“Moving With God When The Way Seems Twisted” Genesis 21:1-7; 22:1-8

Father Abraham

A Sermon Series

“Moving With God When The Way Seems Twisted”

Genesis 21:1-7; 22:1-8

Introduction

We Can Be Joyful Because God Keeps His Promises (Genesis 21:1-7)

“The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

God has made multiple promises to Abraham and Sarah, going back over a decade— established a covenant centered on three core pillars: numerous descendants (a “great nation”), the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, and divine blessing for him and all nations through his offspring. But of all promises, Abraham and Sarah would have held the most dear, was the promise of a son (born from their own bodies).

The word laughter is repeated again and again – it is a scene of a family rejoicing in the birth of a child. It is also the joy that comes from believing that God will keep His promise, and then rejoicing in how He is faithful. This older couple has learned many things about God in their 100 year journey: 1) what is means to pursue a calling of God together, 2) to take spiritual shortcuts and sin against others (having a child with Hagar, and lying to the Pharoah),

3) what it means to wait upon the Lord, patience, 4) to have members of their family go away from God and pursue the world – they tried to rescue Lot multiple times, 4) and now to experience God keeping His promises – promises fulfilled. Laughter fills their homes and lives. God took the incident of Sarah laughing at God (“that’s silly, me have a child now that I am old?”), and turned it into a characteristic of their lives, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” When people see this old woman holding this new born child they will laugh (with joy with them) at how God has done this.

This is also a picture of God’s people waiting for the Messiah[2] to arrive, Gen. 12:2 God has promised Abraham, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” : When we hear the story of Abraham and Sarah finally give birth the promised child our hearts fill with joy because we know that through this lineage will come the Savior of the world – and God has the power to keep his promise (to do the miraculous) and because of His character (proven faithfulness) He will do it. In spite of the lying, the spiritual shortcuts, and all the lacking of faith by this couple – God stayed true to His promise to this couple.

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Isaac’s Birth Explained By Romans 4

 Romans 4:18-25 “In hope he (Abraham) believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”

Isaac’s Birth Was Impossible

(v. 19) “when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead,”[3] – When Abraham considered his own body it was impossible for him to have a child – God would have to do a miracle. Ephesians 2:1 “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins” Spiritually, apart from Christ and his salvation, we are dead. Dead people cannot save themselves – they can do nothing. Jesus told Nicodemus, that he would never see the kingdom of God, unless he was born again – to be made alive again (John 3:7).

Abraham’s Faith Grew As He Gave God Glory

(v. 20) “he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God” – God will get the glory for the child’s birth, and whenever people would see this sight of this older couple and this new born child, the joy would be directed to God. Every time before the birth, when Abraham would think “how is this going to happen?” Romans tells us that he would give glory to God, and not look to himself to accomplish this.

When he did that, again, and again, his faith was strengthened. “So long as Abraham had possessed the physical ability to procure a child, the child would have been his child and the glory of engendering it would have been his as well.”[4] When we give God glory for our salvation, accepting that He gave us a spiritual new birth, that He did all that was required for our salvation, that we did nothing – our faith is also strengthened.

Abraham Believed God’s Promise

(v. 21) “fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.” – Abraham believed God’s promise of a son because he was fully convinced that God would it. In John 3:7 in that conversation with Nicodemus Jesus says, “No one can enter into the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and Spirit” (John 3:5). The power of this birth has to come from above, from God. Abraham had no ability to bring this child into the world – God had to do it. Our salvation is from above, you can do nothing to save yourself (you are spiritually dead).

The Birth of Isaac Was Not Just For Abraham and Sarah’s Joy

(v. 23-24) “But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also.” This miracle was not just for the joy of Abraham and Sarah, it was written so that we may believe, so that we may have the righteousness of Christ credited to us because of our faith in Jesus. Isaac’s birth was written so that all who hear it, may place their faith in the God who does the miraculous for the wicked sinner.

We all need the miracle of a new birth. Your salvation is not just for you alone, Jesus commands those who have placed their faith in him to “go and make disciples of all nations.”

The promise given to Abraham to be a blessing to all nations,

is fulfilled in you as you share the gospel to those around you.

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We Can Be Joyful Because God Is Good (Genesis 22:1-10)

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

A burnt offering means, “that which goes up,” “is vaporized,” Its purpose is to be a pleasing odor before the Lord. Whatever animal or bird was used was entirely burned up, including it entrails and legs on the alter by the priest. The offeror first laid his hands upon the head of the animal (Lev. 1:14-17, 6:8-13) so that its acceptance in his place was symbolically assured. Later in the temple the blood of the animal would be thrown against the alter at the door of the tent of meeting. This act of worship makes the worshipper acceptable to God – his sin would be atoned for.[5]

God has appeared to Abraham nine times and God has promised him again and again that he would have a son, and this promised son would hold a critical role in the future. God has promised Abraham that through Isaac he would be blessed, that the whole world would be blessed, that the promised deliverer (of Gen.3) would come through his lineage.

