Once again, we see each of our aforementioned themes play out. We see God calling Abraham to do something that requires a great deal of faith. In this particular scenario, it involves trusting that God would give him a son from his own wife. We see God blessing Abraham with His covenant, using language such as “I will shield you, and your reward will be great.” We know the story continues beyond Abraham’s life, and that his blessing of a large amount of children did not occur in his lifetime. We also see that Abraham’s faith is not perfect, as he attempts to go about fulfilling the promise in his own way.
In our discussion, we took some time to consider this aspect of God’s people being flawed—more specifically, we discussed the idea of Abraham taking the promise into his own hands. God promised him that he would become the father of a multitude so great, that they would be like the stars in the sky. His first response was to believe God, and therefore have it credited to him as righteousness. This example is given us as one of great faith, and certainly Abraham is upheld by traditions everywhere as one of the premier examples of faith.
However, Abraham displayed a moment of humanity in his understanding of exactly how this promise would be fulfilled. He had already left his homeland to receive God’s promise; we would imagine that he would continue this pattern of believing God when logic would sway otherwise. However, at Sarah’s behest, Abraham chose to go about fulfilling God’s promise in a way that made sense to him. The results are familiar: he enters into a sexual relationship with his wife’s maid, she has a son, his wife becomes jealous, and Hagar and Ishmael are kicked out of the house. Though they eventually came back, Ishmael’s descendents and Abraham’s other descendents were typically at odds (at best) with one another.
Lest we judge Abraham sharply, how many of us have, in moments of uncertainty regarding God’s plans, attempted to go about achieving his promises ourselves, without waiting for Him? Abraham’s issue in this scenario may sound familiar to many of us: control. Abraham thought that, in order for God’s purposes to be achieved in his life, he had to be the one controlling the situation.
For those of us who were present at this discussion, control is certainly an issue in our lives. We see all around us a drive to be in control, to prepare for the unexpected, and to plan for our own futures. In the meantime, we are in complete denial of the fact that, despite what we would choose to believe, we are not actually in control.
God’s promise to Abraham, defying reason, is fulfilled in chapter 21, as Sarah herself gives birth to a son. They name this son Isaac, which means “laughter,” based on their reaction when God insisted that Sarah would bear a child. In that scenario, God’s messengers sum up one major theme in this story: “Is anything too difficult for the Lord?”
So we are left to consider this challenge: Is anything too difficult for the Lord? In the midst of burning ourselves out attempting to find solutions to our dilemmas, we fail to sit still for a moment and hear His voice as He whispers, “Cease striving and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). The first part of that verse could also be translated, “Let go,” “Relax.” Let go of this delusion that we can be in control of our own lives. Relax, and stop worrying about the future; trust that God will deliver what He has promised.
We claim to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. However, if we actually believed that, would we not be more likely to trust that He will bring resolution and fulfillment to our situations? Can we let go, stop striving, and trust that the one who conquered death just might be able to help us? If He already overcame the most impossible situation, what does this mean for us when we feel there is no apparent solution for what we face?
God calls His covenant people to do more than simply believe: trust. He makes such promises as “I am with you always,” and “I have a plan for you,” promises to which we can cling, even—no, especially—when there is no other logical evidence for the promises to be true. If He is able to overcome death, He can certainly overcome anything that stands in our way.
Take some time in this upcoming week to consider what promises God has made in His Word, and ask yourself, “If this promise is true, what does that mean for me?”
8.28.2010
Genesis 12-15: The Faith of the Father
This section continues the themes which we have tracked in recent chapters. In a way, it even introduces a broader story in which these themes are played out in a significant way. That story is Abraham’s story, and his story begins with a journey:
¬¬“Now the Lord said to Abram,
‘Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.’
So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him…”
One theme which we see immediately is Abraham’s acting faithfully in response to God’s prompting. Just for perspective, take time to consider exactly what Abraham was being asked to do: In a time when travel and interconnectedness were not nearly as prevalent as today, Abraham was being asked to leave people he knew. He was being called to forsake everything that was comfortable, everything that was familiar, in order to go somewhere he never had been and he did not know. He was willing to do it because of his trust in the legitimacy of God’s promise.
Hebrews 11:1-16 commemorates a number of the people with whom we have become familiar in our study, including Abel, Enoch, Noah, and especially Abraham. Abraham gets a fairly special treatment in this chapter, and his trek is commemorated here.
