Front matter (continued, part 7)
Consider our Lord's love for the people of the wicked cities of the plain. To begin with, He was longsuffering toward them as He beheld their sin (Gen. 18:20; 19:13). Just as Abel's blood cried out to God from the ground (4:10), so the sins of the people cried out from the wicked cities. God is longsuffering and holds back His judgment so that sinners will have time to repent (2 Peter 3:1–9).
We usually think of Abraham as a man who was always performing great exploits of faith, and we forget that his daily life was somewhat routine. He had to take care of a pregnant wife and a young son, and he needed to manage great flocks and herds and handle the business affairs of the camp. Abraham and his chief steward were responsible for settling the daily disputes and making important decisions.
Not only was our Lord longsuffering, but He was willing to listen to Abraham's intercession and consider sparing Sodom for ten righteous people. When the time came for the cities to be burned up, He sent His angels to rescue Lot and his family even though the ten righteous people could not be found! "But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more'' (Rom. 5:20 nkjv). Did Lot deserve to be delivered? Of course not! But do any of us deserve to be saved from the wrath to come? Of course not!
In addition, there were neighbors to deal with— like Abimelech, the king of Gerar. In Abraham's dealings with his neighbors, the patriarch is seen first as a troublemaker (Gen. 20) and then as a peacemaker (21:22–34). As we study these two experiences, we can learn how to relate positively to those who are outside the faith and be better witnesses to them (Col. 4:5; 1 Thess. 4:12; 1 Tim. 3:7).
The most amazing thing is that Jesus Christ died for the sinners in Sodom and Gomorrah! "For Christ also has suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God'' (1 Peter 3:18 nkjv). Christ did not die for good people, because there are none. He died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6) and for sinners (v. 8). We may not have committed the same sins as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, but we are sinners just the same, and apart from faith in Jesus Christ, we cannot be saved from the judgment to come.
Abraham the troublemaker (20) If you did not know who Abraham was, and you read this chapter for the first time, which of the two men would you say was the believer? Surely not Abraham, the liar! It was not Abraham who showed integrity, and it was not Abraham whom God kept from sinning. What Abraham did was selfish, but Abimelech responded with generosity. If anybody reveals excellent character, it is Abimelech and not Abraham, "the friend of God.''
The situation is no different today. Jesus is still the Friend of sinners and will save all who come to Him in true repentance and faith. He needs intercessors and witnesses who will pray and tell lost sinners that Jesus died for them and they can make a new beginning if they will trust Him.
But before you draw some unwarranted conclusions, take time to consider the facts revealed in this event. Abraham's failures were tragic, but from them we learn some valuable lessons to help us in our walk of faith.
The inhabitants of the cities of the plain had no idea that they were awakening that morning to the last day of their lives (Gen. 19:23). Life was going on as usual, and then the fire fell (Luke 17:26–30).
Believers do sin. This chapter would be an embarrassment to us except for one thing: The Bible tells the
When the judgment comes, will you be like Abraham and not have to worry about the wrath of
Genesis 20
truth about all people, and that includes God's people. It does not hide the fact that Noah got drunk and exposed himself (Gen. 9:20–23), or that Moses lost his temper (Num. 20:1–13), or that David committed adultery and plotted the death of a valiant soldier (2 Sam. 11). Peter denied the Lord three times (Matt. 26:69–75), and Barnabas lapsed into false doctrine (Gal. 2:13).
tude is right, we will hate our sins, loathe ourselves for having sinned (Ezek. 6:9; 36:31), and despise the very memory of our sins. People who remember their sins with pleasure and "enjoy them again'' in their minds have never judged their sins or seen how sinful their sins really are. The father of American psychology, William James, wrote, "For him who confesses, shams are over and realities have begun.''
These things are recorded, not to encourage us to sin, but to warn us to beware of sin. After all, if these great men of faith disobeyed the Lord, then we "ordinary saints'' had better be very careful! "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall'' (1 Cor. 10:12 nkjv). Why did Abraham sin? For one thing, though Abraham had a sinful nature, he had been justified by faith (Gen. 15:6). God gave him a new name (from "Abram'' to "Abraham''), but that did not change his old nature. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us'' (1 John 1:8). Because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:16ff.) and the work of Christ on the cross (Rom. 6), believers can have victory over the old nature, but this is not automatic. We must walk in the Spirit if we hope to overcome temptation.
Abraham and Sarah had convinced themselves that they were not telling a lie at all. It was only a "halftruth'' (Gen. 20:12), and half-truths are not supposed to be as wicked as outright lies. They are worse! "A lie consists in the motive quite as much as in the actual words,'' wrote F.B. Meyer. A half-truth has just enough fact in it to make it plausible and just enough deception to make it dangerous.
So, believers do sin, but that does not disannul their faith or destroy their salvation, though it may discredit their testimony. Abraham was still a child of God even though his witness for the Lord had been greatly weakened. However, Abimelech was in a more dangerous position than Abraham, for Abimelech was under a sentence of death (vv. 3, 7).
Abimelech was a man of integrity, and when God spoke to him, he obeyed. He had many fine qualities, but he was not a believer, and therefore he was a dead man (Eph. 2:1–3). This is not to minimize the enormity of Abraham's sin, for a believer should not do what Abraham did. But Abraham and Abimelech had two different standings before God: One was saved, and the other was lost.
That leads to a second consideration: Abraham moved into "enemy territory.'' After living at Hebron ("fellowship'') for perhaps twenty years, he then decided to go to the land of the Philistines. Gerar is just within Philistine country, but it was still a dangerous place to be. Perhaps it was the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah that caused Abraham to want to move, but whatever his motive was, the decision was not a wise one. True, Abraham did not go down to Egypt as he had done before (Gen. 12). He was still within the boundaries of the land God promised to give him, but his move put him in a dangerous position. "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation'' (Matt. 26:41 nkjv).
So, any unsaved person who wants to use Genesis 20 as "ammunition'' against believers ("You're all hypocrites!'') had better consider his or her spiritual condition before God. If unsaved people accept what the Bible says about Abraham, that he lied, then they must also accept what the Bible says about them: They are dead in trespasses and sins. In spite of his disobedience, Abraham was accepted before God, but Abimelech was rejected and under divine condemnation (John 3:18–21). God chastened Abraham, but He condemned Abimelech.
After arriving in Gerar, Abraham began to walk by sight and not by faith, for he began to be afraid (Gen. 20:11). Fear of man and faith in God cannot dwell together in the same heart. "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe'' (Prov. 29:25 nkjv). Abraham forgot that his God was "the Almighty God'' (Gen. 17:1) who could do anything (18:14) and who had covenanted to bless Abraham and Sarah.
When believers sin, they suffer. Charles Spurgeon said, "God does not allow His children to sin successfully.'' When we deliberately disobey God, we suffer both from the consequences of our sins and from the chastening hand of God, unless we repent and submit (Heb. 12:5–11). God in His grace will forgive our sins (1 John 1:5–10), but God in His sovereignty must allow sin to produce a sad harvest (Gal. 6:7). Read Psalms 32 and 51 to see what happened to David physically and spiritually because he would not repent and confess his sins to the Lord.
