LIFE CAN BE BETTER THAN WE EXPECTED

PROCLAMATION

“And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men … And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.  And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept.  Genesis 33:1-4 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Jacob knew that his brother Esau was coming, and four hundred men were coming with him. (Genesis 32:6)  Jacob sent small separate groups of his sheep, cattle, goats, camels, bulls, and donkeys to Esau as a gift to soften his heart because he was afraid that his brother still wanted to kill him. (Genesis 32:13-20)  Then he gathered his children and grouped them with their mothers.  He placed the handmaids and their children in the front, followed by Leah and her children, and he placed Rachel and Joseph in the rear of the group. (Genesis 33:1-3)  Then he stood at the front of his family and bowed down to his brother.  When his brother Esau saw him, he ran to him and embraced him.  After they wept, Jacob introduced Esau to his family. (Genesis 33:4-7)  Esau questioned him regarding all of the flocks that he met along the way to him, and Jacob answered that they were gifts to find favor in his eyes.  Esau said, keep them, I have plenty, but Jacob insisted that he take them, and he finally gave in and accepted them. (Genesis 33:8-11)

 

APPLICATION

The Bible teaches us to “fear not,” and “fret not,” and not to worry because God is in control of things.  The Lord God can work things out for us in ways that are much better than we expected.  We worry for no reason because God has already worked it out for us.  All we have to do is put God first and all of the other things will be taken care of. (Matthew 6:33 and Luke 12:31)  God can harden a heart (Exodus 4:21 through 14:17) or soften it. (1 Samuel 26:1-25)  It has been said, “If you pray, then don’t worry; if you are going to worry, then don’t pray.”  We don’t have to worry because God is in control of everything.

 

A GUILTY CONSCIENCE WILL WHIP US

PROCLAMATION

“And when the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, ‘… thy brother Esau … cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.  Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed … And Jacob said, ‘O God of my father … I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies … which Thou hast shewed unto Thy servant … Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, least he will come and smite me, and the mother with children.’” Genesis 32:6-11 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When Jacob and Laban parted company, Jacob returned to his homeland and prepared to face his brother Esau.  It had been more than twenty years since Jacob left home after tricking his father, Isaac, into giving him the blessing which was meant for Esau and caused his brother to despise him and plan to kill him. (Genesis 27:1-45)  Since that time he had acquired much wealth, flocks, and herds, in addition to a large family.  Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to Esau with a peace offering and his reply was that he was coming to meet him with four hundred men. (Genesis 32:3-6)  When he heard this, Jacob became afraid and distressed, and prayed that The Lord God would save him from his brother. (Genesis 32:7-11)  Jacob offered a lot of his sheep, cattle, goats, camels, bulls, and donkeys to Esau as a gift to soften his heart. (Genesis 32:13-20)  Later that night, Jacob wrestled an unknown man until the break of day.  As they wrestled the man said, ‘Let me go …” and Jacob said, ‘I will  not let thee go, except thou bless me.’ (Genesis 32:24-26)  The man told Jacob that he would no longer be called Jacob, but he would be called Israel, because he had struggled with God and with humans and have prevailed. (Genesis 32:27-31)  From then on he walked with a limp because of the injury he sustained as he wrestled. (Genesis 32:25)   

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God may have forgiven us of our sins, but the devil will not let us forget them and frequently reminds us of them.  Our sinful memories can rob us of our peace of mind and cause us much distress.  We need to purge our conscience of sinful thoughts. (Hebrews 9:14 and 10:2)  We need to pray that God will forgive us and restore unto us the joy of our salvation (Psalm 51:12) and grant us His peace. (Psalm 29:11)  The Bible teaches us that if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all of our unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) 

 

BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT YOU ASK GOD TO DO

PROCLAMATION

“And Laban said, ‘This heap is a witness between me and thee this day.  Therefore was the name of it called Galeed;  And Mizpah; for he said, ‘The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.’ ”  Genesis 31:48-49 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Jacob worked for his father-in law Laban for twenty-one years.  When Jacob wanted to leave in order to provide for his own family, Laban did not want him to go because he had been blessed by him being there. (Genesis 30:25-28)  Jacob had caused Laban’s wealth to increase but he had gained nothing of his own or for his family.  They agreed to divide the herds of sheep, goats, and cattle between them, with the spotted and streaked animals going to Jacob and the solid color ones remained with Laban. (Genesis 30:32-35)  However God caused Jacob’s animals to be healthier and more productive than Laban’s animals. (Genesis 30:37-43)  Jacob heard Laban’s sons talking against him, and he noticed a difference in Laban’s behavior towards. (Genesis 31:1-2)  Then The Lord God told Jacob to return to the land of his father. (Genesis 31:3)  Jacob left with all of his possessions while Laban was away shearing his sheep.  When Laban found out that Jacob was gone, he pursued him and caught up with him in the hills of Gilead. (Genesis 31:19-25)  After a lengthy discussion, they ended with the agreement not to harm one another.  They set up a pillar of stones and basically drew a line in the sand which they both agreed not to cross.  They had a meal together then Laban returned to his own home. (Genesis 31:26-55)

