Waiting for the Saviour, Part 2: Abraham to Moses
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Waiting for the Saviour, Part 2: Abraham to Moses
Waiting for the Saviour, Part 2: Abraham to Moses
Introduction
This advent series in the run up to Christmas we are seeking to capture that sense of anticipation of the coming of the Saviour, that is seen in the saints of old. Jesus is coming, and that changes everything, surely!?
As we trace the seed promise from foundation to fulfilment we looked at Eden to Abraham last week. Today we observe the unfolding history of redemption from Abraham to Moses. Next week we plan to trace Moses to Jesus, then finally from the cradle to the consummation.
1. Eden to Abraham
2. Abraham to Moses
3. Moses to Jesus
4. Cradle, to Consummation
Today: Waiting for the Saviour, from Abraham to Moses.
Do you sometimes find yourself asking the question can God really use me?
“little old me!?”
With my quirks, with my sins!?
The number of times I let him down!
As we continue to trace the seed promise from Genesis 3:15, we saw that faithfulness is not perfection - Noah had his problems. And this week from Abraham to Moses we’ll see another collection of faithful men who at some points set the bar low! They give us great encouragement that God can change anyone, God can use anyone, and that His plans come to pass despite His people. What a great, glorious, merciful God we serve!
Sermon Outline:
Tracing the seed promise from Abraham to Moses
we see through the failure and faith of God’s people that:
1. God Can Use Incapable People
2. God Can Use Normal People
3. God Can Use Scheming People
1. God Can Use Incapable People
1. God Can Use Incapable People
Explanation
The line of Promise in Abraham…
Genesis 11 presents the line of the seed promise continuing from Noah’s son Shem to Abram. The first mention of Abram notes his wife Sarai was unable to conceive. Then in Genesis 12:1-7 God calls Abram:
Genesis 12:1–7 (ESV)
Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
God’s covenant with Abraham: nation, name and numbers!
Genesis 15:1-6 tells us that the offspring promised is not just one, but many, from whom that One offspring would come:
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Genesis 15:12-16 prophesies bad things to come, but rescue from it and all in God’s time: until the sin of the Amorites is filled. God declares that Abraham’s people will be enslaved, but will be rescued, and given the Promised Land, in so doing punishing the current inhabitants for their sin.
After promises of a great future Abraham then sets off to fulfil the promise in his own strength.
He has a child with Hagar (Ishmael)
Genesis 17:1-2 God reaffirms His promise to Abraham:
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.”
And in verse 17 Abraham’s response:
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?”
An understandable response! The following verses also show how Abraham responded with faith - He did what the Lord had said in the Covenant - had all his household circumcised.
You see how Abraham, and Sarah, were incapable.
They were, in their own strength, unable to bring the seed promise to bear.
Abraham tried to fulfil God’s promise in His own way
They tried - and it caused chaos.
Chaos that continues - Arab nations descend from Ishmael, great tension between them and Israel even today.
They were simply used of God for Him to fulfil His plans.
They needed to wait. Wait for the Lord to do His thing. Not fret.
Application
There are times we are to do things for God
and resources to achieve His plans, but more often than not,
There are times to wait for God
and be faithful
A gardener waits for seeds to sprout. After planting, they trust the process and the Creator. Many times, in our spiritual lives, we are like that gardener, waiting for growth and blessings. We preach the word, we listen to the word, we pray, we do church together, we witness to others. If we remain faithful and trust the gardener of our souls, we will see the fruits of our patience.
Our church. We want it to grow. This is a good desire. But the Lord may not have that for us. He might. This tension causes some churches to lose track: To bring more people in they:
-Compromise on preaching the truth
-Focus on meeting the needs of the community, at the expense of teaching and preaching
(Illustration: -someone volunteering to serve tables at Salvation Army - not here to preach)
-Focus on entertaining people - attractive modern music, lighting.
Keep it simple - preach the word in season and out of season.
What in your life is not happening as fast as you would like it to? Are you waiting for blessings from God that are just too slow? Sometimes the blessing is the trial, sometimes the blessing is the waiting.
What is He doing in your life through this trial, this wait?
How are you depending on Him?
How is He challenging your thinking / priorities?
What does faithfulness mean in your situation?
How can you glorify God?
How can you show or grow Christ-likeness?
Summary
God can use incapable people. Often that is when He does His best work, and all the glory goes to Him!
Don’t worry about what you can’t do. Just do what you do. Be faithful - do what He sets before you. Stick to the basics, love God, love your neighbour! Prioritise prayer, prioritise God’s people.
