Time's Up
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Times of Triumph as Well as Times of Trouble Teach us to Trust That God’s Words are True
Times of Triumph as Well as Times of Trouble Teach us to Trust That God’s Words are True
Mary Kimbrough composed this poem based in Job 13:15, which underscores the wisdom of trusting God through trial: “Though He slay me, I will trust Him,” Said the sainted Job of old; “Though He try me in the furnace, I shall then come forth as gold. “Though the ‘worms of deep affliction’ Cause this body to decay, In my flesh I shall behold Him — My Redeemer—some glad day.” “Though He slay me”—can I say it When I feel the searing fire, When my fondest dreams lie shattered — Gone my hope and fond desire? “Though He slay me, I will trust Him,” For He knows just how to mold, How to melt and shape my spirit — I shall then come forth as gold! (Our Daily Bread, January 3, 1995)
Times of Triumph Reinforce our Faith as We Experience God’s Faithfulness First Hand
Times of Triumph Reinforce our Faith as We Experience God’s Faithfulness First Hand
Genesis 21:1-8
The Lord Faithfully Fulfills His Word in His Perfect Timing. (v.1-2)
The Lord Faithfully Fulfills His Word in His Perfect Timing. (v.1-2)
Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.
Three times within these two verses it is emphasized that the Birth of Isaac is a result of the Lord fulfilling his promise in his time. The wait wasn’t easy, but the wait is always worth it when we’re waiting on God.
I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’
Abraham and Sarah waited and trusted; they stumbled and tripped the entire way; but still their faith was strengthened in the struggle.
And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.
The Lord revealed the promised seed at just the right time. Isaac’s birth looks forward to the “Seed”—Jesus who would come “at the just the right time” and die for us while we were still powerless and sinful. This should encourage us to know that he will also return in his perfect time.
When we Experience His Faithfulness Firsthand it Reinforces our Faith (v.3-5)
When we Experience His Faithfulness Firsthand it Reinforces our Faith (v.3-5)
The birth of Isaac at this perfect time was a moment of triumph for Abraham and Sarah. At this time their faith was flying high as they experienced God’s faithfulness to his Word firsthand.
Abraham’s actions were an acknowledgement of the fact that the birth was accomplished by God. He names the Child what the Lord told him to. He circumcised his as the Lord commanded.
Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
His actions not only acknowledged God’s faithfulness, but they also show an expectation that the Lord with continue to be true to his Word. Circumcision what the sign of the covenant relationship he was in with the Lord. Now Isaac what a part of that, and Abraham was expecting that God would indeed make him a great nation.
God’s Faithfulness is Always a Reason to Rejoice (v.6-8)
God’s Faithfulness is Always a Reason to Rejoice (v.6-8)
The focus is not so much on Abraham’s emotions but his actions which say, “the Lord brought us to this point and I trust his promise to take us further. For Sarah, the focus is on her emotions, her exuberance over her firsthand experience of God faithfulness. She can’t help but rejoice as she recounts God’s goodness.
Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Her words, like Abraham’s actions, acknowledges God’s faithfulness and also anticipate that he will continue to be faithful. She only has Isaac, but she speaks of nursing “children” —like she trusts that Isaac will become this great nation like the Lord said.
verse 8 sums up the first 3-5 years of Isaac’s life—that’s the usual time frame for a child to weaned in those days. At that time Abraham held a great feast. They’ve seen God faithfulness and they’re still celebrating.
Times of Trouble Refine Our Faith as we Wait For God to Fulfill His Word
Times of Trouble Refine Our Faith as we Wait For God to Fulfill His Word
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
There is a time for everything: a time to laugh and a time to cry. Unfortunately, we treat times of triumph as times to bless the Lord, and time of trouble as times to blame the Lord. Through it all we can trust. Through it all we learn to trust. Through it all God remains true to his Word.
