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We are taking a break for the summer until futher notice.

Week 1, Day 6

Read Genesis 21:1-21

1. After a second near disaster for Sarah, what did God do for her?
2. Sarah and Abraham named their son Isaac. What did Sarah acknowledge about Isaac in verse 6?
3. What adversity came with the blessing of Isaac for Sarah? (vv.8-10)
4. What did God confirm to Abraham regarding Sarah, Isaac, Hagar, and Ishmael? (vv.11-13)
5. Read Genesis 22:1-19. What do you suppose happened to Sarah during this time of testing for Abraham and Isaac?
6. How old was Sarah when she died? (Gen. 23:1)
7. Where was she buried? (Gen. 23:19)

TIMELINE FOR ABRAHAM AND SARAH
1. Abraham - 75 yrs; Sarah - 65 yrs; Events - Left Haran, first promise given
2. Abraham - 76 yrs; Sarah - 66 yrs; Event - Left Egypt for Canaan
3. Abraham - 86 yrs; Sarah - 76 yrs; Events - 10 years in Canaan Hagar pregnant with Ishmael
4. Abraham - 99 yrs; Sarah - 89 yrs; Events - 2 angels & LORD appeared to Abraham Promise repeated, Ishmael 13 yrs, first circumcision
5. Abraham - 100 yrs; Sarah - 90 yrs; Event - Isaac born
6. Abraham - 103 yrs; Sarah - 93 yrs; Event- Isaac weaned
7. Abraham - 175 yrs; Sarah - 127 yrs; Event - Died

LESSONS AND APPLICATIONS
1. God is able to do the impossible. What, like Sarah, are you looking forward to by faith? (Matt. 17:20, 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37, 18:27)
2. God gives us opportunities to grow in faith. What test of faith might God be allowing in your life today? (1 Pet. 1:6-9, 4:12-13)
3. God remembered Sarah. What are you waiting for in your life right now, praying and trusting that God will "remember" you?

5 comments:

DA Wagners said...

What I thought was interesting about Ishmael was that God said that "his hand would be against everyone and everyone's hand will be against him, and he will live in hostilitiy toward his brother"; however, later the Bible states that "God was with the boy as he grew up." So even though God knew that Ishmael would be like a "wild donkey," (to the extent that Ishmael's family hate God's chosen people, the Jews) God was still with him. And that is so true. I would love my sons even if they were hated by the entire world. I would love them both even if they hated each other (though it would hurt me). That is a mother's unconditional love.

Christina Ketchum said...

My current Test:

We moved to McAllen a couple months ago. I would rather be in Corpus Christi with my family and church but God said "trust me". We recently were told another job (one that my hubby really wants) is opening in Corpus soon. Normally I would worry and fret and ask my husband every day if he has heard anything about the job but now I am trying to wait on God's plan and timing. This is really important to me because I want to really BE with my 3-month old son instead of having my mind full of worry and stress. I don't want to look back at my life and see that I wasted it all by worrying on stuff that God already had prepared.

DA Wagners said...

I am impressed Crissy. I know God will have His way no matter how much you worry (although I REALLY want you back in Corpus). It's cool that having a child has made you better at recognizing your worry because you want to be a better mom to Noah!

Sohl Gal said...

My husband and I are trying to make a decision that will affect our future. While I want to push the envelope, I know that this God's way of letting me know He's in charge. He'll provide for, and protect us, regardless of what the result is. Enjoying what He's already given us is important; preparing for what He'll give us is important. Worrying about where He'll lead us isn't.

Barbara said...

Just mindblowing! Abrahams obedience at that point is just unbelievable. There is no way I would sacrifice my child. What must have gone through Abrahams mind? How heartbroken must he have been?

In "A woman's heart - God's dwelling place" Beth Moore illustrates this situation just perfect.
'The wording of the King James Version is revealing:"God will provide himself a lamb" (Gen. 22:8, emphasis added). And indeed he did:"God so loved the world" that he offered in sacrifice His one and only son, whom he loves (see John 3:16)!
God was faithful to Abraham as he passed this humanly incomparable test:"Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide" (Gen. 22:13-14, NIV).
Notice that Abraham "looked up" into the thicket. Ordinarily, the bushes in the region of Mount Moriah were comparatively small, not the height to which a man would have to look up. Could it be that the reason Abraham looked up into a small bush was because He had fallen on his face before God? Furthermore, a thicket in the Middle Eastern terrain was ordinarily a thornbush. Remember, according to Genesis 3: 17-18, thorns were evidence of sin's curse on the earth.
How was the sacrifice secured in the thicket? - By its horns.
Luke 1:68-78 (NIV) says:
"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us - to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, ad to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days."
Blessed be the horn of our salvation! Jesus Christ was the Ram whose head was wrapped in thorns to secure God's blessing for all who would receive it. The very heart of the gospel is realizing that God did not simply provide a sacrifice for us but instead of us. That is the good news. There is only one way to receive it after we have unterstood it - with profound humility and gratitude.'

Well said Beth!