One thing that stands out in this chapter is mentioned in verse 13: “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” We are familiar with stories of God’s people who receive a tremendous reward for their faithfulness. However, particularly in this case, the reward does not happen in the person’s lifetime. Abraham took the steps in faith, with increasing awareness that he may never directly see the results of his faithfulness!
Here is where this particular aspect of Abraham’s life speaks to us: the fact that Abraham never saw the results of his faith. We have explored the theme of God’s people being rewarded in some way for their faith. However, Abraham’s reward was never given to him in his years on earth. As Hebrews tells us, “he was looking for the city…whose architect and builder is God” (11:10). He lived so as to achieve a reward that would last beyond his lifetime, an eternal reward.
Abraham was obedient to God, even to the point at which he accepted a promise he would never see in his lifetime! This brings us to a very important point about our own faith: Faith often calls us to remain hopeful despite promises as of yet unfulfilled. It challenges us to trust that God will execute his plan for our lives, especially when it seems that nothing is happening. It motivates us to move on, believing with all our hearts that someday God can bless our efforts…even if we do not even see it in our own years on earth.
¬¬“Now the Lord said to Abram,
‘Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.’
So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him…”
One theme which we see immediately is Abraham’s acting faithfully in response to God’s prompting. Just for perspective, take time to consider exactly what Abraham was being asked to do: In a time when travel and interconnectedness were not nearly as prevalent as today, Abraham was being asked to leave people he knew. He was being called to forsake everything that was comfortable, everything that was familiar, in order to go somewhere he never had been and he did not know. He was willing to do it because of his trust in the legitimacy of God’s promise.
Hebrews 11:1-16 commemorates a number of the people with whom we have become familiar in our study, including Abel, Enoch, Noah, and especially Abraham. Abraham gets a fairly special treatment in this chapter, and his trek is commemorated here.
One thing that stands out in this chapter is mentioned in verse 13: “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” We are familiar with stories of God’s people who receive a tremendous reward for their faithfulness. However, particularly in this case, the reward does not happen in the person’s lifetime. Abraham took the steps in faith, with increasing awareness that he may never directly see the results of his faithfulness!
Here is where this particular aspect of Abraham’s life speaks to us: the fact that Abraham never saw the results of his faith. We have explored the theme of God’s people being rewarded in some way for their faith. However, Abraham’s reward was never given to him in his years on earth. As Hebrews tells us, “he was looking for the city…whose architect and builder is God” (11:10). He lived so as to achieve a reward that would last beyond his lifetime, an eternal reward.
Abraham was obedient to God, even to the point at which he accepted a promise he would never see in his lifetime! This brings us to a very important point about our own faith: Faith often calls us to remain hopeful despite promises as of yet unfulfilled. It challenges us to trust that God will execute his plan for our lives, especially when it seems that nothing is happening. It motivates us to move on, believing with all our hearts that someday God can bless our efforts…even if we do not even see it in our own years on earth.
4.07.2010
Genesis 4-9: The Flood and the Covenant
After Adam and Eve’s debacle in the garden, humanity’s proclivity toward the destructive intensified. We read in the very next chapter of a murder occurring out of jealousy. As the people multiplied, though there were exceptions such as Enoch (5:21-24), the wickedness multiplied simultaneously. It got to the point that “the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth…” (6:5-6).
Though it says that God would consider wiping out the entire population, we can be confident that His ultimate purpose was to introduce a redemptive element. We know this because it was merely one small family’s faithfulness to which God responded by introducing such a redemptive plan. As we saw in chapter 3 (see previous entry), God’s redemptive plan, though culminating in Jesus, was ongoing throughout history.
As we take a look at how Noah’s life played out, a number of themes become evident to us, themes that will continue past this story. These themes teach us about how God desires to interact with His people. They show us how God used people in history to accomplish His purposes. These themes guide our lives, showing us how He can do the same for us.
God is seeking people who will go to great lengths to follow Him.
We cannot minimize the task to which God called Noah. The earth had, to this point, been watered by a mist (see 2:5-6), and God was asking Noah to build a boat, because there would be a flood! Looking back from our place in history, it seems like a good idea; but could you imagine having to go through with such a command when you had never even seen water of that magnitude before? Not only that, but I could just imagine Noah’s response to God’s command to make an ark: “Make a what? Why again?”
But Noah followed through. He followed through, even though the rest of the people did not likely treat his project with mere curiosity. He followed through, even though the ridicule lasted a great deal of time, as a boat close to 500 feet long would have taken years. He followed through, knowing that the God who was asking him to do these strange things is trustworthy.
