LastCall: the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken -Bob Caldwell

Faithful to His Word  “And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken.” - Genesis 21:1 Circumstances said it was not possible for Sarah and Abraham to have a child. She had been barren her entire life, and now, even if she hadn’t been barren she was simply too old. She had lived past the childbearing years. Then there was the age of Abraham. He was described as being “dead” when it came to his ability to have a child (Rom. 4:17-20). Yet when compared to the faithfulness of God to keep His Word, all these circumstances were as nothing. What God said He would do, He did. Yes, He waited 25 years to fulfill His Word. And it is also true that He waited until it seemed impossible at many different levels. But that was only to create a backdrop that would reveal the unstoppable ability of God. In His time, which is always the right time, He showed Himself completely faithful. We all can benefit from what Sarah and Abraham learned when it came to God’s faithfulness. We too have been given “exceeding and great precious promises of God” (2 Peter 1:4), promises that are the only true things we have in a world full of unbelief and impossibilities. Let God be true in your life no matter what the circumstances may say.
Genesis 21:1-21  Isaac is Born 1 And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac. 4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” 7 She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.” Hagar and Ishmael Depart 8 So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned. 9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” 11 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
Isaac is Born (Verses 1-7) v. 1 As He Had Said – Here God, as always, is faithful to His promises. It had been 25 years since the promise was given, and now it had become humanly impossible to be fulfilled. Consider the following scriptures in this regard: Romans 4:16-25; 2 Timothy 2:13; Matthew 19:26; Hebrews 6:12&15. v 2. Set Time – God who “works all things according to the council of His own will,” has His own timing for the work He does in the world and in His children (Eph. 1:11). v. 3 Isaac – God had told Abraham in Genesis 17:19 that this was to be his son’s name. v. 4 Circumcised – This was in obedience to God’s command in Genesis 17:10-14. It was an outward sign to indicate that the Jews were a separated people in the world and a people to be used by God to reveal who God is to the world. v. 6 Laugh – Isaac’s name means laughter, his birth being a source of intense joy. Laugh With Me – Sarah anticipates that all who hear of God’s marvelous work on her behalf will share the joy she experienced. v. 7 Born Him a Son – In ancient times it was considered a dishonor for a woman to be unable to give children to her husband. Hagar & Ishmael Are Sent Away (Verses 8-12) v. 8 Weaned – A child would generally stop nursing around two or three years old. Great Feast – By this feast Abraham reveals the superior position Isaac had over Ishmael, who was now approximately 16 years old. v. 9 Mocking – “Tsachaq” (Heb.) A word that means to ridicule and play act in a way to scorn another. The tense carries the idea of doing so on an ongoing basis. v. 10 Cast Out – Paul the Apostle later sees these events as a prophetic picture of how those born of the flesh (the world) persecute those born of the Spirit (the church) (Gal. 4:29-31). v. 11 Displeasing – Ishmael was Abraham’s flesh and blood whom he had come to love. He also knew God had promised to bless him (Gen.17:18- 20). It was, therefore, painful to let him go.
12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba. 15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. 16 Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink. 20 So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21 He dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran; and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
v. 13 Make a Nation – God comforts Abraham. Sending out Ishmael will put him in a position to establish his own nation some day. v. 15 She Placed – Ishmael was approximately 16 years old. This must refer to him becoming so faint she had to guide him to this bush and lay him under it. Not Withheld Your Son – This becomes a living example of the principle Jesus would later teach when He said, “Whosoever loses his life for my sake will gain it” (Matt. 10:39). v. 16 Bowshot – Referring to a distance that would be the common distance for an archer’s arrow to travel. v. 17 God Heard – It seems that both Hagar and Ishmael called out to God, showing the need for prayer. God had already purposed to make Ishmael a great nation, but that did not mean that these two did not need to call out to God to access God’s intervention in their lives. v. 21 Paran – This is the region that stretches along the southern border of Canaan from the western fringe of Arabia, eastward to the desert of Shur (Jifar). Egypt – Hagar was from Egypt and selected a wife for Ishmael from among her people. Ishmael became the father of the Arabian people.

Michael James Stone

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