The birth of Isaac
Genesis 21
Key verse 21:12
Good morning. Happy Super Sunday. Today, the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers play in Super Bowl 58. Last week, through P. Jacob, we learned how God helped Abraham when he was in troubles. Even though it was his faults, God did not say anything to him, instead, he rebuked Abimelech. Through the passage, he showed how faithful and merciful he was to Abraham. In today’s passage, he was gracious to Sarah. She was a barren woman. She could not have a baby. But God promised her that she would have a son. After waiting for many years patiently, in God’s right time, finally God granted her a son Isaac. Do you know how old she was? 90 years old. I was curious in our time, What’s the oldest woman to give birth naturally? In the record, a woman named Dawn Brooke delivered her baby when she was 57 years old. There are other women who gave birth older than her, but all of them by fertility treatment. Who did such an amazing thing to Sarah, 90 years old barren woman? It was God. So, through this message, let us continue to learn about his grace, his promise, and his power.
Part 1. The LORD was gracious to Sarah.
Shall we read verse 1 and 2? Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him.
What is grace? Grace is defined as an undeserved favor. You cannot earn it by yourself, rather something that is freely given. God showed his grace to Sarah. At that time, she was 89 years old. She herself had said, ‘I am worn out and past the age of childbirth’. She could not have a baby. Yet, God was merciful to her. He did to her what he had promised. What did he promise to her? In Genesis 17, he promised “I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her”. In Genesis18, he promised “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” But when God promised her, she did not believe. She laughed to herself. Yet, he did not change his promise. He was faithful to his promise. In verse 2, after waiting for many years (25 years) patiently, she became pregnant. And then, she safely delivered a son Isaac. Her patience in God is finally rewarded. Also, our God kept his promise no matter what.
In verse 2 again, take notice of the timing. It says, “at the very time God had promised him”. God showed his grace to Sarah on his timing. God promised Abraham and Sarah about a son 25 years ago. They might expect God would give them their son immediately or at least while they still had strength to have a baby. But God waited for his right time. He waited until Abrahams’ body was as good as dead. He waited until Sarah’s body was past the age of childbirth. The long years must have been very anxious and painful to them. That is why Sarah became impatient and did a mistake taking Hagar as Abraham’s wife. However, God waited for the very right time. Then, in his perfect time, God revealed his power and glory to Sarh. Sarah received her own son at age 90 Issaac. Isaac means ‘he laughs’.
The Bible says there is time for everything; a time to be born, a time to enter college, a time to graduate, a time to marry, a time to have children, and a time to die. (Ess 3). We need to look up to God who keeps his promise in his time. We need to take our cross daily and wait patiently for the right time. Then, at the very time, he will fulfill his promise to us graciously. He will reveal his glory through our life. Galatians 6:9 says Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
God is gracious to Dre. He has been patiently waiting for his graduation time. For the last five years, he suffered a lot. But he put his faith in God and waited for God’s right time. Finally, this May, he will graduate with doctoral degree and God granted him a good job even before his graduation. As God was gracious to Sarah and Dre, when we believe God’s promise and patiently wait for his right time, he will bring us laughter in joy.
When God blessed Sarah to have a son Isaac, how did she praise him? Look at verse 6. She said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” For the last decades, who would understand her sadness? No one. But now God gave her laughter in pleasure. He satisfied her heart with good things. He removed her shame. Whenever she saw the baby Isaac, she could not help but smile. She was so happy. So, in the middle of God’s blessing, she did not forget God. She praised him. Like her, when God is gracious to us, let us not forget him, but acknowledge him and praise him.
Part 2. Through Isaac, your offspring will be reckoned.
In verse 8, the child Isaac was weaned. Wean means basically you stop drinking mommy’s milk. Usually, it happens when a baby is about 1 or 2 years old. On that day, Abraham had a great party for Isaac. Everyone enjoyed the party. But in verse 9, Ishmael was mocking him. Here, mocking, in the Hebrew is scoffing. Scoffing means “contempt by insulting words or actions; it combines bitterness with ridicule.” Ishmael might be full of jealousy and bitterness towards Isaac. He was at that time around 15 or 16 years old. When Sarah saw him mocking Isaac, what did she say to Abraham?
Let us read verse 10. and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” Sarah said, ‘kick them out, Ishmael will never share in the inheritance with Isaac.’ What do you think of her? That seems very mean and very harsh; not good at all humanly speaking.
How did Abraham deal with this matter? In verse 11, the matter distressed him greatly. He was stuck. Until Isaac was born, Ishmael was his joy, hope, and pride. How could he send his son out of his house? Ishmael was only in teens. He needed father’s protection. Abraham had a big headache. He could not make any decision.
Then, how did God involve in this matter? Let’s read verse 12. But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. God sorted out the complicated situation. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you.
Why did the love of God, the grace of God, agree with what Sarah said? It is hard to believe that God was on Sarah’s side. Getting rid of Ishmael is the only way? There would be no other ways such as Abraham might build another tent for him and Hagar nearby his tent, and so on. Even today, when parents divorce, they still care for their children. However, in this verse, it is clear that there is no compromise. There is no middle zone. Because in God’s sight, only Isaac will be entitled to receive Abraham’s inheritance.