This is the type of trust that God desires from His people. It is more than just mere belief. It is a trust in God’s words being faithful, and therefore worth following. It is the type of trust that, no matter how little sense God’s commands make to us at times, that they are good.
God enters into a covenant relationship with those who act in faith.
The idea of a covenant is an important one for our faith, and it was well understood in the ancient world. It was the way that societies could maintain stability. The way it worked is that a ruler, called a suzerain, would allow people to live on his land. He would grant those people protection, as well as the use of that land for their needs. In return, he requested loyalty, as well as that his vassals live in such a way as to promote the suzerain’s interests.
This is an understanding of how God interacts with His people, granting them protection and assistance and requiring loyalty and obedience. The interesting thing about the covenant in this chapter, though, is its unconditional nature:
“…and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature…never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh” (9:15).
In this covenant, because of Noah’s faithfulness, God binds Himself to a form of protection that will never be undone, no matter how bad the earth becomes again.
And this is how God’s covenants are. When His people act in faith, demonstrating trust in Him, He is willing to grant an unconditional covenant, unconditional promises, and unconditional blessings. We have already established that He is trustworthy; now we see that His promises are completely reliable. These are promises that offer incredible protection and favor for His people; promises such as “I am with you”; “You can ask anything in My name, and I will grant it”; “I know the plans I have for you.” It has been seen by His people throughout history: if we respond to these promises with belief, we will see them fulfilled.
God’s covenant people see His incredible purposes played out in their lives.
Noah had placed his trust in God, acting it out via following God’s prompt despite opposition and uncertainty. God responded by rewarding him. The reward he received for his trust in God cannot be underestimated.
It would have been one thing for God to reward Noah by sparing his life; it would be even more for Noah’s reward to include the lives of his family. Noah’s reward, however, did not stop there. Noah’s reward included the fact that the entire population of humanity was saved! Because Noah acted faithfully, he is forever remembered as a hero of sorts. Consider the treatment he receives in Hebrews 11:7-“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”
Noah acted in faith, and God was able to allow Noah’s actions to accomplish a purpose much, much bigger than Noah. Watch for this pattern throughout Genesis, and throughout Scripture: When God’s people respond to his leading in an act of faith, He allows them to see results that are much bigger than themselves. This is our God, and this is what He longs to do in our lives. If we are able to consider God trustworthy, as Noah did, He will reward us with an incredible sense of purpose that reaches far beyond ourselves.
Now, some may think, “Well, that’s good for Noah and all…but I’m not a hero like him!” This is where we reach our final theme:
God’s covenant people are flawed
Seriously, some of them are absolutely screwed up! It would have been glorious if Noah’s story had ended with a rainbow, and everyone’s happy. However, the Author of Genesis saw fit to include this next story, which seems completely out of place, except maybe to prove the point of the humanity of God’s people.
To some, it may seem an entertaining sequence of events: Land the ark, check. Offer a sacrifice, check. Listen to God say something about never again having to build this thing, check. Now, for my next order of business, I’m going to plant a vineyard and get drunk!
To those of us who celebrate Noah as a hero, we see a humanity to which we can relate (even if not fully, for the non-drinkers out there). God is not looking for people with extraordinary gifts or talents, or who thrive on high-risk behaviors. God is not even looking for people who have it all together, or who are free of serious defects. God is simply looking for people who will respond to Him in trust. Even seriously flawed people who exhibit such trust can reap the benefits of God’s rich blessings.
We will continue to track the themes in this story throughout Genesis. As we do so, we will celebrate how God takes ordinary people like us and performs incredible acts through their obedience, and little else. We will watch how He blesses them in incredible ways, infinitely returning His favor to them for their small acts of faith. We will celebrate Him as our God today, our God who continues to be “a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
Though it says that God would consider wiping out the entire population, we can be confident that His ultimate purpose was to introduce a redemptive element. We know this because it was merely one small family’s faithfulness to which God responded by introducing such a redemptive plan. As we saw in chapter 3 (see previous entry), God’s redemptive plan, though culminating in Jesus, was ongoing throughout history.
As we take a look at how Noah’s life played out, a number of themes become evident to us, themes that will continue past this story. These themes teach us about how God desires to interact with His people. They show us how God used people in history to accomplish His purposes. These themes guide our lives, showing us how He can do the same for us.