But the basic cause of Abraham's failure was the sad fact that he and Sarah had failed to judge this sin when they had dealt with it in Egypt. (See 12:10–20.) They had admitted their sin to Pharaoh and confessed it to God, but the fact that it surfaced again indicates that they did not judge the sin and forsake it (Prov. 28:13). In fact, the sin had grown worse, for now Sarah shared in telling the lie (Gen. 20:5). A home kept together by a lie is in bad shape indeed.
It took only a few seconds for Abraham to tell a lie, but that lie was more than sounds and puffs of breath in the air. That lie became a seed that was planted and grew and brought forth bitter fruit. God hates lies (Prov. 6:17; 12:22). He is a God of truth (Deut. 32:4), the Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17), and the
A lighthearted admission of sin is not the same as a brokenhearted confession of sin (Ps. 51:17). If our atti-
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When believers sin, they are disciplined by God until they come to a place of repentance and confession. This discipline is not enjoyable, but it is profitable, and in the end, it produces happiness and holiness to the glory of God.
Word is the Word of Truth (James 1:18). "A lying tongue is but for a moment,'' wrote Matthew Henry. "Truth is the daughter of time; and in time, it will out.''
What did this one lie cost Abraham? To begin with, it cost him character. Phillips Brooks said, "The purpose of life is the building of character through truth.'' God is not just "saving souls'' and taking people to heaven. Through the trials and testing of life, He is making saved people more like Jesus Christ and thereby glorifying Himself. Abraham stopped asking "What is right?'' and began asking "What is safe?'' and this led to his downfall. Once the salt has lost its taste, how do you restore it?
Sinning believers can be forgiven and restored. While God did not defend Abraham's sin, He did defend Abraham and so control circumstances that His servant was not completely defeated. In fact, God called Abraham a prophet and made it clear that Abraham's intercession was the only thing that stood between Abimelech and death (Gen. 20:7). The fact that God answered Abraham's prayer for Abimelech is evidence that Abraham had confessed his sins and the Lord had forgiven him (Ps. 66:18–20).
He also lost his testimony. How could Abraham talk to his pagan neighbors about the God of truth when he himself had told a lie? Lot lost his witness in Sodom, and Abraham lost his witness in Gerar. "A bad man's example has little influence over good men,'' wrote James Strahan in Hebrew Ideals (Kregel, 1982, 141). "But the bad example of a good man, eminent in station and established in reputation, has an enormous power for evil.''
God does not reject His children when they sin any more than a parent rejects a disobedient son or daughter (Isa. 49:13–16). Abraham was justified by faith and had a righteous standing before God (Rom. 4:1–5). Justification does not change; we are accepted in Jesus Christ no matter what we are in ourselves (2 Cor. 5:17, 21; Eph. 1:6). Of course, the fact that we are justified before God means there will be a change in our lives, for "faith without works is dead'' (James 2:20). But our position in Christ (justification) is not altered by our practice on earth (sanctification).
Imagine how humiliated Abraham was when Abimelech called him in, confronted him, and rebuked him. It is hard enough to submit to the rebuke of a Christian brother or sister, but to accept rebuke from an unsaved person demands a great deal of honesty and humility. "You have done things to me that should not be done'' (Gen. 20:9 niv). Those words cut deep! Christians must be careful how they relate to those who are "outside'' (Col. 4:5; 1 Thess. 4:12).
The important thing is that we deal with our sins humbly and honestly, confess them to God, judge them and forsake them, and claim His promises of forgiveness (1 John 1:9; Mic. 7:18–19; Isa. 55:6–13). Abraham and Sarah made a new beginning, and so can you.
He lost his ministry, for instead of being a source of blessing (Gen. 12:1–3), he was the cause of judgment. No babies were born during Abraham's sojourn in Gerar (vv. 17–18). When a child of God gets out of the will of God, the discipline of God usually follows. Jonah caused a storm that nearly wrecked the ship (Jonah 1); Achan brought defeat to the army (Josh. 7); and David brought sorrow to his family (2 Sam. 12:10). Abraham almost lost Sarah and Isaac. In that day, a king had the right to take into his harem any single woman who pleased him. Abimelech thought Sarah was a single woman, so he took her, and were it not for the intervention of God, the king would have had normal relations with her. What the king did threatened God's great plan of salvation, so the Lord had to act to protect Sarah and Isaac. Whenever we do something that forces God to intervene miraculously, we are tempting God, and tempting God is sin (Deut. 6:16; Matt. 4:7).
Abraham the peacemaker (21:22–34) Swearing (vv. 22–24). As many as four years may have passed since the events of Genesis 20, and during that time, it was evident that God was blessing Abraham and Sarah. Whenever a believer is restored to fellowship with the Lord, God can bless once again. The purpose of discipline is restoration, and the purpose of restoration is ministry and blessing. Not only was Abraham's wealth increasing, but Isaac had been born, and this "miracle son'' must have been the leading topic of conversation among the neighbors.
Abimelech was an official title rather than a personal name, so we cannot be sure that the Abimelech of this episode is the same man who previously rebuked Abraham. The fact that he wanted assurance of Abraham's fidelity indicates that the patriarch's deception had led to a lack of trust on the part of his neighbors. They wanted assurance that Abraham would "play fair'' with them because he was such a powerful man.
Perhaps one of the saddest consequences of Abraham's sin was Isaac's repetition of it years later (Gen. 26:7–11). It is sad when our sins affect outsiders, but it is sadder still when our sins are duplicated in our own families. In fact, Isaac's lie was worse than his father's because Sarah really was Abraham's half sister, while Rebekah was only Isaac's cousin.
What a testimony: "God is with you in all that you do'' (21:22 nkjv). Abraham did not permit one lapse of faith to cripple him; he got right with God and made a new beginning. James Strahan said, "Men are not to be judged by the presence or absence of faults, but by the
Genesis 21
tamarisk is a shrub-like tree that has very hard wood and evergreen leaves. As he built an oasis, Abraham was certainly interested in ecology (water and trees), but even more, he was giving witness of what God had done for him. He had gone through a difficult experience in life and had left some blessings behind for others. He was like the pilgrims described in Psalm 84:6, who pass through the Valley of Baca ("weeping'') and make it a place of springs that will refresh others.
direction of their lives'' (Hebrew Ideals, 142). God is willing to bless when we are in the place of blessing (Ps. 1:1–3). While living at Hebron, Abraham had allied himself with some of the local leaders (Gen. 14:13), so there was no problem with entering into an agreement with Abimelech. It did not compromise Abraham's testimony. God's people cooperate with different people at different times for different purposes, and the discerning believer knows when any alliance is not in the will of God.
Worshipping (v. 33). You could follow Abraham's journey by looking for the wells he dug and the altars he built (12:7–8; 13:4, 18). He was not ashamed to build his altar in the presence of his neighbors and offer his worship to the Lord. A new name for God is introduced here: El Olam, "the Everlasting God.'' Abraham already knew El Elyon ("God Most High''—14:19, 22) and El Shaddai ("God Almighty, the All-Sufficient One''—17:1), but now he had a new name to use in his worship. It is important as we go through life that we learn more and more about God so we can worship Him better.
