THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENS

GENESIS 21 THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENS It is everyday business with God to do what is impossible to people. He created the world out of nothing, and made everything on it in six days. He maintains order in the universe in which there are billions of huge objects that are speeding in many directions and spinning in different ways at different speeds without cataclysmic collisions. He gives life to plants and animals that is renewed in specific times and ways. He made human beings with a spirit, soul and body. He made it possible for Abraham and Sarah to have a son after they were beyond child-bearing age. He kept them alive until Isaac was well into adulthood.

The promises of God are always kept, even though we may be surprised at the way He keeps them. He doesn’t always do the same thing in the same way for everyone so that we will learn to accept and trust whatever He does by faith. Sarah’s joy abounded when Isaac was born even though she had been kept waiting for a normal lifetime for the promise to be fulfilled. She had doubted until it actually happened and Isaac was born, a miracle child. We can live in peace and confidence when our faith in God and His word is real. Doubt casts a shadow over what is intended to give us joy and freedom. Faith lets us praise God and worship the Father in spirit and in truth. We can live full and abundant lives when we live in the good of the promises that have yet to be fulfilled.

The birth of the heir. Isaac was born out of the common course of nature. The spring of life comes from God, but it became real to Abraham by faith. Later Sarah who doubted, was soon made to realize the reality of God’s promises. The new life that began to grow and soon showed itself, was from the Life-Giver. It brought the joy of faith and spiritual willingness to take God at His word.

This is how the new life of a believer and spiritual birth today is experienced. The seed of the word of God is planted in the soul. It is watered by the truth of God and the life God gives makes itself known. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which lives and abides forever.” The Holy Spirit joins with that word so a person is “born of the Spirit.” When that new life is evident in a person, the spirit of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, makes self-judgment and the “putting away of the filth of the flesh,” a real spiritual circumcision.

When new life is real, it becomes more obvious as time passes, and we are “weaned” to “walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.” It is then we will likely experience mockery from those who love the world, try to keep the law and be good people, become religious “practioners” and self- opinionated people who think what they believe is more important than what God says in the Bible. One who is an heir of God and joint-heir with Jesus, cannot continue in the deeds of the law, or their own works to be justified. The bondage of sin and religious laws are not compatible with salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. That which is not of faith must be let go and sent away.

The Promised Son, v.1-8. God continually teaches those who believe in Him, lessons for our learning and living. God’s word will be fulfilled; His promises will be kept. Our doubts will only give us a lack of peace and contentment, and may even bring us grief.

Abraham’s trust in God resulted in him naming the newborn son, “Isaac (Laughter),” which was his first joyful response, when in faith he believed the Lord when He told him he would have a son [Gen.17:17]. The designation of circumcision was to identify him and his life as belonging to God.

The custom of having a feast on the day a child was weaned from his mother, was of special significance in a spiritual sense. It was then children and infants were to praise the Lord themselves in words and songs of praise [Ps.8:1-2; Mat. 21:16]. Teaching children profound truths, is much easier when set to a tune. The words are there but they need to be impressed in their minds in a way that appeals to their own minds by singing them out loud and in a cadence with other children.

The Profound Sadness, v.9-11. For a seventeen-year-old son, who had been the center of interest in a household, and who was the focus of his father’s attention, to give place to a little boy, was hard to take. Isaac took first place in Abraham’s life and Ishmael would likely feel he had been robbed of his position, and so he mocked Isaac. Ishmael had been “wild” and remained that as an adult.

When we, like Abraham, move out of the mind of God, the consequences of that action may never go away. The jealousy, malice and anger in Abraham’s household continued, but it was now Sarah doing to Hagar what Hagar had done to her. For seventeen years Ishmael had been the center of attention and Hagar would have had an important place. Now, on this sad day, Ishmael and Hagar had to go.

The Perfect Strength, v.12-14. God’s strength is made perfect in times of human weakness. Our sins and mistakes have results that we could grieve over constantly until we wallow in guilt for our whole life. We need to look above all that is past, accept the consequences over which we can do nothing about, and accept the consolation that God gives. God comforted Abraham in his grief. God guided him with holy wisdom, to listen to Sarah’s counsel. Sarah must have been a bit hard to get along with, but she could look ahead and see the household difficulties would only get worse and worse. Not only would it affect them all, but it had the potential to make Isaac fail in his coming leadership responsibilities. He was of a quiet nature and Ishmael was aggressive and wild. Ishmael had to go out on his own.

God made a promise to Abraham to encourage him, saying Ishmael would become a great nation because he was Abraham’s son, but he was not the promised seed that would bless the world. It would have been hard for Abraham to watch Ishmael and Hagar fade into the distance permanently, but God’s servant obeyed. Neither Hagar or Ishmael made a fuss over the break in their lives, so perhaps they were relieved to get away and be on their own away from the tensions under which they had been living. That which is of the world, is uncomfortable when surrounded by that which is spiritual.