God is seeking people who will go to great lengths to follow Him.
We cannot minimize the task to which God called Noah. The earth had, to this point, been watered by a mist (see 2:5-6), and God was asking Noah to build a boat, because there would be a flood! Looking back from our place in history, it seems like a good idea; but could you imagine having to go through with such a command when you had never even seen water of that magnitude before? Not only that, but I could just imagine Noah’s response to God’s command to make an ark: “Make a what? Why again?”
But Noah followed through. He followed through, even though the rest of the people did not likely treat his project with mere curiosity. He followed through, even though the ridicule lasted a great deal of time, as a boat close to 500 feet long would have taken years. He followed through, knowing that the God who was asking him to do these strange things is trustworthy.
This is the type of trust that God desires from His people. It is more than just mere belief. It is a trust in God’s words being faithful, and therefore worth following. It is the type of trust that, no matter how little sense God’s commands make to us at times, that they are good.
God enters into a covenant relationship with those who act in faith.
The idea of a covenant is an important one for our faith, and it was well understood in the ancient world. It was the way that societies could maintain stability. The way it worked is that a ruler, called a suzerain, would allow people to live on his land. He would grant those people protection, as well as the use of that land for their needs. In return, he requested loyalty, as well as that his vassals live in such a way as to promote the suzerain’s interests.
This is an understanding of how God interacts with His people, granting them protection and assistance and requiring loyalty and obedience. The interesting thing about the covenant in this chapter, though, is its unconditional nature:
“…and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature…never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh” (9:15).
In this covenant, because of Noah’s faithfulness, God binds Himself to a form of protection that will never be undone, no matter how bad the earth becomes again.
And this is how God’s covenants are. When His people act in faith, demonstrating trust in Him, He is willing to grant an unconditional covenant, unconditional promises, and unconditional blessings. We have already established that He is trustworthy; now we see that His promises are completely reliable. These are promises that offer incredible protection and favor for His people; promises such as “I am with you”; “You can ask anything in My name, and I will grant it”; “I know the plans I have for you.” It has been seen by His people throughout history: if we respond to these promises with belief, we will see them fulfilled.
God’s covenant people see His incredible purposes played out in their lives.
Noah had placed his trust in God, acting it out via following God’s prompt despite opposition and uncertainty. God responded by rewarding him. The reward he received for his trust in God cannot be underestimated.
It would have been one thing for God to reward Noah by sparing his life; it would be even more for Noah’s reward to include the lives of his family. Noah’s reward, however, did not stop there. Noah’s reward included the fact that the entire population of humanity was saved! Because Noah acted faithfully, he is forever remembered as a hero of sorts. Consider the treatment he receives in Hebrews 11:7-“By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”
Noah acted in faith, and God was able to allow Noah’s actions to accomplish a purpose much, much bigger than Noah. Watch for this pattern throughout Genesis, and throughout Scripture: When God’s people respond to his leading in an act of faith, He allows them to see results that are much bigger than themselves. This is our God, and this is what He longs to do in our lives. If we are able to consider God trustworthy, as Noah did, He will reward us with an incredible sense of purpose that reaches far beyond ourselves.
Now, some may think, “Well, that’s good for Noah and all…but I’m not a hero like him!” This is where we reach our final theme:
God’s covenant people are flawed
Seriously, some of them are absolutely screwed up! It would have been glorious if Noah’s story had ended with a rainbow, and everyone’s happy. However, the Author of Genesis saw fit to include this next story, which seems completely out of place, except maybe to prove the point of the humanity of God’s people.
To some, it may seem an entertaining sequence of events: Land the ark, check. Offer a sacrifice, check. Listen to God say something about never again having to build this thing, check. Now, for my next order of business, I’m going to plant a vineyard and get drunk!
To those of us who celebrate Noah as a hero, we see a humanity to which we can relate (even if not fully, for the non-drinkers out there). God is not looking for people with extraordinary gifts or talents, or who thrive on high-risk behaviors. God is not even looking for people who have it all together, or who are free of serious defects. God is simply looking for people who will respond to Him in trust. Even seriously flawed people who exhibit such trust can reap the benefits of God’s rich blessings.
We will continue to track the themes in this story throughout Genesis. As we do so, we will celebrate how God takes ordinary people like us and performs incredible acts through their obedience, and little else. We will watch how He blesses them in incredible ways, infinitely returning His favor to them for their small acts of faith. We will celebrate Him as our God today, our God who continues to be “a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
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