2. God Can Use Normal People
2. God Can Use Normal People
Explanation
The line of Promise in Isaac…Isaac means “laughter”
Not that much said about Isaac.
Genesis 21 Isaac is born. The name means laughter, capturing the response of Abraham and Sarah, but also the joy of the ongoing fulfilment of the seed promise.
Trouble continues:
Internal trouble between Ishmael and his mother Hagar, and Isaac and his mother Sarah
External trouble with neighbours squabbling over resources as God blesses the faithful family with prosperity
Normal family life, albeit a prosperous account. All have trials to faithfulness - from all sides. I love the reality of the people in the line of promise - they had struggles. Give us great confidence that God uses normal people, in normal struggles. He uses them to shape us, to achieve His purposes.
In Genesis 22:1-18 comes an unusual test of faithfulness.
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.”
In Genesis 24 The Lord providentially directs Abraham’s servant to find a wife for Isaac.
Genesis 25:21-23 describes Isaac praying for his wife:
Genesis 25:21–23 (ESV)
And Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife, because she was barren. And the Lord granted his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived. The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. And the Lord said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.”
Another example of God using someone incapable to achieve His aims - and Isaac faithfully in prayer, hoping in God’s promise. Another example to of the older brother - by default inheriting the responsibility and greater privilege, and the promise - not actually inheriting it.
Seems Isaac and Rebekah’s parenting was not great, not on the same page:
Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.
God can even use parents who don’t always get it right!
Isaac seems a bit worldly here - stretching conclusion? Genesis 26 describes him lying to protect himself. Despite that lack of faith in God Genesis 26:24 reiterates God’s promise fulfilled through him:
And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.”
Verse 35 shows us a normal, if not dysfunctional, family dynamic:
When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.
…in laws a source of grief!
Rarely does God have a test of biblical proportions for us
Abraham had the monumental test of being prepared to
sacrifice his son in faithfulness to the Lord.
Isaac went along with his Dad
He didn’t understand, he didn’t struggle.
Isaac was in the background as a wife is provided for him
He faithfully prays for her. The promise comes to pass. We might say - of course it did, he’s Isaac, he’s in the line of promise. We see that play out from beginning to end in the pages of Scripture.
Isaac didn’t know it would work out.
He didn’t know how it would work out, even if he did have faith in God’s promise.
Isaac’s family dynamic was difficult
much as Abraham’s was. Yet they faithfully trusted, though Isaac was nothing special.
Application
You might feel you are nothing special. That your family life is fraught with chaos. Welcome to the club. That’s life. People who look like they have it together probably haven’t!
God uses normal people like Isaac. He uses normal people like you. Just be faithful with life. The decisions you make - for His glory! What you do in the midst of the chaos - for His glory. Isaac got it wrong at times - He lied - but God used that to bring glory to himself. Doesn't excuse sin, does give us confidence to move on from our past sins in confession to God and repentance to do things His way, knowing that in Christ we are forgiven, and that He will still use us.
Isaac’s little prayer, with massive results. Isaac a background figure, nearly sacrificed, prayed. And through his prayer God continued the seed promise.
Look at the disciples—mostly fishermen and tax collectors. They weren’t theologians or religious leaders, just regular guys with quirks and flaws. Jesus called them anyway! Isn’t it funny how God sees potential where we see just the mundane? Just like those disciples, you may think you’re just a regular person, but God has a role for you in His grand plan. So, don’t underestimate what He can do through you!
Augustine’s mother Monica’s prayer life was probably as normal as any busy mother. Praying while working, cooking dinner, cleaning the house, and even during her son’s wild escapades! And look what became of him! Our normal mundane moments can be transformed into powerful prayers. Our normal daily routines, infused with prayer like Monica’s, can lead to extraordinary outcomes—just like Augustine’s eventual conversion.
Summary
God can use normal people. Not necessarily for world changing things, but in the every day. Doing them to His glory. Praying for people. Let us do normal to the glory of God!
3. God Can Use Scheming People
3. God Can Use Scheming People
Explanation
The line of promise in Jacob… Jacob means “heel”
It is interesting how the seed promise is so filled with fighting. Cain vs Abel, Ham vs Shem, Ishmael vs Isaac, Esau vs Jacob.
Jacob means heel
This word is also a metaphor - for coming from behind or being deceitful and scheming.
Jacob is described as being born holding on to the heel of Isaac, and then
He shows himself to be a schemer through life
Genesis 27:36 (ESV)
Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.”
His schemes backfire when he ends up getting scammed into marrying the wrong sister. He schemes some more to marry the right sister as well.
