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.  

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Old Testament Reading: Genesis 19

“The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, ‘My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.’ They said, ‘No; we will spend the night in the town square.’ But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.’ Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, and said, ‘I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.’ But they said, ‘Stand back!’ And they said, ‘This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.’ Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down. But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door. And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door. Then the men said to Lot, ‘Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.’ So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, ‘Up! Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city.’ But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting. As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.’ But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. And as they brought them out, one said, ‘Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.’ And Lot said to them, ‘Oh, no, my lords. Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!’ He said to him, ‘Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.’ Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD. And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace. So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived. Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. And the firstborn said to the younger, ‘Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.’ So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose. The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, ‘Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.’ So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.” (Genesis 19, ESV)

New Testament Reading: 2 Peter 2:4–10

“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones…” (2 Peter 2:4–10, ESV)A

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Introduction

I have emphasized in the pervious two sermons that the events recorded for us in Genesis chapters 18 and 19 have a prototypical character to them. By that I mean, not only were these real events that actually happened in the days of Abraham, they also taught Abraham, his descendents — and yes, even you and me — something about what would happen in the world again and again culminating in the consummation of all things at the return of Christ. Just as prototype of a car shows what the actual car will look like when it is built, so too many of the historical events recorded in the Bible functioned as prototypes of events yet to come. They were real events, but they were also events that revealed something about the plans and purposes of God..

As I have said, these events really happened. Abraham was truly set apart in the world as unique and holy. Abraham did intercede on behalf of Sodom. The LORD was faithful to preserve his chosen ones who lived in the midst of Sodom. And indeed, The LORD did pour out his wrath upon that place. These events really happened. But these events were not ordinary events. They also revealed something. They showed something of God’s plan for the future. They established a pattern that would be repeated.

What do the events of Genesis 18 and 19 teach us about God’s plan? Let me state the matter succinctly. One, the LORD, by his grace, will always have a people that belong to him in the world. Two, those who belong to him are to live in obedience to the LORD as they interceded for the nations. Three, the LORD will be faithful to preserve his people even as they live in the midst of wickedness. And four, the LORD will certainly judge. He is indeed a God of mercy and of grace, but he is also holy, righteous and just. He will certainly punish sin. 

In Genesis chapter 19, which is our sermon text for today, we see the last two of these principles portrayed. Notice three things about this chapter. One, the LORD was faithful to preserve compromising Lot. Two, the LORD Judged the wickedness of Sodom. Three, in these events the LORD did answer the prayer of Abraham. 

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The LORD Preserved Compromising Lot

First of all, let us consider that the LORD was faithful to preserve compromising Lot.

How are we to think of this man, Lot? Did he have true faith? Was he righteous? Or is he to be numbered amongst the non-believing and unfaithful of the world? 

Ultimately, we must confess that Lot was a righteous man. He had the faith of Abraham, and was justified by faith, just as Abraham was. How do we know this? For two reasons. 

One, the New Testament directly says that he was a righteous man. That statement is found in that 2 Peter 2 passage that was read at the begging of the sermon. In verses 7 we read, “and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment…” (2 Peter 2:6–9, ESV)

Did you hear the way that Peter interpreted the events surrounding the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra? He said what I have already said (I got it from him, and not he from me!), that these events were prototypical. They demonstrated that the “Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment…” And what did Peter have to say about Lot? The text explicitly says that Lot was righteous and godly. Evidently his soul was tormented by the “lawless deeds that he saw and heard” around him.

And so how should we view Lot? We are to view him as a righteous man, for the New Testament describes him as such. And the narrative of Genesis 19 also points in that direction. Did you notice that Lot showed the two visitors (who were really angels) hospitality in much the same way that Abraham did. He pleaded with the men to stay with him. He prepared a feast for them. He was clearly concerned for their wellbeing. He is portrayed as a good and hospitable man, just like Abraham. And we should not forget that the LORD rescued Lot before destroying Sodom demonstrating that Lot belonged to the LORD. Clearly, Lot was a righteous man who lived among wicked men. 

Now, if it is true that Lot was a righteous man of faith, why then do I call him “compromising Lot”? I describe him in that way because the narrative of Genesis also points in that direction. He seems to have compromised. He seems to have drifted away a bit from a sincere and single hearted devotion to the LORD. Did Lot belong to the LORD? Yes, he did! But it appears that the world also had a bit of a hold on him. 

Remember how Lot moved away from Abraham as recorded in Genesis 13. It was noted then that Lot seemed to loose interest in being closely allied with Abraham, who was blessed of God. He also seemed impressed with affluence of Sodom. That narrative concluded with these ominous words: “Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD” (Genesis 13:12–13, ESV). And so Lot seemed to drift away from Abraham, and from the blessings of covenant which the LORD had made with him.  

Let us not forget that Lot was capture and needed to be rescued by Abraham. This also contributes to the idea that he was, to a certain extent, entangled with and swallowed up by the word. 

And notice a few things about the narrative of Genesis 19. Lot was no longer living in tents near Sodom. Now he was sitting in the city gate (v. 1). This indicates that he was somewhat well respected in that place. He had assimilated to some degree. Notice also how when the men of Sodom pressed Lot to hand over his guests he offered his virgin daughters to them instead (v. 8). This does not seem right. Consider also that when Lot spoke his sons in law concerning the looming judgement, his sons in law did not take him seriously (v. 14). In verses 16 we are told that Lot lingered in Sodom when he was urged to leave. The angels had to drag him out of the city. They “seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city” (Genesis 19:16, ESV). And remember that Lot’s wife looked back because she loved that place (v. 26). And what are we to say of the perverse thing that Lot’s daughters did in seeking to preserve their father line (vs. 30-38)?

I do not doubt that Lot had the faith of Abraham. I’m sure that he was a righteous man — godly in comparison to the world around him. The scriptures clearly say that he was. But the narrative of Genesis also strongly suggests that Lot was somewhat entangled with the world. The narrative also seems to highlight all of the trouble and heartache that his compromising.

APPLICATION: Friends, this can happen to any of God’s people if they are not diligent to tend to the garden of their  souls. How easy it is for weeds to sprout up to choke out the vitality of our faith. Covetousness is like a cancer to the soul. Love for the world will inevitably cause our love for God and for the things of God to grow cold. This is why the scriptures warn against these things. 

