It is finally time for the covenant sign to be accomplished. This devotional reading looks at the birth of Isaac.
Nuggets
- Jehovah will always keep His promise.
- The promise had taken a quarter of a century or more to be fulfilled.
- The promise was fulfilled with the birth of Isaac
- In accordance with the covenant, Abraham had Isaac circumcised on the eighth day after his birth.
Ooo, baby. The long awaited day was finally here. Abraham and Sarah’s promised son was to be born.
Jehovah was going to fulfill His promise.
Let's Put It into Context
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Devotions in the Abraham the Patriarch series
The Lord Kept His Word
“The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age ....” (Gen. 21: 1-2 NLT)
Jehovah will always keep His promise.
Way back when Jehovah called Abraham — age 75 — He made him an extra-special promise. You will have a son.
“I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12: 2-3 NLT).
No, it doesn’t specifically say the word son. The Hebrew sorta does. “And I will make of thee a goy gadol (great nation) …” (Gen. 12: 2 OJB).
Jehovah would make of Abraham a great nation. To me, this goes back a couple of chapters. “… This is now etzem (bone, essence, self, substance) of my etzem, and basar (flesh, meat) of my basar …” (Gen. 2: 23 OJB).
That makes it clearer that Jehovah is going to use a descendant. “I will make you into a great nation …” (Gen. 12: 2 NLT emphasis added) is a lot less ambiguous in my mind. Who’s to say that can’t be interpreted as Abraham defeating a king and becoming ruler of an established nation— which is not what Jehovah had in mind.
Clarification was made in Genesis 15. “Then the Lord said to him, ‘No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir’” (Gen. 15: 4 NLT).
It was just one son Abraham was being promised. He was being promised many sons. “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you” (Gen. 17: 7 NLT).
But it wasn’t just any son — like Ishmael Abraham’s son through Hagar. It was Sarah’s son. “Then one of them said, ‘I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!’” (Gen. 18: 10 NLT).
Yes, it seemed impossible to both Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son together. But nothing is impossible for Jehovah (Lk. 1: 37).
Bradford made a great comment. He taught,
“This list of prophetic promises of God to Abraham compels me to relate to you something the Lord has shown me over the years: as concerns the understanding of God’s people about His prophecies, the mistakes men make are not that they cannot find a way relate the eventual fulfillment to the original pronouncement; the mistake is that we do not take God’s prophecies literally enough. All of Yahweh’s promises to Abraham were literal, and they were literally fulfilled.”
Resource
Some people want to take God’s Word to be symbolic — especially in Revelation. I don’t think so. Jehovah doesn’t hide His meaning from those who truly believe.
How many times does Jehovah’s promises to us seem impossible? I’ve told you before about the time Jehovah said to me, “I want you to be a preacher’s wife,” and I said, “Okay, but I’ll give You time if You want to rethink that.”
Jehovah was giving me a minute to wrap my head around that. That was permissible as long as I went forward in belief.
On the other hand, Jehovah was also working things out so it would happen. I didn’t know of any single preachers on my radar. Plus, I had this little thing going with seizures.
But Jehovah visited me and did exactly what He promised. Enter Pastor Steve.
We have to grab onto Jehovah’s promises with belief and obedience. He is faithful to deliver.
Now it was time — when Abraham was 100 — to fulfill that promise.
At Just the Time
"... This happened at just the time God had said it would” (Gen. 21: 2 NLT)
The promise had taken a quarter of a century or more to be fulfilled.
It is described several ways. Sometimes, it is written that it is in God’s set times. Sometimes, it reads gods appointed times. Many times, it says in the fullness of God’s time.
- “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, ‘Abba, Father.’ Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir” (Gal. 4: 4-7 NLT).
- “And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth” (Eph. 1: 10 NLT).
Bradford said that the fulfillment of the promise is just as important as the promise itself.
Resource
Think about it. At a specific and perfect time, a specific event would occur.
That means more than just Jehovah knows about events — specific interventions — and timing. He controls events and timing. He controls our lives.
