Obedience-The Secret of Blessing
CHAPTER SEVEN: OBEDIENCE-THE SECRET OF BLESSING
WHEN Sarah saw Ishmael mocking Isaac she told Abraham (Gen. 21: 10) " Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac." This was grievous to Abraham. Because of his natural affection for Ishamael, Abraham felt hurt and wounded when he heard these words. Then God appeared to him again the eighteth time. Evidently Sarah was governed by the Holy Spirit at that time, while Abraham was governed by his love and affection for Ishmael. This is conformed in Galatians 5 vs. 22-31. Sarah was being governed by Holy Spirit, a lesson she was learned by bitter experience. She herself had offered Hagar to Abraham (Gen. 16: 1-11), ten years after they had come out of land of Chaldees. She had waited for ten years for God's promise to be fulfilled, but when she saw that nothing had happened she gave her maid to Abraham. Then she was despised, we are told, by Hagar. She had made a mistake, and had been governed by her old nature instead of waiting for God's time to receive a son.
In chapter 21:10 we see Abraham being governed by human affection. Having learnt her own bitter lesson Sarah says, "Cast out the bondwoman and her son. "Not all who are called Christians have part in the inheritance in the saints in light. Nominal Christians, no matter how good they may be outwardly, have absolutely no share in it. There are so many nominal Christians who are so good by nature. They are so loving and nice. They make such sacrifices and spend much money in the Lord's work. But sad to say they are not born-again. They depend upon their own righteousness for salvation.
A man of God was staying in a certain place for Gospel Compaign. He was staying with a very nice Christian family. When he was going away from that place he prayed, " Lord give me a message for my host and hostess. They have been so good to me, so please give me a very nice message." God gave him the message and it was "One thing thou lackest". The man of God said, "Lord they have been so good to me. How can I give them such a message?' The more he prayed the more the same message was given to him again and again: "One thing thou lackest" (Luke 18: 11). He did not have the courage to say this directly to his host and his hostess. So he wrote it on a piece of paper and pinned it on the window curtain. Then he came downstairs and thanked his host and his hostess and went away. After he left, the lady of the house went upstairs and found the piece of paper that was pinned to the window curtain. She read the words, "One thing thou lakest" and called her husband, "these are the final words of the man of God to us" she exclaimed. So they both knelt down by the window and prayed, "O God; show us the meaning of the words left for us by the man of God". When they prayed like this God showed them the meaning, how till that day they were not born-again, but were depending on their own good works for righteousness. They had not received to experience the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. Outwardly they were very good Christians full of good deeds, attending all meetings, and were giving regularly their money for the Lord's work. But they were not born-again. Don't let your wisdom or your sympathy deceive you. Enen though Abraham had great love for Ishmael, Ishmael had no share in God's kingdom. He was born of the flesh but Isaac was born of the spirit. The Lord had put new life into the body of Abraham before Isaac was born.
So Isaac is a type of the power of resurrection in the Bible. Unless we receive by the experience the power of resurrection we have no share whatsoever in God's kingdom. Make sure to which group you belong: whether to that of Ishmael or to that of Isaac. Now Abraham was in great spiritual danger at that time because he was being governed by human affection for Ishmael. So God appeared to him and told him to hearken to his wife for whatever she said was important. Because we have done God's will in the past is no proof that we shall continue to do so in the future. It is possible to make mistake at any time. As we grow older in age our affection for relations and friends also becomes strong and many fail God in their old age because of their affection for others. Many parents, wives, husbands and children disobey God because of love for someone else. This human affection must be brought under the subjection to God's affection. Though this subjection is very painful it is very safe. Abraham had to send his son away from him and God would not have appeared to him if he had not obeyed him. Though it was very grievous to Abraham, yet he obeyed God. It is very painful to obey God's word and God's command, but Abraham was open to God's rebuke. The purpose for which God appeared for Abraham in chapter 21 was to show us how to be governed by the spirit at all times and never by flesh. If you want to be God's friend never allow anyone to come in the way of obeying God, not father, mother, brother, sister, children, friend or wife. In subtle way the enemy will bring before you these objects of affection, and sometimes cause a wife or child to start weeping to hinder you from doing God's will.
