The Will of God and the Plans of Men

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Proverbs 19:18-23

We are going to start by looking at Genesis chapters 20 and 21 this morning.
These chapters, especially chapter 20 is difficult.
It is difficult because we have an account of Abraham, who has demonstrated great faith, make a strange choice.
I thought about skipping over the chapter.
But then I remembered the instruction of Paul.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
I thought, Ok God, you are gonna need to help out with this one!!!
PRAY
We are going to go through chapters 20 and 21.
We will look at 4 things: Strange choice of Abraham, the birth of the promised son, the division of Sarah and Hagar and finally a covenant with Abraham.
We will look at these themes through chunks of Scripture.
Genesis 20:1–7 NIV
Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her. But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and clean hands.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her. Now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all who belong to you will die.”
Abraham was living a nomadic life.
He had settled near the oaks of Mamre, but in this chapter we discover that Abraham traveled to a region called Gerar.
This region was controlled by a king named Abimelech.
Abraham most likely met with this king to seek permission to settle in the land for a time.
For whatever reason, Abraham refers to his wife Sarah as his sister?
Because Abimelech thought Sarah was Abraham’s sister, he takes her as a wife.
Verses 3-7 we have the account of God confronting Abimelech about Sarah.
Abimelech pleads to God for His life claiming that he is innocent because he was deceived by Abraham.
God then allows Abimelech to return Sarah to Abraham.
Genesis 20:8–16 NIV
Early the next morning Abimelek summoned all his officials, and when he told them all that had happened, they were very much afraid. Then Abimelek called Abraham in and said, “What have you done to us? How have I wronged you that you have brought such great guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that should never be done.” And Abimelek asked Abraham, “What was your reason for doing this?” Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. And when God had me wander from my father’s household, I said to her, ‘This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, “He is my brother.” ’ ” Then Abimelek brought sheep and cattle and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham, and he returned Sarah his wife to him. And Abimelek said, “My land is before you; live wherever you like.” To Sarah he said, “I am giving your brother a thousand shekels of silver. This is to cover the offense against you before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.”
At the beginning of this section, Abimelech questions the motive of Abraham.
Abraham responds by stating in verse 11,
Genesis 20:11 NIV
Abraham replied, “I said to myself, ‘There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’
Click #1
1. In Genesis 20, God provided even in this strange turn of events.
Abimelech allowed Abraham to dwell in the land.
He also gives Abraham 1000 shekels of silver.
We can see that not only didi God provide for Abraham physically, He also kept both Abraham and Sarah safe.
The lesson in these verses is to trust God.
Even if we do not see the outcome.
Click # 2
2. Even if we do not fully understand the situation, we can trust that God is working.
Genesis 20:17–18 NIV
Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelek, his wife and his female slaves so they could have children again, for the Lord had kept all the women in Abimelek’s household from conceiving because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.
God is Sovereign.
Click # 3
3. God is with us even in our mistakes.
Even in our poor choices.
Click # 4
4. God is with us in order to correct and restore us.
Sin can be redeemed if we repent and allow Jesus to cover us.
Genesis 21:1–8 NIV
Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.” The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast.
Click # 5
5. God kept his promise according to His timing.
God had promised a son.
Our plans may not be in line with God’s timing. We must trust that God is in control and He will bring about His will according to His Word.
This is a hard lesson. We often want what we want right now.
It is hard for us to wait.
Click #6
6. It is hard or us on this side of eternity to see all the ways that God is working in our lives.
A son was born to Abraham.
Remember when this promised was first spoken over Sarah.
She laughed.
In this verse, God changed laughter at to laughter with.
Sarah was able to be filled with joy in knowing that
Genesis 21:9–21 NIV
But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.” Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob. God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.
God kept his word
Even with Hagar and Ishmael
Ishmael is a wild donkey of a man.
Even though this is not the story we would want our kids to write, the point is that God kept His word.
His will, will be done.
No matter what we are doing here on this earth.
Click #7
7. The choices we make. The protests against God, the complaints, the anger, will not change the will of God.
God’s will for your life is that you recognize the need for a Savior to deliver you from sin.
His will is that we repent and turn to Him.
His will is that you are strengthened by Him to reject the pull of sin.
His will is that we receive His grace expressed through the sacrifice of Jesus.
His will is that you are blessed to be in restored fellowship with Him and others of faith.
None of this has changed nor will it ever change.
Summarize Genesis 21:22-34
These verses go back to Abimelech and Abraham.
Essentially both men cut a covenant with one another.
The result of this agreement is that Abraham can dwell in the land of Abimelech at peace.
Bring this all together.
One theme is carried out in what we have talked about this morning.
The will God and the plans of men.
Turn to Proverbs 19:18-23
Proverbs 19:18–23 NIV
Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death. A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again. Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. What a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
The first thing Solomon addresses is discipline.
He is speaking about disciplining children.
Click # 8
8. Discipline brings wisdom.
Discipline is also applicable to us.
Click #9
9. We need the discipline of the Lord.
We need to be willing to submit to His authority.
V. 21
Proverbs 19:21 NIV
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
In our own flesh, we can have many plans.
As we have seen through the Scripture we looked at this morning.
In all of the cases, there were various plans of each person involved.
And in all cases, the plans of God were that which prevailed.
The lesson for all of us this morning, found in Proverbs 19:23
Proverbs 19:23 NIV
The fear of the Lord leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
Click # 10 and 11
10. The fear of the Lord leads to life.
Fear not in being afraid.
11. Fear implies reverence or respect for God.
Reverence for God brings life.
Click # 12.
12. When we can find contentment in the Lord, we can rest in His presence and untouched by trouble.
Benediction: Matthew 11:28-30
Matthew 11:28–30 NASB95
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
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