Genesis 21, Isaac, and a chubby Asian kid.

An actual picture of Travis Hendley...or not.

Didn't you just love the last blog? Wasn't it uplifting? No...Yeah I didn't think so either. Except that part at the end about Jesus. That was good. I'm glad the author put that in there. That Travis Hendley sure is a smart, sensitive, and good looking guy, huh?

If you're new to the SoWhatRamblings blog, we're currently going through a review of the Bible, starting in Genesis. For a further explanation, click here. We have been going over Abraham's life quite in depth, not because I love Abraham necessarily, (although 99 year old men are quite attractive), but because he's one of the foundational figures of the Bible and we need to know about him now so that when Jesus, Paul, or whoever refers to him later in the Bible we will know what they're talking about. That being said, we are actually skipping chapters 20-21 and going onto chapter 22. I know you're all very excited and there is much rejoicing about being able to skip a chapter. 

Rejoicing: People under 30 have no idea what this is about. Sad. 

Now onto Genesis 21:1-21

This passage comes in two parts. In both of these sections, (1-7), and (8-21), we're going to do a lot of observation. A key thing to remember as you read the Bible is to make sure you "read the Bible". (It's brilliant, I know). What I mean is to make sure you take time to read and understand what is going on in the passage and see how God is working, what God is doing and what is happening with the people. Just in the way you read a novel, make sure you read the Bible to understand what's happening. The reason this is so important is because we can get in the habit of reading in order to have some divine revelation or application for our lives and we can miss the actual story of what God is doing. We need to make sure we take time to read, observe, and understand the story. That being said, let's read and observe.

"The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him," (1-4).

Another little tip here that I've mentioned before. When you read the Bible and certain words, phrases or ideas are repeated take note that something important is being said. In these first four verses we see an idea repeated, which is that God had done what he said he would. God promised to give Abraham and Sarah a child of their own through whom the covenant would be fulfilled, and he did it. God promised Abraham and Sarah would bear a child, even in their extreme old age, and he did it. God promised things to Sarah and Abraham and he fulfilled his promises. The Bible is showing here that God is faithful. God will always fulfill his promises. He will always fulfill the covenant promises he has made. This seemingly insignificant point has incredible ramifications for the rest of the Bible story. No matter what happens God is going to fulfill his promises to Abraham and Israel. Keep that in mind boys and girls, because it's very important. It will have implications for the rest of the book of Genesis until we reach the last page of the Bible in Revelation.

"Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, 'God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.' And she said, 'Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age," (5-7). 

Waiting stinks, but chubby Asian kids are awesome. 

Notes:
- Abraham is now 100 years old by the time God provided him with a son. When he started out in Genesis 12 he was 75 years old. He has had to wait 25 years to receive the promised child. This is a rather uncomfortable thing to consider, but sometimes God takes a long time to accomplish his purposes in a person's life. Why? I don't know. It just seems to be the way he works. We'll see this happen in other Biblical figures like Joseph, Moses, the Israelites, David, and Paul to name a few. Waiting seems to be one of God's main tools of growth and refinement. This is a hard thing to understand in a society and culture where we get everything we want when we want it. The idea of having to wait for God to accomplish his purposes in us, lead us, and provide for us seems really strange and unbearable. I for one hate it passionately. Then again, there's nothing to be done about it. It's just the way it is. Abraham waited for 25 years before he received the son God promised him. Throughout that time God taught Abraham to trust him, to follow him, to obey him, and to walk with him. Could God have worked that out a lot quicker? You betcha. But he didn't work that way and he seldom seems to work that way in our lives either.

Today's Happy Old Lady is brought to you by Sarah.

- God blesses those who wait on him and you can see that in Sarah's response. Abraham and Sarah had to wait for their son, Isaac, but now he has arrived. You can just sense Sarah's joy about Isaac's birth here. She is rejoicing in God's provision of a son. God has blessed her and filled her heart with joy and praise to God. It sure was a long time coming to receive her son, but now she is overwhelmed with gladness and thankfulness to the Lord. Waiting on God is worth it.


So what did we learn today class?
1. God is faithful to his Word and his covenant promises to his people, (very important for understanding the Bible and the nation of Israel).
2. God works in us and through us by sometimes making us wait. Everyone who is excited about this please raise your hand. I didn't think so.
3. God is kind and greatly blesses those who trust and wait on him.

Next time, the rest of Genesis 21. Until then, enjoy the "wait", ha ha.