RUSSELL SANDERS
11-10-2020
ABRAHAM PART 28
THE PROMISED HEIR
As you may recall, when God promised Abram that he would become the father of multitudes (many nations), he could not see how it could happen since his wife Sarai was beyond child-bearing age. He took the Egyptian servant, Hagar, Sarai’s maid and had a child by her. He then assumed the child, Ishmael, would be his heir. He loved Ishmael dearly.
God told him this was not to be his heir, but that his wife Sarai would bear him a son. Abram laughed at God within himself as he was not willing to believe it.
Later on (Genesis 17:15-19) God told him that Sarah would have a son to be named Isaac. Then a third confirmation came when three men (angels, Gen 18:2) appeared and told him Sarah (now age 89) would bear a son. Sarah overheard it and laughed at it in disbelief. She was rebuked.
After that, Sodom and its allies were destroyed. Lot fled to a mountain into a cave. Abraham and Sarah went to Philistia and deceived king Abimelech who sent them away.
After all of that, Sarah conceived and gave birth to God’s promised heir, Isaac. Abraham was now age 100 and Sarah was 90 at his birth, truly a miracle from God. Isaac was circumcised the eighth day and Abraham gave a great feast to celebrate the event.
The name Isaac means “laughter” because both parents had laughed at the prophecy. Genesis 21:6-7, Sarah said, “God had made me to laugh so that all who hear (this story) will laugh with me.”
We might first laugh at her for not believing God. However, she now could laugh in joy that God brought it to pass and we can now laugh with her at the fulfillment of the prophecy which would eventually bring to completion God’s ultimate plan of redemption through Jesus.
This illustrates again how God has a plan for you although you may not see it initially. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that He has an “expected end” for you. Sarah could not see her “expected end” until it happened, but she embraced it when it occurred. You must also embrace God’s plan for you even if you do not see it. He will bring it to pass; just stay faithful and trust Him.
His promises are “yes and amen.”
