech said to Isaac, ‘Go away from us, for you are much mightier than we.’ So Isaac departed from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there. And Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of Abraham his father, which the Philistines had stopped after the death of Abraham. And he gave them the names that his father had given them. But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, ‘The water is ours.’ So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over that also, so he called its name Sitnah. And he moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it. So he called its name Rehoboth, saying, ‘For now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.’ From there he went up to Beersheba. And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, ‘I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.’ So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well. When Abimelech went to him from Gerar with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army, Isaac said to them, ‘Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?’ They said, ‘We see plainly that the LORD has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you, that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.’ So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths. And Isaac sent them on their way, and they departed from him in peace. That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well that they had dug and said to him, ‘We have found water.’ He called it Shibah; therefore the name of the city is Beersheba to this day. When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.” (Genesis 26, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Acts 3:11–26

“While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: ‘Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.’” (Acts 3:11–26, ESV)

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Introduction

If you are paying very careful attention in our study of the book of Genesis you may have thought to yourself, this story seems to be a bit out of place. But it would only seem out of place if your expectation is for the narrative of Genesis to proceed chronologically. In the previous chapter we were told of the birth of the twins, Esau and Jacob, to Isaac and Rebekah. But here in this passage we encounter a story which seems to have happened in the days prior to the birth of the boys. Notice that the twins are not mentioned in this story. And even more significantly, it is difficult to immagine all of this happening if Isaac and Rebekah were sojourning with twins in tow. Certainly, it would have been impossible for Isaac to say that Rebekah was his sister, and not his wife, if children were in the picture. They are married but without children in this story. 

A question we should as is, why this non-chronological organization to the book of Genesis? The answer is that Genesis is sometimes organized thematically. In other words, it is structured,  not so that you might have chronological understanding of historical events, but so that you might get the point that is being made in the passage.

This non-chronological organization of Genesis forces us to  compare and contrast the story of Issac with the story of his father, Abraham, for the two cycles, or stories, mirror one another in their thematic organization. In other words, if you were to set the story of Abraham alongside the story of Issac (which we are now considering) you would see that they follow a similar pattern. The pattern is easy to see even in the first two scenes of each of the cycles. 

If you were set the first scene of the Abraham story (11:27 – 12:9) alongside the first scene of the Isaac story (25:19-28) you would notice that they mirror one another thematically. In those introductory passages promises are made concerning the offspring of Abraham and the offspring of Isaac. And do you remember the way that the second scene of the Abraham story began? Genesis 12:10 reads, “Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife… Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake’ (Genesis 12:10–13, ESV). Does that sound very familiar to you? It should, for it is very much like the story that we have just read concerning Isaac. In the second scene of the Isaac story  we learn that there was also a famine in his day. And he behaved like his father did when he sojourned, saying that Rebekah was his sister, when she was really his wife.  

The point is this: The story of Abraham and the story of Isaac are meant to be set side by side so that they might be compared and contrasted. They are structured in the same way so that we might do this.  And as we are faithful to consider this text in this way three things become clear. One, the promises that were made to Abraham were also made to Isaac. Two, the fear that plagued Abraham also infected Isaac. And three, the blessings that fell upon Abraham were also showered upon Isaac. 

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The Promises Made To Abraham Were Also Made To Isaac

First,  let us consider that the promises made to Abraham were also made to Isaac.

In verses 1 we read,  “Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines” (Genesis 26:1, ESV). Here we are clued in to the fact that we are supposed to compare Abraham’s famine story with Isaac’s famine story. “There was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham”, the text says. 

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, we should remember that “famines” do sometimes threaten and plague the people of God as they sojourn in this world. Belonging to God does not mean that we are immune from the famine experience. Life will have it’s ups and down. There will times of plenty, and times want, times of sickness and health . May we be like Paul who  said, “For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11–13, ESV) 

Our spiritual parents, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecka, endured famine. But when we compare the account of the famine in Abraham’s day (12:10-20) with the account of the famine in Isaac’s day (26:1-11) we see a difference. Whereas Abraham left the land of promise to go down into Egypt, Isaac was told to remain. Verse 2: “And the LORD appeared to him and said, ‘Do not go down to Egypt [as Abraham did]; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands…” (Genesis 26:2–3, ESV). Isaac was to stay. 

This would have required great faith. Egypt was not as vulnerable to famine as Canaan was, for the crops of Egypt were watered by the ever consistent flow of the Nile. The crops of Canaan depended upon rain from heaven. Droughts were not uncommon. But Isaac was warned not to run off to Egypt. He was to remain in Canaan, trusting ever in the LORD. The lure of Egypt was undoubtably very strong. Quite literally, the grass looked much greener on the other side. 

[APPLICATION: And I would bet that you also have felt the alure of Egypt. Obviously I do not mean that a literal famine has prompted you to consider a litteral move to that place. But perhaps a “famine” of another kind has prompted you to consider a move to Egypt, spiritually speaking. Following Christ in this world is sometimes difficult, friends. And sometimes the grass does look greener on the other side. But what does the LORD say to you and me? He says, remain in the land and trust in me. Indeed the scriptures say, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12, ESV).

Now, remember that the LORD did not explicitly tell Abraham to go to Egypt. He decided to do that on his own. But the LORD commanded Isaac, saying, do not leave Canaan because of the famine — stay in this land, for it is this land that I will give to your offspring. More than that, the LORD also promised Isaac, saying in verse 3, “I will be with you and will bless you…”  

[APPLICATION: Friends, there is no greater comfort in life than for God to say to you, “I will be with you and bless you.” If God is with us, who can be against us? If God is for us, then what can man do to us. If God is with us, then even the most difficult and trying circumstances will be laced with his grace. His love will comfort us in our affliction. His presence will uphold and sustain us through the trial. Brothers and sisters, be reminded that if we are in Christ Jesus the God has promised to be with us always. This is why James exhorts those who have faith in Christ saying,   

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5, ESV). The one who has faith in Christ is not to find his or her security in material possessions. The Christ follower is to be content with what they have, no matter if it is little or much. And we are take courage and comfort in the fact that God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us in Christ Jesus. 

