Genesis 20-23: God Provides

Transcript Podcast Introduction Today is The Law Monday. We’ll read Genesis 20-23. God’s promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah is fulfilled. I’m calling today’s episode “God Provides.” Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Jill Sauve on Unsplash Comments on Genesis 22 God promised a son to Abraham and Sarah, but it took twenty-five long years for that promise to be fulfilled. Abraham was one hundred years old when Isaac was born, and Sarah ninety or ninety-one. After such a long wait, it is hard to imagine how happy they must have been to finally hold their baby, and how much they must have loved him.  The text tells us in verse one that God tested Abraham. It was a test of faith. As we have seen as we have been reading through Genesis, Abraham’s faith was not always strong. But every failure is an opportunity to grow.  And now, with the birth of Isaac, Abraham has seen evidence that God fulfills his promises, even the most unlikely ones. Because of God’s faithfulness in this and many other instances, Abraham’s faith is strong.  And now God came to Abraham and said, “Take your only son, Isaac, the son you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Kill him there and offer him as a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” “Take your only son, Isaac…” Abraham had another son, Ishmael. But in chapter 21, Ishmael and his mother Hagar were sent away, out of Abraham’s life. Ishmael was not the promised son. He was the product of Abraham and Sarah’s lack of faith. In terms of God’s promise, Abraham has just one son. God said, “Take your only son, Isaac, the son you love…” This is the first time love is mentioned in the Bible. And it is in connection between a father and a son and the sacrificial offering of the son.  “Kill him there and offer him as a whole burnt offering…” This had to have been a shocking thing to hear. It went against God’s promise that Isaac would have children, and through Isaac would come a great nation.  Maybe the thought flashed through his mind, “If I kill Isaac, how is God’s promise going to be fulfilled? What if I refuse? If I refuse, Isaac will be able to have the children that God promised! But what happened last time I took it upon myself to fulfill God’s promise? Ishmael was born. How did that work out?” “…offer him as a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” There was a very specific place that God wanted this to be done.  “Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took Isaac and two servants with him. After he cut the wood for the sacrifice, they went to the place God had told them to go.” There is no indication that Abraham resisted. At the first opportunity, he gathered the supplies, his beloved son, servants and a donkey and set out. He didn’t und