Reproving (vv. 25–26). Water is still a very precious commodity in the Holy Land. Today, various methods of irrigation are used, but in Abraham's day, it was necessary to dig wells and guard them carefully. If you did not guard your well, your enemies might seize it or fill it up (26:18). Some of Abimelech's servants had seized Abraham's well, so the treaty between the two men had not done much good.
Abraham did the right thing and confronted his neighbor with the facts, but Abimelech declared that he knew nothing about it. Was he telling the truth? Only God knows, but Abraham made sure the problem would never appear again.
What an encouragement to know "the Everlasting God''! Wells would disappear, trees would be cut down, ewe lambs would grow up and die, altars would crumble, and treaties would perish, but the Everlasting God would remain. This Everlasting God had made an everlasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants (17:7, 13, 19), and He had given them the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession (v. 8; 48:4). As Abraham faced the coming years, he knew that God would not change and that "underneath [were] the everlasting arms'' (Deut. 33:27).
Witnessing (vv. 27–32). The Hebrew word "to swear'' means "to bind by seven things,'' and the words "swear'' (saba) and "seven'' (seba) are very similar. This time the two men went beyond merely giving their oath: They made a covenant that involved slaying animals (21:27; 15:9–10). As Abraham and Abimelech walked between the carcasses of the sacrifices, they were saying, in effect, "May God do to us and more if we fail to keep our covenant with each other.'' This was a serious matter.
Waiting (v. 34). The "many days'' of this verse could mean as much as ten to fifteen years, because Isaac was a young man when he accompanied Abraham to Mount Moriah (Gen. 22). It must have been a peaceful time for Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac, and a time of great happiness as they watched their precious son grow up. Little did they know the great test that lay before them, but God was preparing them, and they would be ready.
But Abraham went a step further: He set aside seven very valuable ewe lambs as living witnesses that he had dug the well and the water belonged to him. He gave the lambs to Abimelech who would then guard them carefully. They were like "receipts'' guaranteeing that Abraham owned the well. The name of the well (Beersheba means "well of the oath'') was another witness to the transaction. Both men swore to uphold the covenant, and the problem was settled.
This entire transaction involved three elements: sacrifices (21:27), witnesses (vv. 28–30), and promises (vv. 31–32). You find these same elements in God's covenant with us through our Lord Jesus Christ, as outlined in Hebrews 10:1–18. First, there is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross (vv. 1–14); then, the witness of the Spirit within the believer (v. 15); and finally, the promise of God's Word (vv. 16–18). Abraham's covenant with Abimelech only guaranteed possession of a well that provides water to sustain life. God's covenant with His people guarantees that we have the living water that gives everlasting life to all who will trust the Savior!
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Genesis 21:1–21; Galatians 4:21–31 "A TIME TO WEEP, A TIME TO LAUGH" T
he Christian life is a land of hills and valleys,'' said Scottish preacher George Morrison, basing his words on Deuteronomy 11:11. Solomon expressed the same idea when he wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:4 that "[there is] a time to weep, and a time to laugh.'' Heaven is a place of unending joy; hell is a place of unending suffering; but while we are here on earth, we must expect both joy and sorrow, laughter and tears. You cannot have hills without valleys.
Planting (v. 33). This grove (or tamarisk tree) was also a part of the covenant, a witness to the promises Abraham and Abimelech had made. The
Genesis 21
no word from God shall be void of power'' (Luke 1:37 asv).
This is especially true of family life, for the same people who bring us joy can also bring us sorrow. Relationships can become strained and then change overnight, and we wonder what happened to a happy home. A Chinese proverb says, "Nobody's family can hang out the sign 'Nothing the matter here.'"
Finally, the birth of Isaac was a step forward in the accomplishing of God's purpose. The future redemption of a lost world rested with a little baby boy! Isaac would beget Jacob, and Jacob would give the world the twelve tribes of Israel, and from Israel the promised Messiah would be born. Down through the centuries, some of the "living links'' in the chain of promise may have seemed insignificant and weak, but they helped to fulfill the purposes of God.
The coming of Isaac into their home brought both sorrow and joy to Abraham and Sarah. As you look at the persons involved in this important event, you can learn some valuable lessons about basic Christian doctrine and how to live the Christian life.
You may wonder if what you do is really important to God and His work in this world, but it is if you are faithful to trust His Word and do His will. The next time you feel defeated and discouraged, remember Abraham and Sarah, and remind yourself that faith and promise go together. God keeps His promises and gives you the power you need to do what He wants you to do. No matter how long you may have to wait, you can trust God to accomplish His purposes.
Abraham and Sarah: faith and promise (21:1–7) Sarah had borne the burden of childlessness for many years, a heavy burden indeed in that culture and at that time. People must have smiled when they heard that her husband's name was Abraham, "father of a multitude.'' He was the father of one son, Ishmael, but that was far from a multitude, and Sarah had never given birth. But now all of her reproach was ended, and they were rejoicing in the arrival of their son.
Isaac and Ishmael: Spirit and flesh (21:8–11) In Galatians 4:28–29, Paul makes it clear that Ishmael represents the believer's first birth (the flesh) and Isaac represents the second birth (the Spirit). Ishmael was "born of the flesh'' because Abraham had not yet "died'' and was still able to beget a son (Gen. 16). Isaac was "born of the Spirit'' because by that time his parents were both "dead'' and only God's power could have brought conception and birth. Ishmael was born first, because the natural comes before the spiritual (1 Cor. 15:46).
But the birth of Isaac involved much more than parental joy, for his birth meant the fulfillment of God's promise. When God had called Abraham, He promised to make of him a great nation that would bless the whole world (12:1–3). Then He repeatedly promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham's descendants (17:7) and to multiply them greatly (13:15–17). Abraham would be the father of the promised seed (15:4), and Sarah (not Hagar) would be the mother (17:19; 18:9–15). The birth of Isaac reminds us that God keeps His promises, in His own way, and in His own time. In spite of their occasional failures, Abraham and Sarah believed God, and God honored their faith (Heb. 11:8–11).
When you trust Jesus Christ, you experience a miracle birth from God (John 1:11–13), and it is the work of the Holy Spirit of God (John 3:1–8). Abraham represents faith, and Sarah represents grace (Gal. 4:24–26), so Isaac was born "by grace … through faith'' (Eph. 2:8–9). This is the only way a lost sinner can enter the family of God (John 3:16–18).
Isaac's birth also meant the rewarding of patience. Abraham and Sarah had to wait twenty-five years for their son to be born, because it is "through faith and patience [we] inherit the promises'' (Heb. 6:12; see 10:36). Trusting God's promises not only gives you a blessing at the end, but it gives you a blessing while you are waiting. Just as Olympic athletes develop their skills as they practice hard and long before the big event, so God's children grow in godliness and faith as they wait for the fulfillment of God's promises. Faith is a journey, and each happy destination is the beginning of a new journey. When God wants to build our patience, He gives us promises, sends us trials, and tells us to trust Him (James 1:1–8).
