Genesis 22 Easter 2007

“Three Important Lessons About God and His Promises”

Sunday 4/8/07 a.m.

I.       God Remembers and Fulfills His Promises, Gen. 20, & 21

            A.        It has been 25 years since God promised Abraham that he would Bless him                                                physically, 12:4.

            B.        God restated His promise a year earlier to Abraham, 17:15-17.

            C.        God Remembers His Promises even when we forget, Gen. 20.

                        1.         Abraham commits the same sin of lying and deception again!

                        2.         In order to assure that Sarah does become pregnant by another man, God                                                   shuts the wombs of all the women in the nation! 20:17-18.

            D.        Within a year from 17:21 Sarah bears Abraham a son, 21:1

E.        The child is named “laughter”, after God’s command 21:3 and 17:19

F.         Notice the change in Sarah, from laughing at God, to rejoicing with Him! 21:6-8

G.        While Abraham and Sarah are rejoicing at God’s goodness, Ishmael begins to mock God’s promise by laughing AT him, 21:9

Lesson #1:      God fulfills His Promises on HIS timing not ours!

Lesson #2:      Others can be jealous of God blessing you, i.e. Hagar and Ishmael, 21:8-21

II.      God Uses Our Faith to Test Us, Gen. 22:1-14.

            A. 22:6 The wood was laid on the back of the Son;

            B. 22:6 The two, Father and Son walked up the hill together;

            C. 22:6 The Sacrifice was on top of a hill or a Mountain;

            D. 22:8 God said that He would provide either the sacrifice, or provide Himself as                                    the sacrifice!

(This is the key to faith, Abraham believed so much in God’s promise of Isaac, that even if he killed Issac, God would resurrect him! Hebrews 11:17-19)

            E. 22:9 The Son was the sacrificial Lamb.

            F. 22:9 The Son offered no resistance to the sacrifice.

            G. 22:9 The Father laid the Son on the wood, and bound Him to it.

            H. 22:13 God’s provision was an adult Lamb (a ram) whose head was hung in                                           thorns.

            I.  22:13 God’s sacrificial replacement was in place for the son.

Lesson #3:      God desires not what we own, He just wants people who are willing!