“But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:6–10, ESV).

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15–17, ESV).

The exhortation of Hebrews 3:12-14 seems appropriate here: “Take care, brothers [and sisters], lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end” (Hebrews 3:12–14, ESV).

Though Lot was compromising, he truly belonged to the LORD, and so the LORD preserved him? The LORD always preserves those who belong to him. You have the responsibility to persevere, be he always preserves his people. You can be sure of this, “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, ESV).

The mercy of God shown to his people is vividly portrayed in this episode. Lot, having been thoroughly warned of the judgement to come, lingered in the city. Sometimes we “linger” in our sin, don’t we? Sometimes we wallow in the mire having grown comfortable and complacent with the filth. But do you see that the LORD was merciful to Lot. Quite literally he was pulled out of the wicked place by the messengers. “The men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city” (Genesis 19:16, ESV). 

Lot would have perished if left to himself. But by the grace of God he was spared. This is true of you and me if we are in Christ Jesus. If left to ourselves we would surely perish. Left to ourselves we would too would think little of the warnings of God. We too would linger in our sin. “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— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:4–9, ESV).

Don’t you see, brothers and sisters, how the LORD  preserved compromising Lot. And don’t you see that he shows the same kindness to you and me if we are his in Christ Jesus. He is faithful to give his elect the gift of faith, and he is also faithful preserve them to the end, thanks be to God. 

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The LORD Judged The Wickedness Of Sodom

Secondly, let us give attention to the fact that the LORD judged the wickedness of Sodom. 

Indeed it is true “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, ESV), but it is also true that some people and peoples are more wicked than others. This was certainly true of the people of Sodom. Remember what was said of them in Genesis 13:13 — “Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD” (Genesis 13:13, ESV). And remember what the LORD said of them in Genesis 18:20 — “Then the LORD said, ‘Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know’” (Genesis 18:20–21, ESV). The narrative of Genesis 19 clarifies the nature and extent of their sin. 

Notice how eager and insistent Lot was to have these two visitors stay with him, and not in the city square as they had planned. Sure, Lot was hospitable. But he also knew what would happen to them if they slept out in the open. And notice that his plan was to send the two on their way first thing in the morning. If Lot were speaking more directly to the two he would have said, there is no way you are sleeping in the open square tonight. You have no idea what the men in this town will do you. Stay at my house and then leave at first light. 

So great was the wickedness in Sodom that the men of the city — each one, young and old — surrounded Lot’s house at night. They demanded to have the men so that they might “know them”. Clearly the meaning is that they desired to know them sexually. And after Lot tried to reason with them and begged them not to do such a wicked thing, they pressed even harder and said, “‘This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them…’ and [they] drew near to break the door down” (Genesis 19:9, ESV).

The men of Sodom were sexually perverse. They practiced homosexuality. In fact, it was worse than that. They were violent men who forced themselves upon others. Now we better understand what the LORD meant when he told Abraham that “the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave” (Genesis 18:20, ESV). These were brutal and oppressive men. Who knows how many victims had cried out to God for justice prior to the day when the LORD poured out his wrath. 

Homosexuality is sin. The scriptures are very clear concerning this. It is a perversion of God’s design.  

But rape, either of the heterosexual or homosexual kind, is a very grave sin, for it involves a victim. 

So great was the sin of Sodom — so widespread was the sin of homosexuality, and so common the grave sin of homosexual rape — that the LORD determined to make an end of that people, and this he did. Verse 23: “The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground” (Genesis 19:23–25, ESV).

We should remember the words of Peter when he said that “by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly…” (2 Peter 2:6, ESV). This event really happened, but it happened, in part, to serve as an example. When the LORD judged Sodom in this way, he demonstrated what will happen to the ungodly at the end of the age. 

APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, as you know very well it is considered hateful to say things like, “homosexuality is sin” in our day. But it is the view of the Christian that homosexual behavior is sinful behavior. We believe this because the scriptures so clearly teach it. We do not hate the homosexual. In fact, we care enough for them to say that their behavior is sinful, as unpopular as it may be. And we would say the same thing concerning many other sins — drunkenness, thievery, adultery and the like. It is important to call these behaviors sinful because these behaviors are to be turned from  as one turns to Christ to follow after him. And indeed that is our desire — to see men and women turn from their sins to trust in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. When we call sin sin, be it the sin of homosexuality or any other we do so in love and with much humility. In love because we care for person committing the sin. In humility because we realize that we are no better. Were it not for the grace of God we too would be caught in sin and under God’s just condemnation. 

We call sin sin  and urge men and women to turn from it and to faith in Christ because we believe what the Apostle Paul has said, “that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” And then he adds these  words: “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11, ESV).

Are you practicing homosexuality? Are you a drunkard? Are you an adulterer? Are you greedy? Then I say, turn from these sins and run to Christ for the forgiveness of sins, so that these words would apply to you instead  — “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11, ESV).

Or are you a professing Christian who is unwilling to say to say, “homosexuality is sin”? There are an increasing number of those in our day. I have two questions for you: One, are you really as loving as you claim to be? You approve of what the scriptures call sin in the name of love, but does this not demonstrate that you have neither love for God (for you disregard his word) nor love for man (for you are more concerned with your own well being than for the eternal destiny of those who are living in rebellion). Are you really loving then? I wonder if you do not love yourself supremely. Are you not afraid that the world might look at you and say what they said to Lot — They told him to  “Stand back!” And then they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them” (Genesis 19:9, ESV). Many are afraid to call sin sin in our day because they are afraid of what it will cost them. Stated differently, they love themselves more than God or neighbor. So I ask, re you really as loving as you claim to be? Two, if the professing Christian says, but I simply do not believe that it is sin, then I ask, why do you call yourself a Christian? To be a Christian is to believe that God’s word is true. And the scriptures are very clear on this matter, friends. If you do not believe that homosexuality is sin, then you do not believe the scriptures. And if you do not believe the scriptures, then you are not of the Christian religion. You probably call yourself a liberal or a progressive Christian, but a close look at your belief system will reveal that yours is a different religion all together. Your god is different from the God of scripture, your authority is different, your doctrine of salvation is different, and it is no wonder, then, that your morality is different too. 