When the LORD called Isaac to remain in the land of promise that was at that time plagued by famine, he reassured  him with these words —  “I will be with you and will bless you…” After this the LORD reminded Isaac of the promises made to his father Abraham and made them to Isaac also, saying, “for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed…” (Genesis 26:3–4, ESV). Isaac was to remain in the land knowing that the LORD would be with him to bless him. And he was to remain being mindful of the promises made to his father, and also to him. This land — the land of Canaan — would belong to his offspring. His offspring would be as the stars of heaven (though Rachael was at this time barren). And through his offspring all of the nations of the earth would be blessed. And then the LORD added these words to move Isaac to obey (verse 5): “because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws” (Genesis 26:5, ESV). God would surely accomplish his purposes and fulfill his promises, but it would come about through the obedience of Isaac and his descendents. 

Why does this matter? Why does it matter that the promises made to Abraham were made to Isaac also?

[APPLICATION: It matters because it advances the story of redemption that is told in the pages of Holy Scripture. Promises were made to Abraham concerning land, offspring, and their being blessed of God, and the blessings of the nations through them. And here we those promises being inherited by the next generation. Later in Genesis the promises will be passed along again, and then again, until they are fulfilled in the Exodus event, and after that in the conquest of Canaan, and finally in the life, death, and resurrection of the Christ, the Son of Abraham, the Son of God. Here we are witnessing the unfolding of God’s plan for the salvation of the world. 

These promises made to Isaac also matter because they are yours in Christ Jesus. And how are they yours in Christ Jesus? Well, clearly they do not apply to you in the same way that they applied to Isaac. God has not said to you “to your offspring I will give all these lands”, or “I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven” or I will give to your offspring all these lands [meaning Canaan]”, or “in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” Those promises were for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Those promises were fulfilled in the arrival of the Christ! But these promises do belong to you if you are in Christ Jesus, for in him you will partake of the fulness of the rewards that he has earned as the faithful Son of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. 

In Christ we are not waiting to inherit a small sliver of land called Canaan, but, as Peter says, “according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13, ESV). For this is what Jesus the Christ has earned — not Canaan only, but a new heavens and new earth. And this he has earned, not for one people group only, but for all the nations of the earth — for all peoples who have faith in his name.] 

The promises made to Abraham were also made to Isaac, advancing God’s work of redemption. 

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The Fear That Plagued Abraham Also Plagued Isaac

But notice that though Isaac remained in the land in obedience to the word of the LORD, he still struggled in the faith. In this story we learn that the fear that plagued had plagued his father Abraham also plagued Isaac.

This part of the story should also sound familiar to you. Verse 6: “So Isaac settled in Gerar. When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, ‘She is my sister,’ for he feared to say, ‘My wife,’ thinking, ‘lest the men of the place should kill me because of Rebekah,’ because she was attractive in appearance” (Genesis 26:6–7, ESV). Isaac lied about his wife just as his father Abraham lied about his, saying only that she was his sister. Both men were driven by fear to do this unholy thing. Both men lacked faith when they took the road of self protection rather than trusting in the LORD.   

Do not forget that the LORD had promised to be with Isaac and to bless him, but here he  seems to have forgotten those promises. Here he seems to have forgot that the LORD had set his love upon him. Had he remembered the lovingkindness of the LORD he would not have allowed fear to drive him, for “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18, ESV).

It is important to notice that in both the story of Abraham’s deception and the story of Isaac’s deception, the pagan nations are portrayed as having more integrity that the patriarchs. Think about that for moment. When Abraham lied in Egypt and then again in Gerar, those kings were appalled by his actions. They were astonished that Abraham would lie, and they were furious that he would put them in a position where they might sin by taking Sarah as wife. And the same is true here. Verse 8: “When he had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw Isaac laughing [being flirtatious] with Rebekah his wife. So Abimelech called Isaac and said, ‘Behold, she is your wife. How then could you say, ‘She is my sister’?’ Isaac said to him, ‘Because I thought, ‘Lest I die because of her.’’ Abimelech said, ‘What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.’ So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, ‘Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death’” (Genesis 26:8–11, ESV). 

Isaac thought that the men of Gerar were thoroughly wicked. Instead he was humbled to discover that in this instance they were more righteous than he. This is an  important theme. Abraham and Isaac were the fathers of the Israelite nation. The message being communicated to them through this history of their people is that they were chosen by God from amongst the nations, not because they were better than the rest, but by the grace of God alone.    In other words, with the election of Abraham and Isaac a particular people were set apart in the world from the rest. The Israelites would belong uniquely to the LORD for a time,  whereas the nations would remain in darkness. But the beginning of the history of the Israelites makes it plain — it was by grace that they were set apart, and not the result of works, lest anyone amongst them should boast.  

[APPLICATION: This too is our heritage, brothers and sisters. Abraham and Isaac are our forefathers spiritually speaking. And by considering  their imperfections  we are reminded that that our election in Christ is by the  free grace of God alone, and not because of something deserving within us. I have said it before, and I will say it again, there is nothing more humbling than the doctrine of unconditional election when it is properly understood. Remember and never forget that  God “saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began…” (2 Timothy 1:9, ESV). 

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The Blessings That Fell Upon Abraham Were Also Showered Upon Isaac

Lastly, let us see that the blessings that fell upon Abraham were also showered upon Isaac. 

No sooner do the scriptures finish describing Isaac’s sin of deception and the righteous actions of Abimelech king of  Gerar, do we read in verse 12,  “And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him, and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him” (Genesis 26:12–14, ESV). Indeed,  the LORD was faithful to be with him and to bless him despite his shortcomings. 

The Philistines envied his wealth and so  they began to drive him away. Isaac would dig a well and the Philistines would quarrel over it and claim that it was theirs. This happened repeatedly. It should be noted that this section which runs from 26:18-22 mirrors the story of Abraham’s separating from Lot. Remember that Abraham’s wealth was so great that the land could not support the two of them, so Lot  and Abraham went their separate ways after their herdsmen began to quarrel (Genesis 13). But in the story of the separation of Lot from Abraham, Abraham was blessed of the LORD. And similarly  in the story of Isaac being driven from Gerar, it was Isaac who was blessed of the LORD. 

