We’re all in training for reigning, so of course the lessons and tests get tougher as we move toward our graduation to glory. In Genesis 22:2, God had a surprise test for Abraham. “He said, ‘Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer […]
The Lord is the best teacher; with Him we learn a little and then get the opportunity to live the truth we just learned. In Genesis 22, we have recorded the seventh visit the Lord makes to Abraham. The stage is set with these words: “Now it came to pass after these things that God […]
You might think that waiting on the Lord would be exhausting, but those who wait on the Lord actually renew their strength! It is almost impossible to exaggerate the significance of the events found in Genesis 22. What we have recorded for us to watch in our mind’s eye is a solemn rehearsal for the […]
Read More… from May 11, 2021 — The Difficult Journey Of Faith
Better to think the best of people and occasionally be disappointed than end up being a professional cynic. At the end of Genesis 21, we have one more incident between Abraham and Abimelech. You remember Abraham had to learn the hard way that one of the first principles in neighborly relations is to deal with […]
Some day, says God, the whole Middle East from North Africa to Iraq will be “a blessing in the midst of the land.” Abraham was certainly conflicted when Sarah insisted that Hagar and her son, Ishmael, be sent away from their encampment. But the Lord told him to go ahead, and that, because of His […]
I’m sure these two boys never thought people would be using them as an object lesson 4000 years later. But we do! Normally two eyes are better than one, but in Abraham’s household they spell “I” trouble, and by that we mean I-saac and Ish-mael. Two boys claim Abraham’s line. Normally the older son would […]
Dealing with God you’ll need to learn patience; after all, He has eternity on His side. At last! Twenty-five years of waiting comes to an end. The first sentence of Genesis 21 repeats it so we don’t miss it. “And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as […]
This old tale may seem like an exception, but how many today trade their family’s security for temporal advantage? Some temptations in life we fall for, then think we’ve learned our lesson. But they show up again, and we’re just as weak as the last time. Down we go again! Frustrating, isn’t it? It reminds […]
Here’s a family tree that looks like tumbleweed. No wonder they go wherever the wind blows. Here’s a Bible riddle: “Long ago two boys were born. Each was the brother of the other one’s mother, and their father was their grandfather. Who were they?” That’s the theme of our story today. And, yes, their mothers […]