It is worth noting that, in the biblical record, God often rejected the firstborn and accepted the secondborn. He rejected Cain and chose Abel (Gen. 4:1–15). He rejected Ishmael, Abraham's firstborn, and chose Isaac. He bypassed Esau, Isaac's firstborn, and chose Jacob (Rom. 9:8–13), and He chose Ephraim instead of Manasseh (Gen. 48). In Egypt, the Lord condemned all the firstborn (Ex. 11—12) and spared only those who were "twice-born'' because they were protected by faith in the blood of the lamb.
Isaac pictures the child of God not only in his birth but also in the joy that he brought. Isaac means "laughter,'' and this time it was not the laughter of unbelief (Gen. 18:9–15). In the parables recorded in Luke 15, Jesus emphasized the joy that results when lost sinners repent and come to the Lord. The shepherd rejoiced when he found the lost sheep, and the woman rejoiced when she found the lost coin, and they both asked their friends to rejoice with them. The father rejoiced when his prodigal son came
The birth of Isaac was certainly the revelation of God's power. That was one reason why God waited so long: He wanted Abraham and Sarah to be "as good as dead'' so that their son's birth would be a miracle of God and not a marvel of human nature (Rom. 4:17–21). Abraham and Sarah experienced God's resurrection power in their lives because they yielded to Him and believed His Word. Faith in God's promises releases God's power (Eph. 3:20–21; Phil. 3:10), "for
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of bondage. It means the freedom to be and to do all that God has for us in Jesus Christ. "No man in this world attains to freedom from any slavery except by entrance into some higher servitude,'' said Phillips Brooks, and that "higher servitude'' is personal surrender to Jesus Christ. No one is more free than the child of God who delights in God's will and does it from the heart.
home, and he invited the neighbors to a feast so they could share in his joy. There is even joy in heaven when sinners turn to God (Luke 15:7, 10).
Nowhere do we read that Ishmael caused great joy in Abraham's home. Abraham loved his son and wanted the best for him (Gen. 17:18). From before his birth, Ishmael was a source of painful trouble (Gen. 16), and after he matured, he caused even greater conflict in the family (21:9). The old nature is not able to produce the fruit of the Spirit, no matter how hard it tries (Gal. 5:16–26).
Sarah and Hagar: grace and law (21:9–13) Sarah was wrong when she told Abraham to marry Hagar (Gen. 16:1–2), but she was right when she told Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael out of the camp. The apostle Paul saw in this event an allegory involving the law of Moses and the grace of God (Gal. 4:21–31). Sarah represents grace (the heavenly Jerusalem), and Hagar represents law (the earthly Jerusalem under bondage). The lesson is simply that God's children are to live under the blessings of grace and not the bondage of law.
Note a third comparison between Isaac and the child of God: He grew and was weaned (Gen. 21:8). The new birth is not the end, but the beginning, and the believer must feed on God's Word and grow spiritually (Matt. 4:4; 1 Cor. 3:1–3; Heb. 5:12–14; 1 Peter 2:1–3; 2 Peter 3:18). As we mature in the Lord, we must "put away childish things'' (1 Cor. 13:9–11) and allow God to "wean us'' (Ps. 131) from temporary helps that can become permanent hindrances.
The conflicts in Abraham's home could have been solved four ways. Isaac could have been sent away, but that would mean rejecting the promises of God and all that God had planned for the future. Isaac and Ishmael could have lived together, but that would mean constant conflict. Ishmael's nature could have been changed to make him more agreeable, but that would have required a miracle. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh'' (John 3:6), and it always will be flesh. The only solution was to send Ishmael and his mother out of the camp and make Isaac the sole heir.
The mother weans the child because she loves the child and wants it to be free to grow up and not be dependent on her. But the child interprets her actions as an expression of rejection and hatred. The child clings to the comforts of the past as the mother tries to encourage the child to grow up and enter into the challenges of the future. The time comes in every Christian life when toys must be replaced by tools and selfish security by unselfish service (John 12:23–26). Like every child of God, Isaac experienced persecution (Gen. 21:9; Gal. 4:29). Ishmael was apparently an obedient son until Isaac entered the family, and then the "flesh'' began to oppose "the Spirit.'' It has well been said that the old nature knows no law but the new nature needs no law, and this is certainly illustrated in Abraham's two sons.
When you consider the facts about Hagar, you will better understand the relationship between law and grace in the Christian life.
To begin with, Hagar was Abraham's second wife. She was added alongside Sarah. Likewise, the law was "added'' alongside God's already existing promises and was temporary (Gal. 3:19, 24–25). God did not start with law; He started with grace. His relationship to Adam and Eve was based on grace, not law, even though He did test them by means of one simple restriction (Gen. 2:15–17). The redemption of Israel from Egypt was an act of God's grace, as was His provision, the sacrifices, and priesthood. Before Moses gave the law, Israel was already in a covenant relationship with God ("married to God'') through His promises to the patriarchs (Ex. 19:1–8).
Jewish children were usually weaned at about age three, so Ishmael was probably seventeen years old at the time (Gen. 16:16). What arrogance that a boy of seventeen should torment a little boy of only three! But God had said that Ishmael would become "a wild donkey of a man'' (16:12 niv), and the prediction came true. The flesh and the Spirit are in conflict with each other and always will be until we see the Lord (Gal. 5:16–26). When, like Isaac, you are born of the Spirit, you are born rich (Gen. 21:10). Isaac was the heir of all that his father owned, and God's children are "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ'' (Rom. 8:17). Abraham cared for Ishmael while the boy was in the home, but "Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac'' (Gen. 25:5).
Second, Hagar was a servant. "Wherefore, then, serveth the law?'' Paul asks in Galatians 3:19, and he gives the answer. The law was God's servant (a "schoolmaster'' or "child tutor'') to keep the infant nation of Israel under control and prepare them for the coming of the Redeemer (3:24–25; 4:1–5). The law was given to reveal sin (Rom. 3:20) but not to redeem us from sin. Grace does not serve law; it is law that serves grace! The law reveals our need for grace, and grace saves us completely apart from the works of the law (vv. 20, 28).
Finally, Isaac was born free while Ishmael was the son of a slave (Gal. 4:22). Freedom is one of the key themes in Galatians (5:1) and one of the key blessings in the Christian life (4:31). Of course, Christian freedom does not mean anarchy; for that is the worst kind
Genesis 21
blowing in the wind. Abraham was deeply moved within and perhaps somewhat displeased at this turn of events.