Verse 23: “From there he went up to Beersheba. And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, ‘I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.’ So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.” (Genesis 26:23–25, ESV)

Why all the talk of well digging? It should be remembered that there was a famine in the land of Cannan, most likely due to a lack of rain. Having a source of water in the Canaan was essential to survival in the land. Here is a clear  sign  of the LORD’s blessing upon Isaac — he provided  water for him in a dry and thirsty land. Isaac was blessed of the LORD, and the provision of water was a clear sign of this blessing.  

[APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, our sojourning is not physical, but spiritual. And so too our thirst is not physical, but spiritual. Those blessed in the LORD are those who have faith in Christ. And what does Christ say? “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35, ESV). And, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (John 7:37–38, ESV).]

In verses 26-33 we learn that even the Philistines, as they are called in this passage, recognized that Isaac was blessed. Abimelech,  Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army came to Isaac and said, “We see plainly that the LORD has been with you. So we said, let there be a sworn pact between us, between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you…” (Genesis 26:28, ESV).

[APPLICATION: Friends,  I ask you, when the world looks in upon your life can they tell that you are blessed in Christ? Can they see something distinguishing about you — love, joy, peace? Do they see someone who’s hunger and thirst has been satiated? Do they see one who is thankful and content? Oh that we would walk with Christ in such way that the world around us would take notice and come to us to ask “for a reason for the hope that is in [us] (1 Peter 3:15, ESV). When the world looks in upon your life do they see someone who I shape  and blessed in the Lord? They should! And if they don’t, then something needs to change. 

Friends, if you are in Christ then you are  truly blessed. Isaac was blessed with earthly things, and the kings of Gerar took note of it.  But if you are in Christ you are blessed in the spiritual realm. God has blessed us “in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:3–12, ESV).]

Perhaps you noticed that this passage ends rather abruptly and strangely in verses 34 and 35 with this little remark about Esau, Isaac and Rebekahs oldest son — “When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah” (Genesis 26:34–35, ESV). And with that we are prepared to consider the lives of Esau and Jacob again in chapter 27. Clearly, the LORD favored Jacob the younger over Esau the elder. Esau married from amongst the Hittites. And bad marriages can make a real mess of things. 

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Conclusion 

As we move to a conclusion, let us remember that the LORD is faithful to keep his promises. He was faithful to Abraham and to Isaac, and he will be faithful to us. It is “impossible for God to lie”  and that is why it is right for us to flee to him “for refuge” and to take “strong encouragement” in him. Indeed, “we have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul” (Hebrews 6:18–19, ESV).

Let us put away all  fear, therefore.  “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18, ESV).  Are you convinced that God loves you in Christ Jesus? Then there is no room for fear. Let us walk  by faith and not by fear as Isaac did when he lied about his wife.

And let us see clearly how very blessed  we are in  Christ Jesus. Do you rejoice in this, brothers and sisters? Are you thankful and content? Are joyful and at peace? It is only right for us to be if we are indeed blessed in Christ Jesus.  

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 22

“After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.’ And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’ So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The LORD will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.’ And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.’ So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba. Now after these things it was told to Abraham, ‘Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.’” (Genesis 22, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Hebrews 11:8–19

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” (Hebrews 11:8–19, ESV)

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Introduction

I think you would agree with me that the story of Genesis 22 is perplexing at the start. From Genesis 12 on through to the end of Genesis 20 we have been eagerly awaiting the fulfillment to the promises of God  concerning a son for Abraham and Sarah. Finally, in Genesis 21 we hear that the son was born. And then in Genesis 22 we are startled by these words: God spoke to Abraham and said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2, ESV). 

This command is perplexing on a couple of levels. First, it contradicts the promises that had been made to Abraham previously concerning his son Isaac and the work that God would accomplish through him. How could God accomplish that work if he were dead? And secondly, this command does not square at all with what we know to be true of the character of the God of the Bible. The scriptures in other places strictly condemn and forbid the practice of child sacrifice which was (and is) practiced in the world, and yet here the LORD tells Abraham to do it. As I said, the beginning of this story is very perplexing to the reader

And what about Abraham? Can you imagine how perplexing this must have been to him? This passage  gives us very little insight into the thought life of Abraham. The reader is left to imagine what was going on in his mind and heart as he walked through this experience. No doubt, he would have been thinking what we are thinking: Doesn’t this contradict what the LORD has said to me previously? And this seems to be entirely out of character for the LORD that I know. I’m sure that these thoughts were swirling around in Abraham’s mind, but what do you think was going on in  his heart? You and I can look back upon this narrative and ask these questions, but we are detached personally. Abraham lived this story. He actually  “rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac [his son, his only son, whom he loved]. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him” (Genesis 22:3, ESV). And he must of agonized over these things during  the three day journey. If this story is perplexing to the reader, how much more for Abraham as he experienced these things personally. 

But please noticed how I have said that this story is perplexing at first, or in the beginning. This is an important thing to emphasize, for though it is true that this story startles the reader at the start, by the end it is clear, understandable, illuminating and very comforting. Abraham himself journeyed towards Moriah perplexed and heavyhearted, but he journeyed home encouraged, comforted and reassured in the promises of God. Indeed, his faith was greatly strengthened through this test. He returned home more certain than ever that the LORD would provide. The LORD would provide the fulfillment to his promises. And more specifically, the LORD would provide a substitute for his offspring so that, though as good as dead, they might live.

I would like to  consider the story of Genesis 22 in five parts this morning. One, we will consider the call of God in verses 1 and 2. Two, the obedience of Abraham in verses 3 through 10. Three, the provision of the LORD in verse 12 through 14. Four, the promises of God in verses 15 through 19.  And five, a warning concerning trusting in the appearance of things in verses 20 through 24. We will need to move rather quickly. 

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The Call Of God Upon Abraham

First of all, let us consider the call of God upon Abraham in verses 1 and 2. 

There we read, “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you’” (Genesis 22:1–2, ESV).

Notice how these words echo the original call of God upon Abraham when he was called to leave his homeland and go to a land that God would show him. If you were to set Genesis 22:1-2 alongside Genesis 12:1 you would see that there are very similar. It makes me wonder which journey was more difficult for Abraham? Was it more challenging for him to leave his home in Ur for the promised land? Or was it more challenging for him to leave home in the promised land for Moriah?

