“When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.”
(Jonah 2:7 ESV)
Genesis 21:1-21
>>>When Abraham turns a century and Sarah turns 90 (exactly one year after Sarah laughs because she doubts God’s plan) Sarah gives birth to Isaac.
>>>Verse 7 to me is a little perplexing: “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
>>>Isn’t Sarah the one who is constantly in doubt (giving Hagar to Abraham in the first place)? Isn’t she the one who laughed (which is where Isaac got his name)? Didn’t Sarah not even think she could get pregnant? Shouldn’t Sarah be giving the glory to the Lord and saying things like, “all is possible with God’s help”?
>>>Verse 7 to me is a little perplexing: “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
>>>Isn’t Sarah the one who is constantly in doubt (giving Hagar to Abraham in the first place)? Isn’t she the one who laughed (which is where Isaac got his name)? Didn’t Sarah not even think she could get pregnant? Shouldn’t Sarah be giving the glory to the Lord and saying things like, “all is possible with God’s help”?
Hagar & Ishmael’s farewell
>>>There is a celebration going on in Abraham’s household on the day that Isaac is weaned and since Hagar and Ishmael live in the house they are there at the party.
>>>Yes, Isaac means laughter but verse 9 doesn’t say that Ishmael “Issaced” at Isaac- the Hebrew word here is “laughing outright” or more specifically a mocking laughter.
>>>Abraham is sad that Ishmael has to go, but even in their young age the Israelis and the Muslims just could not live together.
>>>This may come as a surprise to us Americans- In the Old Testament Abraham and Isaac culture children were not weaned before 2 years old but sometimes a child wasn’t fully weaned until 5! Ishmael was 14 when Isaac was born so when he taunts Isaac he’s more like 16-19.
>>>Verses 15-21 are wonderful to read because they remind us that the Lord takes care of even those who are not in the promise but it is also interesting to think that Ishmael was NOT a little tiny baby who was going to die of thirst- he was more like a teenager whom his mother didn’t want to watch him die.
>>>Yes, Isaac means laughter but verse 9 doesn’t say that Ishmael “Issaced” at Isaac- the Hebrew word here is “laughing outright” or more specifically a mocking laughter.
>>>Abraham is sad that Ishmael has to go, but even in their young age the Israelis and the Muslims just could not live together.
>>>This may come as a surprise to us Americans- In the Old Testament Abraham and Isaac culture children were not weaned before 2 years old but sometimes a child wasn’t fully weaned until 5! Ishmael was 14 when Isaac was born so when he taunts Isaac he’s more like 16-19.
>>>Verses 15-21 are wonderful to read because they remind us that the Lord takes care of even those who are not in the promise but it is also interesting to think that Ishmael was NOT a little tiny baby who was going to die of thirst- he was more like a teenager whom his mother didn’t want to watch him die.
Genesis 22:1-19
>>>Much like we envision Ishmael as a baby when Hagar is running away in the wilderness we envision Isaac as a little boy when Abraham goes to sacrifice him.
>>>The truth- although we are not given a direct age for Isaac at this time in the Bible think of the fact that Isaac had to carry the firewood for the sacrifice up the mountain. Could a three (four, five, or six) year old carry a load of firewood enough to sacrifice a small human up a mountain? Many Biblical scholars guess anywhere from eleven- sixteen years old as they age of Isaac.
>>>That brings us to this week’s target verse:
>>>Odpowiedział Abraham: Bóg sobie obmyśli baranka na ofiarę paloną, synu mój; i szli obaj pospołu. (Rodzaju 22:8 Polish Language)
>>>Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:8 ESV)
>>>Keep this picture in your head: Abraham walking along ready to roast his son after he waited for years and had many failures while waiting for him. Also think of the fact that Abraham is given a second opportunity to listen to commands.
>>>The truth- although we are not given a direct age for Isaac at this time in the Bible think of the fact that Isaac had to carry the firewood for the sacrifice up the mountain. Could a three (four, five, or six) year old carry a load of firewood enough to sacrifice a small human up a mountain? Many Biblical scholars guess anywhere from eleven- sixteen years old as they age of Isaac.
>>>That brings us to this week’s target verse:
>>>Odpowiedział Abraham: Bóg sobie obmyśli baranka na ofiarę paloną, synu mój; i szli obaj pospołu. (Rodzaju 22:8 Polish Language)
>>>Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:8 ESV)
>>>Keep this picture in your head: Abraham walking along ready to roast his son after he waited for years and had many failures while waiting for him. Also think of the fact that Abraham is given a second opportunity to listen to commands.
The Test
>>>Abraham actually is about to listen fully to God’s commands and reaches out to grab the knife.
>>>Since Abraham has listened fully to God’s commands and put his faith fully in God’s plan Abraham has passed this test.
>>>Abraham’s words back in verse 8 that God will provide the sacrifice come true, but maybe this is a foreshadowing of just how faithful to God Abraham had become…
>>>Jesus becomes our sacrifice much like the ram for Isaac because Jesus went to the cross and was sacrificed in our place.
>>>The name that Abraham gives to the place where Isaac was almost sacrificed: Yahweh Jireh, the Lord will provide.
>>>Since Abraham has listened fully to God’s commands and put his faith fully in God’s plan Abraham has passed this test.
>>>Abraham’s words back in verse 8 that God will provide the sacrifice come true, but maybe this is a foreshadowing of just how faithful to God Abraham had become…
>>>Jesus becomes our sacrifice much like the ram for Isaac because Jesus went to the cross and was sacrificed in our place.
>>>The name that Abraham gives to the place where Isaac was almost sacrificed: Yahweh Jireh, the Lord will provide.