A third fact is obvious: Hagar was never supposed to bear a child. The law cannot give what only Jesus Christ can give: life (Gal. 3:21), righteousness (2:21), the Holy Spirit (3:2), or an eternal inheritance (v. 18). All of these blessings come only "by grace [Sarah] … through faith [Abraham]'' (Eph. 2:8–9). This leads to a fourth fact: Hagar gave birth to a slave. If you decide to live under the law, then you become a child of Hagar, a slave, for the law produces bondage and not freedom. The first doctrinal battle the church had to fight was on this very issue, and it was decided that sinners are saved wholly by grace, apart from keeping the law of Moses (Acts 15:1–32). Legalists in the church today are turning sons into slaves and replacing freedom with slavery (Gal. 4:1–11), yet, God calls us to freedom (5:1)! Hagar was cast out. There was no compromise: She was cast out completely and permanently and took Ishmael with her. Instead of subduing the flesh, the law arouses the flesh (Rom. 7:7–12) because "the strength of sin is the law'' (1 Cor. 15:56). Believers don't need to put themselves under some kind of religious law in order to become Christlike, for they are already complete and full in Christ (Col. 2:8–23) and have the Holy Spirit to enable them to overcome sin (Rom. 8:1–4). Finally, Hagar never married again. God gave His law to the Jewish nation only and never gave it to the Gentiles or to the church. Nine of the Ten Commandments are quoted in the Epistles as applying to believers today, and we should obey them, but we are not commanded to obey the ceremonial laws that were given only to Israel (see Rom. 13:8–10). Paul affirms that it is love that fulfills the law. When we love God and love one another, we want to obey God; and in the Spirit's power, we do what is right.
However, God did not abandon Hagar and Ishmael, for Ishmael was the son of Abraham, God's friend (v. 13). If Ishmael and Hagar had any bad feelings toward Abraham, they were certainly in the wrong; everything God did for them was because of His faithfulness to Abraham. The Lord reaffirmed His promise that Ishmael would become a great nation (vv. 13, 18; 17:20), and He kept His promise (vv. 12–16). The Arab world is a force to be reckoned with today, and it all began with Ishmael.
In spite of the pictures in some Sunday school papers and Bible story books, Ishmael was a teenager and not a child when this event took place. The word translated "child'' can refer to a fetus (Ex. 21:22), newborn children (1:17–18), young children (1 Kings 17:21–23), or even young adults (12:8–14; Dan. 1:4ff.). In this case, it refers to a boy at least fifteen years old.
Ishmael and Hagar got lost in the wilderness, their water ran out, and they gave up in despair. This experience was quite different from the time Hagar first met God in the wilderness (Gen. 16:7ff.). Sixteen years before, she had found a fountain of water, but now she saw no hope at all. Apparently Hagar had forgotten the promises God had made concerning her son, but Ishmael must have remembered them, for he called on the Lord for help. God heard the lad's cries and rescued them both for Abraham's sake.
So often in the trials of life we fail to see the divine provisions God has made for us, and we forget the promises He has made to us. We open our hands to receive what we think we need instead of asking Him to open our eyes to see what we already have. The answer to most problems is close at hand, if only we have eyes to see (John 6:1–13; 21:1–6).
Before leaving this section, we should notice that there is a "lawful use of the law'' (1 Tim. 1:1–11). While the law cannot save us or sanctify us, it does reveal the holiness of God and the awfulness of sin. The ceremonial part of the law illustrates the person and work of Jesus Christ. The law is a mirror that helps us see our sins (James 1:21–25), but you do not wash your face in the mirror! It is also a mirror that reveals the glory of Jesus Christ, and as we meditate on Him, we can be transformed to become more like Him (2 Cor. 3:18). Any religious system that leads you into bondage is not magnifying the New Testament gospel of the grace of God (2 Cor. 3:17; John 8:31–36).
Hagar is certainly a picture of the needy multitudes in the world today: wandering, weary, thirsty, blind, and giving up in despair. How we need to tell them the good news that the water of life is available and the well is not far away (John 4:10–14; 7:37–39)! God is kind and gracious to all who call on Him, because of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
Horatius Bonar wrote these words:
I heard the voice of Jesus say, "Behold, I freely give The living water; thirsty one, Stoop down, and drink, and live.'' I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that life-giving stream; My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in Him.
God and Hagar: promise and provision (21:12–21) It was "grievous'' (21:11–12) for Abraham to say goodbye to his son, but this was God's command, and he had to obey. Little did he realize that his obedience was preparation for an even greater test when he would have to put Isaac on the altar. The word translated "grievous'' means "to shake violently,'' like curtains
"If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink'' (John 7:37). "And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely'' (Rev. 22:17).
Genesis 22
a child by Hagar (Gen. 16). When the time came to send Ishmael away, Abraham passed the "farewell test'' even though it broke his heart (21:14–21).
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE Genesis 22 THE GREATEST TEST OF ALL A
Not every difficult experience in life is necessarily a personal test from God. (Of course, any experience could become a test or a temptation, depending on how we deal with it. See James 1:12–16.) Sometimes our own disobedience causes the pain or disappointment, as when Abraham went to Egypt (Gen. 12:10ff.) and to Gerar (Gen. 20). Sometimes our hurts are simply a part of normal human life: As we grow older, friends and loved ones relocate or even die, life changes around us, and we must make painful adjustments.
n inscription on a cathedral clock reads:
When, as a child, I laughed and wept, Time crept. When, as a youth, I dreamed and talked, Time walked. When I became a full-grown man, Time ran. And later, as I older grew, Time flew. Soon I shall find, while traveling on, Time gone.
Learn to distinguish between trials and temptations. Temptations come from our desires within us (James 1:12–16) while trials come from the Lord who has a special purpose to fulfill. Temptations are used by the devil to bring out the worst in us, but trials are used by the Holy Spirit to bring out the best in us (vv. 1–6). Temptations seem logical while trials seem very unreasonable. Why would God give Abraham a son and then ask Abraham to kill him?
At the age of 75, Abraham enrolled in the "School of Faith.'' Now he was over 100, and he was still having soul-stretching experiences. We are never too old to face new challenges, fight new battles, and learn new truths. When we stop learning, we stop growing; and when we stop growing, we stop living.
All believers face similar temptations to sin (1 Cor. 10:13), but not all believers experience the same trials of faith. God's testings are tailor-made for each child of God, and each experience is unique. God never asked Lot to face the tests that Abraham faced. Why? Because Lot was being tempted by the world and the flesh and never grew to the place of maturity that Abraham reached. In one sense, it is a compliment when God sends us a test; it shows God wants to "promote us'' in the "School of Faith.'' God never sends a test until He knows you are ready for it.
"The first forty years of life give us the text,'' wrote Arthur Schopenhauer, "and the next thirty supply the commentary.'' For the Christian believer, the text is Habakkuk 2:4: "The just shall live by his faith.'' The "commentary'' is being written as we listen to God and obey His directions a day at a time. Sad to say, some people understand neither the text nor the commentary, and their lives are ended before they have really started to live.
"Life is difficult,'' wrote psychiatrist M. Scott Peck. "Once we truly know that life is difficult—once we truly understand and accept it—then life is no longer difficult'' (The Road Less Traveled, 15). That is the first lesson we must learn: Expect trials from God, because the Christian life is not easy.
Genesis 22 records the greatest test that Abraham ever faced. True, it also presents a beautiful picture of our Lord's sacrifice at Calvary, but the main lesson is obedient faith that overcomes in the trials of life. Abraham teaches us how to face and handle the tests of life to the glory of God. Consider five simple instructions.
Focus on promises, not explanations (22:3–5) "In the commencement of the spiritual life,'' wrote French mystic Madame Guyon, "our hardest task is to bear with our neighbor; in its progress, with ourselves; and in its end, with God.'' Our faith is not really tested until God asks us to bear what seems unbearable, do what seems unreasonable, and expect what seems impossible. Whether you look at Joseph in prison, Moses and Israel at the Red Sea, David in the cave, or Jesus at Calvary, the lesson is the same: We live by promises, not by explanations.
