So...Sarai decides to help the Lord with his promise to Abram about many descendents....she gives him her handmaiden, Hagar. In that culture, if you couldn't have children, you could give a slave and the kids would be yours. Hagar gets cocky when she becomes pregnant and Sarai gets hostile and throws Hagar out. An angel of the Lord sends Hagar back to obedience and tells her the future of her child. He also will be father of great nations (Ishmael is thought to be the father of Muslims....interesting little conflict...). Hagar actually names God, You Are the God Who Sees.
Then there is the covenant of circumcision. This is obedience and an outward sign that one followed the Lord. It is thought to represent the "cutting off" of the worldly nature. God wanted his people separate from the world. Abrams name is changed to Abraham, father of many nations...and Sarai's name is Sarah which means Princess. God tells Abraham that Ishmael is not the one to carry out the covenant, but that he shall have a son named Issac (which means "laughter").
Three visitors appear to Abraham. In that culture you were defined by hospitatlity....there were no hotels in that day. Abraham knew that these visitors were holy and in fact, one was God. The Lord tells Abraham that he and Sarah will have a child within the year and Sarah laughs in disbelief (where have you seen "laugh" before?)...the Lord asked her why she laughed and she was embarrassed and lied and said she didn't. Key question the Lord asks: is anything too hard for the Lord????? The Lord wanted to make sure people knew Issac came by the Lord; Abraham and Sarah were physically too old (can you say menapause) to reproduce....only the Lord could do this.
The three men were going to Sodom and Gomorroah because they had heard such an outcry....the Lord was going to see if it was true.....now wait a minute, don't you think the Omnipotent God knew what was going on? What do you think that he was teaching Abraham? Let me know your thoughts.........
Look what comes up from the depths of the sea.
After you read, feel free to make a comment or ask a question in the comment box. You can sign up as a follower on the right, or you can sign up by e-mail at the bottom if you would like to follow the whole year. You may also chose to simply read along and make no comments. Whatever you choose. If you fall behind, as most people will do, don't worry...the whole year is here and you can catch up at your own speed. I highly encourage you to stick with it, If you read the Bible, you are going to mine some real jewels and insights.
You will be glad to know I bought "The Complete Idiots Guide to The Bible".
ReplyDeletei think Sarai saw by allowing Hagar to conceive the child that when we acquire things outside of God's will, it can turn out bad. She was looking at the promises God made to Abram concerning descendents, but came up with descendents out of God's plan. So problems came up.
God waited 25 years to make him a great nation, which shows that He will fulfill his promises on those that wait for him.
Also, the issue of circumcision, even though this was a painful and uncomfortable command, Abraham obeyed because he believed in God.
Sarah, who laughed and thought she was too old, and did not believe she could have child at her age, saw the impossible become reality.....
I am so glad I started reading the blog. I was trying to read by myself and truly felt like an idiot! I think I am going to buy the Complete idiots guide too. Carol, you have such a great insight into the passages. I look forward to your entries.
ReplyDeleteWelcome Lindsay!! So glad you are reading with us....it is kind of intimidating to go through this alone, so I look forward to any input and questions you might have....if I don't have the answer, I will find it...
ReplyDeleteI have the complete idiots guide if you want to borrow....seriously......but CArol does an AWESOME job on here.....couldn't have done it without her!!
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