Foundations: God's Promise from Abraham to Advent

Who knows

Genesis 21:8–12 CSB

8 The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah saw the son mocking—the one Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham. 10 So she said to Abraham, “Drive out this slave with her son, for the son of this slave will not be a coheir with my son Isaac!” 11 This was very distressing to Abraham because of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and about your slave. Whatever Sarah says to you, listen to her, because your offspring will be traced through Isaac,

Galatians 4:28–31 CSB

28 Now you too, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as then the child born as a result of the flesh persecuted the one born as a result of the Spirit, so also now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Drive out the slave and her son, for the son of the slave will never be a coheir with the son of the free woman.” 31 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of a slave but of the free woman.

1. Abraham’s struggle displays:

a. The Conflict of Sin. (9-10)

b. The temptation to trust in the flesh. (v.11; 1Cor10:13)

Abraham loved Ishmael and wanted good for him.

Abraham also might have been tempted to have Ishmael as a back up plan.

c. The need to separate from works based merit for God’s Provision. (Gal4:28-31)

i. The passages do not refer to Isaac’s or Ishmael’s salvation. Gen21:17

Genesis 21:17 CSB

17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What’s wrong, Hagar? Don’t be afraid, for God has heard the boy crying from the place where he is.

Be wary of anyone who imports that onto either texts.

Note in v. 17 God heard the teenagers prayers. Imagine the boy. He had mocked the rightful heir and God’s elected path that would bring the Messiah. He acted like a teenager. He felt rejected. Then he gets sent out. His dad didn’t give him much.

Now, I want to say this about Abraham. We really can’t judge their hearts as diabolical for all that occured up to this point, giving a servant to be a surrogate mother, did Hagar really have a choice? Then punishing her for that and the boy? It’s the Bronze age and the customs people lived in blinded them to certain sensibilities we have today. Doesn’t excuse it as something to continue, but it wasn’t done with criminal intent as we have a cultural understanding that it’s just wrong.

But, Abraham clearly was heartbroken and he had a long chat with God over all this.

Unlike before when Sarah said, go into Hagar, and Abe went, this time, he’s rebelling against her and taking a leadership point.

But, unlike before where they acted without God and it resulted in this terrible family dynamic, now God speaks into it.

God says, Abraham do according to Sarah. I WILL personally take care of the boy. Abraham realized that for all his wealth, he couldn’t in his own might give anything to help Ismael survive in the Negev. It would either be all of God, or the boy would perish no matter how much food or water he provided them. So it was only after he had a long conversation with God and decided to fully entrust Ishmael and his own future with God that he sent the boy and his mother off.

And later on, the boys get together to bury their father.

ii. It references Abraham’s need to put all his faith in God’s Word versus human works.

Put all his eggs in God’s basket. not have 2 baskets to limit his risk.

God had much bigger plans.

Elizabeth Elliot said, “Faith Does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.”

iii. Galatians uses Abraham’s faith to challenge legalism and worldly religion.

What has distracted you from keeping Christmas faith centered?

What do you need to stop or avoid because it strains your relationship with God?

What plans will you make to keep Christ centered during Christmas?

Where do you go to settle questions that challenge your faith?

2. God’s Provision from Abraham to Advent.

a. Isaac foreshadows God’s ultimate Plan in that he:

i. Came according to God’s Promise.

ii. Conceived miraculously. (Luke1:34; 37)

iii. Displayed God’s Ability!

iv. Came after a delay.

v. Came according to God’s Timing. (Gal4:4)

vi. Brought great joy! (Luke 2:20)

b. Christ fully fulfilled God’s plan of redemption.

Which Christmas Hymn brings you joy? Why?

Have you considered caroling with family and friends, perhaps even neighbors or a retirement village?

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room And heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy No more let sins and sorrows grow Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found Far as the curse is found Far as, far as the curse is found He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love And wonders of His love And wonders, wonders, of His love

reliance on faith alone