Can we hurry this up? Genesis 21

October 28, 2012

Can we hurry this up? Genesis 21

Can we hurry this up?

I have never been great at delayed gratification. I may have been able to handle the marshmallow experiment, since I don't like marshmallows. If however it had been any kind of chocolate, I would have failed miserably. The problem with us non-waiters is that we don't think about what we will miss out on if we don't wait, we only see what we want now. The trick is found in the book of James chapter one. It's keeping your mind on the prize. Watching the kids in the video we see a number of creative techniques used for just this purpose.
Sarah did not wait, she was a marshmallow eater.
God had promised her a son, but she was getting old, and didn't want to wait for His timing. Hagar and her son are a thorn in Sarah's side from the time the child is conceived to the day they leave the camp fourteen years later. When the time did finally come for her to get her long awaited son, she felt the full repercussions of her decision. Hagar and her son were also effected by Sarah's regret. Although God promised Abraham He would take care of Hagar and Ishmael, father and son are still separated when Sarah forces them to leave the camp, in her anger. God does honor Abrahams request to bless both son's.Sarah not knowing God's plan has no idea the long reaching effects that her decision would have on the world. Abraham becomes the father of three religions, the Jews, the Muslims and the Christians. The step-brothers would both be blessed.

James 1:13-15New International Version (NIV)

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Galatians 4:21-24 2

Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

24 These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar.

Galatians 4:28-31

²⁸Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. ³⁰But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”^[a] ³¹Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

TIDBITS FROM GENESIS 21

Abraham and Sarah have had their names changed
They have waited 25 years for a child
Sarah is 85 and Abraham is 99
Isaac means laughter
Isaac is weaned probably close to 5 as was the customer
Ishmael is 14 and is ridiculing Isaac causing there expulsion from the camp
God hears the cry of Hagar and Ishmael and she remember His promise in Genesis 16:1 and 17:20
We see Abraham interact with the future Philistines and rivals of Israel
Abraham plants a tree near Beersheba to remember the promise