Expect tests from God (22:1–2) In the "School of Faith'' we must have occasional tests, or we will never know where we are spiritually. Abraham had his share of tests right from the beginning. First was the "family test,'' when he had to leave his loved ones and step out by faith to go to a new land (11:27—12:5). This was followed by the "famine test,'' which Abraham failed because he doubted God and went down to Egypt for help (12:10—13:4).
Consider how unreasonable God's request was. Isaac was Abraham's only son, and the future of the covenant rested in him. Isaac was a miracle child, the gift of God to Abraham and Sarah in response to their faith. Abraham and Sarah loved Isaac very much and had built their whole future around him. When God asked Abraham to offer his son, He was testing Abraham's faith, hope, and love, and it looked like God
Once back in the land, Abraham passed the "fellowship test'' when he gave Lot first choice in using the pastureland (vv. 5–18). He also passed the "fight test'' when he defeated the kings (14:1–16) and the "fortune test'' when he said no to Sodom's wealth (vv. 17–24). But he failed the "fatherhood test'' when Sarah got impatient with God and suggested that Abraham have
Genesis 22
God. We can know "the power of his resurrection'' (Phil. 3:10) as we face the daily demands and trials of life. When the situation appears to be hopeless, ask yourself, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?'' (Gen. 18:14) and remind yourself, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me'' (Phil. 4:13 nkjv).
was wiping out everything Abraham and Sarah had lived for.
When God sends a trial to us, our first response is usually, "Why, Lord?'' and then, "Why me?'' Right away, we want God to give us explanations. Of course, we know that God has reasons for sending tests—perhaps to purify our faith (1 Peter 1:6–9), or perfect our character (James 1:1–4), or even to protect us from sin (2 Cor. 12:7–10)—but we fail to see how these things apply to us. The fact that we ask our Father for explanations suggests that we may not know ourselves as we should or God as we should.
God did provide the sacrifice that was needed, and a ram took Isaac's place on the altar (Gen. 22:13). Abraham discovered a new name for God—"Jehovahjireh''—which can be translated "The Lord will see to it'' or "The Lord will be seen.'' The statement "In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen'' helps us understand some truths about the provision of the Lord.
Abraham heard God's word and immediately obeyed it by faith. He knew that God's will never contradicts God's promise, so he held on to the promise "in Isaac shall thy seed be called'' (Gen. 21:12). Abraham believed that even if God allowed him to slay his son, He could raise Isaac from the dead (Heb. 11:17–19). Faith does not demand explanations; faith rests on promises.
Where does the Lord provide our needs? In the place of His assignment. Abraham was at the right place, so God could meet his needs. We have no right to expect the provision of God if we are not in the will of God.
When does God meet our needs? Just when we have the need and not a minute before. When you bring your requests to the throne of grace, God answers with mercy and grace "in time of need'' (Heb. 4:16). Sometimes it looks like God waits until the last minute to send help, but that is only from our human point of view. God is never late.
Abraham told the two servants, "I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you'' (Gen. 22:5). Because he believed God, Abraham had no intentions of bringing back a corpse! It has been pointed out that Abraham believed God and obeyed Him when he did not know where (Heb. 11:8), when he did not know when (vv. 9–10, 13–16), when he did not know how (vv. 11–12), and when he did not know why (vv. 17–19).
How does God provide for us? In ways that are usually quite natural. God did not send an angel with a sacrifice; He simply allowed a ram to get caught in a bush at a time when Abraham needed it and in a place where Abraham could get his hands on it. All Abraham needed was one animal, so God did not send a whole flock of sheep.
Depend on God's provision (22:6–14) Two statements reveal the emphasis of this passage: "God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering'' (v. 8); and "Jehovah-jireh'' (22:14), which means, "The Lord will see to it,'' that is, "The Lord will provide.'' As he climbed Mount Moriah with his son, Abraham was confident that God would meet every need.
To whom does God give His provision? To those who trust Him and obey His instructions. When we are doing the will of God, we have the right to expect the provision of God. A deacon in the first church I pastored used to remind us, "When God's work is done in God's way, it will not lack God's support.'' God is not obligated to bless my ideas or projects, but He is obligated to support His work if it is done in His way.
On what could Abraham depend? He certainly could not depend on his feelings, for there must have been terrible pain within as he contemplated slaying his son on the altar. He loved his only son, but he also loved his God and wanted to obey Him.
Why does God provide our every need? For the great glory of His name! "Hallowed be thy name'' is the first petition in the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9–13), and it governs all the other requests. God was glorified on Mount Moriah because Abraham and Isaac did the will of the Lord and glorified Jesus Christ. We must pause to consider this important truth.
Nor could Abraham depend on other people. Sarah was at home, and the two servants who accompanied him were back at the camp. We thank God for friends and family members who can help us carry our burdens, but there are some trials in life that we must face alone. It is only then that we can see what our Father really can do for us!
Seek to glorify Christ In times of testing, it is easy to think only about our needs and our burdens; instead, we should be focusing on bringing glory to Jesus Christ. We find ourselves asking "How can I get out of this?'' instead of "What can I get out of this that will honor the Lord?'' We sometimes waste our sufferings by neglecting or ignoring opportunities to reveal Jesus Christ to others who are watching us go through the furnace.
Abraham could depend on the promise and provision of the Lord. He had already experienced the resurrection power of God in his own body (Rom. 4:19–21), so he knew that God could raise Isaac from the dead if that was His plan. Apparently no resurrections had taken place before that time, so Abraham was exercising great faith in God.
According to Ephesians 1:19–20 and 3:20–21, believers today have Christ's resurrection power available in their own bodies as they yield to the Spirit of
If ever two suffering people revealed Jesus Christ, it was Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah. Their
Genesis 22
resurrected. It is interesting that Abraham returned to the two servants (Gen. 22:19), but nothing is said about Isaac. In fact, Isaac is not mentioned again until he is seen meeting his bride (24:62). While it is obvious that Isaac did return home with his father, the Bible type reminds us that the next event on God's calendar is the return of Jesus Christ to claim His bride, the church.
experience is a picture of the Father and the Son and the cross and is one of the most beautiful types of Christ found anywhere in the Old Testament. Jesus said to the Jews, "Your father, Abraham, rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad'' (John 8:56). In Isaac's miraculous birth, Abraham saw the day of Christ's birth, and in Isaac's marriage (Gen. 24), he saw the day of Christ's coming for His bride. But on Mount Moriah, when Isaac willingly put himself on the altar, Abraham saw the day of Christ's death and resurrection. Several truths about the atonement are seen in this event.
The greatest thing that can happen as we experience the trials God sends is that we grow closer to our Father and become more like the Lord Jesus Christ. Calvary is not only the place where Jesus died for our sins, but it is also the place where He sanctified suffering and, by His resurrection, transformed suffering into glory. Seek to glorify the Lord, and He will do the rest.