APPLICATION: In my experience I have found that many Christians assume the Christian life will grow easier with the passing of time? I would question that notion. It seems to me that finishing well is often more difficult than starting well. The story of Abraham would support this theory. It must have been difficult for him to leave Ur when first called by God. That required great faith. But something tells me that this journey to Moriah later in life was even more challenging. Friends, starting well in the Christian life matters little when compared to finishing well. Finishing well is what the scriptures call us to do. Those truly in Christ will  finish well, as Christ himself has said, “But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22, ESV).

The words, “after these things” in verse 1 might seem insignificant, buy they are very important for the direct our attention to the past. One, they remind us of what happened in chapter 21 with the birth of Isaac and the casting out of Ishmael. If we had the time I would set the story of the casting out of Ishmael and God’s provision for he and Hagar right along side this story concerning the sacrifice of Isaac and God’s provision of a substitute. And if I were to do that you would see that the two stories concerning Abraham’s two son’s parallel one another. They are meant to be compared and contrasted. Also, the words “after these things” remind us of all that has transpired  from Genesis 12 up to this point. Moses wants all of that  — especially the promises made to Abraham in years past — to be fresh in our minds so that we might be prepared to absorb the shocking story that he is about to tell. 

APPLICATION: Indeed, it wise for anyone who is going through a difficult and trying time to look back upon the past and to to remember God’s promises and his faithfulness. If you are going through a season of difficulty, don’t forget to look back. Look back and remember God’s faithfulness in  your  own life, and remember God’s faithfulness in generations past. God is faithful yesterday, today and forever. 

As we go on in verse 1 we read these words: “God tested Abraham”. Now, these are Moses’ words to the reader, and not God’s words to Abraham. Moses wants the reader to know from the outset that this was a test. Abraham’s faith was tested in this event, this we know from the start. Whether or not Abraham realized that it was a test from the start, we do not know. 

APPLICATION: And here is something we must understand about our God. Though he never tempts people (James 1:13), he does test them. What is the difference,  you might ask? Well the evil one tempts people with evil to make them stumble and fall. But God when God tests his people it is for the purpose of strengthening and refining them. Tempting and testing share this in common: they both involve a kind of test. But the purposes of God and of Satan are quite different. Satan seeks to destroy. God’s purpose is for the test to purity of ones faith. When he tests those who belong to him, it is to strengthen and refine them. Sometimes God’s people pass the test. Sometimes they fail. But even when they fail God uses the failure to further refine them.     

Abraham’s faith was tested in the event that is described to us here in this chapter. And I, for one, am glad to know that it was a test from the  start, for the thing that God called Abraham to do is shocking.  God called out to Abraham, saying,  “Abraham!” And Abraham replied as a faithful servant should, saying, “Here I am” (Genesis 22:1, ESV). And then God spoke, saying, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2, ESV).

As I have already said, this must have been shocking to Abraham. This word from the LORD seemed, at first, to contradict what the LORD had promised earlier — that through Issac the promises of God would be fulfilled. Also, this word from the LORD seemed to contradict the character of God which Abraham had come to know so well — the false gods of the pagans were pleased with human sacrifice, but not the LORD of all creation.   

But notice this. The LORD did help Abraham along when he called him. In other words, he called him in such a way so as to soften the blow and to coax him along towards obedience. Notice ______ things about the call. 

One, though our English translations do not bring this out, in the Hebrew it is clear that God said “please” to Abraham when he delivered this command. Translated more literally the text says, “Please take your son, your only child whom you love…” It is very, very uncommon for God to  say “please” or “I beg you” or “I urge you” when delivering commands to his people. But here he does. It is as if God said to Abraham, I know this is going to sound very strange to you, please trust me. Take your son, etc. 

Two, notice that God reassured Abraham that he knew  how precious Isaac was to him. I suppose he could have simply said, Abraham, take your son Isaac… But instead he said, “Please, take your son, your only only whom you love…” 

Three, take notice of the name of the place that God called Abraham to go to. Go to the land of Moriah, God said. The Hebrew  word Moriah sounds like the Hebrew word for “provide” which will become the central theme of the story as it continues to unfold. 

A little later in the story Isaac will notice that his dad has everything needed for a sacrifice except… the sacrifice, and so he asks his father. And what did Abraham say? “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Genesis 22:8, ESV). And after the whole ordeal was over notice that Abraham expanded upon the name “Moriah” and called the place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided” (Genesis 22:14, ESV). 

What I am saying is this: Though all of this became increasingly clear to Abraham as he obeyed, the name of the place was a clue to Abraham that the LORD would make it clear, would see to it, and would provide. Abraham was called by God to head of towards land where the LORD would provide. It is as if  the LORD spoke to Abraham and ever so subtly said, Abraham, please trust me. Take your only son — the son whom you love so very much, and go to the land of provision, and offer him up there. I do not mean to minimize how difficult fit must have been for Abraham to obey. But at the same time we should not ignore the hints that God dropped when called Abraham, so as to ease his mind concerning the perplexing thing that he was calling him to do. 

By the way, where is Moriah? Where is this mountain of provision that Abraham was called to sacrifice his son upon? 2 Chronicles 3:1 reveals that Moriah is where the city of Jerusalem would eventually be build. More specifically, Mount Moriah was the location where the temple in Jerusalem would eventually be constructed.  In 2 Chronicles 3:1 we read, “Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite” (2 Chronicles 3:1, ESV). Please keep this in mind as we continue on with our story.  

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The Obedience Of Abraham

We have considered the call of God upon Abraham in verses 1 and 2. Now let us consider the obedience of  Abraham in verses 3 through 10. 

As you know, Abraham’s faith was not always perfect. He had his ups and downs. He sometimes allowed fear of the unknown to get to him. But here in this episode, his faith is rock solid. He simply obeyed the LORD this he did from the moment that he saddled his donkey to the moment that he lifted up the knife to slay his son. Abraham simply obeyed the LORD. 

And what was he thinking? The scriptures reveal very little concerning Abraham’s thought life. I think it is safe to  assume that he agonized over the thought of Isaac death, and especially over the though that it would come by his hand. But the scriptures do give us some insight into his thinking. And when they do, what do we find? We find faith.  