Friends, the LORD judged the wickedness of Sodom “making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly…” (2 Peter 2:6, ESV). If you are living in sin — sin of any kind — I plead with you to turn from it and to look Christ for the forges of your sins. My prayer is that you would be washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. This I say in love and with much humility admitting that by nature I am no better than you. 

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The LORD Answered Abraham’s Prayer

The third and final point of the sermon today is that the LORD did, in fact, answer the prayer of Abraham. 

Do you remember how Abraham interceded for Sodom? He asked the LORD to spare the place appealing to his righteousness. Genesis 18:24: “Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:24–25, ESV). The LORD agreed. He would spare the place if their were 50, 45, 40, 30, 20 or even 10 righteous in the city. If their were 10 he would refrain from pouring out his wrath. But there were not 10. Only 4 were redeemed from Sodom before the LORD poured out his wrath, and one could argue that only 1 of those 4 were truly righteous. The LORD did answer Abraham’s prayer, didn’t he? But not in the way he expected.

APPLICATION: And here we learn something about intercessory prayer. One, we are invited to intercede just as Abraham did. Two, when we interceed we should do so understanding that the LORD’s plans and purposes might very well be different from our own. This is why we should pray saying, if it is you will, do such and such. Three, when we pray the LORD often teaches us something in the process. We learn to wait upon him. We learn something of his character. We learn that his ways are always just. We should have the posture of Abraham when we pray. He bowed himself to the earth when he met the LORD, he stood still before he spoke to the LORD, and when he spoke, he spoke humbly. And after having prayed he went away in peace to wait upon the answer to his prayer. 

Verse 27: “And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD. And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace. So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.” (Genesis 19:27–29, ESV)

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Old Testament Reading: Genesis 17

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.’ Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, ‘Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall 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 will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.’ And God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.’ And God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, ‘Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’ And Abraham said to God, ‘Oh that Ishmael might live before you!’ God said, ‘No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.’ When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. And all the men of his house, those born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.” (Genesis 17, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Galatians 5:1–15 

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” (Galatians 5:1–15, ESV)

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Introduction

Genesis 17 is all about the covenant that God made with Abram and his descendents which was sealed with the sign of circumcision. The word “covenant” appears 13 times in this chapter. Clearly, the purpose of this chapter is to communicate the terms of the relationship that God entered into with Abram and his offspring. 

It is important to  understand that when God enters into a covenantal relationship with people he does so in order to establish a kingdom. Covenants and kingdoms go together. Covenants clarify the boundaries of God’s kingdom and establish the terms for a blessed life within it. 

When God established his covenant with Adam in the garden it was to clarify the boundaries of the kingdom of creation. Adam was the head of that covenant. He was to function as king living under the authority of the King of kings and Lord of lords. He was to keep the garden and push out its boundaries. He was to fill the earth with his offspring and promote the worship of God. He  was to do this faithfully until he was permitted to eat of the tree of life. In the meantime, he was to abstain from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Clearly, a covenant was made with Adam — it was the Covenant of Works,  or the Covenant of Creation. The reward for keeping it was life eternal, the punishment for breaking it was death. Adam broke it, and now we live under its curse if we are not in Christ Jesus. The point I now making is this: the  covenant made with Adam clarified the boundaries and requirements for a blessed life in God’s kingdom. 

Here in  Genesis 17 something very similar is happening. A covenant is being established with Abram because a kingdom is being brought into existence through him. It is not the kingdom of creation. Instead, it is the kingdom of Israel. The covenant being established with Abram is not The Covenant of Works (or of Grace)m but it is the Abrahamic Covenant, which is the beginning of the Old Covenant.

Kingdoms and covenants go together. To have a kingdom there must be a king, citizens and land. And here in Genesis 17 we see that all three of these are being marked off in the covenant that God transacted with Abram. God is the supreme king over Abram and Israel, but notice that God also promised to both Sarai and Abram that kings would come from them. Concerning citizens, the offspring of Abram and Sarai would be as numerous as the dust of the earth and the stars of heaven. And concerning land, Canaan would belong to them. The covenant that God transacted with Abram made all of this clear — it marked off the boundaries of the kingdom. The people, land and kings were all identified.   Also this covenant established the terms for a blessed life within Canaan for the citizens of this kingdom. Abram and his offspring were obligated to “keep” this covenant. If they kept it they would be personally blessed in the land. If they broke it, they would be cut off from the land, just as Adam was. But nothing could undo the promises of God, for their fulfillment was contingent only upon his faithfulness, and not the faithfulness of Abram or his descendents. 

As we consider Genesis 17 we may do so in three parts. First, we should observe that the promises of God that were made previously to Abram are here restated, clarified and expanded. Secondly, we should observe that the law of circumcision was added to the promises previously made. And thirdly, we should recognize Abraham’s obedience.

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The Promises Of God Previously Made To Abram Restated, Clarified And Expanded

First, let us consider that the promises of God previously made to Abram are here restated, clarified and expanded. 

In other words, the covenant that is established here in Genesis 17 is not a brand new covenant, but it is a reiteration and expansion of the covenant that was already transacted with Abram as recorded in Genesis 15. Remember what we read in Genesis 15:18: “On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your offspring I give this land…” (Genesis 15:18, ESV).  That covenant and this covenant are one and the same. And this covenant is built upon the promises that were made to Abram beginning in Genesis 12 concerning land, offspring, being blessed of God, and being a blessing to the nations of the earth. Genesis 12 through 17 all  hang together is what I am saying. The promises of Genesis 12 develop into a covenant, and when the Abrahamic covenant is fully developed, it is sealed with the sign of circumcision, as seen here in Genesis 17.  

In verse 1 we read, “When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly’” (Genesis 17:1–2, ESV). 

The Hebrew word translated as “make” in  verse 2 — “that I may make my covenant between me and you” — can be translated in a variety of ways. It is probably best to understand it to mean to constitute, or to establish by law. That seems to be most consistent with the context. The covenant that God made with Abram in Genesis 15 is here being further established with the giving of the law of circumcision. 