 

APPLICATION

This text has often been used as a benediction at the end of worship services.  However, this is not a blessing, this was more of a curse between two men who did not trust one another.  They wanted The Lord God to punish the other if they broke their agreement.  These words are more appropriately spoken to someone that you don’t trust when they will be out of your sight.  This is a request for God to punish someone who breaks a promise.  However, we should not ask The Lord God to punish someone for doing wrong.  We are to forgive people of their trespasses and wrong doings as we are forgiven for ours by our Heavenly Father.  If we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven. (Matthew 6:14-15)  We should remember that Jesus, The Christ, told Peter that we ought to forgive our brother who sins against us not seven times but “seventy times seven” times. (Matthew 18:21-22)  We should be careful about what we ask God to do, especially to another believer.

 

JACOB'S PROPOSAL LEADS TO PROSPERITY

PROCLAMATION

“And he said, ‘What shall I give thee?  And Jacob said, ‘Thou shall not give me anything; if thou will do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.  I will pass through all thy flock today, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown sheep among the sheep, and all the spotted and speckled among the goats; and of such shall be my hire.’”  Genesis 30:31-32 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Jacob worked for Laban for fourteen years, seven before he married Leah, and seven more to marry Rachel.  During that time Jacob fathered twelve children, four with his wife, Leah, two with Rachel’s servant Bilhah, two with Leah’s servant, Zilpah, then three more with Leah, and one with his wife Rachel. (Genesis 29:31 to Genesis 30:24)  When Jacob wanted to leave in order to provide for his own family, Laban did not want him to go because he had been blessed by him being there. (Genesis 30:25-28)  Jacob caused Laban’s wealth to increase but he had gained nothing of his own or for his family.  They agreed to divide the herds of sheep, goats, and cattle between them, with the spotted and streaked animals going to Jacob and the solid color ones remained with Laban. (Genesis 30:32-35)  This appealed to Laban because he would get all of the pure breed animals.  Jacob moved his animals three days journey away, but he continued to tend both his and Laban’s herds and he grew exceedingly prosperous. (Genesis 30:43)

 

APPLICATION

It has been said that The Lord God works His wonders in mysterious ways for us to behold. (Psalm 105:5)  Our blessings do not always come in the way that we expect them, or from the source that we expect.  We should just be grateful that we are blessed and not concern ourselves with how it happens.  The Lord God knows our needs before we even ask Him. (Matthew 6:8)  All we need to do is to put God first and seek Him and His righteousness, and our needs will be provided to us. (Matthew 6:33 and Luke 12:31)  If we obey and serve Him, we shall spend our days in prosperity, and our years in pleasure. (Job 36:11)  Our Heavenly Father is rich.  All of the cattle upon a thousand hills are His. (Psalm 50:10)  We may not be rich materially but we need to be content and learn how to live in need and with plenty, hungry or well fed. (Philippians 4:11-12)  Whatever our present situation, all things will work together for our good if we love The Lord and stay true to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

THOSE WHO PLAY TRICKS ON OTHERS WILL GET TRICKED

PROCLAMATION

“And Jacob served seven years for Rachel … Jacob said unto Laban, ‘Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled …’ And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah; and he said to Laban, ‘What is this thou hast done unto me?  Did I not serve thee for Rachel?  Wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?’  And Laban said, ‘It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.’ ”  Genesis 29:20-26 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Jacob left the land of Canaan to flee from his brother, Esau, whom he had tricked, and to honor his father Isaac’s request not to marry a woman from Canaan. (Genesis 28:1)  He went to the land of his mother Rebekah’s brother Laban.  There he met Laban’s beautiful daughter Rachel, fell in love with her, and agreed to work for Laban for seven years in order to have her for his wife because he did not have a dowry to offer him for her. (Genesis 29:18)  When the seven years were completed, Jacob went to Laban and asked for Rachel.  In the evening Laban took his daughter and a handmaid, Zilpah, and gave them to Jacob.  Thinking that he had married Rachel, Jacob found out in the morning that he was given Leah instead.  Jacob had been drinking at the wedding feast and Leah was heavily veiled when she was brought to him.  Laban tricked him because it was their custom that the eldest daughter, Leah, must be married before the younger daughter. (Genesis 29:26)  So Jacob agreed to work for Laban a second period of seven years, after he married Leah, so that he could also have Rachel as his wife. (Genesis 29:30)  Jacob, who had tricked his father, Isaac, in order to get the blessing due his older brother, Esau, (Genesis 27:19-25) was himself tricked, by Laban, into marrying Leah.