Having received the Lord's command Paul the Apostle on his way to Jerusalem stopped at Cesarea for a while (Acts. 21:13) The prophet Agabus came there and took Paul's girdle and bound his own hands and feet and said: "Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles." When Paul's friends heard these words they began to weep. They were good people, and close friends of Paul. They were also born-again people, but when they heard how Paul was going to be treated they began to weep and say, "Don’t go there. Don't go there." But Paul replies, "What mean ye to weep and break my heart? For I am ready not to be bound only but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of Lord Jesus." Paul had heard God's command clearly and was sure of God's will, so though his friends entreated him with tears and tried to prevent him from going, he remained firm. Many of us are not so strong. We allow the tears of others to prevent us from doing God's will.
Tell me honestly and truthfully, have you not disobeyed God on occasions when your loved ones began to weep as they heard that you wanted to obey Go? This is the why many have not obeyed God's call for service. Similarly many have refused to go when God wanted to them to go somewhere else. Some have refused to take baptism. Others have not given God what He desired from them. Tears of the loved ones have been the cause of disobedience, and the Lord has had to speak to you and rebuke you. However, loving and lovable that person may be, you cannot love anyone more than God. GOD"S WORD SAYS, "Whosoever loveth father and mother, husband or wife more than me is not worthy of me."
Having passed the test, Abraham was able to go through another test. He had been on the point of making a mistake in connection with Hagar and Ishmael, but God spoke to him and he obeyed. Then came a very severe test in chapter 22. So God appeared to him in the ninth time, in the same year as the happenings in Genesis22. Just as in chapter 21 Abraham was governed by his affection for Ishmael, so there was also a temptation for Sarah to be so governed in the case of Isaac. So Abraham did not tell Sarah anything about God's demand of Isaac. There are some husbands who think that they must tell their wives anything and everything, what they think and what they eat. They tell all their church matters to their wives. The wives also go on pumping their husbands: "Tell me where did you go? Tell me what did you do? What did you say? And what did that elder say?" Weak-minded husbands tell everything to their wives, and wives go on gossiping everywhere. In this way the wives of the God's servants spoil the ministry of their husbands. The husbands think that they are showing their wives more love by telling everything in this way. Abraham knew by experience the danger of telling his wife Sarah certain things. He knew that if he tell Sarah that God had asked him to sacrifice Isaac she would immediately start weeping and say: "O my son Isaac, my only son, surely God won't ask such a thing from us." So, he guided by the Holy Spirit, Abraham took Isaac away without saying anything about the whole matter to Sarah. Husbands take warning. Don't tell your wife everything. The wives may weep for hours. Don't listen to your wives in the things, which are only between you and God, but learn to give God's will the first place.
The ram in chapter 22 was brought there by God Himself. There was no fears that ram would run away. God had brought it there, and Abraham caught it in a thicket by its horns. Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice the ram? For a purpose that ram was caught in the thicket. God was telling Abraham as it were: "Now Abraham, you have obeyed My voice fully. Without any question or hesitation you offered your son on the altar. So like the ram caught in the bush I am caught to you and bound to you. You will now command me and I will obey you." What a mystery! God bound to Abraham. You don’t realize what a privilege it is to obey God; that it is your right to do so. As we obey God whole-heartedly we can command God. "Command ye me", He says in Isaiah 45:11. Then He will listen to you.
This is the tenth last God appeared to Abraham. See the blessing God gave to Abraham this time. "Since you have heard my voice and obeyed be I am bound to you and you can command me. I am at your service." It is a heavenly mystery. As we obey God fully we become worthy of God's whole kingdom. (Gen. 22:17 last part): " And thy seed shall posses the gate of their enemies." It is God's purpose to give us the whole kingdom - victory over our enemies and dominion over His works. "Fear not little flock, it is the Father good pleasure to give you Kingdom." Obey Him fully even in small matters. Come under His full dominion. Then His Kingdom will be your Kingdom, His glory your glory, and all He has will be yours.