Genesis 16-21

Just my notes....

"But faith doesn't always see things clearly, it just sees God." -Jack Abeelen

Isaac & Ishmael

Ishmael--about 16 when Isaac born
Ishmael represents the flesh.
The flesh always hates what the spirit is doing.
Ishmael had been raised in a godly home, but it meant nothing to Ishmael.
Hagar got his wife from Egypt.
Viewed independence as far more impt. than the faith of his father.
Ishmael sent into the wilderness
Code of Hammurabi---slave given this when emancipated by care.

Make Me Cry, Make Me Laugh
90 years old, "father of many nations"
Sarai to Sarah


Garer--Philistines--growing group

integrity---first time used, comes from an unbelieving Philistine

"There's no safeguard. But the word integrity here found in the heart of this wicked man, not salvation.  There now, but just God's keeping of those who would do that which is right, is an interesting concept.  But He says to him there in verse 5, "I've withheld you from sinning against Me.  I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart.  You didn't know.  People say, "Well, what if you didn't know?" "Well, look, if you didn't know, look at what the Lord says. "I'll keep you." -Jack Abeelen

He knows far more than you do.  God knows better. Even at 100, Abraham forgot that he had to pass it through "God knows." But what we lack more often than not isn't information---we have plenty of information, this is information overload....you can't remember it all...but we lack prayer.

It's all about "I thought." Very little about what God says. There are two forms o

Assumption is the lowest form of communication; you should avoid it.
Most sin is a vulnerability that we don't deal with over time.

Half truth---same father, different mothers.  He has a pattern.  Abraham has fouled his reputation with Abimelech.  Makes his wife vulnerable.  Man of God through his own behavior where he will never be able to preach to this man, reach him.  But he could still pray for him.  God began to heal those who he affected.
You can always pray.  It's a bad episode, but it comes with a good ending.

"But God..." It's a great phrase, right?

Abraham...25 years passes,
Delay develops faith.  That's the part we dislike the most. The lag between promise and delivery.
"Whoever believes shall not make haste" stone, sure foundation....Isaiah 28
I love the fact that God will come through.
Waiting is preferable to sinking...God help us be able to wait.
We need to learn to wait without frustration and fuming.
Itsah--laughter--Yitz'chak.
The result is a heart filled with laughter.
I don't think we laugh enough.

Abimelech--according
Let the Lord be the Lord in their lives.
Lord, they are yours.
It's the boy that's praying as Hagar cries.
What Abraham knew in faith, she didn't know.
He became an archer and grows.
He dwelt in the land of Paran.
Hagar took a wife for him from Egypt.
Genesis 21-22

Genesis 22--Summit of Faith, Abraham 125 years old,
Hillary--Everest, lots of planning and $
Abraham had been climbing the mountains of faith

It came to pass after these things (25 years)...God said "Here I am..."
Marriage--tear up picture in your head or tear up the person...one or the other
It's the same when you come to the Lord....
Church too?
You have certain expectations--you have to lay down your will for His or lay down Him for the cares of the world.
Satan tempts you to destroy you
God tests you--not tempt you.  He seeks to put us under pressure so that our faith may be genuine.
Is it the Lord? The Enemy? Both?
It doesn't really matter because your response to the pressure should be the same.  Ex. Joseph:  "You meant it for evil, God meant it for good."
God tests to prove, strengthen, mature
NASA tests materials with the hope that they will hold up.

Human sacrifice for human sin
This chapter tells you what the cross meant to the father.
The life of an individual with an old son who waited for 24 years.
Moriah--"God sees," or "God foresees"  God knew it would end up here
Revelation 13:8  From the foundations of the world
first time love used...and used for an only father for his son

polysyndedon--v. 3 to 13  and...and...and
continual action...he immediately moved on it (similar to Genesis 1?)
connecting many words of thought and action
We will go worship and we will come back (bow down--word of surrender)  first time you see the word worship used.

took the wood of the burnt offering and lay it on his son
"God will provide for Himself the lamb."
Jesus carries his cross, Isaac carries his wood.
When Jesus prayed for the cup to pass, God sent more angels.

James references this chapter--Abraham and faith.
Place: "The Lord will provide"  Jehovah Jireh
There is little difference for God between vision and provision
series of caves, makes place look like a skull,
Damascus gate, Herod's gate---see hill above Jerusalem.  Solomon built temple

50 years with Abraham & Sarah