Note that Abram is here commanded to “walk before [the Lord], and be blameless.” Abram’s obedience was not the cause of the promises of God being made to him previously. But here we see that his obedience is commanded for the establishment of this covenant. More on that in a moment. 

It is interesting to note that thirteen years had passed between that episode where Sarai gave her servant to Abram as a wife and the establishment of the covenant of circumcision as recorded here in Genesis 17 (compare Genesis 12:4, 13:6, and 17:1). Thirteen years is a long time. For thirteen years Abram lived with Ishmael as his only son. Perhaps he assumed that Sarai’s plan was a good one in those days, despite the trouble it had caused? What happened during those thirteen years? The scriptures are silent!

Application: I think there is a point of application to be drawn from this little remark that Abram was 99 years old when the Lord appeared to him, and the fact that at least 13 years had passed since the Lord had last appeared to Abram. Do you see that the vast majority of the Christians life consist of very ordinary days, and it is faithfulness in the ordinary days and the ordinary, mundane moments of life that is most pleasing to God. 

Abram’s life was truly extraordinary, and yet  even for him the vast majority of his days were ordinary day. What did Abram do in those 13 years between when the covenant was cut and then confirmed? He probably changed diapers. He repaired fences. He cared for his sheep and goats. He managed his assets. He conversed with his wife. He instructed and disciplined his son. He regularly worshipped. And ordinarily when he worshipped at the alter he did not hear a voice or see a vision. For 13 years Abram faithfully sojourned in the land that was not his own, and his days were very ordinary. And yet he walked by faith. 

I draw attention to this because I fear it is common for the Christian to assume that unless they are engaged something extraordinary, then something is lacking in their walk with Lord. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Our God is the God of the ordinary. He is pleased when his people serve him faithfully in the mundane things of life. Sometimes Christians are poked and prodded by their leaders to something radical and extreme for Jesus. And I suppose that sometimes those exhortations are appropriate. But I’m here saying that a Christian is truly radical when he or she lives out their faith moment by moment, day by day, Lord’s Day by Lord’s Day, doing very ordinary and mundane things in faith, obediently, and to the glory of God. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV).

13 years had passed, but Abram walked faithfully. And do you also see that God was very stubborn… in a good way. Perhaps a better word to use would be faithful. God was faithful to keep his promises for all that time. Abram and Sarai thought they knew new better than God, and so they took matters into their own hands — they made a mess of things. But this didn’t derail God. Not in the least! Where was he? He was sitting on his throne. He was waiting patiently to bring about his plans at just the right time. 

Notice that the Lord reiterated his promises to Abram concerning the land. 

Look with me at verse 8 where the Lord said, “And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.’” (Genesis 17:8, ESV)

Not only is this a restate of promises that had been previously made, it also is a clarification and expansion. 

Pay careful attention. The Lord spoke to Abram saying, “And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan…” God promised that Abram would possess the land, and not just his descendents. This is a problem. This is a big problem, because Abram never possessed the land. He  lived as a sojourner and he died as a sojourner. The same would be true of  Issac, Jacob, and indeed all of the offspring of Abram up until the days of Joshua.  Do you see the problem? The Lord said to Abram, “I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojourning, all the land of Canaan…”, and yet Abram went to the grave not seeing the fulfillment of this. 

How then would Abram possess the land? More than that, how would the land be to him and to his offspring “an everlasting possession”?

The New Testament actually answers this question for us when, in  Hebrews 11:10 we read, “For he [Abram] was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10, ESV). And again in verse 13 we read, “These [Abram, Sarai and their offspring] 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” (Hebrews 11:13–16, ESV).

The writer to Hebrews answers the question we are asking. God promised that the land would belong to Abram, and yet he went to the grave having never possessed it. Is God a liar? No, for Abram knew what God was up to. The land would be his in the resurrection. Then it would be his as “an everlasting possession”. When Abram heard and believed the promises of God he was looking forward, not to the earth land, and not to an earthly, but to a heavenly one. He understood to some degree that God’s purpose was not just to give his people a small sliver of land in Palestine, but to through him usher in a new heavens and earth through one of his offspring. That was what Abram was really looking forward to. And that is what Abram will have at the resurrection.

Aren’t you glad that we studied the book of Revelation prior to studying Genesis? There we were provided with a clear picture of the finished product of God’s redemptive work — the fully formed flower, if you will. And now we re learning about the beginning of God’s work of redemption — of things in seed form, if you will. What the writer to the Hebrews explains is that when God made the promises to Abram he understood (to some degree) that God’s plan was to through him bring about what Revelation 21 describes — and new heavens and new earth, and the New Jerusalem which would one day descend from heaven. This is what Abram looked forward to. The land will be his as promised, in the resurrection. 

Notice  that the Lord also reiterated his promises to Abram concerning descendents.

Not only would Abram have a multitude of offspring but nations would come from him. In fact, kingdoms and kings would come from him. And the same was true of Sarai. Verses 15-21 make it clear that all of this would be accomplished through her. So much for their half-baked plan concerning Hagar and Ismael. Sarai would have a son. His name was to be Isaac. Through him the promises of God would be fulfilled. 

Abram fell on his face and laughed at the thought that he would have a son at the age of 100, and that Sarai, who had been barren for all those years, would conceive at the age of 90. He even put Ishmael before the Lord and said, are you sure, Lord? Maybe it would be better to do all of this through him? But the Lord insisted, saying, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him [offspring is in the singular — see Galatians 3:16]. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year” (Genesis 17:19–21, ESV).  Through Isaac the promises of God would be fulfilled. Through Isaac the nation of Israel would be born. Through him the Messiah would come. 

Along with restating, clarifying and expanding the promises previously made, the Lord also renamed Abram and Sarai. Verse 5: “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”. The name Abraham means, father of a multitude. Verse 15: “And God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.” Sarah means princess. 