 

APPLICATION

There are a lot of appropriate old sayings which fit this situation, “Players will soon get played.”  “Those who play tricks, will eventually get tricked.”  “As you sow, so shall you also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)  The Lord God is not to be played with.  He does not like liars and deceivers. (Revelation 21:8)  People who deceive others will pay for it sooner or later.  Be true to yourself and present the truth to others.  All of the blessings which The Good Lord has in store for you are yours and yours alone, no one else can get them.  However, you can mess up and lose out on your conditional blessings.  So, do not pretend to be someone that you are not in order to impress others, or to get that which you do not deserve.  God is always watching.

 

JACOB'S DREAM LADDER

PROCLAMATION

“And Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran.  And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.  And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.  And behold, The Lord stood above it, and said, ‘I am The Lord God of Abraham thy father, and The God of Isaac …’ ”  Genesis 28:10-13 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Isaac called Jacob and told him not to marry a Canaanite woman.  He told him to marry one of the daughters of his mother’s brother Laban and God would bless him. (Genesis 28:1-5)  Jacob was obedient and left to get a wife from among her people.  On his way there he stopped because night had fallen.  He used a stone for a pillow and fell asleep.  He dreamed that he saw a ladder extending from earth to heaven with angels going up and down on the ladder, and The Lord God was at the top of the ladder. (Genesis 28:10-12)  The Lord God spoke to him and said that He would bless him and his descendants.  God also said that He would give Jacob and his seed the land where he was sleeping and that He would be with him wherever he went. (Genesis 28:13-15)  When he woke up he remembered his dream and decided that place was holy.  He sat the stone, upon which he had lain his head, on a pillar and poured oil on it and renamed the place Bethel. (Genesis 28:16-19)  There Jacob made a vow saying that if God was going to bless him, then he would consider that place as God’s house and he would give unto The Lord one tenth of all that He gave to him. (Genesis 28:20-22)

 

APPLICATION

Today, those of us who believe can communicate directly with God and He can communicate with us.  However, in order for us to get to Him, we must use “the ladder” or “the bridge” which He provided for us and that connection is Jesus, The Christ.  Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto The Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6)  We must believe in Jesus to be saved. (John 3:16)  We all need to recognize and admit that we need a savior.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)  Only those of us with our names written in The Lamb’s book of life will see God.  Those whose name is not written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15) and their soul will be tormented for eternity. (Revelation 20:10)

 

PLAYING FAVORITES AMONG OUR CHILDREN CAN HAVE BAD OUTCOMES

PROCLAMATION

“And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him; and Esau said in his heart, the days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.”  Genesis 27:41 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Isaac loved his son Esau, and his wife Rebekah loved his son Jacob. (Genesis 25:28)  When the boys grew up, Esau became a skilled hunter and a man of the open country, while Jacob was more of a home body and a “mama’s boy.” (Genesis 25:27) When Isaac had gotten old and his eyes were weak, Jacob, with the help of his mother, tricked his father into giving him the blessing that he had planned to give his oldest son Esau. (Genesis 27:1-19)  When he learned what had happened, Esau held a grudge against Jacob and planned to kill him after his father’s death. (Genesis 27:30-41)  After Rebekah heard of Esau’s plan, she called Jacob, told him about it and then sent him to live with her brother Laban in Haran. (Genesis 27:42-46)

 

APPLICATION

We are blessed to have children. (Deuteronomy 33:24)  We are to train them in the way that they should go. (Proverbs 22:6)  We are to nurture them and bring them up in the fear and admonition of The Lord God.  We should love our children and teach them how to love their siblings.  We are not to provoke our children to anger. (Ephesians 6:4 and Colossians 3:21)  By showing more love and favor to one child than to the others, parents can ruin the relationship between them and cause their children to resent their siblings.  That resentment can and turn into hatred and lead to some very bad outcomes.  Don’t be the cause of your family becoming dysfunctional.  Love each child as God loves us.