That means it is Jehovah’s plan. He meticulously prepared it, all things great and small. He knows what will happen and the precise predetermined point the promise will fully be realized.
But it also gives us a good illustration of Jehovah’s power.
Look at the result. Jehovah is interested in what personally interests us. What a benevolent and faithful God!
Named Their Son Isaac
" And Abraham named their son Isaac" (Gen. 21: 3 NLT_
The promise was fulfilled with the birth of Isaac.
At the specific time planned, a son was born to Abraham and Sarah. Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90 years old.
Yeah, that was a miracle. Bradford said that it was not only a miracle barren Sarah could get pregnant, but it was also a miracle she could even survive the birthing process.
Resource
The Hebrews/Israelites/Jews were very specific in naming their children. However, that name could be chosen for a variety of reasons.
- Adam meant man.
- Eve meant isha (woman, wife).
- Methuselah meant when he dies, it will come.
- Benjamin was first named Ben-oni, which means son of my sorrow. Jacob, however, renamed him Benjamin, which means son of my right hand.
- Yeshua means to deliver, save, or rescue.
Abraham and Sarah named their son Yitzchak. “And she said, Elohim hath brought me tzechok (laughter), so that all that hear yitzchak (will laugh) with me” (Gen. 21: 6 NLT).
That name was fitting since both parents laughed.
- “Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief” (Gen. 17: 17 NLT).
- “Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. So she laughed silently to herself and said, ‘How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master — my husband — is also so old?’” (Gen. 18: 11-12 NLT).
It turned from laughter of incredulity to laughter of joy. Best of all, they knew the laughter came from Jehovah. “And Sarah declared, ‘God has brought me laughter …’” (Gen. 21: 6 NLT).
Jehovah wants to wow us. He wants us to rejoice in what He does for us.
Abraham Circumcised Him
"Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. And Sarah declared, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me. Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!’” (Gen. 4-7 NLT).
In accordance with the covenant, Abraham had Isaac circumcised on the eighth day after his birth.
Though circumcision did not originate with the Hebrews, it was the sign of the covenant with Abraham (Gen. 17: 9-14). Yet where those were probably a medical procedure to prevent incurable diseases and disorders, this was an act of acceptance of the covenant.
Circumcision was required of all males in Israel. This included those who were born as slaves into the household or bought into it. Circumcision was required, but humans have free will to chose to do it or not. The consequences of choosing not to be circumcised was being cut off from Jehovah.
Leale said this practice was to show the need for purification and its resulting in regeneration. By this act, others would know they were Jehovah’s people as they were dedicated to Jehovah.
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Just as he was obedient when the sign was given, Abraham was obedient when his covenant son was born.
Making the Connections #1
Why was Abraham given a son in his old age. I think Leale said it best. He wrote, “It was a practical faith. All the time he was waiting, Abraham was obedient to the word of the Lord.”
Resource
Faith without obedience isn’t saving faith. Faith without obedience is just head knowledge.
Remember what James said. “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror” (Jas. 2: 19 NLT).
Abraham showed us how to wait in faith. Did he struggle with it? Well, yeah. Remember Genesis 15: 2-3?
“But Abram replied, ‘O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir’” (Gen. 15: 2-3 NLT).
Abraham was getting impatient. He questioned Jehovah.
No, Abraham wasn’t saying Jehovah wasn’t going to give him a son. He was saying He hadn’t given him one yet.
All the promises Jehovah gave Abraham in his call were incumbent on him having a son.
And now that son was there.
Making the Connections #2
If Jehovah calls us to something, He is going to give us the strength to bear it when we have faith and obedience.
Yeah, it may take 25 years. It may take 430 years. It may take 2,000+ years.
We have to endure to the end. “But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mt. 24: 13 NLT).
How Do We Apply This?
- Wait for Jehovah to fulfill His promises.
- Live in faith and obedience until that time.
- React with joyous laughter when it is fulfilled.
Father God. We thank You for Your promises to us. We thank You when they come to fruition. Help us to wait patiently and endure until they are fulfilled. Amen.
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