For three days Abraham journeyed along with Isaac and two of his young men. Verse 4: “On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar” (Genesis 22:4, ESV). This is a dramatic scene. I think Abraham’s heart sank when he saw the place. How did he know it was the place? The LORD must have revealed it to him. But listen carefully to what  Abraham said to his servants. Verse 5: “Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you” (Genesis 22:5, ESV). The word “come” in the phrase “come again to you” is plural. In other words, Abraham said, “I and the boy will go over there and worship and [the who of us will] come again to you.” How could Abraham have said this to his servants given what thew LORD had commanded him to do? He said it in faith knowing that the LORD would provide somehow. The LORD would not  break his promises concerning the blessing that would come through Issac.  The LORD would provide. How? Abraham did not know, but he knew that he would. And so he said, we are going to worship, and we will return. 

Abraham’s faith is also evident in his response to Isaac’s question concerning the missing sacrifice. Uh, Dad. I see the fire.  I see the wood. But where is the lamb? “Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’ So they went both of them together” (Genesis 22:8, ESV).

And notice that Abraham obeyed, not half way, or three quarters of the way, but all of the way. “When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.” By the way, I think this indicates that Isaac also had faith. It is difficult to imagine that young man would not be able to escape a man of Abraham’s age in a situation like this. Issac was a willing sacrifice. “Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son” (Genesis 22:9–10, ESV).

Abraham was perfectly obedient to God in this moment. He obeyed even to the point of lifting the knife to slay his son. And yet we might still  ask the question, what was thinking that he would be willing to go this far in  obedience to the command of God? The New Testament helps us to understand. Remember that Hebrews passage that I read at the beginning of the sermon. In chapter 11 verse 17 we find these words: “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ He [Abraham] considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back” (Hebrews 11:17–19, ESV).

This is very helpful. Here the scriptures reveal to us that Abraham lifted up the knife to slay his son believing that one of the ways that God could provide would be to raise the boy from the dead. Abraham  knew that God was able to bring life from death, and so he was obedient to the point of death. 

APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, you and I should obey the LORD as Abraham did — consistently, to the end, and even to the point of death, believing for sure  that God will raise the dead and that he is the rewarder of “those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, ESV). 

Now please do not misunderstand me. You would be a fool to think that God will speak to you in the way that he spoke to Abraham. Abraham was a prophet. Abraham played a unique and very unusual role in the history of redemption. God does not speak to anyone today in the way that he spoke to Abraham. It would be very misguided and unbiblical for anyone today to wait around waiting to hear from God before knowing what to do. If you need help understand why this is so, I would be happy to explain it to you from the scriptures. In brief, the Christ has come to whom the law and the prophets pointed. All of the promises of God — the promises that were delivered first to Abraham — find their “yes” in him (2 Corinthians 1:20). Jesus the Christ was the word of God come in the flesh — the panicle of God’s special revelation. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1–2, ESV). In other words, there is nothing left for God to reveal now that the Christ has come. The New Testament scriptures testify concerning him. The foundational age of the Apostles and Prophets is over. And now we have the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. They are all we need. 

Now, does the Holy Spirit “speak to us”? Yes! But in this sense. He is the Paraclete — the Helper — who ministers the Word of God to us. He illuminates the scriptures. He helps us to understand them and to apply them. He gives wisdom to his people so that they might live in obedience to the Word of God already given.

That is what I mean when I say that we should obey the LORD as Abraham did. It is not that we should expect God to speak to us as God spoke to Abraham the prophet. Rather, now that God has spoken to us by his Son, we ought to be found living obedient lives of faith, as Abraham did in this instance.  

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The Provision Of The LORD   

Abraham believed that God was able to raise Issac from the dead, if necessary. Thankfully, it did not come to that, for the LORD  provided a substitute. Let us now consider the provision of the LORD. 

Right as Abraham lifted his hand to slay his son, his only son Isaac, whom he loved, “the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven saying, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am’” (Genesis 22:11, ESV). You can almost here the urgency in the LORD’s voice, and the relief in Abraham’s. And the LORD said, “’Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The LORD will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided’” (Genesis 22:12–14, ESV).

I have mentioned this many times now in our study of the book of Genesis: many of the event that are recorded for us in this book (and in the Old Testament) have a prototypical quality to them. They were real events that really happened, but they also pointed forward to things yet to come on a greater scale. Certainly this story concerning the sacrifice of Isaac and the LORD’s provision of a substitute was one of those events.  

On an earthly level, Issac typifies the people of Israel who would descend from him. They, because of their sin and rebellion will deserve to be cast out of the land. But God would provide a sacrificial system by which atonement would be made for their sins. 

On a spiritual and heavenly level, Issac typifies the Israel of God — that is to say, the elect of God. All who have the faith of Abraham from amongst the Jews and Gentiles. They deserve death because of their sin. But God, beings rich in mercy would provide a Savior — Christ Jesus the LORD, the lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. He is our substitute. 

Please understand, therefore, the gospel was portrayed through Abraham’s obedience and the LORD’s provision. The message was communicated loud and clear — the LORD will provide! And what would he provide? A substitute for the children of God. The doctrine of substitutionary atonement was not invented by Christians, therefore. Far from it! Even Abraham, and all who descended from him, were taught that God would save his people from death — the death that is due to all of us because of our sin — and this he would do by sending someone to our place. 

Did you notice the little remark that Moses made at the end of verse 14? As it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided’” (Genesis 22:12–14, ESV). Moses wrote Genesis over 400 years after Abraham experienced this. He wrote Genesis after the Hebrews spent a long time as slaves in Egypt. And yet even still the saying was common — “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided”.  What mount? Moriah. The mountain where the temple would be build. The mountain where animal sacrifices would be offered up for hundreds of years. And in the place where the Christ, the lamb of God who takes aways the sins, not only of the Hebrews, but also the Gentiles, would slain as a substitute for those given to him by the Father.  

Now what do we say? Not, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided”, but praise be to God, On the mount of the LORD it has been provided, for it is finished.

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The Promises Of God   

I have two more points to make, and very little time to make them. We have considered the call of God upon Abraham, the obedience of Abraham, and the provision of of the LORD. Now let me say a very brief word concerning the promises of God reiterated.

These promises are new. They have already been made to Abraham unconditionally. In others words, God had promised that these things would surely happen. But now, because of Abraham’s, they are stated with even more forcefulness and clarity. 

