DBG - January 7 - Genesis 20-22

In this chapter we witness Abraham repeating a mistake he made over twenty years before.  Though the fulfillment of God’s promises was drawing near with the coming of the promised heir, the faith of Abraham and Sarah could still falter.

vs. 1 – Gerar is about 40 miles southwest of Hebron.

vs. 2 - This is the same mistake made in Egypt in chapter 12.  The reason Abraham does this is found in vs. 11.  It is believed by most that Sarah, though approaching 90, had been rejuvenated to a younger state to bear Isaac (she is likely already pregnant at this point).  Abimelech’s motive for taking Sarah could have been lustful or an attempt to ally himself to the wealthy Abraham.

vs. 2 – Abimelech means either “my father the king” or “father of the king”.  This appears to be a title rather than a personal name.  He is an early Philistine ruler.  The Philistines at this time were a tribe descended from Ham.  Some time after this, there will be an influx of descendants of Japheth moving south from the area around Greece.  History calls these migrants the “Sea Peoples”.  Some of these will settle near the Philistines and they will intermix.  These later Philistines are the ones that the judges and kings of Israel will battle against.

vs. 6 – God again divinely intervenes before harm can come from Abraham and Sarah’s mistake.

vs. 7 – Abraham is called a prophet here.  This would further motivate Abimelech to make things right so as not to upset someone so close to God.  It also may have been of some comfort to Abimelech because as a prophet Abraham could know that no harm had come to Sarah.

vs. 7 – There is some sort of disease or affliction that came upon Abimelech’s household.  There is not enough detail to understand precisely what this is, but we do know that when it is lifted in vs. 17-18 that babies begin to be conceived again.

vs. 12 – Half-truths are still lies.

vs. 14 – Although Abraham was ultimately in the wrong and responsible for what had transpired, Abimelech pays restitution to him.  This is likely done most to appease God than Abraham, though now that Abimelech knew how close God held Abraham he would certainly want to be in Abraham’s good graces.

vs. 16 – Precious metals were valued by weight in these days before standardized coinage.  The most common weight, which is used here, is the shekel.  A shekel is roughly 4/10 of an ounce.  At today’s silver price (a very high $80/ounce!), this would be $32,000.

vs. 17-18 – See note on vs. 7.

This chapter tells of the birth of Isaac, the dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael, and a treaty made with Abimelech.

vs. 2 – Abraham is 100 years old and Sarah 90 years old.

vs. 3 – Isaac means “laughter”.  He was named as God commanded in 17:19.

vs. 6 – Sarah laughed in disbelief at God’s promise when she heard she would bear a son in 18:12-15.   Now all would that hear would laugh in amazement at what God had done.

vs. 7 – Not only was Sarah rejuvenated in her old age to bear a son but also to nurse him.

vs. 8 – It was not uncommon for children in ancient times were often nursed until they were two or three, sometimes older.  Some rabbis believed he could have been ten or twelve, which seems unlikely.  The great feast held by Abraham likely marked that his heir was no longer an infant.

vs. 9 – Ishmael is in his late teens.  We do not how he mocked Isaac but surely it was in a manner that placed himself as superior to him.

vs. 11-13 – It must be noted that Abraham loved Ishmael.  While not the promised heir, Abraham still wanted to see the best for his firstborn son.  God reassures Abraham that He will bless Ishmael but the time had come for them to depart.

vs. 14 – Abraham provides Hagar and Ishmael with enough provisions to make it to the nearest settlement.  The expulsion by necessity had to be immediate and complete.  Abraham was a wealthy man, but in these days much of the wealth was in livestock and not readily available.  While not recorded it must be that Abraham further supported Ishmael, otherwise Ishmael could not have prospered as he did.

vs. 14 – Hagar became lost in the uninhabited wilderness, not making it to whatever destination they had planned for.

vs. 15-16 – With their provisions spent, it seemed certain they would die in the wilderness.  She found a shady place that would give her son some comfort. She moved further away (according to John Gill, a bowshot is half a mile) and gave in to her despair.

vs. 17-18 – God responds to an unrecorded prayer by Ishmael.  We have an appearance again of the angel of the Lord, who promises to Ishamel will live and found a great nation.

vs. 19 – So often our faith gives out just short of the victory we seek.

vs. 21 – Paran is further south in the Sinai peninsula.

vs. 22-23 – The same Abimelech that we met in chapter 20 now seeks for a peace treaty with Abraham.  Abraham has been dwelling in in Abimelech’s territory and only growing more wealthy and powerful.

vs. 25-26 – The one sticking point in the treaty was a well that Abraham had dug which Abimelech’s men had taken.  Abimelech was unaware of this and readily agreed to return it to Abraham.

vs. 27 – For the right of dwelling peacefully in Abimelech’s territory Abraham gives him this livestock.

vs. 28-30 – The seven ewe lambs were made a separate transaction through which Abimelech certified Abraham’s right to the disputed well.

vs. 31 –The name of this place is Beersheba, which means either “well of the seven” or “well of the oath”.   Sheba means literally “seven” but also signifies completeness, fullness, or sealed oath.  Beersheba is an important landmark in the Promised Land, marking the its southern border.  This is reflected in a common phrase in Scripture, “from Dan to Beersheba”.  Dan was the far north and Beersheba the far south.

vs. 33 – By planting a grove of trees by the well Abraham is further civilizing this largely uninhabited area.