In what sense are Abraham and Sarah a  father and princess of a multitude? Well, they are to be considered in a variety of ways. Through Ishmael they would have many descendents. He would  father twelve princes. Through Issac the nation of Israel would be born.  But we must also remember the promise that in Abraham all the nations of the earth would be blessed. The New Testament makes it very clear that it is those who have the faith of Abraham who are the true children of Abraham, from amongst the Jews and Gentiles. Do you want to see a picture of what it means for Abraham to be the father of a multitude?  Open to Revelation 7:9 and read! “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Revelation 7:9–10, ESV). These are the true children of Abraham. They share in his faith. They are united with him because they have believed upon his offspring, the one who has come from  his loins, the Christ, the Lamb of God who taken away the sins of the world. 

*****

The Law Of Circumcision Added 

Secondly, we should observe that in this passage the law of circumcision was added to the promises previously made.

Look with me at verses 9-14: “And God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.’” (Genesis 17:9–14, ESV)

What shall we say about this? Five things for now:

One, I think you all understand what circumcision is. I will refrain from describing it in detail.

Two, whereas only promise were made by God earlier — promises concerning land, descendents, kings and kingdoms — now stipulations are laid upon Abraham and his offspring. “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.” How are we to understand this? Well, we know that the promises of the Abrahamic covenant would surely come to pass. How could they not, for it was God who promised. The accomplishment of the promises were in no way contingent upon the faithfulness of man, only God. But as it pertained to the individual — to Abraham and his offspring — their enjoyment of the blessing of God in the covenant and in the land did depend upon their obedience. They were to “keep” the covenant just as Adam was to “keep” the garden — it is the same word in the Hebrew. 

Three, a positive law was imposed upon Abraham and his offspring — the law of circumcision. What is a positive law? It is a law that is neutral morally speaking, one that God simply chooses to add. There is nothing immoral about eating fruit from a tree,  is there? And yet the Lord added that positive law when he spoke to Adam saying, do not eat of that tree. If you do you’ll die. And in the same way circumcision is nothing. As Paul says, “For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God” (1 Corinthians 7:19, ESV). Circumcision means nothing to us, for it is morally neutral. But it was something for Abraham, for his offspring and for Israel, because God made it something. God added that positive law, that “every male among [them] shall be circumcised.” For Abraham or his offspring to disobey this commandment would mean that they broke God’s covenant. Just as the foreskin was to be cut off, so the covenant breaker was to be cut off from the people. 

 Four, circumcision is called a “sign”. Verses 17: “You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.” If it is a sign then circumcision must signify something, for that is what signs do! Most basically circumcision signifies that the individual to whom it applied had been set apart as one of God’s people. Circumcision marked off the people of God from the nations. Circumcision was also a reminder of the promises of God that through the Hebrew people the nations would be blessed. From them, through the process of procreation, the Christ would come. Circumcision was also a reminder of the covenant curse, that the covenant breakers would be cut off. Furthermore, throughout the Old Testament the prophets used circumcision to urge the Hebrew people to be circumcised of heart. There were many who descended from Abraham according to the flesh, who were truly in Abraham and under this convent externally, who did not have the faith of Abraham. They belonged to God in an earthly sense, but spiritually they were far from him. They were in Abraham, but not in Christ. They were circumcised in the flesh, but not in the heart.

Five, in the days of Moses many, many more positive laws would be added to the law of circumcision and imposed upon Israel as they were redeemed from Egypt. Like circumcision, they do not apply to us — the observation of the Passover and other feast days, ceremonial washings, dietary restrictions, and the like. Circumcision would remain the sign of the covenant under Moses, for the Abrahamic Covenant would give birth to the Mosaic. But many more laws would be imposed. Obedience to these laws could not bring about the forgiveness of sins, but if obeyed they would lead to blessings for the people of God as they lived in the land. To disobey would mean that the people would be cut off and taken into captivity. 

Application: It only seems right that I should at this point say something about the importance of keeping God’s law. 

There is a moral law that all should be exhorted to keep, especially the Christian. We are to keep God’s moral law, as it is summarized in the ten commandments, not because we can be saved by it, for we have all transgressed it. We are to keep it because it is right, and out of gratitude for the salvation that has been freely given to us sin Christ Jesus.  The Sabbath command belongs to moral law, for at it is core it has to do with the proper worship of God and was established at creation. The Sabbath pattern was revealed first to Adam, and not to Abraham or Moses. This is significant. 

It is also important to recognize that there are laws found on the Old Testament that no longer apply to the people of God, for they belonged to other covenants that have been fulfilled by Christ, and have thus passed away. I am  here referring to positive and ceremonial laws. You are not bound to keep those. Do not allow anyone to tell you that you are. You may eat pork and shellfish, brothers and sisters. You need not observe the seventh day, Jewish Sabbath along with the many festival days that were attached to it — our rest day is Sunday, the Lord’s Day, for he is risen. And if the Lord blesses you with a son, you do not have to circumcise him. It simply doesn’t matter anymore, for the Christ has come. He has already been born from Abram’s loin’s. The covenant people of God in this New Covenant era are no longer identified by their ethnicity. Who you father or grandfather is simply does not matter, for the Old Covenant has passed away, and the New has come. And how do we come to partake in the New Covenant which was ratified in Christ’s blood? Not by physical birth, but by a new birth, by which we have been enabled to believe and to confess that Jesus is Lord and Christ. 

But we do have positive laws of our own in this New Covenant era. And just as circumcision mattered greatly to Abraham and to his descendents, these positive laws should matter greatly to us. There are two for us — baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  Let us be sure to observe them carefully, faithfully and with reverence. If you have faith in Christ I ask you, have you been baptized upon profession of faith? I suppose that some might say, what does it matters? It is just a ceremony. It is just a sign. And while I agree that being dipped under the water is, by itself, a morally neutral activity, baptism is of great importance to the Christian. For Christ has commanded that his disciples be baptized. By it the New Covenant people of God are marked off as his own in the world. And something similar might be said about the Lord’s Supper. Let us be careful, faithful and reverent when partaking of these signs which Christ, the  Lord of the church, has instituted.

*****

Abraham’s Obedience

Two things have been observed thus far: One, the promises of God previously made to Abram are here restated, clarified and expanded. And two, in this passage the law of circumcision was added to the promises previously made. The third and final observation is this — and this will be very brief — Abraham obeyed. 

