BY FAITH
Friday – April 27, 2018, Iyar 12, 5778
I am so thankful for the faithful friends and partners of this ministry. I encourage you all if you are seeing this on Facebook to share with your friends and if on WordPress to also share with your friends and family. Those that follow this on Facebook can go to https://awakeariseandtriumphministries.org and enter your email address and this will be in your inbox every morning. The featured picture today was done some years ago now by our oldest son, David Jr. and is a wonderful depiction of Abraham, Isaac, the angel of the Lord, and the sacrifice in the land of Moriah. Now let’s go to our primary text from the wonderful Book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 11:17-19 (KJV)
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
I have done a considerable amount of teaching on the faith of Abraham. This is so critical for all peoples and it is rarely if ever taught. Not that we are to make Abraham our God, he certainly is not but understanding the life of Abraham is critical to understanding the coming of The Word (Jesus). In our primary text the reference to the offering up of Isaac is of great importance. When people are in covenant the strength of the covenant is unknown until it is tested on some way. Abraham knew with unwavering faith that the Seed was to come of Isaac therefore God would raise Isaac from the dead. Would we have reacted the same as Abraham and Isaac? This whole process which ends with the Resurrection of Christ Jesus started with God calling Abram out of the land of his fathers to a promised land.
Genesis 12:1 (KJV)
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Sounds like a marriage don’t you think?
Genesis 2:24 (KJV)
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
When two people enter into marriage their primary focus is each other, not their parents, and not even their children. Of course, in a Christian marriage God is always first place for each one. Just as the primary relationship with God is one of love so it is in the marriage relationship. Remember love has to do with obedience, selflessness, and honoring the Blood Covenant. After some period of time Abraham and Sarah do end up in the land of promise but contrary to God’s command they are dragging Lot with them. Over time God is able to initiate The Blood Covenant, which is the blood covenant to trump all blood covenants. This Blood Covenant is commonly referred to as the New Testament. The thing that is misunderstood about the “New Testament” is that it is ratified with the precious Blood of Jesus and not innocent animal blood. That which is ratified by the Blood of Jesus is not from Matthew 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 but from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21.
For a moment I want us to focus on the phrase; “and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son” Abraham is the one at this point who received the promises of God, however later so would Isaac. What about Ishmael?
Genesis 16:1-4 (KJV)
1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
Genesis 16:11 (KJV)
11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
Genesis 16:16 (KJV)
16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
Abram is 86 years of age when Ishmael is born, which is long before Isaac who does not come along for another 14 years. However, prior to the testing of the Covenant the bondwoman and Ishmael are cast out, Ishmael is not the child of promise, is not a party to the Covenant (notice vs 12 below), and not an heir of Abraham.
Genesis 21:10-12 (KJV)
10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
When we study the phrase “only begotten” it also can mean the only one remaining or even the only one now. Isaac is the only remaining son of Abraham, he is the only son to come of the promise of God, and that promise was to Abraham and Sarah, not to Hagar. Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
2 Peter 1:2-4 (KJV)
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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