Promise Kept

James Dorman

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Intro:

In our study of Genesis we’ve seen that Adam didn’t do what God had commanded—

“Don’t eat from the tree of knowledge.” But Adam couldn’t help himself, and his disobedience brought sin into the world. His body was created in perfection, and he wasn’t meant to die, but with sin came a curse that caused him to begin to rot; he passed that curse down to all his descendants.

But God had a plan to redeem men from death and sin—

He would send His Son, Jesus, to die for us so that the curse would be removed.

But to start this plan God called a man named Abraham to follow Him to the land of Canaan where He would give him a son, and Jesus would eventually be born through this line.

But Abraham hasn’t seen this son yet. He’s waited 25 years since his call, and now he’s 100. He tried to have a son with Hagar, Sarah’s servant, but God rejected it. And so, Abraham has been waiting and waiting for the son of the promise to be born.

But Abraham hasn’t seen this son yet. He’s waited 25 years since his call, and now he’s 100.

He tried to have a son with Hagar, Sarah’s servant, but God rejected it. And so, Abraham has been waiting and waiting for the son of the promise to be born.

Today the wait is over:

The Promised Birth

Genesis 21:1–7 ESV

The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

100 year old Abraham and 90 year old Sarah conceive a child.

God was keeping His promise (As He always will)

The boy was born and named Isaac

This is the name God told him to give him (17:19), and it

It’s appropriate since Abraham and Sarah both laughed when they heard the promise. Sarah laughs in joy after he’s born, and she says that everyone will laugh with her when they hear her laughter. His name means “he laughs”

It’s appropriate since Abraham and Sarah both laughed when they heard the promise. Sarah laughs in joy after he’s born, and she says that everyone will laugh with her when they hear her laughter.

No one would have thought this was possible a year ago (not even she had believed it), but God made it happen. A year ago no one would have thought that Sarah would be able to nurse a child, but, yet again, God made it happen. Even though these two had “waxed old” (they had worn out), God was able to give them the pleasures of parenthood because nothing is impossible with Him.

Jealousy Strikes

Here we’re seeing the beginning of two nations… of two people groups; the Jews and the Arabs. You see the Arabs trace their lineage back to Ishmael. If you read the Quran, you see that. They say that Ishmael was the promised son, not Isaac. Not we can document and prove historically that it’s the Quran that doesn’t line up with the original Scriptures. The Bible does… the Quran doesn’t

Genesis 21:8–11 ESV

And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. 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.” And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son.

Ishmael mocked Isaac

Over a decade of difference in age.

“weaning” happened at 2 1/2 or 3

A transition party

Paul said it was beyond friendly banter

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.

Gal 4:29

It may have had to do with inheritance since Sarah mentioned that in

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.”

Gen 21:

Jealousy was present a couple of ways.

Ishmael- in mocking/bullying Isaac over status

Sarah- still has problems with Hagar and Ishmael

it was her idea or Abraham and Hagar to have this child.

Yet she never accepted Ishmael.

Now didn’t want Isaac’s inheritance shared.

Jealousy still destroys families.

The Grace of God

Genesis 21:12–21 ESV

But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Genesis 21:8–11 ESV

This is the main point right here. Isaac is the son of the promise. Ishmael isn’t part of the plan, and he can’t be, so he has to be put out. The flesh can never accomplish the spiritual.

But for Abraham’s sake God promises to provide for Hagar and Ishmael:

He is gracious and gives hope.

Genesis 21:13 ESV

And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”

Now don’t get confused here. It says of Ishmael “he is your offspring” which seems to go against everything we’ve just said.

But notice that of Isaac He says, “in Isaac shall your offspring be named.”

One is technical; the other is spiritual. Technically Ishmael is Abraham’s seed (he has his DNA), but spiritually Isaac is the son God promised, and all who live by faith will come through that spiritual line. We’re the seed of Abraham even without sharing in his DNA, and just having his DNA doesn’t make us his children.

When Hagar reached the end of her rope, she sat Ishmael down to die and turned her back. She couldn’t bear to see the death of her son.

When there seems to be no hope, God shows up and He brings hope to the hopeless.

Lesson Learned:

#1- Waiting on God is often difficult, but He always proves to be faithful.

Abraham had a tough time while he waited, but God came through.

Think of some of the promises He’s given us—we’ll be conformed to Christ’s image, we’ll be raised from the dead, and we’ll go to be with Him for the rest of eternity. We’ve all been waiting for these things to happen, and we’ll have to keep waiting until His time.

In the meantime we’ll struggle with sin and doubt if we take our eyes off the promise. What we need to learn to do is look at our lives the same way God does—everything is already finished.

I think sometimes we see God kind of like we see that guy trying to fix the leaky dam. He’s hopping from one leak to the next trying to get a patch over it before the whole thing falls apart.

But God has known His plan from the beginning, and nothing ever takes Him by surprise.

So what can you do? Well, I know it sounds simplistic, and it’s kind of the “Sunday School answer,” but you need to devote yourself to the things of God—study His promise written in His word, cast your burdens on Him, and wait for Him to answer.

Just know that the wait may be long and the answer may be death. But I read this week: “The wicked is thrust down by his wrongdoing, but the righteous has a refuge when he dies” ().

Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might ().

#2- Sometimes obedience and faith means making tough choices.

Abraham didn’t enjoy sending his son away, but it was the command of God. Later he’s even asked to sacrifice the one son he has left. I wonder how many of us would desert everything and count it all rubbish for His sake? Jesus tells us that we must hate everything else (even our own lives) if we’re going to follow Him (). It’s one thing to read it—it’s something else to walk it. It’s no joke, and it’s not easy.

#3- Everything God does is for His glory.

Do you know why Adam was permitted to fall? Do you know why Abraham was called? Do you know why Abraham had to wait so long for a son? Do you know why Ishmael was cast out, saved, and raised into a great nation? Do you know why hell exists? So that God might glorify Himself.