Look at verses 22: “When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised.” (Genesis 17:22–26, ESV)

That must have been quite a day in Abraham’s household. Certainly there were hundreds of men — probably over 400 men — who where a part of his clan by this time who needed to be circumcised on that day. I wonder what they thought? It must have been quite aa scene. It was certainly a bloody scene (which I think is significant in an of itself). But the point is this: Abraham  believed and he obeyed, and so did those who were with him. 

Application: I wonder, are you prepared to live in obedience to God even when doing so seems strange to those looking in from the outside. Are you willing to obey when obedience to God is uncomfortable or unpopular? Abraham must of felt this pressure, and yet he obeyed. 

*****

Conclusion

Abraham obeyed because he believed. He believed in the promises of God. His faith was in God and the Christ who come from his loins. Abraham, by the grace of God, was able to look past the fleshly and the earth to see the heavenly, spiritual and eternal things they signified. He did not just see land, offspring and a bloody sign. He saw Christ. And he saw the new heavens and the new earth which would be purchased by him. “For he [Abram] was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” May we have the faith of Abraham, and my that faith be accompanied by the obedience of Abraham as well. 

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 16

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, ‘Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.’ And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. And Sarai said to Abram, ‘May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!’ But Abram said to Sarai, ‘Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.’ Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, ‘Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?’ She said, ‘I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.’ The angel of the LORD said to her, ‘Return to your mistress and submit to her.’ The angel of the LORD also said to her, ‘I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.’ And the angel of the LORD said to her, ‘Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction. He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.’ So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’ Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.” (Genesis 16, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Hebrews 12:1–11

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also 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. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And 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.” (Hebrews 12:1–11, ESV)

Introduction

Perhaps your are beginning to recognize a pattern to the story of Genesis. The pattern is one wherein the Lord states or reiterates his promises to his people, his people struggle to trust in God’s word and to obey his commandments, particularly when the fulfillment of his promises are delayed, and yet the Lord remains faithful to his promises — indeed it is true, “if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13, ESV).

This pattern — the pattern of God’s promise, mans struggle to persever in faith, and God’s faithfulness to preserve his people and his work — is clearly present in the Genesis narrative.

In Genesis 12 God made promises to Abram. He responded in faith — by no means should we loose sight of this — but he also struggled to walk faithfully. When their was a famine in the land he went down into Egypt and, being afraid of what might happen to him, he took matters into his own hands, and lied concerning his relationship to his wife Sarai, saying only that she was his sister. Though Abram was in this moment found faithless, God remained faithful — for he cannot deny himself.

We noticed a similar pattern in the life of Abram’s nephew, Lot. When things got difficult he was so quick to move far away from Abram and the land that had been promised to him. He seemed to be somewhat enamored with the pleasures and prosperity of that land, and so off he went. It seems that Lot lost sight of the promises and purpose of God as he went the way of the world. The results were disastrous, and yet God was faithful to preserve him.

Now it Sarai’s turn. It should noted that in Genesis 15 God reiterated his great promises to Abram. More than that, God made a covenant with Abram! And what is the next story that is told to us? It is the story of Sarai’s lack of faith. Again, the results are disastrous. But again, the Lord is merciful and kind. He is faithful to preserve his people and to bring about his purposes.

This pattern is one that we should get used to, for it will be repeated over and over again throughout the scriptures. And it also a pattern that we see in the lives of God’s people to this very day. God promises; we are tempted to disbelieve and to go our own way; but God is faithful — he keeps his promises and preserved his people. Indeed, “If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13, ESV).

There are three things that need to be noted about this text. Firstly, we must recognize that though Abram and Sarai had faith, they sometimes struggled in their faith. Secondly, we must observe the tendency that Abram and Sarai had to take matters into their own hands when their faith was weak — the results were disastrous. And thirdly, we must again take note of the tenderness of our God. Indeed, he is so very merciful and kind. He is patient with his people, and faithful to preserve them.

Abram And Sarai Sometimes Struggled to Believe

First of all, notice that though Abram and Sarai had true faith, they sometimes struggled to believe.

The scriptures are very honest concerning the weaknesses of our heroes, aren’t they? Is it right for us to highly esteem Abram and Sarai? Is it right for us to consider them to be hero’s of the faith? Yes, it is right! The writer to the Hebrews spoke so very highly of them when he wrote, “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” (Hebrews 11:8–12, ESV). Abram and Sarai are here put forth as paradigms of faith; models to be imitated. But they were far from perfect. Though their faith was true and big, it was not without flaw. Abram and Sarai struggled from time to time.

Look with me at the first half of verses 1. There we read, “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children” (Genesis 16:1a, ESV). This is a problem. This is a big problem, especially when we consider all that had been promised to Abram previously. The promises concerning descendents and a nation possessing the land of Canaan all hinged upon Abram having a son. And remember that the Lord had clarified his promises to Abram. His heir would be a natural heir, and not a legal one. Abram would have a son from his own loins.

It is not difficult to sympathize with Sarai at this point. Surely she believed in the promises of God. And surly she longed to see the fulfillment of those promises. I do not believe that it was merely her desire for a child that drove her to do what she did here, but mainly her desire to see the promises made to her husband fulfilled. What wife desiring to have a child of her own what suggest what Sarai suggested? Would it not be far better to adopt a child? Would that not be the same as far as Sarai was concerned? In both instances she would have a son that came not from her womb. Why then she suggest what she suggested — that Abram take her servant into his embrase? It could only be that she longed to see the fulfillment of the promises of the Lord. The Lord said that Abram would have a son, and Sarai began to assume that she was the problem. With the passing of time she began to doubt whether the Lord was able to bring life from a womb that was dead. Here it is Sarai, and not Abram or Lot, who struggled in the faith.

APPLICATION: Friends, this application has been made before, but it is good to make it again. We too can be tempted to doubt God with the passing of time. Sometimes the Lord moves more slowly than we would like or expect. Sometimes his ways are not our ways. And with the passing of time comes the temptation to doubt.

