What Do People See?

The central premise of the original series was that the individual who was who they said they were would truthfully answer all questions by the celebrity panelists. Two or three other pretenders gave what they felt were the best/believable answers or lied.

Over the last few weeks we have allowed the Book of Genesis to give us an overview of the life of Abraham, who will father Isaac, who will father of Esau and Jacob. The Book of Genesis provides for us the record that Esau fathered six sons and Jacob fathered 12 sons.

Up to this point in our study of Abraham, we have noted the multiple times that the LORD appeared to and spoke to Abram/Abraham. From what we read, God’s promises to Abraham and Sarah were increasingly clear and repeatedly affirmed.

With that in the back our minds, I would ask you consider the life of Abraham. For our purposes today, we will not use of TV format but that of a Shakespearean play.

While the fulfillment of God’s promises seemed humanly impossible, the LORD had asked a question to make an emphatic statement to Abraham and Sarah, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?”

God’s call of Abram - subtitle/God’s Covenant with Abram - Genesis 11:31-12:1

Scene 1 - God appeared to Abram in Mesopotamia

From everything that we read, the LORD was very patient with Abraham. Some wonder if the LORD was too patient. But then can we ever be too patient?

Having noted that, I am encouraged because our LORD is probably more patient with me than I deserve. The same might be true for you.

Scene 2 - Tarah and Abram moved to Haran

Scene 3 - After the death of Tarah, God removed Abram from Haran to Canaan

With that bit of context, I must confess that I found & 21 very difficult to process.

- God’s Covenant with Abram - - 20

Scene 1 - The LORD said to Abram - I will bless you, in you all families of the earth will be blessed

Scene 2 - Egypt - Following Abram’s advice, Sarai told Pharoah that she is Abram’s sister - a truth = a lie

On the one hand, we have God’s promise of Isaac being born finally fulfilled. Along with that Hagar and Ishmael were sent/headed off on their own and cared for by the LORD as He had promised Hagar 13 or 14 years earlier -

- God’s Covenant Applied - -14

Scene 1 - Abram and Lot separate- Lot to the Jordan Valley, Abram land of Canaan

In the other hand, the events of Isaac’s birth and Hagar/Ishmael’s heading out on their own are sandwiched between 2 other events in the life of Abraham that pull at my heart and make me shake my head. So overwhelming and interconnected did I find this series of events, I was very tempted to focus on the shoulder events rather than God’s promise fulfilled and God’s promised protect provided.

Scene 2 - Abram rescues Lot and others from Sodom and Gomorrah

To be true to our text/context, we cannot disregard those two sandwich events. They are part of the record of God’s grace and care. They underscore God’s grace and care. But in considering them we will do our best not to allow them to eclipse the heart of these two chapters.

First of all:

Scene 3 - Meetings with Melchizedek and the King of Sodom.

- God’s Covenant Explained - Genesis 15

God’s Promise Fufilled - 21:1-7

Acts 4 ESV

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old. When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Scene 1 - God’s Covenant with Abram - Not Eliezer but Abram’s very own son

Scene 2 - Covenant affirmed by God - smoking fire pot and flaming torch pass between the 1/2’s of the animals that God commanded Abram to kill.

- God’s Covenant Confounded - - 20

Scene 1 - Hagar given to Abram as a wife and is so doing denied God’s promise

Scene 2 - God’s promises affirmed/Isaac promised

Scene 3 - Abraham lied to Abimilech saying Sarah was his sister

Scene 1 - Isaac born

Scene 2 - God protects Hagar and Ishmael

Scene 3 - Abraham’s Treaty with Abimilech - trust me - my men dug the well at Beersheba

WOULD YOU HAVE BELIEVED ABRAHAM?

TRUTH AND TRUST ARE INSEPARABLE!

Genesis 21:1 ESV

The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised.

The LORD did as He had said and as He had promised.

What the LORD had promised multiple times and explained again and over the last 25 years has at last been fulfilled. What Abraham and Sarah had questioned and tried to do their way, the LORD did HIS way in His time.

