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.
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