 

BLESSED BECAUSE OF HIS OBEDIENT FATHER

PROCLAMATION

“And The Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, ‘I am The God of Abraham thy father; fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.”  Genesis 26:24 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  And again there was a great famine in the land and Isaac was going to leave the land and go down to Egypt as his father Abraham had done during the previous famine. (Genesis 26:1)  However, The Lord God appeared to him in a dream and told him not to leave the land. (Genesis 26:2)  God told him to stay in the land and He would bless him.  He said that He would give him and his descendants the land as He promised Abraham.  God said that He would make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. (Genesis 26:2-6)  Isaac stayed in Gerar.  When the men of Gerar approached him regarding Rebekah, he lied and said that she was his sister, just as his father Abraham had lied about his wife, because he feared for his life. (Genesis 26:6-7)  After some time had passed, Abimelek king of the Philistines saw him caressing Rebekah.  He summoned Isaac and questioned him as to why he said that she was his sister when she was his wife.  Isaac answered that he feared for his life if he had been truthful. (Genesis 26:8-11)  Isaac stayed in the land and became very wealthy.  Abimelek told Isaac to move away because he had acquired too much.  Everywhere that he moved to and dug wells, his herders quarreled with the herders of the Gerar until he came to Rehoboth, and there he prospered. (Genesis 26:12-22)  It was there that The Lord appeared to him again and repeated His promise to bless him and his descendants for the sake of His servant Abraham. (Genesis 26:24-25)  When Abimelek saw how much Isaac had prospered, he knew that The Lord was with him and he went to Isaac to make a treaty with him. (Genesis 26:26-33)

 

APPLICATION

As the saying goes, “Like father, like son.”  Like his father, Isaac committed some of the same sins that Abraham committed, but he lacked his father’s seal for obeying The Word of God.  Isaac stayed in the land as God told him and dug a lot of wells.  What we can learn from Isaac is that it pays to be patient.  He dealt with a lot of rejection while he patiently waited on the blessings which The Lord had promised his father.  With patience and obedience to God comes prosperity and blessings.  “… Wait, I say, on The Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)

 

SOME THINGS ARE NOT APPRECIATED UNTIL THEY ARE LOST

PROCLAMATION

“And Esau said to Jacob, ‘Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint; …’ And Jacob said, ‘Sell me this day thy birthright.’  And Esau said, ‘… What profit shall this birthright do to me?’  And Jacob said, ‘Swear to me this day;’ and he swore unto him; and he sold his birthright to Jacob.”  Genesis 25:30-33 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the death of Sarah, Abraham remarried and had six more sons. (Genesis 25:1)  Abraham lived to be a hundred and seventy-five years old before he died.  He was buried in the cave of Machpelah where his first wife Sarah was buried. (Genesis 25:7-10)  Ismael, the first born son of Abraham born by Hagar the Egyptian slave of Sarah, had twelve sons each of whom became a tribal leader. (Genesis 25:12-18)  Isaac, Abraham’s son born by Sarah, had two sons born by Rebekah, Esau and Jacob. (Genesis 25:19-26)  Esau became a skilled hunter while Jacob was more of a homebody and a “mama’s boy.”  Isaac loved Esau but Rebekah loved Jacob.  It was Jacob who conned Esau out of his birthright as the first born son with some stew that he had cooked. (Genesis 25:27-34)  Esau was hungry and he wanted some of the stew, and did not value his birthright at that time.

 

APPLICATION

The old saying goes, “You don’t miss your water until your well runs dry.”  All too often we do not appreciate the value of what we have until it is gone.  “You don’t know what you’ve got until you lose it.”  This applies to personal relationships, property, and health among other things.  We tend to take things for granted or we grossly undervalue them.  Sadly, we learn their worth and true value after we no longer have them.  Appreciate your family members, friends, and loved ones while they are still alive.  Take care of your mental, physical, and spiritual health while you have it.  Life is short, enjoy it while you can.  Eternity is a very long time, and your soul will spend it somewhere based upon the choice you make.  Please choose wisely.