What had seemed impossible had become possible.

The account is strikingly simple and devoid of anything other than the core facts.

The LORD visited Sarah - she had been in the tent, had laughed and had not been part of the conversation that Abraham had with the 3 visitors

The LORD did to Sarah as he had promised.

Genesis

Genesis 18:10 ESV

The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.

Genesis 18:14 ESV

Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age (her old age).

at the time of which God had spoken to him

Abraham called the name of his son Isaac

Abraham circumcised Isaac at 8 days as God had commanded

ABRAHAM WAS 100 YEARS OLD WHEN HIS SON ISAAC WAS BORN TO HIM.

Sarah said, “God made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.”

Isaac means he laughs

potential reproach on Sarah who laughed in the tent - 18:15

conveys shared joy - laugh over not at

Sarah - “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have born him a son in his (not my) old age.”

As one commentator pointed out:

“Sarah, throughout is no visionary; she had faith,

Hebrews 11:11 ESV

By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.

but her bent was domestic and physical. - no doubt providentially for Isaac had the ordinary needs of a child, who must be enjoyed for himself as well as for his destiny.”

2. God’s Promised Protection Provided - 21:8-21

Context for the needed protection - 21:8-14

Isaac the child grew and was weaned - age about 3

Abraham planned a feast day - weaned plus Isaac had passed the earliest years when many young children died

Ishmael (about 16) laughing at Isaac.

laughing not as in fun but probably at bit of tension/derision

incompatibility of natural and spiritual

Psalm 83:5–6 ESV

For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant— the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites,

Ps 83:

Galatians 4:29 ESV

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.

Sarah’s words - more true than she knew

Genesis 21:10 ESV

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.”

God’s comfort to Abraham and his displeasure - 21:12, 13

Abraham’s actions - bread, water and sent them away - into the wilderness.

Promised protection provided - 21:15-21

We cannot read this without memories reverting to 15 or 16 years ago when the LORD promised Hagar that He would protect and care for her.

Gen 16:

Genesis 16:7–10 ESV

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.”

water in the skin gone

the boy calling out

Hagar left Ishmael whom she thought was dying under one of the bushes and waiting a good way off/bow shot - 50 to 75 yards/meters - guard towers on the Great Wall of China - 2 bow shots apart - 150 yards.

Let me not look on the death of the child

Hagar lifted up her voice and wept

Angel of God called from heaven:

What troubles you Hagar?

Fear not for God has heard the voice of the child where he is.

Up! Lift up the boy and hold him fast in your hand for I will make him a great nation.

Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water and gave the boy to drink

AND GOD WAS WITH THE BOY AND HE GREW UP. HE LIVED IN THE WILDERNESS AND BECAME AN EXPERT WITH THE BOW.

Ishmael lived in the wilderness of Paran, and Hagar, his mother, took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

That is the heart, the meat of these two chapters - , .

The heart, the meat of these two chapters is sandwiched between two less than stellar events in the lives of Abraham and Sarah.

Chapter 20, the one side of the sandwich, is shockingly disappointing. Most of us would have thought better of Abraham and Sarah.

Chapter 21:22-24, the other half of the sandwich might seem to be an innocuous bit of detail were it not for a character flaw or lack of consistency in the life of Abraham.

Sandwich side #1:

Abraham lied to King Abimelech, telling him that Sarah was his sister -

- Why would Abraham tell this lie again?- 20:12-13; 12:10-20 (Egypt - Pharoah)

The LORD had promised again and again that Abraham would be the father of many nations and Sarah it would begin with Sarah giving birth to Isaac.

Most recent confirmation - 17:1-14

Son promised to Sarah - 17:16

The child will be called Isaac - 17:19

At this time next year a son would be born - 18:10

Next year I will return and Sarah will have a son - 18:14

THE MESSAGE AND PROMISE WERE CLEAR, CRYSTAL CLEAR. WHAT MORE COULD HAVE BEEN SAID?

As clear as it was, Abraham whom we are told understood the Gospel and faith did not live and walk by faith.

