There are so many topics screaming to be addressed in these chapters I don’t even know where to begin. Let’s just touch on a few, including the one that will touch off a world war…
Okay, so there are a number of different things happening in this part of Genesis. God makes a covenant with Abram. We had a covenant with God in the Garden of Eden…we broke it. We had a covenant with God as we stepped off Noah’s Ark….we broke that one too. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s going to happen here. The covenant says that Abraham and his family will walk a “blameless” life. They didn’t.
Here’s a quick thought: did God ask Abraham to do something that He knew was impossible? And if so, then why would Abraham be punished for doing it? The whole scene makes better sense when you look at the larger picture. God is revealing Himself, but He is also helping us understand our true nature. We can’t really understand our need for a Savior until we admit that we can’t “remain blameless”. So God is providing Abraham with the framework of salvation.
Speaking of which, He blesses Ishmael, who was never supposed to be born in the first place. If Abraham had relied on God instead of taking matters into his own hands, there wouldn’t be an entire family tree of people who rebel against their brothers. Adolf Hitler hated the Jews, but probably wasn’t born from Shem’s family tree. I’m thinking he was likely from Japheth’s. So we can’t blame WWII on Ishmael. But there is a war coming that stems from his family tree. One day the nations surrounding Israel will rebel against it, and a great war will be fought. Israel will win the contest, but the cost in human lives will be terrible. This will be largely the sons of Ishmael fighting against the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. These chapters create a fork in the road of human history. The road that runs through Isaac’s family will be the one that produces Jesus, and salvation for everyone. It isn’t that Ishmael’s family can’t be saved, or that the Canaanites can’t be saved…they can. They simply have to acknowledge, just like you and I must, that salvation comes through Jesus Christ. No one else.
So we have the introduction of Covenant, the beginning of two great nations, the stark reminder that we cannot succeed in our own strength, and the revelation that God loves and forgives and shows mercy. Let’s not forget the topic of God doing incredible miracles through unlikely people. Abraham and Sarah have a child in their old age. God’s plans are often so much greater than ours that we simply cannot understand them from our perspective. What about this for a topic: We try to “help” God accomplish what He said He would do. Abraham ran ahead of God….look what happened.
And what about God in three persons!!! coming down from heaven and walking the earth, discussing what to do with the wayward people of Sodom! There’s a topic of “God hears” or “God knows”. and of course “God shows mercy” since He is willing to spare the entire community judgment if 10 righteous people can be found.
How about “God judges”? Sinful behavior will bring God’s wrath, and those who participate will not escape judgment.
I told you, there is simply more to talk about in these three chapters than we could ever absorb in one quick reading. But since we aren’t trying to study one particular thought, let’s continue moving on to the next passage looking for major themes and big picture lessons.
faithfully,
PR