The Bible is full of humans, not heroes, save One – the God Man who we call Jesus Christ. Abraham and Sarah’s life exemplifies our human frailty. All the while, we see the immense love of our Savior working his plan throughout human history.
At the same time, we see how Satan works his ‘seed’ to thwart God’s promises, law, and people. The life of Abraham highlights the controversy between good and evil, just as Noah, Cain, and Adam had previously. This controversy will rage until the return of Christ.
Abraham believed in the great God over heaven and earth, and had times of faithfulness demonstrated by his trust and obedience in all that is God. Then, we there are times of unfaithfulness where he follows his own way by the ‘works of his own hand’. His life is a testimony not only to justification by faith for God accounted it to him as righteousness, but also a life of sanctification. This is our lot as well, we are justified when we believe in Christ; meaning our past sins are forgiven. While sanctification, the process of the Holy Spirit helping us deal with our sin issues, guides us from faithlessness to faithfulness. As when shed the old, it is replaced with the new. This will ultimately lead us to glorification, which we inherit when Christ returns.
Abraham’s ultimate shaking of unfaithfulness was following God’s command to sacrifice his only begotten son. Abraham’s faith was unshakable in that he believed God would do right (Genesis 18:25). Abraham told Isaac that God himself would provide the lamb (Genesis 22:8). Paul tells us that Abraham believed that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:19). As for Abraham, either way this would play out he TRUSTED COMPLETELY in God. As we know, God halted Abraham from sacrificing Isaac and provided a sacrifice (ram).
The story of Abraham and Isaac takes on a larger significance when you place it in the context of prophetic reenactment. Throughout the Bible, God asked prophets to reenact in miniature things that he would do on a larger scale…this was a testimony to the prophetic fulfillment in Jesus Christ. How profound of an experience, God gave Abraham a visual of the reality to come. Through these experiences Abraham’s faithfulness solidified and at death God brought him through sanctification and preparing him for the glorification to come. Though we live after the cross, God works with us to bring about the same results…glory be to the great God of heaven and earth!
Issac is Born – Verses 1-7
It had been 25 years since Abraham and Sarah entered the Promised Land and began waiting for the promised son. Both knew that through this son would come a multitude of people and a great nation. And in chapter 21, we read of God fulfilling His promise. The first verse is interesting: “the LORD visited Sarah as He had said” and “did unto Sarah as He had spoken.” Clearly, the meaning here is that God keeps His word. When God promises something, it will come to pass. We can trust Him COMPLETELY!
The faithfulness of Abraham Demonstrated
Verse 4 reminds us that Abraham obeyed God. He was diligent in circumcising Isaac on the eighth day (Gen 17:12-13) as God commanded, which is the sign of the covenant. This sign was a reminder of the results of works (Abraham and Sarah devised their own plan through Hagar) and pointed them to the One that can do ALL things (justify, sanctify, glorify). This would communicate to them and all generations after, until the flesh is cut away it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6)…why? Because we would be living by our own works.
Abraham was justified by Christ when he believed, then he was determined to follow His call. His belief was counted (credited) to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Throughout Abraham’s life we see His sanctifying power.
Christ’s righteousness encompasses his justifying and sanctifying power and is at the core of the three angel’s messages in Revelation 14. It is through Christ’s justification that we can be righteous in the Father’s eyes (2 Cor. 5:21 -this verse encapsulates salvation). It is through Christ’s sanctification that we can keep the commandments of God (Rev. 12 :17, 19:10, 14:12 – part of what we consider the three angel’s messages). The verses just sited in the previous sentence, indicate that God’s people at the end of time (that is where we are right now) will be keeping the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. It was predicted by Jesus Christ himself to John. Christ’s righteousness through justification and sanctification is beautifully outlined in scripture. Abraham’s life, faithful and unfaithful, is recorded to serve as a testimony of the power of Jesus Christ when one yields their will to His.
“We have no righteousness of our own with which to meet the claims of the law of God. But Christ has made a way of escape for us. He lived on earth amid trials and temptations such as we have to meet. He lived a sinless life. He died for us, and now He offers to take our sins and give us His righteousness”. …“More than this, Christ changes the heart. He abides in your heart by faith. You are to maintain this connection with Christ by faith and the continual surrender of your will to Him; and so long as you do this, He will work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure.” … “Then with Christ working in you, you will manifest the same spirit and do the same good works – works of righteousness, obedience. So we have nothing in ourselves of which to boast.” … “Our only ground of hope is in the righteousness of Christ imputed to us (JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH), and in that wrought by His Spirit working in and through us (SANCTIFICATION).” Steps to Christ, pgs. 62-63 (EMPHASIS ADDED).
Let’s accept the all-encompassing righteousness of Christ according to his word!
Circumcision of the Heart, Spiritual
Deuteronomy 10:16 tells us by circumcising the heart we are no longer stiff-necked (stubborn, hardened). This is not an external change but internal…a spiritual (Deut. 30:6). Circumcision was a sign of an outward symbol of an inward reality. We are to lack the trust of the flesh/self, but to desire and to trust God in everything with the whole heart. You see, as long as the flesh (our own opinions, ideas, righteousness, devising, etc.) was getting in the way we cannot love the Lord God with all our heart. Simply put, circumcision was given to give an internal reality. Abraham understood it this way, but not all his descendants did. Over time, this was looked at as a ‘ticket’ – if you will – as a guarantee into heaven, and external right. So, the right of circumcision became the religion.
Fast Forward – Circumcision in the New Testament Church
We have studied the account of Abraham’s experience with circumcision. This topic of circumcision was an issue in the apostle’s day as well.
Acts 15. After more than two years, Paul and Barnabas returned to Syrian Antioch. They gave a report about the missionary work. The report’s emphasis, however, was not on what they had accomplished but on what God Himself had done through them. There was much success among the Gentiles, though many Jews had also come to faith.
Since the episode of Cornelius, however, the conversion of uncircumcised Gentiles had become an issue (Acts 11:1–18), but now that large numbers of them were being admitted to church membership, things became particularly complicated. Many believers in Jerusalem were not happy. For them, Gentiles would need first to be circumcised, that is, to become Jewish proselytes in order to become part of God’s people and have fellowship with them. They would also have to keep the law of Moses. Many believed this is how one was saved…circumcision of the flesh rather than circumcision of the heart.
These issues reached a critical level and the church worked together to find a solution. The Jerusalem Council was a turning point in the history of the apostolic church in relation to its worldwide mission.
As state above, one of the great issues in this conflict was circumcision. This was not a human institution (contrast with Matt. 15:2, 9). Rather, it had been commanded by God Himself as a sign of His covenant with Abraham’s descendants as His chosen people (Gen. 17:9-14).