A New Encounter With God Series

Genesis 17

- Read Genesis 16:15 - 17:1

Abram was 86 years old when he and Sarai decided they would help God. He was 86 years old when he last heard from God.

We read in chapter 17 and verse 1 that Abram was 99 years old when God next spoke to him again. 13 years without hearing from God. 13 years of marital strife as Sari gave Abram grief about a child he had with Hagar.

Can you imagine? 13 years of unhappiness, nastiness in the home, grief with a nagging wife. 13 years of hormones and of being torn between a son you have dreams for and a wife who hates him. 13 years of grief, and unrest, all because Abram tried to help God instead of waiting for Him to work.

Thirteen years elapsed between the account of Chapter 16 and that of Chapter 17, and we can well suspect these were years of unhappiness and unrest in the household of Abram. The presence of Ishmael in the home created endless contempt, bitterness, envy, jealousy, weariness of spirit, and rebellion. These thirteen years were designed by God to teach Abram the folly of acting on his own.

I imagine Abram was like a good many husbands, or wives for that matter, that I have seen over the years, who worked as much overtime, and took as many additional jobs as they could because they hated going home at the end of the day.

I imagine Abram knew every sheep, every goat, and every cow in his herds, by name because he hated going home at the end of the day.

Perhaps you have had some similar experience, when God has allowed you to have your own way, and the results have been most distressing. You were permitted to go your own headstrong way in order that you might learn the folly of acting apart from God. One of the most frightening things about life with God is this fact: That, if you insist upon having your own way, he will often let you have it, till you are sorry you asked for it.

Do you remember when the people of Israel cried out that they wanted a king because they wanted to be like all the other nations around them? Got gave them what they wanted, but it cost them dearly.

If you insist on having your way, God will sometimes let you have it, but it comes at a cost.

We remember the sad report of Psalm 106 verse 15 where we are told;

> Psalm 106:15 He gave them what they asked for,?but sent a wasting disease among them.

How much better to wait for the Lord and to wait for His timing.

> Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.

After 13 years of letting him have and enjoy the fruits of his hurried disobedience, God comes and speaks to Abraham again.

Aren’t you glad the Lord doesn’t stay angry with us forever? Aren’t you glad that we serve a God of second chances? Aren’t you glad the Lord doesn’t come around saying “I told you so?”

> Psalm 103:8-9 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,?slow to anger and abounding in faithful love. He will not always accuse us or be angry forever.

In case you were wondering, this is a good place for an Amen.

After 13 years the Lord comes again and speaks to Abram, and He does so in a way He has never done before.

I. GOD APPEARED IN A NEW WAY WITH A NEW NAME

- Read Genesis 17:1

The past 13 years were not wasted on Abram. They may have been painful, but they were not wasted. God used that time to teach Abram the folly of doing things his own way, instead of following and trusting the Lord.

Now after 13 years, the Lord comes to Abram in way way He has never done before. Verse 1 says, “The Lord appeared to Abram.” The Lord appeared to Abram. 24 years earlier, the word of the Lord came to Abram telling him to leave Ur. IN chapter 15 we read that the Lord came to Abram in a vision, but now the Lord appears to Abram; and when He appears, He does so with a new name.

Abram, I am God Almighty! I am El Shaddai. Abram, you doubted Me before, you thought you and Sarai were too old to have children, so you thought you would help Me out. But, I want you to know that I am El Shaddai. I am God Almighty. There is nothing too difficult for Me. There is nothing I can’t handle. No trial or difficulty that can come into your life that I haven’t seen and that I cannot handle.