Genesis 15:6 ESV

And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Galatians 3:7–9 ESV

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Gal 3:

Please follow along as we read. The events are all too clear. As can be said with a few other portions of Scripture, sections like this underscore inspiration and that the Scriptures are given by God. A normal editor would leave this out or soften the fall out from Abraham and Sarah not trusting God, not living by faith. Not only they but others were gravely impacted.

Gen 20:1-18

When God’s people who profess faith, do not live by faith, those around them are vulnerable and hurt.

When those who do not profess to know God have a greater fear of God and more integrity, something is very wrong and out of focus.

Before we leave , we must ask ourselves a serious question:

If you were Abimelech and met Abraham again, would you trust him?

NO!

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!

With that we come to:

Sandwich piece #2

Abraham’s Covenant with Abimelech - 21:22-34

Although about 3 years had passed since the end of Genesis 20 - birth and weaning of Isaac, departure of Hagar and Ishmael - the events of like those of took place in the territory of Negeb where Abimelech was king.

This was the King to whom Abraham had lied.

Sandwich #2 has two parts and begins with Abimelech asking Abraham,

“Can I trust you?”

“Can I trust you?” - 21:23

God is with you and 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.

Swear to me here by God

past events suggest that you are not to be trusted

swear by God who is with you - but in whose presence you do not seem to ive.

You dealt with me falsely, do not deal with me falsely again

I dealt with you kindly when you did not deal with me kindly.

kindly - hesed - loving kindness, loyal kindness, tender mercy

What is Hesed?

FROM R.C. Sproul Jr. May 04, 2013 Category: Articles

“There may be no more significant Old Testament description of how God relates to His people than this Hebrew word hesed. I argue that the best translation of this term would be “loyal love.” God loves His people genuinely, immutably, loyally. Both the love and the loyalty are, of course, tightly bound together. That is, just as one cannot love capriciously so one cannot be loyal without love. God is for His people, and will never cease to be for them.

Our calling is to reflect that reality. Our loyalty and our love, grounded in our loyal love toward Him who loved us loyally first, ought to be toward both what it is we believe, and those with whom we believe it. Too often we fail one way or another.”

This is an attribute that we attribute to God.

Psalm 31:21 ESV

Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city.

Covenant language - cc Jonathan speaking to David

1 Samuel 20:14–15 ESV

If I am still alive, show me the steadfast love of the Lord, that I may not die; and do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the Lord cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.”

Words of Abimelesh:

I have shown you - hesed - loving kindness, loyal love, steadfast love, kindness, tender mercy - so will you deal with?

Abraham:

I swear - made a pledge

The second part of sandwich #2 - Who dug the well near Beersheba?”

Context - Abimelech’s servants had seized (violently - KJV ) , tear away, rob, a well that Abraham claimed to have dug - 21:25, 30

wells and water rights - very NB/matter of life and death - human and herds - 26:18, 21, 22, 25

Abraham reproved Abimelech- the Hebrew verb suggests that Abraham had to make several complaints

A bit ironic - Abraham was not in a place to throw stones.

Abimelech - I did not know, you did not tell, I have not heard until today.

Abraham’s not being trustworthy had clogged their communication conduit.

Abraham actions to establish trust:

gave sheep and oxen to Abimelech - the two men made a covenant

7 ewe lambs given to Abimelech as a witness that Abraham dug the well.

a second covenant

place called - Beersheba - well of seven - 21:30; 26:33 - the fact that “to swear” some from a similar would not go unnoticed.

Abraham’s follow up:

planted a tamarisk tree (grove - KJV, tamarisk - NKJV)

called there on the LORD, the everlasting God - el olam

Isaiah 40:28 ESV

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

Psalm 90:2 ESV

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Perhaps Abraham was admitting, I have stumbled but You are constant, everlasting.

What do we need to remember and integrate into our lives as we leave here today?

The Lord keeps His promises

God hears us and cares for us.

Our lives are the lens through those around us see and hear the Gospel.

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