God of Covenant: Genesis 12-50 Session 4

Welcome to Session 4 of Jen Wilkin's God of Covenant Genesis 12-50 Bible study.  These are my notes from this session. 

Chapter 21

These two phrases are repeated: "As He had said" and "As He had promised." There is an establishing of exactly who this child is "born to him", "Sarah bore him."

Isaac means "he laughs." Sarah laughed too.

Verses 1-7. God says "is anything too hard for the Lord?" No there isn't.

Sarah now finds joy in the Lord too.  No more bitterness.  No circumstance is too hard for the Lord.  No heart is too hard for the Lord.  The theme of laughter continues "Hagar laughing."

Verse 10. Isaac versus Ishmael.  Sarah wants nothing to do with Hagar and her son Ishmael.

Verse 11. "On account of his son."  This was plan B initiated by Sarah.

Verses 12-14. There are some things to point out here:

• Sarah having a plan about Hagar.  Abraham listened.  He listened at this time to Sarah instead of the Lord
• This time the Lord says "listen to Sarah."

Verses 15-17. "And God heard." Ishmael means this.

Verses 17-18. She hears the promise reiterated to her.

Verses 19-21. God meeting with a Gentile woman at a well.  Demonstrates great mercy to her in her hour of need. Here is God's complete faithfulness to all parties:  Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Isaac and Ishmael.

In Galatians 4:21-27, what does this mean?  Born through flesh and born through promise.  Ishmael born according to the will of man.  Self-preservation.  Isaac born of the will of God.  A picture of our salvation:

• By obeying the law they can save themselves
• But we can see salvation as by the will of God Himself

"Abimelech" is the leader of the philistines.  Abraham makes a treaty with him in verses 22-34.  It's a title and not a name.  There is mutual respect between them.  A Covenant is made of peace.

Verses 33-34. What can we know? "Many days" means a significant amount of time had passed.

Genesis 22

Time reference "after these things."  A significant portion of time has passed.  Isaac may be 19.  Abraham is very old.  There is a call and response "Abraham" "Here I am."  This is the third or fourth test Abraham has faced.  "Do you trust me?"  God called him out of Ur to let go of his past.  And now, God calls him to let go of his future.

Verse 3. Abraham obeys.  It says "and his son Isaac".  It doesn't just say "his son."  

Verse 4. Don't miss this! This is a story pointing to Christ - "on the third day." 

We saw:

• The willingness of a father to sacrifice his son
• The son labored under an effective death sentence for three days

Verses 4-5. Important things happening here.  He's "going to worship" is what he says.  When Abraham uses the term "worship", it's referring to the place of sacrifice.  Worship to them is the place of sacrifice.  They understood that to come to God in worship was to come and sacrifice (not like our worship today), at great expense.

Romans 12:1 - this is for us today.  The principle of worship being tied to sacrifice.  

Abraham says this "and come again to you" in verse 5.  This is a faith statement here.  Hebrews 11:19 gives insight.  Abraham believes the promise, believes God is a resurrection God.  He doesn't need convincing.  Wood laid parallel - Christ and the cross.  The father carrying the fire and the knife.

Verses 7-8.  "Together". NT crucifixion. Father and son moving in agreement for what's next.  Isaac would have had to climb willingly on the altar to be sacrificed - Abraham was too old to place this teen there.

Verses 10-11. The call is urgent but tender.

Verse 12. Did God just learn that Abraham fears Him?  No!

Verses 13-14. Abraham finally knows that it is by God's provision I am safe (Romans 8:32).  Do you know that whatever need you are currently facing, wondering if God will provide, that your greatest need has already been met.  

Verse 15. Don't you know Abraham needed to have this promise reiterated - "possess the gates of his enemies."  References to Christ.  

Verse 20. Offspring of Milcah - what? His brother Nahor's wife.  Setting us up for what's about to come.

Verse 23. Rebekkah.  letting us know that Abraham's great niece is about to enter the narrative and be significant to us.

Genesis 23

Abraham weeps at the death of Sarah.  It would have been the practice to be buried in their homeland.  Committed to that land.  God is capable and nothing is too hard for Him.

Genesis 24

"Put your hand under my thigh."  This is an oblique reference to circumcision.  He's saying "swear to me by the Covenant."  What is the importance of verses 3-4?  Isaac must marry a woman from the line of Shem. "You must not take my son back there."  Why?  He understands the risk.  Rebekkah comes and does exactly what the servant had prayed.

Verse 29. Laban.  Somebody just showed up with some money.  What does Laban do?  Hears the story.  "Ask her".  "I will go."  We see a picture of the church, a bride who willingly goes to be with a bridegroom.

Verse 60. The blessing.  This is what the Lord said to Abraham.  Rebekkah becomes the matriarch now.

Abraham, Isaac, servant and Rebekkah - father, son, servant is the work of the Holy Spirit retrieving a bride.  Delivers a bride who was in the clutches of a deceiver, Laban.  Then we have this bride (the church) who responds immediately and willingly.

• God the Father
• God the Son
• God the Holy Spirit
• The Church

Genesis 25

List of enemies of Israel.  Matthew 1:1 - the promise is fulfilled.  All the promises to Abraham come true in Christ.

Verses 12-18. What do we see being illustrated in the text?  Ishmael is a father of a multitude in his death.  

Do you have a current circumstance where God is as good as He said?  The Church of God does not shrink.  Anytime the Church faces opposition the Church grows.

This concludes Session 4 of God of Covenant