The Father and Son acted together. The touching phrase "they went both of them together'' is found twice in the narrative (22:6, 8). In our evangelistic witness, we often emphasize the Father's love for lost sinners (John 3:16) and the Son's love for those for whom He died (1 John 3:16), but we fail to mention that the Father and the Son love each other. Jesus Christ is the Father's "beloved Son'' (Matt. 3:17), and the Son said, "But that the world may know that I love the Father'' (John 14:31). Abraham did not withhold his son (Gen. 22:16), and the Father did not spare His Son but "delivered Him up for us all'' (Rom. 8:32).
Said Martin Luther: "Our suffering is not worthy [of] the name of suffering. When I consider my crosses, tribulations, and temptations, I shame myself almost to death, thinking what they are in comparison of the sufferings of my blessed Savior Christ Jesus.''
Look forward to what God has for you (22:15—24) There is always an "afterward'' to the tests of life (Heb. 12:11; 1 Peter 5:10), because God never wastes suffering. "But he knoweth the way that I take; when he hath tested me, I shall come forth as gold'' (Job 23:10). Abraham received several blessings from God because of his obedient faith.
The Son had to die. Abraham carried a knife and a torch, both of them instruments of death. The knife would end Isaac's physical life, and the fire would burn the wood on the altar where his body lay. In Isaac's case, a substitute died for him, but nobody could take the place of Jesus on the cross. He was the only sacrifice that could finally and completely take away the sins of the world. God provided a ram, but Isaac had asked about a lamb. The answer to the question, "Where is the lamb?'' was given by John the Baptist: "Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world'' (John 1:29).
To begin with, he received a new approval from God (Gen. 22:12). Abraham had described this whole difficult experience as "worship'' (v. 5) because, to him, that is what it was. He obeyed God's will and sought to please God's heart, and God commended him. It is worth it to go through trials if, at the end, the Father can say to us, "Well done!''
He received back a new son. Isaac and Abraham had been at the altar together, and Isaac was now a "living sacrifice'' (Rom. 12:1–2). God gave Isaac to Abraham, and Abraham gave Isaac back to God. We must be careful that God's gifts do not take the place of the Giver.
In the Bible, fire often symbolizes the holiness of God (Deut. 4:24; 9:3; Heb. 12:29). The cross was the physical instrument of death, but at Calvary, Jesus experienced much more than death. He experienced the judgment of God for the sins of the world. Isaac felt neither the knife nor the fire, but Jesus felt both. Isaac's loving father was right there, but Jesus was forsaken by His Father when He became sin for us (Matt. 27:45–46; 2 Cor. 5:21). What marvelous love! The Son bore the burden of sin. It is interesting that the wood is mentioned five times in the narrative and that Isaac did not start carrying the wood until he arrived at Mount Moriah. The wood is not a picture of the cross, for Jesus did not carry His cross all the way to Calvary. The wood seems to picture the burden of sin that Jesus bore for us (1 Peter 2:24). Abraham took the wood and "laid it upon Isaac his son'' (Gen. 22:6), and "the Lord hath laid on Him [Jesus] the iniquity of us all'' (Isa. 53:6). The fire consumed the wood as a picture of the judgment of God against sin.
God gave Abraham new assurances (Gen. 22:16–18). He had heard these promises before, but now they took on fresh new meaning. Charles Spurgeon used to say that the promises of God never shine brighter than in the furnace of affliction. What two men did on a lonely altar would one day bring blessing to the whole world!
Abraham also learned a new name for God (22:14). As we have seen, Jehovah-jireh means "the Lord will be seen'' or "the Lord will see to it [provide].'' The Jewish temple was built on Mount Moriah (2 Chron. 3:1), and during our Lord's earthly ministry, He was seen there. He was the true Lamb of God, provided by God to die for the sins of the world.
The founder of the China Inland Mission (now the Overseas Missionary Fellowship), J. Hudson Taylor, used to hang in his home a plaque with two Hebrew words on it: "Ebenezer'' and "Jehovah-jireh.'' They mean: "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us'' (1 Sam. 7:12) and "The Lord will see to it.'' Whether he looked
The Son was raised from the dead. Isaac did not actually die, but "in a figurative sense'' (Heb. 11:19 nkjv) he died and was raised from the dead. Jesus, however, really died, was buried, and was triumphantly
Genesis 24
back or ahead, Hudson Taylor knew the Lord was at work, and he had nothing to fear.
and would live another 35 years (v. 7). His great concern was that, before he died, he would find a wife for his only son Isaac. Only then could God fulfill His covenant promises to bless Abraham with many descendants and give them Canaan for their inheritance (12:1–3; 13:14–17; 15:18; 21:12). In those days, the parents made the marriage arrangements. A man and woman got married and then learned to love each other (24:67). In much of the world today, the pattern is different.
When he arrived back home, Abraham heard another new name—Rebekah (Gen. 22:23)—the girl God was saving for Isaac. The roll call of the names of Abraham's brother's family could have discouraged a man with only one son, but Abraham did not fret. After all, he had God's promise that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore (22:17)!
Finally, Abraham came away from this trial with a deeper love for the Lord. Jesus tells us about this deeper love in John 14:21–24, and Paul prays about it in Ephesians 3:14–21. Have you experienced it?
We do not know who this "eldest servant'' was. If it was Eliezer (15:2), then he must have been very old; the events recorded in Genesis 15 occurred more than fifty years earlier. Abraham made him swear to three things: (1) he would not select a wife for Isaac from among the Canaanite women; (2) he would choose her from Abraham's relatives; and (3) he would not take Isaac back to Abraham's former home.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR Genesis 24 HERE COMES THE BRIDE! I
Knowing that he had assigned his servant a difficult task, Abraham also gave him some words of encouragement (24:7, 39–41). God had guided and blessed Abraham for sixty-five years and would not forsake him now. Furthermore, God had given Abraham a specific promise that his seed would inherit the land, so this meant that his son had to have a wife who would bear him a child. Finally, God's angel would go before the servant and guide him to the right woman.
t seems strange that the longest chapter in Genesis tells the story of how a man got his wife. While that is an important topic, and this is certainly a beautiful story, does it deserve that much space? Only thirty-one verses are devoted to the creation account in Genesis 1; sixty-seven verses are allowed to relate how Rebekah became Isaac's wife. Why?
Abraham was a man of faith who believed God's word and knew how to apply it to specific situations and decisions. He sought to obey God's word because true faith always results in obedience. The more you meditate on God's Word, the more truth you will see in it and the more direction you will get from it. This applies to decisions about marriage, vocation, ministry, or any other area in life. Unless we trust God's Word and obey it, He will not direct us (Prov. 3:5–6).
For one thing, the chapter emphasizes separation. Abraham made it clear that his son was not to marry a Canaanite woman (24:3). The law of Moses did not permit the Jewish men to marry heathen women (Deut. 7:1–11). Nor are believers today to marry unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14–18; 1 Cor. 7:39–40). Genesis 24 is a great encouragement for those who want God's will in the selection of a mate. Today, while we do not use the same manner as Abraham's servant, the principles still apply: We must want God's will, we must pray and seek His guidance, we must be willing to obey, and we must be alert to what God is doing.