“And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice’” (Genesis 22:15–18, ESV).

Again, these are not new promises. And the fulfillment of them was never contingent upon Abraham’s obedience. But Abraham’s obedience brought about an even more robust expression of these promises. Not only would his descendents be as the stars of heaven, but as the sand of the seashore. And not only would Abraham possess the land, but his offspring would possess the gate of their enemies, referring to their victory over their enemies. 

APPLICTAION: Friends, when we obey God we do not earn our salvation or make it sure, but we do often gain a sense of assurance concerning it. When we disobey God we sometimes wonder if we are really his. But when we obey that often brings an increase in our confidence in Christ. I would imagine that Abraham walked away confident. He obeyed. He passed the test. The gospel was portrayed before his very eyes — he was sure that “on the mount of the LORD it shall be provided”. And he was reassured concerning the promises of God that had been delivered unconditionally to him years earlier. I wonder, friends, do you have a sense of assurance? Are you confident in Christ Jesus. If you lack assurance, the possible reasons are many. But one possibility is that you lack it because you have been disobedient. The Apostle spook of assurance when he said, “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3, ESV).

Abraham was obedient. He passed the test. And he was blessed to have the promised of God reiterated to him yet again, with even greater boldness and clarity than before. 

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A Warning Concerning The Appearance Of Things   

In the fifth and last portion of our text for today we are warned against trusting in the appearance of things. 

This narrative has a conclusion that seems strange at first. In verse 20 we read, “Now after these things it was told to Abraham, ‘Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.’ (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah” (Genesis 22:20–24, ESV).

What is this about? Why did Moses provide a list of the descendents of Abraham’s brother, Nahor, as a conclusion to this story concerning Abraham and his son Isaac? 

The answer, I think, is that it sets the apparent flourishing of Nahor over and against the apparent languishing of Abraham, God’s chosen and blessed one. 

When you look at Nahor, Abraham’s brother, who did not follow the LORD, who remained in Ur and, presumably, continued to worship other god’s, what do you see? A man flourishing and blessed. 12 of his descendents are mentioned. 

But when you look at Abraham what do you see? Well, concerning offspring, he is a man that is barely scraping by. He had one son by Hagar, Sarah’s servant girl, and he had to send him away. He had only one son by Sarah, and this one narrowly escaped being sacrificed. 

But the people of God must learn to distrust the appearance of things, for sometimes things are not as they appear. Abraham was indeed blessed of God. A great multitude was truly in his loins. Indeed, God would establish his kingdom through him. And from him the Christ would be brought into the world. Judging by appearance one might be tempted to say that Nahor was the blessed one of the two. But not according to the decree of God. 

APPLICATION: Friends, you too must learn to look beyond the appearance of things. Quite often the people and institutions that appear prosperous and blessed will come to nothing, and the people and institutions that belong to the LORD seem on the surface to be so very small and insignificant. This has been a common phenomenon throughout the history of redemption, and I believe it is true to this present day.  I ask you, where is the Kingdom of God in the world today? Where is his church? Where is he working? If I were a betting man I would wager a great some of money upon God working amongst people and institutions that on the surface seem to be of little significance, for this is God’s way. Our God has chosen “what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1:28–29, ESV).

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Conclusion 

Almighty God, grant that the words which we have heard today, with our outward ears, may by your grace be so grafted inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honor and praise of your name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

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Old Testament Reading: Genesis 21

“The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, ‘God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.’ And she said, ‘Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.’ And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. So she said to Abraham, ‘Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.’ And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, ‘Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, ‘Let me not look on the death of the child.’ And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.’ Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, ‘God is with you in all that you do. Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.’ And Abraham said, ‘I will swear.’ When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized, Abimelech said, ‘I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.’ So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. And Abimelech said to Abraham, ‘What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?’ He said, ‘These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.’ Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath. So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.” (Genesis 21, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Galatians 4:21–31

“Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written, ‘Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than those of the one who has a husband.’ Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. But what does the Scripture say? ‘Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.’ So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.” (Galatians 4:21–31, ESV)

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Introduction

The text that we are considering this morning is divided into three parts. One, the story of the birth of Isaac found in Genesis 21:1-7. Two, the story of the casting away of Ishmael found in verses 8-21. And three, the story of the covenant transacted between Abraham and Abimelech is found in verses 22-34. 

Naturally, the sermon today will have three points which correspond to these three stories. First, we will consider the promises of God fulfilled in the birth of Isaac. Secondly, we will consider the pain caused by the sin of Abraham and Sarah committed years earlier (along with God’s mercies). And three, we will consider the faithfulness of the LORD to be present with his covenant people in their sojourning.   

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The Promises Of God Fulfilled In The Birth Of Isaac

First, let us look upon verses 1 through 7 to consider the promises of God fulfilled in the birth of Isaac. 

In verses 1 and 2 we finally hear the news that we have been waiting for. “The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.” (Genesis 21:1–2, ESV)

The tension concerning Sarah’s barrenness has been building ever since it was first mentioned in verse 30 of chapter 11. There we read, “Now Sarai was barren; she had no child” (Genesis 11:30, ESV). And that tension has increased with the passing of time and with each promise uttered by the LORD concerning a child for Abraham and Sarah. Those promises which were reiterated and clarified from time to time were comforting, no doubt. But they also increased the anticipation. When, LORD? When will Sarah and Abraham have this child? Time is certainly running out!

Finally, the time has come. The text says, “The LORD visited Sarah”. This indicates that the birth of Isaac was supernatural. It was not a virgin birth, as it was with the birth of the Christ. Indeed, Isaac was conceived by the ordinary means of procreation. But it was supernatural and miraculous none the less. The LORD visited Sarah. She was now 90 years old. She had been barren all her life. Abraham was 100. And the LORD miraculously enabled her to conceive.

When we read verses 1 and 2 did you notice the emphasis upon this being in fulfillment to the promises of God?  Hear it again: “The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him” (Genesis 21:1–2, ESV). Three times the text emphasizes that these things happened in fulfillment to God’s promises.  

Have you ever wondered why the LORD made Sarah and Abraham wait so long for their son? I suppose we may never know all of the reasons, for there are “secret things [that] belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29, ESV). But I think it is safe to say that at least three things were being accomplished through the waiting. 