 

GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS

PROCLAMATION

“And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out … with her pitcher upon her shoulder; … and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.  And the servant ran to meet her, and said, ‘Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.’  And she said, ‘Drink, my lord,’ and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.  She said, ‘I will draw water for thy camels also …”  Genesis 24:15-19 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The first part of The Bible Book of Genesis (Chapters 1-11) dealt with four great events, creation, the great flood, the replenishing of the earth, and the confounding of human language.  The second part of The Bible Book of Genesis (Chapters 12-50) deals with four great individuals.  Abraham was the first of those individuals and Isaac is the second.  The other two great men are Jacob and Joseph.  Chapter twenty-four begins by revealing that Abraham is very old and he sends his senior servant to Mesopotamia, to find a wife for his son Isaac from among his people. (Genesis 24:1-9)  When the servant got there, he stopped at a well just outside of town and prayed to God to show him the right woman. (Genesis 24:10-14)  Before he had finished praying, God answered his prayer and Rebekah came to the well to fill her jar.  He asked her for a drink of water and she replied to him with the words that were revealed to him that the right woman would say.  She gave him a drink and offered to give water to his camels. (Genesis 24:14-19)  When she had finished, he gave her a gold ring and two gold bracelets and asked her whose daughter she was.  She answered him and then she said that they had food for his camels and room for him to lodge. (Genesis 24:24-25)  He went with her, and he told her family of his purpose and then asked for her hand for his master’s son. (Genesis 24:32-49)  They agreed that he could take her, and he gave them jewels of silver and of gold and fine clothes. (Genesis 24:50-53)  Rebekah agreed to go with the servant and after some discussion, they left.  The servant took her to Isaac, and she became his wife and comforted him after the death of his mother. (Genesis 24:54-67)

 

APPLICATION

Abraham’s senior servant prayed that The Lord God would let him find the right woman to be a wife for Isaac.  Before he had finished praying, the answer to his prayer was on the way to him. (Genesis 24:15)  The Lord God hears and answers the prayers of the righteous.  If we would just be sincere, believe, have faith, and be obedient, God will provide for us.  He knows what we need, and He can supply all of our needs. (Philippians 4:19)  The answer to our prayers may be on the way to us before we finish asking for them.

 

PAY THE PRICE FOR WHAT YOU WANT

PROCLAMATION

“Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, ‘My lord … the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee?  Bury therefore thy dead.’  And Abraham … weighed to Ephron the silver … four hundred shekels of silver …”  Genesis 23:14-16 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  While they were in Hebron in the land of Canaan, Abraham’s wife Sarah died at a hundred twenty-seven years of age. (Genesis 23:1-2)  After weeping, Abraham sought to buy a place in this foreign land to bury his wife. (Genesis 23:2-4)  Out of their respect for Abraham, the Hittites told him that he could have anyplace that he wanted to bury his wife. (Genesis 23:5-6)  Abraham asked them to ask Ephron the son of Zohar for the cave of Machpelah, which is at the end of his field.  He said that he would pay him whatever the land was worth. (Genesis 23:7-9)  Ephron offered to give the land and the cave to Abraham, but he refused to accept it as a gift, preferring to buy the property. (Genesis 23:10-13)  Ephron answered Abraham saying that the land was worth four hundred shekels of silver, which he said was nothing between the two of them.  Abraham paid him the four hundred shekels of silver and buried Sarah in the cave of Machpelah. (Genesis 23:14-20)  Abraham knew that God had promised to give him and his seed all of Canaan, and he chose to wait on The Lord.

 

APPLICATION

Today there are times when some people will give a person a gift and they expect something in return in the future.  Some people will use a gift to make us feel beholden to them.  They can hold it over our heads, or brag about it to others.  There are times when it is better for us to pay full price for an item and not be in debt to anyone.  Some people are great manipulators and a gift can be used to gain leverage over another person.   Additionally, we should beware of gifts that have “strings” attached to them.  The “strings” can tie you to that person and create an unwanted future obligation.  Not all gift givers have good intentions.

 

DO NOT LOVE YOUR CHILDREN MORE THAN GOD

PROCLAMATION

“And He said, ‘Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.’ ”  Genesis 22:2 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Sometime later, after Abraham had sent Hagar and Ishmael away, when Isaac was a young man, God tested Abraham. (Genesis 22:1-2)  God told Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering.  Abraham was obedient and early the next morning set out to the place that God had told him. (Genesis 22:3-8)  But The Angel of The Lord stopped him before he killed his son, and showed him a ram which was caught in the bush that he could use for the burnt offering. (Genesis 22:9-13)  Abraham passed the test and The Lord God promised to bless him because he was obedient. (Genesis 22:14-18)

 