God is faithful. God is always true to His word. All God says will not fail; it will come to pass. This is the foundation of our faith. When God says something, we can rest on His counsel and guidance with absolute confidence. God is wise. The mistake that created the problem, was Abraham’s, but God can take the tangles made by self-will, and through discipline and its pain, bring blessing to our spirit. He can overrule our mistakes, and in His wisdom, use it for our good. The “wisdom and knowledge of God” will forever amaze us at its depths. God is sufficient. God’s grace is wholly sufficient to meet our need. He knows what we are able to bear, He encourages us with His promises, assures us of His presence and power, and enables us to do what He intends us to accomplish.

LIFE GOES ON It would have been major news across the land of the Philistines when the word was out that Abraham had a son when he was one hundred years old. Both he and Sarah were long past the age of normal conception. To people whose religion was a major part of their everyday life, a miracle child would have made all those who heard nervous wondering what it could mean for them and their future. Things that happen out of the ordinary do have an effect on us, but when something goes beyond the bonds of nature, people begin to have the fear of God about them wondering what will happen next.

Abimelech and his chief captain didn’t waste time making sure they were on Abraham’s good side. The covenant between two humans who were equals would have been to try to secure the safety of his people. The bond woman, Hagar, and Ishmael had moved on to the east. Because of the “blindness in part” that was on them like religious Jews, the well nearby was not seen at first. The Jew “after the flesh” was cast out, and now the Gentile king was seeking a lasting peace. The effects of faith may not be experienced by most people, but it is obvious to all who are willing to look and think, that there is real faith in those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. A new life, a new day, a new start takes place when one is born again by the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit seals us and places us in the family of God permanently.

Ordinary daily living and routine events can be the best test of our character. Dramatic events stand out, but usually only come occasionally. Most of us ordinary people live ordinary lives from one ordinary day to the next. To live quietly and confidently each day doing the simple things that count in families and assemblies of God’s people, reveal what we are like inwardly. To be consistent even when no one notices, is how grace and truth become noticed by those who are agitated by all the evils around us. When we accept gratefully the ordinary things God provides, and use them to the best of our ability without complaint or making comparisons; that shows what we really are like.

A Testimony, v.22. Abimelech and his general made a special errand to tell Abraham they knew that “God is with you in every thing you do.” This is the kind of testimony every believer would love to hear. It indicates the genuineness of his faith was obvious to those who knew him or knew of him. A Request, v.23. The unbeliever who lived near Abraham wanted peace for himself and his people. The friendship of righteous people may make sinners uneasy, but it can be an advantage to us in simple temporal things in life. We are not perfect, but it is a good thing if people can see the difference our faith in God means to us compared to the ungodly. A Response, v.24. Abraham was glad to express his cooperation to the extent he could. To be willing to meet the needs others ask of us, and to be openly appreciative of their trust, will calm their fears. In that way we show we have no hidden agendas toward them but simply want them to know who we are and why we believe in Jesus. A Reminder, v.25. Difficulties between neighbors need to be cleared away before real peace can happen. When a problem is made known to both parties, some action can be taken to rectify the barrier and return to peaceful living. An Explanation, v.26. Sometimes people are ignorant of a problem until it is quietly and calmly pointed out. To be able to take care of any misunderstanding as quickly and fairly as possible is the way to deal with problems. A Covenant, v.27-33. This is the first recorded covenant made between equals that we read of in the Bible. There were covenant presents given and received. The extra gifts Abraham gave Abimelech were additional security which would not soon be forgotten. Seven ewe lambs were set aside and given because of “the well” problem. There have been seven wells found at Beersheba. Peace was made and secured. Abraham remained at Beersheba and the two other men went back to their place satisfied. An Addition, v.33-34. Abraham added further to his testimony a grove of trees which he planted to be a memorial of the covenant and the peace he desired to be maintained. In the course of the ordinary events of life, Abraham learned much more about God. He learned he is the “Everlasting God.” God is unchangeable and dependable. He was made more aware of the fact that the One he knew as the “Most High God,” and the “Almighty God,” is the same forever and ever as the “Eternal God.” In the ordinary course of life lived in fellowship with our Lord, we will learn in a quiet way, the immensity of who God is and how significant our fellowship is to us and to Him.

There is great spiritual value in ordinary living. Crisis times are quite rare and great occasions are few and far between. Opportunities to be faithful in everyday living is how we grow. Communion with God is a daily event when we choose to “mount up with wings as eagles.” The occasional emergencies are when we “run and are not weary.” The real ordinary routine of daily life is when we “walk and don’t faint.” An ordinary life that is ordered, so we can make every occasion a testimony to God’s grace, is when we demonstrate our faithful loyalty to our Lord.

The right attitude toward unbelievers has great value. We need to live each day conscious as to how those who “are without,” see the value of being a Christian. The walk of faith should be “circumspectly (accurately),” “attractive” and becoming to the Gospel of Christ.

The great value of new experiences with God. Believers are always learning from the time we are saved to the time we die, as long as we are obedient to God. We learn of His fullness in every way when we are in need. We learn to be faithful in service is doing the little things in the name of the Lord. We become more equipped for the big things by doing the small things well. We are “training for reigning!” We learn from Genesis 21 The heir born, v.1-7; the bondwoman and her son cast out, v.8-21; the world owns that God is with this man of faith, v.22-34.