The Covenant That Set It In Motion

Abraham:

Abraham was 75 years old when he came into Caanan with Sarah. 75, and without children. Some people could care less about having children, but for men of the cultures back in this time the more a man had the more blessed he was.

Psalms 127:3-5 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.”

God promised that Abraham would have in-numerous children, and that he would produce a nation. If you are promised to father at least a child, and you are promised that from your heritage a nation would be produced, do you think that it might take some time? Rome was not built in a day, and a baby takes roughly nine months to produce and then years to grow up and get married. Then they have to produce a baby and wait for it to grow as well. It takes time. Having a baby in itself can be a great challenge. Some of you may have been the product of great struggles to produce children. Sometimes it only takes once. That’s the way it goes. In Abraham’s case he and Sarah had tried for years. She was barren which means she was unable to have children. In this culture it was seen as a shameful curse if you were unable to bear children, so you could understand why it was important to have children and why Sarah should have been excited to hear the news.

It was 25 years between God promising Abraham a son, and the arrival of Isaac. Patience was key. A key that Sarah did not have. She expressed to Abraham that God had not given her a child, and that she wanted one. She devised a plan. She was going to give her maid servant to her husband, and when they had a child she was going to take it as her own. Abraham saw nothing wrong with this idea, and why would he? He got a much younger, attractive Egyptian woman to sleep with for a little bit. But just as Adam should have watched over his wife’s decisions and lead her better, Abraham went along with the crazy idea, and chaos ensued.

Abraham to Hagar, Sarah’s maid, as a wife. Soon she was pregnant. As a woman, if you could not have a child after years of trying and then your hand maid quickly becomes pregnant with your husband, would you be jealous? I would have been. Sarah became angry, Sarah became bitter, Sarah became violent. Hagar became afraid, and Abraham told Sarah “do whatever you see fit with her, she’s your property.” Hagar feared for her and her babies life, and she fled. She was on the way back to Egypt when she stopped to rest by a creek. The angel of the Lord came down to console her. He told her that God would take care of her, and that she would bear a healthy baby boy. Is name was to be Ishmael and he was going to be a mighty man.

Back to God’s promise. God promised a son to Abraham. The thing is, God loves marriage. He is the one who instituted it. But He established marriage to be between one man and one woman. Not a man, a woman, and also the woman’s hand maid. The covenant was between God and Abraham, and Abraham’s wife by way of bringing forth the child. Not Hagar.

Trust in God’s process. Things of great promise take time to come about. Your life cannot come together over night. It takes years to build and come together. As a matter of fact, there are things going on in your life right now that are setting up your future. God is laying down the track that you will walk on. He is bringing things into line that will bring you where God wants you to be. But it takes time. Do not rush God.

Adam ignored God’s instructions and it damned the entire human race. Abraham ignored and twisted God’s promise and it still brings scars to the world today.

Let me explain a little deeper as to the problem with Ismael. Isaac was the son that God intended for Abraham to have. Isaac was the man who was to have Jacob who eventually had the twelve sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel. Creating the nation that God had promised. Ismael also had 12 sons, and technically Ismael was the first son of Abraham. Do you see an issue here? Two sons born to a man who was promised a nation. 2 sons who produced 12 men that could represent 12 tribes.

You and I as Christians follow God’s word that puts Isaac as the son who produced the nation of Israel.

The religion of Islam follow the quran and say that Ishmael brought about the promised nation, and that they are right. This is why they are bitter toward Christians.

Do you see the consequences that come with lacking trust in God and His process?

If you are sitting here questioning “well that sounds confusing. I could see where the muslim’s have gotten it mixed up”, let me offer you this. What muslims do when they think of Christians in their ways is hate us, and seek to harm and inevitably destroy us. Their bible literally tells them to kill those who will not believe, and that Christians are scums lower than spit under a dog.

The Christian Bible tells us to love and care for our enemy’s, and treat people with kindness and love. No matter who they are.

Which religion sounds more correct to you? One of hate, or one of love?

To make things more simple and keep from complicating things so, follow God’s plans. Listen to His word, and trust His judgment over yours. We make a mess of things when God is always crystal clear in His thinking. Trust Him.