APPLICATION

Children are a blessing from God. (Psalm 127:3)  Unfortunately, today too many parents value and love their children more than they love their mates, and more than they value and love The Lord God.  Our children can cause us to miss church and take us out to brunch on Sunday morning, but we can’t get them to change their activities to attend church on Sunday mornings.  The Lord God said that He was a jealous God, and no one should put anyone or anything above Him. (Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 5:7)  We are to love The Lord God with all our heart, soul, and strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27)  Nothing is to come before God in our lives.  Yes, we are to love, provide for, train, teach, and protect our children, but we are not supposed to place them above God.  We are to put God first in our lives, and then everything else will fall into place. (Matthew 6:33)

 

THE BIRTH OF ISAAC

PROCLAMATION

“And The Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and The Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken.  For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.  And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.”  Genesis 21:1-3 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Just as God had promised, Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son. (Genesis 21:1-3)  Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5) and Sarah was ninety. (Genesis 17:17)  When Isaac was weaned, Abraham held a great feast for him.  During the feast Sarah saw Ishmael the son of Hagar mocking Isaac and she told Abraham to get rid of Hagar and Ishmael. (Genesis 21:8-10)  This distressed Abraham, but God told him to listen to Sarah so, he sent them away. (Genesis 21:11-14)  The Lord God provided for Hagar and Ishmael while they were in the desert because he was Abraham’s son. (Genesis 21:15-21)  The chapter ends with a discussion of the covenant between Abraham and Abimelech king of Gerar. (Genesis 21:22-34)

 

APPLICATION

Abraham was a very old man, and his wife Sarah was well past the childbearing age and was childless when The Lord God caused her to conceive and bare a son.  With God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)  Believers can do all things through Christ. (Philippians 4:13)  If we believe and have the faith we can move mountains. (Matthew 17:20)  Our problem is even though we read God’s Holy Word, we don’t really believe it and we don’t obey it.  If we would humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways, He would forgive us. (2 Chronicles 7:14)  If we would believe and obey and step out on faith, then we could do things through Christ that are impossible for man.  Remember, the Apostle Peter walked on water while he kept his focus on Christ. (Matthew 14:29)

 

AGAIN ABRAHAM WAS NOT HONEST BUT GOD ...

PROCLAMATION

“And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country … and sojourned in Gerar.  And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, she is my sister; and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.”  Genesis 20:1-2 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After seeing the dense smoke rising from the plain where Sodom and Gomorrah once stood, (Genesis 19:27-28) Abraham left the region and moved on into Gerar. Again Abraham feared for his life, so he told the officials there that his wife Sarah was his sister and the king took her for himself. (Genesis 20:1-2)  But God spoke to the king in a dream and told him that Abraham was a prophet and Sarah was his wife; And he and all that belonged to him would die if he touched Sarah. (Genesis 20:3-7)  The next morning the king told all of his officials what had happened and they were all very afraid. (Genesis 20:8)  Then he confronted Abraham and asked why he lied to him, and Abraham answered him. (Genesis 20:9-13) Then he returned Sarah to Abraham, untouched, along with sheep, cattle, male and female slaves, and one thousand shekels of silver.  Abraham prayed for the king and his people and God removed the curse which He had placed upon them. (Genesis 20:14-18)

 

APPLICATION

Even though Abraham and Sarah had been dishonest again, (Genesis 12:10-16) The Lord God still protected and blessed them.  We all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and because of our sinful human nature we will sin again.  We do not have to be perfect Christians in order to receive God’s blessings and protection.  When we fall into sin we do not have to wallow in it.  When we come to ourselves and realize that we belong to God, like the prodigal son we can return to our Father. (Luke 15:11-20)  We need to confess our sins, ask to be forgiven, and then return to doing the will of God.  Believers who obey The Word of God will receive God’s blessings including protection and provision, grace and mercy, and a host of other blessings. (Deuteronomy 28:1-8)  He will shelter us under His wings, (Psalm 91:4) and He will keep our enemies from causing us any hurt, harm, or problems.  When we mess up, we should fess up, then get up and get back on the right path.

 

DO NOT LOOK BACK LONGING FOR THE PAST SINFUL LIFE

PROCLAMATION

“Then The Lord rained  upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from The Lord out of heaven;  And He overthrew those cities … and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.  But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”  Genesis 19:24-26 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After dining with Abraham, the two angels who had been with The Lord left and went to Sodom. (Genesis 18:22)  When they arrived at Sodom, Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city and he urged them to go to his house and tarry there. (Genesis 19:1-2)  Initially they refused but eventually they agreed to go with him.  He prepared a meal for them and they ate. (Genesis 19:2-3)  Before they went to bed, the men of Sodom surrounded the house and called out to Lot to bring the two men out so that they could have sex with them. (Genesis 19:3-5)  Lot went outside to the men and offered them his two virgin daughters but they refused them.  The two angels pulled Lot back into the house and caused all of the men outside of the house to be blind. (Genesis 19:6-11)  The two angels told Lot that they were going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Genesis 19:12)  Lot was told to take his wife and two daughters and get out of the city and go to the mountains. (Genesis 19:15)  They were told by one of the angels of The Lord to: “Flee for you lives!  Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain!” (Genesis 19:17)  When they reached safety in the city of Zoar, the destruction of the cities began.  The Lord God rained down fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah.  Lot’s wife turned and looked back, and as she looked back she was changed into a pillar of salt. (Genesis 19:23-26)

