Repentance and restitution brings restoration in our life

Bible Reading: Jan 8: Gen 20-22; Matt 6:19-34

Abraham had not learn a lesson from Egypt and now in Gerar he still announces that his wife Sarah is his sister. Abimelech the king of Gerar took Sarah again to make her his wife. I can imagine Sarah’s beauty at the age that was beyond child bearing that king Abimelech will still sort for her. Remember Sarah wondered if she will still have pleasure (Gen 18:11-12) and if Abraham will do same. When God’s love touches your marriage you’ll have pleasure all your life; and your beauty becomes unnatural. This time God came to Abimelech not to Abraham and kept him from touching Sarah hence save from God’s judgment. Abimelech did what a righteous man would do and restored Sarah to Abraham and a thousand pieces of silver. Sarah was rebuked in the sense that Abimelech said she should never be ashamed to state that Abraham was her husband.

Crooked policies will not prosper but it brings us and others into danger. Abimelech would have died of his sin but he pleaded ignorance. God’s mercy on him stoped him from commiting sin. Abimelech repented and made restitution to be saved from the curse. Abraham threw temptations in the way of others, caused them affliction and exposed Sarah and him to rebuke. They are written so that we should not copy. We should not condemn people as hypocrites just when they fall into sin, if they do not continue in it. Agreements to deceive end up in shame and sorrow. We see how Abraham the man of faith was rebuked with his wife. Let the impenitent take heed that they do not sin on, thinking that grace may abound.

Sarah conceived when the time came as God promised. No one could doubt that this was a miracle of God. So Isaac was born to continue the seed line of Abraham and the coming savior of the world. Ishmael started mocking at Isaac when he was weaned, so Sarah proposed that Abraham should send him and his mother away. God asked him to listen to his wife because the posterity of Abraham would be continued through Isaac, not Ishmael. In the desert when the water was gone Hagar was assured by God that she and the child would not die, for a great nation would come from Ishmael.

In chapter 21 Abimelech requested Abraham to swear to him. Perhaps he still remembered how he was previously deceived by Abraham in chapter 20. Isaac was like a type of Christ. He was born at the appointed time. Isaac brought laughter in their house. When the sun of comfort rises upon your soul, remember how you were in the dark. God does to us things we would not expect. When we deserve ill, He gives us comfort. Who would have said that God should sand His son to die for us, His spirit to make us holy, His angels to attend to us, or that such great sin be pardoned? God notices what children say and do in their play; and will reckon with them, if they say or do amiss, though their parents do not. Ishmael mocked Isaac and mocking is a sin which is provoking to God. This was the wound that they caused on themselves. There is a well of water beside Hagar and Ishmael in the desert but they are not aware till the God that opened their eyes to see their wound, opens them to see their remedy. Their wounds come from their misbehavior with Abraham and so will not stay to corrupt the promise seed.

In chapter 22 we hear that God tested Abraham. In some translations, there is an error which says he was tempted. God will not tempt Abraham so sin. In the Hebrew word it is nissah which means to test or put on trial. God does not tempt men to sin (James 1:13) So He was testing Abraham’s faith. Surely Abraham had no sleepless night because he left early in the morning to execute God’s command. Abraham told no one about what was transpiring. Though Abraham had no previous experience of resurrection, he trusted that God will resurrect the body he would put to death reason why he told the servants, “we will come again” (Gen 22:5; Heb 11:17-19). The son Isaac asked “where is the lamb” and Abraham answered “God will provide”. His faith moved him to the point of trusting that God will provide in the last minute. So he did for us in Jesus. God allowed this to the point where Abraham raised his arms with the knife to give a final blow to his only son’s life. I imagine the tension that was in Abraham and Isaac and what was going on in their minds. Then God’s word came “Do not lay your hand upon the lad”. He did not withhold his son, his only son from God and so god confirmed his faith. Moses wanted the Israelites to remember this as he wrote because there was going to be a time when an only son would be sacrificed for the sins of all humanity. It is by this work that Abraham was justified (James 2:21). Surely Satan was rejoicing in the pit of hell when god asked Abraham to terminate his son the seed line of the promise. But the promise remained “In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Gen 12:3).

We can see the seriousness of this testing.

1.    God asked Abraham to take his son, not his lambs which he could have emptied all to God so easily. His son no his servant, the only son by Sarah and the son whom he loves.

2.    God tells him to go to a place that is 3 days journey so that Abraham will have time to consider and obey deliberately.

3.    Abraham was not only to kill his son, but to offer him as a burnt-offering. Can you imagine? That means he was to kill his son as a sacrifice, with all the solemn splendor and ceremony, with which he used to offer his burnt-offering.

But faith had taught Abraham not to argue but to obey. What God commands is good, and what God promises cannot be broken. Abraham knew this.

But as Abraham moves with his son, Isaac said “My father” (Gen 22:7). This word which could melt a heart will strike deeper in the heart of Abraham than his knife could in the heart of Isaac. But he waits for his son’s question. Abraham prophesied without knowing after the question. “My son, God will provide a lamb for a burnt-offering.” (Gen 22:8) Here the Holy spirit is predicting the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Abraham did not says a lamb for the burnt-offering, but “for a burnt-offering”. Now God will not in any case have human sacrifices used. The sacrifice has already been provided through Christ and his death was our discharge.

This same Jesus teaches us to focus our heart in heaven for Which he bout us for our salvation. He asked us to put our treasures in heaven. By concentrating on the things that are above this earth, one places earthly things in their right perspective. The crown of heaven is waiting those who have forsaken earthly treasures (2 Tim 4:8). In verse 19 of Matthew 6 he contrasts physical things of the world with eternal, spiritual things that cannot be destroyed. If our view is focus on that which is good our life will be full of light. One cannot trust in his self-sufficiency of the things of the world and at the same time totally trust in God. A man may do some service to two masters, but he can devote himself to the service of only one. God requires the whole heart, and will not share it with the world.

He goes on to teach that we should not be worried about the things of this world. Life does not consist in the things we possess. Jesus makes it clear that anxiety or worries of the things of this world often ensnares the poor as much as the love of wealth does to the rich. The point is that one must trust in God, not in one’s own self-sufficiency. Do not think of it, not even the comforts of this life, but leave it to God to make it bitter or sweet as he pleases. As we must not boast of tomorrow, so we must not care for tomorrow, or the events of it. Thoughtfulness of our souls is the best cure of thoughtfulness for the world. Seek first the kingdom of God. God’s righteousness comes through our submission to His will. Seeking the kingdom of God, therefore, must always be first. God will take care of those who seek Him first.

When Jesus says do not worry, he is not condemning our planning for the future. He is encouraging us not to overly concern about the future. Worry works against faith (James 1:6). We must consider through faith that all things work together for good of those who love God (Ro 8:28). We must work by faith (2 Cor 5:17). The more we walk by faith, the less worry we have in our lives.

Prayer: Mighty and everlasting Father, I thank you for your word that is reminding us to put our mind focused on heavenly things that we may not fall. Thank you for reminding us that you care for us and will never forsake us. Holy Spirit, teach us to continuously seek God’s word and live by it for our transformation. Thank you Lord. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.