Genesis 21-26

[Jim Watt]

“*TWO ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES*

*Jim & Marie Watt*

*Tel: 253-517-9195 - Email: jmbetter at gmail.com*

*Web: www.2rbetter.org*

April 13, 2011


 *JAN 13 -GENESIS 21-26 - ABRAHAM AND ISAAC*


 *1. 21:10 (21:1-21) ISAAC VERSUS ISHMAEL. “Therefore Sarah said to Abraham,
Cast out this handmaid and her son: for the son of this handmaid shall not
be heir with my son, even with Isaac.”* This is one of the most serious
pronouncements in the entire Bible. Not only did it grieve Abraham who fell
into this trap because of listening to Sarah - but it was the beginning of
the enmity that exists yet to this very day 4000 years later, between Jews
and Arabs. Nevertheless, God Himself chose Isaac before Ishmael! *Hallowed
be Your Name!*


 *2. 21:33 (21:22-34) ABRAHAM: COVENANT WITH ABIMELECH. “And Abraham planted
a tamarind tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of Jehovah, the
Everlasting God.” *This planting of the grove followed the making of a
covenant between Abimelech and Abraham, initiated by the latter because of
the division between their respective servants over wells. This is a good
way to settle divisions. *Your :kingdom come.*


 *3. 22:14 (22:1-24) ABRAHAM: TRIAL OF HIS FAITH. “And Abraham called the
name of that place Jehovah-jireh (Jehovah will see, or provide): as it is
said to this day, In the mount of Jehovah it shall be provided.” **This* is
one of the great compound names of Jehovah. At the angel's voice to spare
Isaac, he then *saw* God's *provision* in the place of his son! Then see the
extraordinary promise of God to Abraham for not sparing his son! *Your :will
be done, As in heaven, so on earth.*


 *4. 23:19 (23:1-20) ABRAHAM: BURIES SARAH. “And after this, Abraham buried
Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (the same
is Hebron, in the land of Canaan.” *Abraham purchased this field for this
purpose. Notice the “protocol” that took place between Abraham and Ephraim
the Hittite in this purchase. We all could learn much in extending honor
through protocol. It opens many doors. *Our :daily bread give us this day.*


 *5. 24:26-27 (24:1-67) ABRAHAM: ARRANGES ISAAC'S MARRIAGE. “And the man
bowed his head, and worshiped Jehovah. 27 And he said, Blessed be Jehovah,
the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his lovingkindness and
his truth toward my master: and for me. Jehovah has led me in the way to the
house of my master's brethren.” *The lessons of this chapter are rich
indeed. Here we see the wisdom and faith of Abraham, plus the faith and
faithfulness of his servant Eliezer. Rebekah is a true type of the bride of
Christ; Isaac a type of Christ; and Eliezer a type of the Holy Spirit. See
if you can spot the various examples of these types. *And forgive us our
:debts, as we also have forgiven our :debtors.*


 *6. 25:21 (25:1-34) ABRAHAM'S DEATH: ESAU AND JACOB. And Isaac entreated
Jehovah for his wife, because she was barren: and Jehovah was entreated of
him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” *Isaac is a good example for husbands
when a wife needs understanding. Jacob is a bad example when Rachel faced
the same need as Rebekah. Let us as husbands be open to the needs of our
wives, and seek the Lord on their behalf. *And bring us not into temptation.
*


 *7. 26:2-3 (26:1-35) THE COVENANT: CONFIRMED WITH ISAAC. “And Jehovah
appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; live in the land which
I shall tell you of: 3 sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and
will bless you; for unto you and unto your seed, I will give all these
lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore unto Abraham your
father.” *What God promised unto Abraham, now unto his son Isaac the Lord
confirms the same. Later he passes unto Jacob this same covenant. Then
through Jacob's 12 sons came the 12 tribes and nation of Israel. So - this
section, plus the whole book of Genesis is indeed a seed-plot laying out in
germinal form all that follows in the rest of the Bible. *But deliver us
from the evil one.*


 *NOTE**: *When I looked for the Manuscript for this lesson which I had
prepared in 1987, it was missing. Fortunately, I still had the Bible in
which I had made a choice of the verses and Titles for the 52 weeks of
lessons, plus the 366 daily devotions for this “Through the Bible in a
Year”. So I was enabled to reproduce the above lesson prepared some 24 years
ago. It was a blessing to me as I reproduced it.


 I have already commented twice on the seriousness of God's choice of Isaac
through Sarah over against Ishmael through Hagar. God never makes mistakes.
The test for us as individual members of Adam's race - Will *we* *
acknowledge* and *accept* the Sovereign right of our Sovereign God to make
His Sovereign *choices* according to His own will? Or will the clay say to
the Potter, What are you doing with me? Does not the Potter (God) have the
Sovereign right to make and shape each one of us exactly according to
*His*desire and will?


 He has chosen Israel as His special nation through Isaac. He has given her
the right of His land from the Nile to the Euphrates. Does this bother the
descendants of Ishmael, the nations, the Untied Nations and the United
States? Evidently, Yes! Will this judgment change the will and purposes of
God? Absolutely not! And when His Son - our Lord Jesus returns - we will see
all the will and purposes of God brought to pass! Happy the man who has
learned to say - Whatever pleases You, Lord - concerning me or anyone else -
pleases *me*!


 I don't ask *anything* for myself except what *He* desires for me. I am
continually amazed at what He chooses to put me into, and with whom He
chooses to link me! It would never enter into my mind to ask or desire for
His Sovereign choice on my behalf. There is a peace in this. Jesus as Son of
Man walked this way for 33 years on earth. My prayer is that each of us may
learn this same way of peace.


 An added note on “Protocol”. I would like to recommend the book “Warfare by
Honor - The Restoration of Honor ... A Protocol Handbook” by Suuqiina and
Quamaniq - *<ndigenus at cs.com>* . For what it's worth, in my estimation this
is one of the most important books written in the last decade.


 One last note - There is much controversy over the right approach to the
name of our God. Ivan Panin in his day believed that the version ASV '01 was
the closest to God's Bible Numerics. C.T. Studd used this as his favorite
translation in his day. In the Introduction to this version, the American
translators give a lengthy explanation why they chose the name “Jehovah”
above all others. I tend to side with them. However, this is one of those
choices that fit the Moravian Proverb: “In essentials, *unity*; in
non-essentials, *tolerance*; in all things, *charity* or love. I count this
choice in the second category, so can fellowship with others who prefer
another choice. J.A.W.


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