 

APPLICATION

There has been much speculation as to why Lot’s wife looked back.  Some Bible scholars feel that she was longing for that which she loved and had left behind. (Thomas Nelson and John Wesley)  Others believe that that she was curious and wanted to see what was happening.  Regardless of her reason for doing it, she did it, she disobeyed the angel of The Lord and she was punished immediately.  Once we are saved, we are not to go back to our old sinful ways, or wish for them, or look back longing for them.  Jesus, The Christ, said that no one who takes up the work of God and looks back on his previous live longingly is worthy of the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62)  We are to learn from past mistakes, not long to return to our past sinful life.  We should not value our past so much so that we ruin our present and our future.

 

WHEN THE WICKED ARE DESTROYED THE RIGHTEOUS WILL BE SPARED

PROCLAMATION

“And Abraham drew near, and said, ‘Wilt Thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?  Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city … Peradventure ten shall be found there.’  And He said, ‘I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.’ ”  Genesis 18:23-32 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.   After God made a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:10-11) and promised him that Sarah would bear him a son and he will be called Isaac, (Genesis 17:17-19) Abraham and all of the males in his household were circumcised. (Genesis 17:24-27)  Then The Lord appeared to Abraham as one of three men. (Genesis 18:1-2)  Abraham asked if he could fix them something to eat before they went on their way. (Genesis 18:3-8)  As they ate, they asked about his wife Sarah and said that she would bear him a son. (Genesis 18:9-15)  When they got up to leave, The Lord told him that the sins of the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were so great that He was going to destroy the cities. (Genesis 18:16-20)  This is when Abraham questioned The Lord regarding sparing the lives of the righteous living among the wicked. (Genesis 18:23-32)  As The Lord conversed with Abraham, the two men with Him turned away and went towards Sodom. (Genesis 18:22)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God destroyed the whole earth but spared Noah and his family. (Hebrews 11:7)  In this text He told Abraham that He was going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, but that He would spare the lives of the righteous people that He found there, namely Lot and his family. (Genesis 19:15-16)  The Lord God said that if there were ten righteous people there, He would spare the cities for their sakes. (Genesis 18:32)  Even when surrounded by wickedness and corruption, a child of God should maintain his faith and Christian walk.  Just because we live in a sinful world does not mean that we have to participate in their sins.  By maintaining good Christian behavior and obeying God’s Holy Word, we will find grace and favor in the eyes of The Lord and thereby be spared the wrath of God which will come to those unbelievers who are doing evil.

 

THE COVENANT OF CIRCUMCISION

PROCLAMATION

“And God said unto Abraham … This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised … and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt Me and you.”  Genesis 17:9-11 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  When Abram was ninety-nine years old, The Lord God appeared to him.  God told him to be faithful and blameless.  He said that He would make a covenant with him and that he would be the father of many nations. (Genesis 17:1-4)  The Lord changed his name from Abram to Abraham and said that he would be very fruitful and that he would be the father of many kings. (Genesis 17:5-6)  Again God said that He would give Abraham and his seed the land of Canaan. (Genesis 15:7 and 17:8)  Then He said that Abraham and his seed after him must keep His covenant. (Genesis 17:7-9)  The covenant was that every male in his household and in the nation must be circumcised.  Every newborn male must be circumcised when he is eight days old. (Genesis 17:10-13)  Anyone in the nation that is not circumcised is to be cut off from the people for breaking the covenant. (Genesis 17:14)  Then The Lord God changed Abraham’s wife’s name from Sarai to Sarah.  And He said that He would bless her with a son at the age of ninety. (Genesis 17:15-21)  After God finished speaking to him, Abraham took his thirteen year son Ishmael and all of the men in his household and they all got circumcised. (Genesis 17:22-27)

 

APPLICATION

Today there are a lot of non-Jewish men and a lot of non-Christian men who have been circumcised.  Many mothers have their infant sons circumcised and there a quite a few adult males who get circumcised.  I have heard non-believers say that it was done for preventive health reasons.  However, the act of circumcision was instituted as a token reminder of the covenant between The Lord God and Abraham and his seed. (Genesis 17:10-11)  Physical circumcision will not save a non-believer.  One must undergo circumcision of the heart in order to be saved. (Romans 2:29)  If our heart and our spirit are not right, then the physical circumcision of the flesh will not matter.  If we believe, then we are God’s people; if we do not then we are not.