Genesis 27:28-29 describes the blessing that Isaac confers upon Jacob as the promise continues through him:
Genesis 27:28–29 (ESV)
May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine.
Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”
God grows the faith of Jacob to match the covenant that he carries.
But it is a long process. He is schemer. Like Abraham he had different children to different wives. Scheming in order to fulfil the promise in his own strength. God grows him as he gradually learns to faithfully follow.
In Genesis 35:9-13 God affirms the promise to Jacob:
God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.” So he called his name Israel. And God said to him, “I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.” Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him.
See the continuity from Abraham to Jacob? The promise continues. And here Israel is born.
Jacob becomes Israel. Jacob means schemer. Israel means God strives
He goes from being a schemer to being one for whom God strives
Through Jacob, now Israel, come 12 sons:
The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s servant: Dan and Naphtali. The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s servant: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.
What a difficult family dynamic. If there was jealousy and strife with 2 wives in Abraham’s life, how much with 3?!
Which of Jacob’s sons does the seed promise flow through? It’s not the star of the show! not Joseph but Judah!
Joseph would be used mightily of God to save the people of Israel through famine, save the whole world as it revolved around Egypt.
Joseph went into slavery in Egypt, became second to Pharoah, then reunited with his brothers.
Judah was terrible!
Judah married a Canaanite woman (!)
He had 3 sons Er, Onan and Shelah.
He got a wife for Er called Tamar. He was wicked and God killed him.
Onan should have provided children for Tamar, he wouldn’t, he was wicked, God killed him
Judah told her to wait until the last son Shelah grows up, then marry him – sent her away to her father to wait.
Years later- Judah didnt recognize his Daughter in law – he thought she was a prostitute and got her pregnant.
When he heard she had got pregnant he ordered that she be killed. On discovering it was his fault he said ““She is more righteous than I, since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.”
Through Tamar Perez and Zerah were born as Matthew 1:1-3 tells us. The scandal surrounding Judah and Tamar, yet here she features in the genealogy of the King of Kings!
He seems to sort his life out
– the effect of losing his brother Joseph perhaps. When Joseph tricks his brothers Judah puts his neck on the line to save Benjamin – showing himself to be faithful – an image of Christ putting His neck on the line for His brothers.
Genesis 49 describes Jacob’s final blessing on his sons, to Judah he proclaims in verse 10:
Genesis 49:10 (ESV)
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.
Primary blessing upon Judah as the seed promise leads through him and on.
In Jacob and Judah we see two scheming people. But the Lord uses them. He changes them as they see God’s promises cannot be achieved in their strength and by their cunning. He needs them to be faithful empty vessels as he works through them.
Application
The seed promise traced through Jacob and Judah leads me to the exhortation not to be like them. Don’t scheme, don’t plot. Other Scriptures teach that it is not just what we do that matters but how we do it too.
If you have been a schemer. Seeking to get your own way. Don’t. Repent. There are consequences for not doing things God’s way. “Be sure your sin will find you out” But also rest assured, God can change you. Repent. Be faithful to Him, live life His way for His glory and He will use you.
Much like Jacob, we might find ourselves caught in our own schemes, but God can take those very flaws and turn them into something beautiful. Just as Jacob's story ended in restoration and blessing, our missteps can lead to God's greatest works if we let Him in. Turn to Him before it’s too late, before the consequences get worse. Trust God, trust His way.
Summary
God can use scheming people. He’ll even use your sin to achieve His aims, probably not the way you thought. God can certainly change a schemer and make you a suitable vessel for His purposes.
Conclusion
We have traced the seed promise from Abraham to Moses. Through the failure and faith of God’s people we saw that:
1. God Can Use Incapable People
2. God Can Use Normal People
3. God Can Use Scheming People
Application
Application
Waiting for the Saviour this Advent, with growing anticipation as we await his coming,
Be excited for what He will do
Be excited at how He might use you
for His glory for His plans!
Wait for His coming - not sat on our hands doing nothing. Be ready! How can He use you?
And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.
John F. Kennedy
Rejoice that God uses anyone, even you!
Wherever we come from, whatever struggles and problems we bring. The people of God down the centuries have for the most part been normal people. He takes us as we are, but we don’t stay that way. We should grow in Christ-likeness every step of the way as He rubs off our sharp edges along the way.
Genesis ends with Jacob an old man, dying in Egypt as the Israelites grow prosperous and numerous. Exodus begins with a new Pharoah who did not know Joseph, wary of the strength of Israel.
This Pharaoh enslaves them, God raises up Moses to rescue them…the story continues…