This teaches us two things. One is about who is God’s children, the other one is who will receive our heavenly father’s inheritance. In the NT, God’s children are reckoned only through being born of God’s promise. John 1:12-13 says, Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. It is not by parents or a husband’s will but by God. We can be God’s children only when we believe in his son Jesus. Acts 4:12 says “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” When we believe him who died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead on the third day, in God’s sight, we will be reckoned as his children.
Secondly, only God’s children will receive his inheritance. Jesus says “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:10) Many people said ‘oh, I am a good person that I can go to heaven’. Jews said ‘oh, I am a Jew, chosen people that I can go to heaven’. But that is not true. Only God’s children, once again, only those who believe in Jesus will be entitled to receive our heavenly father’s inheritance.
Now look at verse 14. Early the next morning, surprisingly Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael off. He gave them only some food and a skin of water. He obeyed God’s direction: let his own son go out of his house. We can see his firm decision; his obedience to God. In verse 11, he was greatly distressed. He wanted to keep Ishmael. But once he knew God’s will, without hesitance, he immediately obeyed God. How could he obey such a command? We should know this does not happen overnight. From Genesis 12, when God commanded him to leave his father’s household, he obeyed. He left his comfortable father’s household. In Genesis 15, when God showed the stars in the sky and promised him, ‘so shall your offspring will be’, he believed God. in Genesis 17, when God changed his name from Abram to Abraham and commanded him to be circumcised, he believed God’s promise and was circumcised. Now, in this chapter, he obeyed God’s difficult command by faith.
Through Abraham’s obedience, we can learn that we obey God not because we understand everything but because he said so, we put our trust in him even if we do not understand fully but we obey him by faith. In Luke 5, Jesus told Peter to put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch. Peter had worked all night, but he caught nothing. He already washed his nets to go home. He must have been so tired. Yet, he said “because you said so, I will let down the nets”. Though he could not fully understand, but because Jesus said so, when he obeyed, he caught such a large number of fish.
Also, we can learn that we should let our own Ishmael go. It can be literally a person or something else; Anyone or anything hinders us from growing spiritually as the man of God. As Isaac and Ishmael could not live together in one house, we cannot keep our Ishmael in our life. If so, our spiritual life will be choked like a plant sown in the thorny soil. We cannot grow mature. We must purge our Ishmael out of our life, though it may be very painful and unwilling. Remember Lot in chapter 19. He loved God and at the same time loved this world. He did not want to keep both. He did not want to let loving the world go. In the end, his soul was tormented day after day. In a sense, Franco’s Ishmael was the band. But he chose to serve God and made a decision of faith to quit the band. Though it was painful and anxious, when he did, God blessed him to grow spiritually. God opened his spiritual eyes to understand who God is more and more. May God show his grace that by faith, we may kick our Ishmael out.
When Abraham obeyed God, how did God take care of Hagar and Ishmael? In verse 14, they wandered in the desert of Beersheba. In the desert, the water was gone. They lost their way. In verse 16, Hagar said ‘I cannot watch the boy die’. She began to sob. However, God kept what he promised to Abraham. He was merciful to Hagar. He sent his angel. The angel said to her, ‘what is the matter? Hagar. Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying’. The angels assured her that God was watching over them. If God is with them, what is the matter? No problem. Then, in verse 19, God opened her eyes and she saw a well of waters. It is interesting that the well was already there. But until God opened her eyes, she did not see it. She and Ishmale drank the water and revived again. Verse 20 says, God was with Ishmael. He grew up as an archer and later he had twelve sons.
We can see here how God was taking care of Hagar and Ishmael when Abraham obeyed God even though he did not fully understand. In verse 11, Abraham was greatly distressed; If I send them off, who is going to take care of them? What will be their life? He was so worried. But when God comforted him and promised him, God will take care of them. As God promised him, God took care of Hagar and Ishmael too. Are you so distressed about your parents, siblings, and children? Put your trust in God. Put them in God’s hands. Instead, seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness. You will see how God is the best carer of the people you love.
In verse 22 – 31, we see another example how God blessed Abraham when he obeyed God. In verse 22, 23, at that time, Abimelech king of Gerar and Phicol the commander of his army came to Abraham. They said “God is with you in everything you do.” They must have heard of what he did to Ishmael. They saw how Abraham was faithful and obedient to God. They were afraid of him and most of all God behind him. He had a good influence on others. So, they came to him to make a peace treaty. Abraham was honored among the unbelievers. When we serve God faithfully, we are afraid what if I am behind this world? What if I lose good chances? However, look at Abraham. How God blessed him even in the world.
As a conclusion, look at verse 33. Shall we read it together? Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Eternal God. Abraham called the LORD, the eternal God or the everlasting God. From Genesis 12, the moment God called him out of his sinful life, up to now in this chapter, God has revealed himself to him. Abraham came to realize who God is; so, he said ‘God, you are the everlasting God’; our everlasting God is gracious. He keeps his promises in his right time. He rewards those who wait patiently by faith. He takes care of those who obey him. But at the same time, he is very strict about who will be his children and who can be entitled to receive his heavenly inheritance. I pray we may continue to get to know the God of grace. I pray we may believe God’s promise and patiently wait for his right timing. I pray we may let our Ishmael go by faith.