One, the faith of Abraham and Sarah was being tested. Would they go on believing the LORD when the fulfillment of his promises seemed impossible to them? Would they persevere in the faith with the passing of time? Their faith was being tested, so that it might also be strengthened. Faith that is true gets stronger when it is tried and tested. Abraham and Sarahs faith grew stronger as it was tested over time. 

APPLICATION: Friends, the LORD allows our faith to be tested from time to time, doesn’t he? This he does in a variety of ways. But if our faith is true, the testing is it is for the purpose of strengthening our faith. Just as the body and mind will not grow stronger if they are not tested, neither will our faith. Faith, if it is true faith, grows stronger when it is tested. Faith, if it is false faith, will wither before the heat of trials and tribulations. 1 Peter 1:3-7 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:3–7, ESV). 

Abraham and Sarah’s faith was tested as the fulfillment to the promise was delayed. 

Two, the ability of the LORD to bring life from death was put on display as Sarah and Abraham waited long for their promised son. 

You would do well to notice that barrenness is a bit of a theme in the book of Genesis. The earth was barren (that is, empty and void) when it was first created, and yet the LORD formed it into a place suitable for life, particularly human life. For 90 years Sarah was barren. Rachel, the wife of Jacob (the grandson of Abraham) was also barren (see Genesis 29:31). In each instance the LORD overcomes barrenness and makes that which is dead to live.  

APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, the LORD has done the same for you and for me — indeed, for all who have faith in Christ Jesus. He had taken that which is dead and he has made it alive. “You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked… But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…” (Ephesians 2:1–2, 4-5, ESV). What the LORD did for Sarah’s womb, he has also done for your soul. You were dead (according to the soul), but God has made you alive in Christ. He has “visited you”, and by his Spirit he has enabled you to believe. He has opened your blind eyes, unstopped your deaf ears, and has breathed the breath of life into your lifeless soul — by grace you have been saved. 

The ability of the LORD to bring life from death was put on display as Sarah and Abraham waited long for their promised son.

Three, the faithfulness of the LORD was also demonstrated to Abraham, and through him, to the world as  he and Sarah waited long for their promised son.

The LORD is faithful. He always keeps his promises. He cannot lie or change his mind. The people of God sometimes doubt his faithfulness with the passing of time. But the story of the long awaited birth of Isaac demonstrates that God will  always keep his promises, even if the wait seems unreasonably long. 

Brothers and sisters, this is how Paul the Apostle interpreted and applied the story of the birth of Isaac in his epistle to the Romans, chapter 4 verses 16-22. He writes, “That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his [Abraham’s] offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was ‘counted to him as righteousness.’” (Romans 4:16–22, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, the promises of God were indeed fulfilled in the birth of Isaac.  The LORD was found  faithful. And Abraham obeyed the LORD. He “circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him” (Genesis 21:4, ESV), for circumcision was the sign and seal of that covenant which the LORD had transacted with Abraham. 

And notice the joy. Indeed, it is a very joyous thing to see the fulfillment of the promises of the LORD. “And Sarah said, ‘God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.’ And she said, ‘Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age’” (Genesis 21:6–7, ESV).

The last time that we heard of Sarah’s laughter, it was laughter of unbelief. Here is a joyous laughter. By the way, the name Isaac means, he laughs. Indeed, the birth of Isaac caused Sarah to laugh with joy. Not only was this the joy of having a child after so many years of barrenness, but also joy in seeing the promised of God fulfilled in their proper time.  

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The Pain Caused By The Sin Of Abraham And Sarah

From the joy of verses 6 and 7 we transition rather abruptly to the pain and sadness of verses 8 through 21. And that brings us to the secondly point of the sermon today. Brothers and sisters, consider carefully the pain caused by the sin of Abraham and Sarah committed years earlier (along with God’s mercies).

Perhaps as many as three years had passed from the birth of Isaac to the events narrated in verses 8 through 21, for verse 8 says, “And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned” (Genesis 21:8, ESV). Children in that culture were sometimes weaned as late as three years of age. Perhaps Isaac was 3, and that would put Ishmael at the age of 16. Ishmael is called a “boy” and a “child” in these passage, but the Hebrew word can also be translated as “young man”. Indeed, we are to picture Ishmael as a young man — probably 16 years of age. 

In verses 9 we learn that at the feast that Abraham made for Isaac,  “Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing” (Genesis 21:9, ESV). The Hebrew word translated “laughing” here in verse 9 is that same word that was translated as “laugh” in verse 6. Clearly this is a play on words, for the Hebrew word can either mean to laugh with joy, or to laugh in a mocking way. Sarah laughed with joy at the birth of Isaac, but Ishmael laughed to mock Isaac, the son of promise. 

Notice that this is the interpretation that the New Testament gives, for Paul refers to this laughter of Ishmael as persecution in Galatians 4:29, saying,  “But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now” (Galatians 4:29, ESV). This was not joyous laughter. This was not innocent laughter. Ismael was mocking the boy and was known to persecute him. Sarah knew this intuitively, and so she, being concerned for the welfare of her son, demanded  that Ishmael, the son of the bondwoman, be sent away from the son of promise. Verse 10: “So she said to Abraham, ‘Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac’” (Genesis 21:10, ESV).

Notice that this grieved Abraham to core. In verse 11 we read, “And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son” (Genesis 21:11, ESV). No doubt, Abraham loved Ishmael very much. The thought of sending him away with Hagar at the age of 16 grieved his heart. 

APPLICATION: Friends, have you noticed that our sin often has consequences? Sin makes life messy and complicated. Sin entangles. It wounds. It divides. Sin, which is any lack of conformity unto or violation of the law of God, always has consequences which grieve the heart and infuse life with a bitter taste. Do you want a good and pleasant life? Then keep God’s law! Notice I did not say that life would be without struggle altogether if we keep God’s law, for even the righteous suffer in this world. But I am saying that an obedient life is a blessed life. To walk with God and in obedience to him in this world is a blessed experience. It produces a blessed life, even if it is a difficult  life marked by suffering. Indeed the scriptures are true: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:1–3, ESV).