Just as Abraham wanted a bride for his son, so God the Father elected to provide a bride for His beloved Son. Why? Not because Jesus needed anything, for the eternal Son of God is self-existent and self-sufficient and needs nothing. The bride is the Father's love gift to His Son. We usually emphasize that the Son is the Father's love gift to the world (John 3:16) and forget that the church is the Father's love gift to His Son (17:2, 6, 9, 11–12, 24).
Of course, when the husband in the story is Isaac, the beloved son of Abraham, then the narrative takes on greater significance. After all, Isaac was the next "living link'' in the chain of blessing that culminated in the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ; so whatever happens to Isaac is of utmost importance in God's great plan of salvation.
In the divine counsels of eternity, the Father elected to save lost sinners by His grace, the Son agreed to die for the sins of the world, and the Holy Spirit agreed to apply that work to the lives of all who would believe. This is revealed in Ephesians 1:1–14, where you see the work of God the Father (vv. 3–6), God the Son (vv. 7–12), and God the Holy Spirit (vv. 13–14). Note especially that the reason for this great plan of salvation is the glory of God (vv. 6, 12, 14). Those who trusted Christ would be a special people, His inheritance (v. 18) and His bride (5:22–33). His bride would bring glory to Christ on earth and throughout all eternity. One day Jesus Christ would have the joy of presenting His bride in glory to the Father (Heb. 12:2; Jude 24).
But the chapter goes beyond history into theology. It gives us a picture of the heavenly Father getting a bride for His Son (Matt. 22:1–14). The church is compared to a bride (2 Cor. 11:2–3; Eph. 5:22–33), and during this present age, the Holy Spirit is calling people to trust Christ and be "married to … him'' (Rom. 7:4). The elements involved in the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah are also involved in the marriage of Christ and His church. There are four of them.
The will of the father (24:1–9) Abraham was now 140 years old (Gen. 21:5; 25:20)
Genesis 24
"Whose daughter art thou?'' (Gen. 24:23) is a key question for any suitor to ask. Of course, the servant was interested in her family, but the question has a wider application for Christian believers today, both men and women. "Are you a child of God? Have you been born again into the family of God?'' What a tragedy when believers marry unbelievers and try to establish a home without the full blessing of God.
The next time you have the privilege of witnessing for Jesus Christ, remember that you are inviting people to come to the wedding!
The witness of the servant (24:10–49) The servant. Neither Abraham nor Isaac went to find the bride; the task was given to an anonymous servant, who was completely devoted to Abraham. His favorite name for Abraham was "my master,'' which he used nineteen times in this narrative. He lived and served only to please his master, and that is a good example for us to follow today.
The family. Rebekah took her gifts and ran home to tell her father, mother, and brother Laban (who seemed to be the leader in the home) that a generous stranger needed a place to stay for the night. Hospitality is the first law of the East, so the family went out to meet the visitor. Laban's character is revealed in verse 30: He was more excited about the expensive gifts than the privilege of showing hospitality to a stranger. Isaac and Rebekah's son Jacob would discover years later what a clever rogue Laban really was (Gen. 29—31).
The servant got his orders from his master and did not change them. When he made his vow of obedience, he meant it and kept it. Whether his mission succeeded or failed, the servant knew he would have to give an account to his master, and he wanted to be able to do so without embarrassment. (See Rom. 14:10–12 and 1 John 2:28.)
The servant would not eat until he had fulfilled his mission (24:33; John 4:32). He did not speak about himself but about Isaac and his great wealth. (The train of ten camels helped to tell the story.) He reviewed his experience at the well, and for the first time Rebekah discovered that she had been "measured'' for a new and exciting assignment. But, would they let her go, and would she be willing to go?
But how would he go about finding the right woman for his master's son? The servant acted by faith in the God of Abraham and Isaac (Gen. 24:12). He believed the promise of God and trusted the providence of God to direct him (v. 27). He took time to pray and to ask God for help, and he kept his eyes open to see what God might do. In fact, while he was praying, God was sending the answer (Isa. 65:24). The servant was not impulsive but waited on the Lord to see what He might do (Gen. 24:21). "Whoever believes will not act hastily'' (Isa. 28:16 nkjv).
Before we learn the answer to those questions, we must pause to see how the servant illustrates the work of the Holy Spirit in the world today as He uses us to witness about Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8). He did not speak about himself but about his master and his riches (John 15:26; 16:13–14). He gave tokens of his master's wealth just as the Spirit gives us the "firstfruits'' and "down payment'' of our spiritual riches in Christ (Eph. 1:13–14). The best is yet to come! The servant's job was not to argue or bribe but simply to bear witness to the greatness of his master. He did not force Rebekah to marry Isaac; he merely gave her the facts and the opportunity to make a decision. While there is nothing wrong with urging people to be saved (Acts 2:40), we must be careful not to try to take the place of the Spirit who alone can do the work of conviction in the human heart (John 16:7–11).
The bride. In His providence, God brought Rebekah to the well just as the servant was praying, and she did exactly what the servant had been praying about. The servant did what Gideon would do years later, "put out a fleece'' (Judg. 6:36–40). This is not the best way for God's people to determine the will of God, because the conditions we lay down for God to meet might not be in His will. We are walking by sight and not by faith, and we may end up tempting God. However, God accommodated Himself to the needs of the servant (and Gideon) and guided them as they requested.
Little did Rebekah know that doing a humble task for a stranger would make her the bride of a wealthy man who was in a covenant relationship with God. She would become the mother of Jacob, and he would become the father of the twelve tribes of Israel! Years ago, I read a quotation from a writer identified only as "Marsden,'' and it has stuck with me: "Make every occasion a great occasion, for you can never tell when someone may be taking your measure for a larger place.''
The willingness of the bride (24:50–60) Rebekah's brother and mother were willing for her to become Isaac's wife, but they wanted her to wait at least ten days before leaving home. This was a natural request, since the parents would want to spend as much time as possible with her and perhaps even invite the neighbors to celebrate with them (31:25–27). Of course, they were delighted with the wealth the servant gave them, which was probably the marriage dowry, and no doubt they wanted to hear more about Isaac and the home Rebekah would share with him.
The servant was evaluating Rebekah to see if she would make a good wife for Isaac. He could see that she was kind, pleasant, humble, healthy, and a hard worker. Watering ten camels is no easy job! After a long trek, a thirsty camel might drink as much as forty gallons of water, and Rebekah had to draw all that water by hand.
Just as the servant would not delay in presenting his petition (24:33), so he would not delay in completing his mission. When the Lord is at work, that is
Genesis 24
lost sinner should ask. The admonition to "make your calling and election sure'' was written to believers (2 Peter 1:10), not to lost sinners. The question the lost sinner should ask is, "What must I do to be saved?'' (Acts 16:30; cf. 2:37). And the answer is, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ'' (16:31). When God is speaking to you, that is the time to respond and put your faith in Christ (Isa. 55:6–7).
the time to keep going! He asked that they let Rebekah make the choice, and her reply was, "I will go.'' This is the decision every sinner must make if he or she is to be "married to Christ'' and share His home in heaven.