Remember Abraham begged God to accept Ismael as a substitute for the promised son, and God said, “No.” The salvation of the world hinged on Isaac having a family, and then having kids – but how could all those promises come to be if he kills him? Isaac has to die, “offer him there as a burnt offering,” yet God’s promises must be fulfilled – how can these things happen at the same time?[6] Abraham “. . . believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” And again, in Romans 4:21-22 “. . . fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” Abraham did not know how God was going to do both, yet he believed that God would make a way.

 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.

Abraham has clear direction, but not clear understanding, “So Abraham rose early in the morning.” When you have clear direction from God, even though you may not understand why, or how – you still must move. Abraham had clear instructions (what he was supposed to do), and clear directions (where he was supposed to go) – therefore he has to move forward, even though he may not like the plan, or fully understand the why behind the plan. Delaying is not an option, if he was to remain faithful.

Notice that at the age of well over 100, Abraham saddled his own donkey, Abraham cut the wood needed for the sacrifice, even though he had three young men with him who could have done it – this task fell on his plate of responsibility. For three days Abraham was thinking about what he had to do. He knew it was his responsibility to offer his son as a sacrifice – so he personally took care of all the details.

He is trying to figure out how is this paradox going to be solved – and by the time he gets to the mountain – he has figured it out, “I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” What answer did he come up with? Hebrews 11:19 “He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, . . .” Abraham was expecting a resurrection. He would kill his son, and God would raise him back to life.[7]

Later during Jesus’ ministry, Matthew 16:21-22 “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord!5 This shall never happen to you.” How Can Jesus save the world from their sin, to fulfill the Scriptures of being the Messiah, if they kill him? Jesus tells the disciples, “on the third day I will be raised back to life.” They don’t seem to remember the account of Abraham and Isaac.

7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

From the conversation between Abraham and his son, we see that worship would have been a regular event in their lives. Cutting wood, carrying wood, carrying fire and a knife to a location (even a three-day travel in this valley of shadow of death isn’t strange to Isaac), but this time (of all the previous times) something is missing. Isaac asks, “where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

Abraham (whose name was changed by God to mean “the father of nations”) responds “God will provide for himself the lamb,” – Normally, you would select from your herd a lamb meeting the proper qualifications (healthy, no deformities, etc.) and slaughter it and lay it on the fire (as a burnt offering). But on this occasion, God would select the offering, he would provide the sacrifice.

Job 1:21 after he had lost his children, put it like this, “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head fand fell on the ground and worshiped. (Abraham is going to worship) 21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Abraham’s role in this life was to obey the word of the Lord, not to stand in judgement of it – trust that God is good, that He is our friend, that He is merciful, kind, and a good Father. He is the Good Shepherd, He is always faithful, — God had given him a son, and God has every right to take the only son that he loved. For this act of worship, God chose Isaac for the sacrifice.

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[2] Genesis 49:10: Predicts a ruler from the tribe of Judah (the scepter shall not depart from Judah). 2 Samuel 7:12-16: God promises David that his descendant will establish an everlasting kingdom. Psalm 2:1-12: Identifies the Messiah as the Son of God, ordained to rule. Psalm 22: Describes the suffering and crucifixion of the Messiah, including phrases like “they pierced my hands and my feet.” Isaiah 7:14: Foretells that the Messiah will be born of a virgin and named Immanuel. Isaiah 9:6-7: Prophesies a child will be born, called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. Isaiah 11:1-5: Predicts a descendant of Jesse (David’s father) who will rule with the Spirit. Isaiah 53: The “Suffering Servant” passage, detailing the Messiah’s rejection, persecution, and vicarious suffering for sins. Daniel 9:24-27: Prophesies a specific timeline (“seventy sevens”) for the coming and rejection of the Messiah. Micah 5:2: Predicts the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. Zechariah 9:9: Foretells the Messiah’s humble, public entry into Jerusalem on a donkey.

[3] See also Hebrews 11:12 “. . . him as good as dead,”

[4] James Montgomery Boice, An Expositional Commentary, Genesis, Volume 2 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Books, 1985) 660.

[5] Geoffrey W. Bromiley, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Volume Four (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988) 268.

[6] “Human reason would simply conclude that either the promise is false or that the command is not from God but from the devil; for it is a manifest contradiction. For if Isaac must be killed, the promise is void; if the promise is valid, it is impossible for this to be a command from God.” (Luther) C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament In Ten Volumes, Volume 1 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdman Publishing Company, 1985) 248.

[7] The burnt offering would be completely consumed by the fire. Abraham believed Isaac would be brought back to life and fully restored from the fire. Jesus ultimately would be resurrected and given a new spiritual body.