Times of Triumph can Quickly Turn to Times of Trouble When we can’t have Everything we Want (v.9-11)
Times of Triumph can Quickly Turn to Times of Trouble When we can’t have Everything we Want (v.9-11)
But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”
Illustration: we all know that sibling relationships can be complex. I know from personal experience just how complex they can be with in mixed family. I have a brother from both my parents, a half-sister from my mother, and half-brother and sister from my dad, a step-brother. I love them all dearly. Those are my brothers and sisters period. Still, growing up, those relational dynamics can be extra complicated. When it’s straight forward and your parents say, “we love you both equally”, you have your questions, but for the most part you believe them. Within a mixed house or with mixed sibling dynamics, it gets a little harder to believe. You might be tempted to think, “Yeah, but I’m not really yours, or I’m just half yours”. Your mind can really mess with you. Ishmael has be an only child for 13 years. He’s been their pride and joy. They one they put their hopes in as the “promised son”. Now, after all this time he’s not anymore. Everybody is celebrating his little sibling and he’s just seething inside like the older brother in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, like, “but I’m the one that been here the whole time”. I can understand his anger, bitterness, and resentment; he need to want to put this little brother in his place. However he does it, Sarah sees and it sets her off. She goes into mama bear protective mode for this son she’s been wanting and waiting for all these years. She’s been harboring her own feelings of resentment and bitterness towards Hagar and Ishmael over the years. Remember after Ishmael was born Hagar started to flaunt it and Sarah started to mistreat her so much so that Hagar ran away only to return because of the Lord’s leading.
We'll sometimes face additional crises, even though we are faithfully obeying God and following His will at any given moment in our lives. When problems do arise, we must remember Abraham. We must accept the fact that God forgives the sins of the past. What we are facing is not because we're not forgiven but rather, as a result of the realities of life. We must then consult God's Word for guidance. Once we understand God's will, we must face the problem head on. We should change what we can and then determine to live with what we cannot (Gene Getz, MOC)
I think about how quickly things turned for Elijah. He went from a great victory on Mt. Carmel to running for his life asking to die.
These Times can Refine our Faith as we Trust and Wait for God to be True to His Word (v.11-13)
These Times can Refine our Faith as we Trust and Wait for God to be True to His Word (v.11-13)
The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”
It is unexpected that God would seem to side with Sarah, but it’s not at all for the same reasons. Sarah wants to purge Hagar and Ishmael from her presence, and if a little persecution in tacked on even better. God is focused on fulfilling his promise. Isaac is his divine provision, the one through all the Nations of the Earth would be blessed. The one through who the Messiah would come. God intends of fulfilling and preserving that promise free of the jealous threat of Ishmael; free from any future battling over inheritance since Ishmael is in fact the first born son. But still, for the sake of Abraham, he would make Ishmael a great nation.
Previous times of trouble prepared Abraham for this moment that would require pure trust. From his interrogation of God about Sodom—out of concern for Lot— he’s learned that God will always do what is right and just. He didn’t know how it would turn out for his first born son Ishmael, but he received a promise, which was an opportunity to grow in his trust.
Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace.
—Oswald Chambers
Again his actions acknowledge and anticipate God’s faithfulness. He does what the Lord directs, as heart breaking as that may have been.
The Complete Gathered Gold: A Treasury of Quotations for Christians God—Faithfulness
You can never understand the faithfulness of God by taking the short view.
Paul S. Rees
The Lord Hears our Cries. The Lord Honors His Word. (v.14-21)
The Lord Hears our Cries. The Lord Honors His Word. (v.14-21)
God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
God’s speeches to Abraham (vv. 12–13) and to Hagar (vv. 17–18) are both divine monologues. The angel’s question is now followed by words of reassurance: Do not be afraid, for God has heard the lad’s voice. In both of his speeches God has reassured the person caught in difficult circumstances that he is active and is in control of the situation. Abraham need not fear sending Hagar into the desert, and Hagar need not fear her circumstances there. When Abraham sent the exiled party of two off into the desert, God was with them. (Victor Hamilton, NICOT)
The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18–50 2. The Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael (21:8–21)
The previous distant language (“an angel of God called out to Hagar from heaven”) becomes the more intimate God was with the lad. “From heaven” gives way to with, and a celestial theophany is replaced by the imminent, divine presence.
God has never promised to solve our problems. He has not promised to answer our questions … He has promised to go with us.
Elisabeth Elliot
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
Times of Triumph as Well as Times of Trouble Teach us to Trust That God’s Words are True
Times of Triumph as Well as Times of Trouble Teach us to Trust That God’s Words are True