16 years earlier Abraham and Sarah decided that God needed their help. They concocted a plan involving a Sarah’s bondwoman, Hagar. Perhaps God would give Abraham a son through her, they reasoned. After all, it was clearly impossible for Sarah to have a son. And now Abraham and Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael are reaping some of that bad fruit which sown so many years earlier. It’s a sad story, isen’t it? It would probably be a good idea to put yourself in the sandels of each of the characters and to look at the situation from their unique perspective. And if you do you will see that the situation is sad and painful for each of them, but in different ways. I’m sure that each one of them — Abraham and Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael  — shed many tears in the days in which the bitter fruit of the sin of Abraham ripened. 

APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, I wonder if you will learn from this story? I wonder if you will learn from the scriptures, that the wages of sin is death?  Or will you be one of those who has to learn the hard way, that is to say, by  experience. You do understand that there are two ways to learn this truth that sin is bitter, don’t you? You can learn it by believing, or you can learn it by experience. How much better it is to learn it by believing. 

God’s word says, “My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways. So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words, who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God; for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the departed; none who go to her come back, nor do they regain the paths of life. So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it, but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.” (Proverbs 2:1–22, ESV)

I’ll let you read this story again for yourself so that you can more thoroughly consider all of the pain that the sin of Abraham caused once that bad fruit had fully ripened. But there is something else I would like to emphasize before moving on to the third and final point of the sermon, and that is that God shows mercy to his covenant people even as they suffer under the consequences of their own sin. 

Where do I see that in this text? Well, in two places. 

One, the LORD did speak to Abraham to give him clarity over what he should do as he agonized over the decision that was before him. Verse 12: “But God said to Abraham, ‘Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring’” (Genesis 21:12–13, ESV). God, in his mercy, spoke to Abraham to help him know what to do as he stood perplexed in this messy situation. And he also comforted him concerning Ishmael, whom he undoubtably loved as a son, saying, “I will make a nation of” him, “because he is your offspring.”

Two, I also see the mercy of God displayed in his care for Hagar and Ishmael. Evidently they got lost in the wilderness. They found themselves without water. Hagar thought Ismael would die, so she left him in the shade and walked away, because she could not bear to witness the death of her son. But what does the text say? Verse 16: Hagar “lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.’ Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy, and he grew up…” (Genesis 21:16–20, ESV).

Do you see that in the midst of all of this pain and suffering which was the result of sin, God was merciful to his covenant people. (If I had more time I would go to Galatians 4:21 and following to show how Paul interpreted this event. When he looks at Isaac the son of Sarah and Ishmael the son of Hagar he sees two covenants represented. This agrees with what I have said earlier about considering Abraham in a double capacity. There are two aspects to the Abrahamic Covenant — one fleshly and one spiritual; one earthly and one heavenly. In Abraham there are two kinds of offspring. There are children of Abraham according to the flesh, and there are children of Abraham according to faith in the promise. Ishmael descended from Abraham according to the flesh, but he laughed at the promise, not because he rejoiced in it, but to mock it. Isaac was the child of promise. Through him the nations of the earth would be blessed.  And what did the Apostle to Christians, most of the being Gentiles and not Jews? “So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman” (Galatians 4:31, ESV). This is all very important if we are to understand the story of the Bible and know the relationship between the Abrahamic, Mosaic and New Covenant’s. But explaining all of that would take too much time. Perhaps I’ll recommend a book on that subject soon.) For now I am content to say, brothers and sisters, consider the mercy of God shown to sinners even as they agonize under the weight of sins which they themselves committed. 

APPLICATION: This should not be difficult for you to apply to your own lives. I have already shown you that sin carries consequences. And you probably thinking to yourself, no kidding! I’ve experienced that first hand! But here I am emphasizing another more comforting truth — God does not abandon those who belong to him. He does not turn his back on them because they have sinned. Far from it! He is in fact full of mercy and grace. He draws near to his covenant people the sustain them, even as they suffer the consequences of their sin. I cannot say the same for the one who is not in Christ. Those not in Christ suffer in this world, but without the hope that the Father is using it for their God. But those in Christ know, “that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, ESV). And we are encouraged that even the discipline of the LORD is for our good. Hebrews 12:5 askes, “Have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees…” (Hebrews 12:5–12, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, our sin has consequences. It produces turmoil and pain. But God is gracious still. He often uses the “natural consequences” (so called) of our sin to disciple us if we are his children. And this he does because he loves us in Christ Jesus.  

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The Constancy Of The LORD To Be Present With His Covenant People In Their Sojourning   

The thirdly and final point will have to be very brief. As we look upon verses 22 through 34 let us simply consider the constancy of the LORD to be present with his covenant people in their sojourning. 

Here in this story Abimelech and the commander of his army come to meet with Abraham to enter into a treaty with him.  Though more could be said, notice three things. 

One, in verse 22 Abimelech and his commander approached Abraham saying, “God is with you in all that you do” (Genesis 21:22, ESV). Even non-believing king was able to recognize that God was with Abraham. In other words, Abraham was blessed of the LORD! 

Two, this is to be contrasted with what we just learned about Ismael. Ishmael, the son of the flesh, mocked the son of promise. He thought little of the blessing of the LORD upon the house of Abraham. But Abimelech the foreign king saw it. He saw that Abraham was blessed of God. This seems to indicate that the same sort of thing will happen in the future. Some who would be born from Abraham’s loins would be like Ishmael who misunderstood mocked the promises of God made to him and the blessing of God that were upon him. But others who were not born from him — who not of his clan, but were of the nations — would call Abraham blessed. This is indeed how things would go within ethnic Israel and with the grafting in of the gentiles under the New Covenant. Read the New Testament and see. 

Three, the text concludes with these words, “And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines” (Genesis 21:34, ESV). This reminds us that Abraham was promised, not only a son, but also a land. The land promise was still unfulfilled — he owned not a sliver. And yet Abraham went on to sojourn amongst the Philistines walking by faith and not by sight. 

 APPLICTAION: Brothers and sisters, how is your walk? Are you walking by faith and not sight? Are you living for the world to come? Is your hope in the new heavens and new earth, in which righteousness dwells? My prayer for us is that we would “lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1–2, ESV).

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Conclusion 

Almighty God, grant that the words which we have heard today, with our outward ears, may by your grace be so grafted inwardly in our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honor and praise of your name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.