 

ABRAM'S FIRST BORN SON

PROCLAMATION

“And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bore, Ishmael.  And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.”  Genesis 16:15-16 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given him any children.  So Sarai told Abram to sleep with her Egyptian slave Hagar and maybe they could build a family through her. (Genesis 16:1-2)  Abram slept with Hagar and she conceived.  However, when she learned that she was pregnant she began to despise Sarai. (Genesis 16:3-5)  This upset Sarai and she complained to Abram.  He said that Hagar was her slave, and she could do with her as she pleased.  Then Sarai began to mistreat Hagar, so much so until Hagar fled from her. (Genesis 16:5-6)  The angel of The Lord found Hagar in the desert and told her to go back to her mistress.  He said that she would have a son and she was to name him Ishmael. (Genesis 16:7-13)  Hagar returned to Sarai and bore Abram a son and he was called Ishmael. (Genesis 16:15)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God sees our suffering and He hears our cries.  His response to our afflictions may not be the good news that we desired.  Here the slave Hagar was told to go back to Sarai who had mistreated her.  She was also told that every man would be against her son and that he would live in hostility. (Genesis 16:9-12)  This is not what any mother wants to hear.  We are told that God hears our cries and our prayers. (Psalm 34:17, Proverbs 15:29, John 9:31, and 1 John 5:14)  Our problem is that sometimes the answer to our prayers is “No” or “Not now.”  Some of the time we ask for things which are not consistent with the will of God.  Sometimes we bring our suffering upon ourselves.  After she found out that she was pregnant, Hagar was not very nice to Sarai.  This in turn cause Sarai to mistreat her. (Genesis 16:4-6)  His first born son was the result of Abram trying to help God out instead of being patient and waiting on The Lord.  God always keeps His promises.  He operates on a different timeframe than we do, and He is always on time.  We need to learn to wait on The Lord. ( Psalm 27:14, Psalm 37:34, and Proverbs 20:22)  “… Wait, I say, on The Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)

 

CREDITED WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS

PROCLAMATION

“… Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them; and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be.  And he believed in The Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness.”  Genesis 15:5-6 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After Abram had rescued Lot and recovered his possessions, (Genesis 14:13-16) The Word of The Lord came to him in a vision. (Genesis 15:1)  The Lord told Abram, who was old and childless, that he would have a son to be his heir. (Genesis 15:2-4)  Then He told Abram that his seed would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. (Genesis 15:5)  Because Abram believed in The Lord, righteousness was credited to him. (Genesis 15:6)  Abram was a good man but he had sinned and lied to Pharaoh saying that his wife Sarai was his sister. (Genesis 12:10-16)  He was not perfect, but God attributed righteousness to him.  The Lord God told him that He brought him out of Ur to Canaan, the land that he was going to inherit. (Genesis 15:7)  But Abram questioned Him, so God had him to prepare a sacrifice and caused a deep sleep to come upon him.  Then He told him that his seed would be afflicted and enslaved for four hundred years, and after four generations they would return and inherit the land. (Genesis 15:8-21) 

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God is faithful and just, (1 John 1:9) and He knows that we are a sinful people. (Romans 3:23)  He does not expect us to be perfect.  He wants us to humble ourselves and pray and seek Him and turn from our wicked ways. (2 Chronicles 7:14)  If we do that then He will credit us with righteousness as He did Abraham. (Genesis 15:6)  God keeps His promises.  He promised Abram a son even though he was an old man. (Genesis 15:4)  Abram was already seventy-five years old when he left his father’s house (Genesis 12:4) and he was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5)  The Lord also promised Abram that his seed would inherit the land of Canaan, but only after being enslaved for four hundred years.  The Israelites were in Egypt for 430 years (Exodus 12:40-41) before Moses led them out of captivity in Egypt and into the wilderness.  Joshua led them out of the wilderness and across the Jordan river into Canaan. (Joshua 3:1-17)  The Lord God will keep His promises.  It is just up to us to do our part and obey His commands.  If we believe and obey, righteousness will also be credited unto us as it was with Abraham.