Now, our situations do not mirror Abram’s and Sarai’s exactly. They had received very specific promises from the Lord pertaining to the details of their personal lives — Abram would have a son. He would become a great nation. His decedents would inherit a particular land. Indeed, it is true — God has given us many promises to cling to, but they are not nearly as specific as this. He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us, to finish the work that he has begun in us, to bring us safely home, etc. But never has he promised that we will be married, have children, be prosperous, healthy and wealthy. Abram received promises like this, but those were for him and not us. Those promises made to Abram effect us. We benefit from the fulfillment of them in Christ Jesus. But the specific promises were for him, and not us. This is why I say, our situations do not mirror Abram’s and Sarai’s exactly.

Nevertheless, here I am acknowledging that all of God’s people have hopes and desires of their own. They bring their desires to God in prayer, and it is right that they do. And when God delays in his response, the people of God can be tempted to doubt, just as Abram and Sarai were tempted to doubt as it pertained to the fulfillment of the specific promises that were made to them.

Perhaps you desire children. You’ve prayed for it, but the Lord has not answered in the way that you wish. Perhaps you desire to marry, but the Lord has not provided an opportunity. Perhaps your health is poor, or you finances strained. You’ve asked the Lord to act, but he seems distant and silent. These unanswered prayers, these unmet desires, can be used by the evil one to sow seeds of doubt. And if we are not careful to tend to the garden of our life, we can be overrun by the weeds of discontentment and unbelief.

Let me say three things that I hope will help the people of God to walk faithfully while experiencing delayed gratification in this world.

One, it is important to have a clear understanding of what the Lord has promised you, and what he has not. I feel for those Christians who have believed the lie that God has promised things that he has not promised in his word. Some have been encouraged to read all of the promises found in Holy Scripture and to claim their as their own, ignoring the fact that some of those promises were made to others, and not to them. Others have been taught that God’s supreme desire to make them happy, healthy, wealth and prospers. These saints are bound to be disappointed when they find the Christian life involves sorrow, sickness, suffering and even death. It is not that God has failed them. It is that they harbored expectations that are not reasonable or grounded in truth. The saints feel as if God has failed them, but it is because they have first believed a lie. Believers would do well to put John 16:33 to memory, wherein Christ says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, ESV).

Two, understand that God’s timing might be different than yours. Sarai stumbled in this regard. She knew the promises of God, but from her perspective, the Lord was moving too slowly. 10 years had passed since she and her husband had entered the land, and still no child! Perhaps you also are struggling with the timing of the Lord. You have prayed for relief, and it has yet to come. You’ve prayer for the salvation of a loved one, and so far, nothing. You have asked the Lord to move in some particular way, and from your perspective it seems as if your request has fallen upon deaf ears. Friends, the Lord is not deaf or distant. He is the God who hears and sees. He is always near. This is why Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1, ESV). But sometimes his timing is different from what we think it should be. Brothers and sisters, God’s timing is also ways best. He is never early or late in the accomplishment of his decrees. Everything that happens in the world, including the little details of our lives, happened according to the eternal decree of God, for his glory and the good of his people. It is mysterious, I know!

Three, it is also important to understand that the will of the Lord might be different than yours. It is good and right that we bring our desires to the Lord in prayer, but we should always remember that his will might be different than ours. When we pray, we should pray like Christ when he said, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42, ESV). His was an honest prayer — he brought his sincere desire before the Lord. He prayed in faith — surely he knew that God was able. But his was also a humble and submissive prayer — ”Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done”. Whenever we bring our desires to the Lord in prayer we should come with this same attitude of humble submission to his will in all things. His will might be different than yours, and the servant of God will be please to see the Lord’s will accomplished above all.

May the Lord help us to walk faithfully in this world while experiencing delayed gratification.

Abram And Sarai Had A Tendency To Take Matters Into Their Own Hands

The second thing for us to notice about this passage is that Abram and Sarai had a tendency to take matters into their own hands when their faith was weak. Abram took matters into his own hands when he and Sarai went down into Egypt. He was afraid. And instead of living in simple obedience to God, he acted according to his own wisdom when he asked Sarai to lie, saying only that she was his sisters. Sarai complied with Abram’s request and the results were disastrous. In verses 1b – 6 of this passage we see that Sarai did something similar — instead of living in simple obedience to God, she acted according to her own wisdom when she urged Abram to take Hagar as his wife. Abram complied and the results were disastrous.

Sarai, being frustrated and discouraged by the delay of the fulfillment of the promises of God, concocted a plan. She desired to see the Lord’s promises fulfilled. And when the fulfillment did not come as soon as she thought, she began to reason within herself, saying, perhaps my barrenness is the problem? Perhaps I am hindering the fulfillment of these promises concerning a son for Abram. All of the nations around us have the practice of husbands taking more than one wife. Perhaps that is the solution for us. Hagar, who is young and fertle, can bear the child, and we will raise him as our own. After all, the Lord said that a son would come from his loins, but not my womb.

The plan was not an unreasonable one, especially if we consider the customs of the nations that surrounded Abram and Sarai. Her plan would have seemed perfectly reasonable to them! But there was one problem. In the beginning God established that marriage is a union of one man and one woman for life. In Genesis 2:24 we read, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24, ESV). Certainly, Abram and Sarai were aware of this design, and Sarai’s plan was a clear violation of it.

APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, never should we be opposed to winsomeness, ingenuity, creativity and prudence in the Christian life. Clearly, there is nothing wrong with being diligent, responsible and wise while waiting upon the fulfillment of God’s promises or the answers to your prayers. The scriptures everywhere teach that God is both sovereign and yet we are responsible. It is right for us to take action when waiting upon the Lord. For example, if you are praying for the salvation of a loved one, it is right for you to do good to that person and to share the gospel with them winsomly. Salvation is of the Lord, but this is your responsibility. Sarai was wrong to do what she did, not because she was proactive, but because she violated God design for marriage when concocted her plan. Sarai was indeed free to act, but only within the bounds of God’s revealed will. The same could be said of Abram when he went down to Egypt with Sarai. He was not necessarily wrong to go. And it was right for him to be concerned for the protection of his wife and for his own preservation. He erred when he encouraged his wife to tell a lie! That was out of bounds for him, for it was a violation of the law of God. I have noticed that the people of God are tempted in similar ways to this present day. When longing to see the answers to their prayers they are often tempted to go ever so slightly outside of the boundaries that God has established to bring about the desired results.

