Eternity Daily Bible Study

The Life Of Abraham

Number:571

Verses: Genesis 21:1-7

Topic: Isaac Is Born

Date: 22^nd February 2006

Genesis 21:1-7 MKJV And Jehovah visited Sarah as He had said. And Jehovah did to Sarah as He had spoken.  (2)  For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.  (3)  And Abraham called the name of his son that was born to him (whom Sarah bore to him) Isaac.  (4)  And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.  (5)  And Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.  (6)  And Sarah said, God has made me laugh, so that all who hear will laugh with me.  (7)  And she said, Who could have said to Abraham, will Sarah suckle children? For I have borne a son to him in his old age.

At long last God's promise is fulfilled, when Abraham is 100, Isaac is born, and the Scriptures note: And Jehovah did to Sarah as He had spoken. God's word is always fulfilled in our lives, though we may have to wait for it to come to pass.

Abraham stays with God's instructions and has Isaac circumcised on the eighth day, which later became Jewish custom, and was (according to Luke) also applied to Jesus. This is simple obedience, like being baptised. You can question, ask why, and fuss around with it, but god says it, and you must do it. That's why, and that is the only reason anyone needs.

Isaac was born at the set time of which God had spoken to him – God's promised are fulfilled in God's exact timing. God is never too late. And with Christ, the Messiah was also born at precisely the right moment in history:

Galatians 4:4-5 MKJV But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, coming into being out of a woman, having come under Law, (5) that He might redeem those under Law, so that we might receive the adoption of sons.

There is a precision in God, like a surgeon waiting for exactly the right moment to operate, or mission control waiting to the exact second to fire the after-burners, God watches the situation seeing all the variables, seeing everything develop, then chooses His moment, His person and His course of action.

Abraham called his son Isaac which means to laugh – at the sheer absurdity of the whole situation. God uses the absurd, the ridiculous and the crazy. Many things seem absurd – from David fighting Goliath, to the sending out of the seventy-two as “innocent babes” - and God's plans often involve things that astonish people and leave them incredulous.

God uses prayers to move mountains, and rejected stones to overthrow kingdoms. God uses fishermen to head His church and tax-collectors to write gospels. He is not limited by what we think is appropriate, sane and sensible. God does what He wants with whoever He wants. He even uses an unjustly crucified man as the Savior of the world.

Now Abraham was 100 years old – twenty-five years into the journey of faith, twenty-five years in tents, twenty-five years of gradually conquering the entire ancient world and making fools of the mighty kings of Egypt, Syria, Babylon and Philistia, of seeing cities burned to the ground and of talking with angels and making covenants with God. Yet the high point is the birth of Isaac, and 'anyone can have a child'. But who can have a child when they are one hundred years old with a wife well into her nineties? This is a most unusual thing, the first indication we have in Scripture that God will do something that is entirely outside of normal natural processes. It is like Joshua telling the sun to stand still.

Sarah seems to say it best: Who could have said to Abraham, will Sarah suckle children? Who could have thought it! It was not just laughable, it was almost unimaginable, even unthinkable. But God loves doing things that are so big that we cannot even think of them:

1 Corinthians 2:9 MKJV But as it is written, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard," nor has it entered into the heart of man, "the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

Ephesians 3:20-21 MKJV Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, (21) to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, forever. Amen.

Romans 11:33-36 MKJV O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!  (34)  For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?  (35)  Or who first gave to Him, and it will be repaid to him?  (36)  For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things; to Him be glory forever! Amen.

Sarah laughed and thought the whole world would laugh with her. Isaac was a startling joy, an amazing child, the kind of pleasant shock that makes you laugh. Isaac was a very public child of a prominent patriarch. It was a princely birth. It also justified Abraham, who, up to this point may have seemed rather eccentric. The voice of the Lord came true at last and there was no denying it, though Abraham “heard voices” and received revelations they were now proved to be the True Voice and Abraham was God's man.

Through his faith relationship with God Abraham had prevailed over barrenness, over disappointment, over skepticism and unbelief and brought joy to birth. Isaac was inexplicable, a living proof of living faith. Abraham's wealth may have had an explanation, even his military victories, but there was no explaining Isaac away! Isaac was a startling joyful splendid miracle of God.

Blessings,

John Edmiston (johned@aibi.ph)

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