SUBJ: The
birth of Isaac as the realization of the promise of God to Abraham with
emphasis on the timing and how it was rendered.
AIM: That we
might look to the promises of God as those who are fully vested and see
it all realized in the person and work of Christ our Lord.
INTR: After
the issue was settled with Sodom (Abraham's intervention and the
subsequent destruction) and Abraham’s lapse of faith at Gerar, it was
now time and the significance of the event is great. 1. We question
some of these things, such as Abraham's approach regarding Sodom and
obviously we do not understand his lie about Sarah (Perhaps to reinforce
to Abraham the matter of his personal weakness. 2. It is thrilling at
any point to watch the things that occur under the hand of God work out
in perfect timing and circumstance and they are quite profound. 3.
The precision of God's timing is never questioned - He is never late or
early and sometimes He allows us to see why. (In the fulness of time He
sent forth His Son...)
THESIS:
All the promises of God are ultimately fulfilled in Christ our Lord and
on time with the design of God fully intact and there shall not fail one
thing that He has promised.
I. The Promise Received (vv. 1-2)
1. It was as He had said and 2. It was as He had promised to do unto
Sarah. 3. Hebrews 11:11 declares that it was through the faith of
Sarah and the emphasis here confirms that she had come to believe God.
4. It was in the manner determined and at the set time - from all
eternity (we remember that time is for us and we are thereby taught to
wait on the Lord). 5. It is to be assumed that Abraham had now come
to focus on the promise and the long wait would seem as nothing to him
now.
II. The Promise Acknowledged (vv. 3-8) 1. The name Isaac
means "laughter," He was the son that Sarah bore to him! 2. And in
obedience to God and acknowledgment as to who this son was Abraham
administered the seal of the covenant. 3. The scripture continues to
emphasize the miraculous nature of this birth and point to the timing as
to confirm it being the work of God. 4. Sarah is seen as now playing
a more significant and powerful role - God had made her laugh and 1)
Abraham had laughed at the prospect (Genesis 17:17) 2) We are
reminded that a year before that Sarah had laughed in doubt of the Lord
and 3) That now she is laughing with joy as she was nursing her own
son. 4) It is further noted that she believed that all who would hear
would also laugh and the implications are of the good news that all the
families of the earth would be blessed through the cause of Sarah's joy.
5. We clearly see Isaac as a type of Christ as we consider the
miraculous things surrounding his birth and that Christ would come into
the world through this means.
III. The Promise opposed (vv. 9-21)
1. The time came for the weaning of Isaac and this was traditionally a
cause of celebration. 2. There seems to have been a special
relationship between Abraham and Ishmael 1) For several years now (he
may have been as old as seventeen) he was the only son 2) It is
evident that Abraham cared for him and 3) Reacted accordingly at
what happened next. 3. Sarah caught Ishmael mocking Isaac (Paul
reports that he persecuted him). 1) It is to be noted that the
opposition to Christ quickly appeared and it was from the Jews. 2) It
will be the occasion that the Godly line was the object of contempt by
the world and Satan would try to destroy any that seem to be Christ or
in the line of Christ. 4. Paul puts this all in proper perspective in
Galatians 4 (read 4:21-31) and relate to promise in opposition to the
works of the flesh. 5. Sarah would have none of it and God concurred
- there could be no other heir that the one promised. 6. God honored
the concern Abraham had for Ishmael assurances were given that he would
be blessed with success in life. 7. A tender scene is recorded
concerning Hagar (she is not to be blamed and was not abandoned).
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