A young woman wants to wed. And after years of searching she has not found a suitable partner. She knows what the scriptures say. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14, ESV). Indeed she is free to marry, “whom she wishes, only in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:39, ESV). And then along comes prince charming. He is kind to her. He mature and responsible (he is even more mature and responsible than the single Christian men that she knows). And so she begins to rationalize, saying to herself, it’s been so long. God has ignored my prayers. And my happiness is important, isn’t it? Who know, perhaps he will come to faith after we wed. How bad can it be given what nice guy he is, etc. Her proactivity is not the problem. The problem is her willingness to transgress the boundries that God has established in his word.

I could put one hypothetical situation before you after another to demonstrate that the people of God are tempted in the same way that Abram and Sarai were to the present day.

The scriptures clearly call husband and wives to take certain roles in the marriage relationship. The husband is to lead with a self-sacrificing love. The wife is to respond in loving submission. And yet so many today reson the scriptures away, saying, that is outdated, or, this might be true for some, but not for us. Is their room for creativity, wisdom and diversity within our marriage relationships. Indeed! But within the bounds that God has established.

The scriptures are also clear that the people of God are to honor the Sabbath day and keep it holy. On that day, which is the first day now that Christ is risen, we are to cease from work and recreation to assemble together as the people of God for worship. The writer to the Hebrews exhorts to “not [forsake] the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25, NKJV). And yet so many in our day cast aside the forth commandment along with the New Testament example as the rationalize their behavior. I’m tired, they say. I’m busy. I need the money and therefore must work. This is a day for family, etc. Now, the fact that you are tired, busy, in need of money and desirous of family time must be addressed. These are important concerns! But the solution must be found with then bounds of God’s law.

I might also make a similar point as it pertains to giving cheerfully unto the Lord.

These are but a few examples of how Christians might reason the clear teaching of scripture away. They say to themselves, yes, I know what God has said. But certainly my situation is different. And in order to bring about this desired result, I am sure that the Lord would approve of me stepping out of bounds just this one. After all, the ends justify the means, don’t they?

This was the error that Sarai made. She assumed that the Lord needed her help, all the while ignoring his design for the marriage bond. Verse 1: “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, ‘Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.’ And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.” (Genesis 16:1–4, ESV)

Notice a few things about these four verses.

One, Abram was complicit in Sarai’s sin. Sarai concocted the plan, but Abram participated.

Two, notice that the language used in this passage echos of the language used to describe the original sin of Adam and Eve. Just as Eve, thinking that she knew better than God, brought the fruit to Adam and urged him to eat, so too Sarai, thinking that she knew better than God, brought Hagar to Abram and urged him to lay with her. And in verse 2 we are told that “Abram listened to the voice of Sarai”. This is also what led to Adam’s sin. Remember Genesis 3:17: “And to Adam [The LORD] said, ‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life…” (Genesis 3:17, ESV).

The two situations — Adam’s eating of the forbidden fruit and Abram’s taking Hagar as wife — mirror one another. God had just entered into covenant with both men. The functioned as federal heads, or representatives for others — Adam for humanity, Abram for the Hebrews. And not long after the covenant’s were transacted, they both fell.

Three, notice that the result of Sarai and Abram’s sin was disastrous. When Hagar “saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.” This means that she look upon Sarai with a haughty, prideful look. Perhaps Hagar assumed that she would be Abram’s favorite now. Sarai, being enraged at the arrogance of her servant, and being driven by a jealous spirit spoke to Abram, sating, “‘May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!’ But Abram said to Sarai, ‘Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.’ Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her” (Genesis 16:5–6, ESV).

What a terribly sad story. What a mess we make of things when we choose to go our own way and to sin against the Lord. Oh that we would learn from Adam and Abram, Eve and Sarai, and choose the much better way, which is to live a life of simple faith and obedience.

Our God Is Tender And Kind

The third and last point of this sermon today has to do with the kindness of our God. Can’t you see that is so very merciful and kind? He is patient with his people, and faithful to preserve them. He is the “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18, ESV). Indeed, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3, ESV)

This is so clearly demonstrated in verses 7-16. After Sarai was harsh with Hagar, Hagar fled from her. “The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. And he said, ‘Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?’ She said, ‘I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.’ The angel of the LORD said to her, ‘Return to your mistress and submit to her.’ The angel of the LORD also said to her, ‘I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude’” (Genesis 16:7–10, ESV).

This is a very interesting and revealing text. The phrase, “The angel of the LORD found her…” gives the impression that he was seeking Hagar. Of course we know that the Lord does not need to search for anyone, for he knows and sees all things, past, present and future. But isn’t it wonderful to think that he Lord does “search” for people. He “pursues” them.

And consider who it is that he pursued. She was not someone powerful person or of noble pedigree. The Lord pursued Hagar, the servant of Sarai. And we should remember her ethnicity. She was an Egyptian! This must be considered in light of what has been said before and what will come later. Abram, according to promise of God, would be a blessing to the nations. Here we see that God was concerned with others besides the Hebrew people in the days of Abram — he pursued Hagar the Egyptian. We should also remember the promise made to Abram, that many nations would emerge from. Here we learn that nations would emerge, not only from amongst the Hebrew people through the son of promise, but also through the son that would be born to Hagar.

Verse 11: “And the angel of the LORD said to her, ‘Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction. He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.’ So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’ Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it lies between Kadesh and Bered. And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram” (Genesis 16:11–16, ESV). Truly, the Lord is merciful and kind. He sees the affliction of this people. He pursues us even in our sin, and he calls us to repentance, even when it is hard.

APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, it is good for us to think often of the kindness of our God. He has been so very tender with us. Do you see it? Do you recognize his kindness? Have you thought of the way in which he called you to repentance? Have you considered the patience that he has shown you? Have you contemplated the many wonderful gifts that he has showered upon you, all by his mercy and grace?

Conclusion

The Lord was kind to Sarai and Abram despite their sin. He would fulfill the promises that he made to them, for they were unconditional.

The Lord was kind too Hagar. Yes, he urged her to return to Sarai, for this was right. But he pursued her, comforted her in her affliction, and richly provided for all her needs.

And the Lord has been very good to you and me. Let us not forget it. Let us often consider the kindness of God and give him thanks for his tender mercies.