This chapter records the Abraham’s obedience to God’s command to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.

vs. 1 – We do not know the strength of something until it is tested.  Abraham’s faith is put to the test here.

vs. 2 – We do not know exactly how old Abraham and Isaac were at this point, but most authorities agree that Isaac is in his twenties or thirties.  Reese’s Chronological Bible suggest Abraham is 133 and Isaac in 33 assuming Isaac is the same age as Christ when He was crucified.

vs. 2 – Moriah means “chosen by the Jehovah”.  Conservative Bible scholars generally agree that the place is Mount Moriah, upon which Solomon would build the Temple over 800 years later.

vs. 2 – Matthew Poole describes what is mean by offering Isaac as a burnt offering:  “.. by the law of the burnt-offering then known to Abraham, afterwards published to all Israel, his throat was to be cut, his body dissected into quarters, his bowels taken out, as if he had been some notorious traitor, and vile malefactor and miscreant, and afterwards he was to be burnt to ashes, that if possible there might be nothing left of him…”  Henry Morris writes: “Now, of course, God did not really intend that Abraham should slay Isaac.  As a matter of fact, God’s words were simply to ‘offer’ Issac for an offering; nothing was said about slaying him, though this is naturally the connation that Abraham would have to place on the words.”  The test is whether Abraham loved and trusted God more than Isaac.

vs. 8 – I love that phrase, “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.”  God did exactly that for Abraham and did so for us in sending Christ.

vs. 9 – Isaac could have easily overpowered his aged father but submitted to his father’s command.  Christ also submitted Himself to the death of the cross.

vs. 11-12 – God intervenes at the last moment as it was proven that Abraham’s faith was so great that he would offer his only heir.  This implies that Abraham trusted that God would have given him another son to fulfill the promises of God’s covenant.

vs. 12 – It is another appearance of the “angel of the Lord” speaking as God.

vs. 13 – God provided a substitute for the sacrifice.  Christ is our substitute, enduring the wrath of God on the cross in our stead.

vs. 14 – Jehovah-jireh means “Jehovah will see it”.

vs. 15 – It is the “angel of the Lord” again who speaks as God.

vs. 16-18 – God again reaffirms that the He will honor the covenant made to Abraham.

vs. 20-24 – These closing verses set the stage for Isaac to take a wife from Abraham’s brother Nahor’s family.  The important names to note are Nahor’s youngest son Bethuel, who was father to Rebekah.  Because Isaac was born so late in Abraham’s life, he is closer in age to Nahor’s grandchildren.

In these chapters we have seen Abraham’s faith lapse, rewarded, and tested.  We will go through similar times in our lives when the strength of our own faith will be tested.  Just because it may be too weak in one test does not mean that it cannot be strengthened to meet the trials ahead of us.

Our hymn today, “The Lord Will Provide” was written by John Newton in February, 1775.  It was included in his landmark Olney Hymns, published in 1779, which was the first hymnal to include “Amazing Grace”.  The song takes up the seem of the Lord’s provision from Genesis 22:8 and explores it through eight stanzas.

Tho' troubles assail, and dangers affright,
Tho' friends should all fail, and foes all unite;
Yet one thing secures us, whatever betide,
The promise assures us, The Lord will provide.

The birds without barn and storehouse are fed;
From them let us learn to trust for our bread:
His saints what is fitting shall ne'er be deny'd,
So long as it's written, The Lord will provide.

We may, like the ships, by tempests be tost
On perilous deeps, but need not be lost:
Tho' Satan enrages the wind and the tide,
Yet scripture engages, The Lord will provide.

His call we'll obey, like Abra'm of old;
We know not the way, but faith makes us bold;
For tho' we are strangers, we have a good guide,
And trust in all dangers, The Lord will provide.

When Satan appears to stop up our path,
And fills us with fears, we triumph by faith:
He cannot take from us (tho' oft he has try'd)
The heart-cheering promise, The Lord will provide.

He tells us we're weak, our hope is in vain,
The good that we seek, we ne'er shall obtain;
But when such suggestions our graces have try'd
This answers all questions, The Lord will provide.

No strength of our own, nor goodness we claim,
Our trust is all thrown on Jesus's name;
In this our strong tower for safety we hide;
The Lord is our power, The Lord will provide.

When life sinks apace, and death is in view,
The word of his grace shall comfort us through;
Not fearing nor doubting with Christ on our side,
We hope to die shouting, The Lord will provide.