The Promise Fulfilled; Genesis 21:1-7

Introduction

Matthew 1:1–2 CSB

1 An account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: 2 Abraham fathered Isaac…

This is week 4 of looking at the genealogy of Jesus, at Abraham

25 years after the original promise, about 14 years after Ismael was born

Sarah gives birth to a son, Isaac

providence - Providence is understood as the action by which God sustains and guides creation toward His intended purpose

God’s providence will fulfil all his promises.

John Blanchard

there are many times when we look at the world around us and wonder how in the world could God fulfill his promises.

Genesis 21:1–7 CSB

1 The Lord came to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him. 3 Abraham named his son who was born to him—the one Sarah bore to him—Isaac. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.” 7 She also said, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne a son for him in his old age.”

Prayer

Obedience and praise are the responses of God’s people to God’s promises.

His Word is True

How do we begin to trust somebody

different ones have their ways of doing this

some give people the benefit of the doubt

I will trust you until you show me I cannot

they do different things, or do not do what they say and that trust is broken

others do not trust anyone

we have been burnt too many times, so you have to prove to me that I can trust you

and often we offer no grace… a mess up just proves our distrust

too many of us look at God in this way

we assign the failings of our fellow humans to the Lord

and God has to prove that he is trustworthy before we really trust that he will do what he says he will do

Genesis 21:1–2 CSB

1 The Lord came to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him.

25 years after they left Haran, the Lord came to Sarah

25 years after God promises that Abram would have nations of descendents

25 years of infertility even after the promise

15 years after Hagar became pregnant

this had to feel like an eternity

the Lord came to Sarah, just as He said that he would do

we know from Gen 18, that about a year before, Sarah was doubting

Genesis 18:10–14 CSB

10 The Lord said, “I will certainly come back to you in about a year’s time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 So she laughed to herself: “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I have delight?” 13 But the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Can I really have a baby when I’m old?’ 14 Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.”

where time and doubt grow, God answers with, “Is anything impossible with God?”

The Lord cannot lie or be wrong

dabar (dee-bear) - to speak, translate promise

God does not have to make a special statement for us to believe his word. He said this would happen and it came to pass.

His word is true without special promises.

The child of promise came how he told them, when he told them

Proverbs 30:5 CSB

5 Every word of God is pure; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

this was not a vague promise that we make fit

that is what we do with revelation

2 Timothy 3:16–17 CSB

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

I LIKE ESV BETTER HERE!

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV

16 All Scripture is BREATHED OUT by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Every word of God is true and we can trust it as such.

the Bible is penned by men, without contradiction, breathed out by God

I was but a pen in God’s hand and what praise is due to a pen?

John Bunyan

You can believe every word from God, not just when he says I promise, and apply everything he says to your life

We Obey in Response

He came to call into permanent being the family of God—and they are characterized by the obedient hearing of God’s word.

D. A. Carson

Humanity has a tendency that when we have received the promises of God, we move on

you gave me what i needed, wanted and I am not in need anymore

so i will come back when I do

if I do not have to obey to get what I want, why would I

we are like children this way

Genesis 21:3–5 CSB

3 Abraham named his son who was born to him—the one Sarah bore to him—Isaac. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Abraham responds to the birth of Isaac with obedience

he names him as he was told

he circumcises per the covenant

he did not forget the covenant as soon as he got the son he was waiting for

Explain the covenant of circumcision

When Abram was 99, God came to him and reestablished the covenant and told him that in one year, Sarai would have his son

in this, he renamed them Abraham and Sarah

father of nations and princess (elevated status)

Genesis 17:9–10 CSB

9 God also said to Abraham, “As for you, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations are to keep my covenant. 10 This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: Every one of your males must be circumcised.

understanding this helps us understand so much of the NT, especially Paul’s letters

The 1st century Jew, Jewish people in Jesus’ and Paul’s day, believed that they were saved because they were circumcised

that they are right with God because they kept this part of the covenant

Jesus and the rest of the NT teaches us that it is by faith that we are made right with God

Romans 5:1 CSB

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Abraham is not saved, or saving Isaac because of keeping this part of the bargain

Abraham is demonstrating his faith in obedience to what God has commanded

the same can be said by naming Isaac as God instructed him to do

We have a habit or desire to put obedience on the wrong side of salvation

what does it take to be saved?

a belief in God that leads to confession

Romans 10:9–10 CSB

9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 (FOR, BECAUSE - missing in the CSB) One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

Abraham was saved by faith in the word of God and in faith, obeyed what God commanded him to do

Too many of us are still trying to be perfect so that we

Amazed by God

Don’t forget to look up…

this is something that we repeat when we go hiking

you have to watch the trail and watch the uneven ground and be careful where you’re stepping

but if you are not careful, you are so busy looking at the things right in front of you, you forget to look up and see where you are and what you have just hiked into

Genesis 21:6–7 CSB

6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.” 7 She also said, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne a son for him in his old age.

It had been 25 years

the first two weeks, we looked at Abram receiving the promises from God

it was never mentioned that Sarai would be the mother until she orchestrated the event with Hagar

how many doubts in the first 24 years

how many in the last 15 since Ishmael was born

how many in the last year since God changed their names

how many even in the last nine months of pregnancy did they wonder if this was really going to happen

‎צחק ṣḥq to laugh; to joke; to dally with

People are not going to mock her, “laugh at her” they will be laughing with her… look what God has done.

In chapter 17, both Sarah and Abraham laughed

Abraham laughs with an anticipation

Sarah laughs in doubt

Here they laugh in praise

the name Isaac means “he laughs”

the name will be a constant reminder of what God has done

God did this in a way that was only possible by him

there are many times the world will tell us that it is impossible

we should be laughing at them

God shows that even biological certainties cannot stand in his way

a child was born to a couple that were 100 and 90 years old

the birth of Isaac turned a doubting laughter into a laughter of joy

Larry Frusher would shake his head and laugh… amazed at what God had done

that should be our posture as we marvel at the fulfilled promises of God