Back in Chapter 11 we were introduced to Abraham and His family. Abram was one of three brothers. The other two were Nahor and Haran. The growth and direction of this family is what the entire Old testament records. First we discovered that Haran had a son named Lot. Lot came along with Abram on his journey and of course we all know about the compromises that came along in his life.
First Lot moved too close to Sodom, and after it’s destruction Lot’s line became the Ammonites and the Moabites, two peoples with whom Israel would have trouble in the future - because theirs was a life laden with Sin.
Second we have the story of Abram. Abram and Sarai couldn’t have children of course so Sarai gave Abram her maid Hagar and Ishmael was born through her. Finally after 25 years waiting for God’s promise for Abraham to have a son come true Isaac was born. Now if in that happy and momentous occasion we needed an indication that life wouldn’t be a happily ever after event we need look no further than the animosity of the child of the slave woman to the child of the free. It’s the hatred and dislike between the two that Paul used as an example of the worlds hatred and persecution of Christians.
So Abraham sends Ishmael and Hagar away, and all he has is Isaac. Eventually God calls upon Abraham to put his only son on the altar, Abraham obeys - trusting that after the sacrifice was made, God would raise him back again. Abraham’s faith is rewarded quite differently than he anticipated and God provided the offering with a Ram that was caught in the thicket.
You can imagine by now that Abraham is walking on cloud nine right? I would assume that after a test and a victory of that sort that Abraham felt indefeatable!
My friends never is a place so dangerous as when you think that you have arrived and can’t be defeated. That’s when trouble to your own soul comes in.
In first Corinthians 10:12-13 we have this wonderful warning given to us to keep us from failing. First Paul says: " 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!" This is serious stuff. Whenever we get cocky about our walk with Christ we’re in a place to be knocked down. Why is that do you suppose? I think in part it’s God’s plan to keep us humble. If we start getting puffed up, We start appropriating glory for ourselves, when actually God is the one worthy of Glory and not us.
But God’s plan is only to test us not to destroy us - that’s Satan’s scheme. That’s why the next verse in first Corinthians is a promise of God’s faithfulness and a reminder of his plan for our victory "13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." That’s an awesome God!
Abraham has just had a Spiritual victory after what I can imagine was his toughest test ever. So what do you suppose happens immediately upon his arrival home? God does something to bolster Abraham’s faith even further. But we have no indication that Abraham knew it. Or even of how Abraham responded - but what we do discover in the very next passage is very important.
What we might perceive as a problem or a difficulty might well be God’s gracious preparation and provision for our future course.
Take a look at a passage that might look a bit disjointed but which reveals God’s gracious hand at work. Turn to Genesis 22:20-24.
< Read it >.
So we have a grocery list of children here - so what! Right? Not quite.
Remember the family history we started with. Haran had a son, Abraham had two children one without faith, and one a child of faith. And Abraham gets home sits down for a warm meal of goat stew and Sarah begins asking about the trip. He carefully reveals to her all or part of the events of the week. Personally I’d have had quite a time trying to explain to my wife that I had just attempted to sacrifice my son but then maybe she already knew. There’s no way to tell.
Throughout the course of conversation - Sarah remarks to Abraham that they had just had a visitor from their old home town, they’d brought news of Abes brother Nahor. Unlike themselves, Nahor had a bustling family; eight sons from one wife and 3 from another. I Just wonder if that was a bit of a shock or disappointment to Abraham.
God had promised HIM that he would have more descendants than you could count. God had promised HIM that he would have to count the stars before you counted his children. God had promised HIM all these things. But they had struggled for nearly 3 decades to have a child who was now a teenager, and he was only one; while his brother was richly blessed.
It just doesn’t seem fair in our way of thinking. Our small minds look at one child compared to 11 and it’s not too hard for us to think we know who it is that God has blessed and who he hasn’t.
We’re never told Abraham’s reaction to this news, apparently because it’s not the focus of the story. The focus is on God and his sovereign hand working life out to His divinely ordained and might I add, perfect plan. But God has a greater good planned than even Abraham could see.
And at first glance as we’re wading through the scriptures it’s a plan that doesn’t jump out and grip us either.
So let’s take a quick look at who all these kids of Nahor’s are. Not all the names are important and some might be more important than others. The first is Uz. (I just like the way that rolls off the tongue "IS UZ".) The second two are Buz and Kemuel who happened to be the father of Aram from whom came the Arameans AKA the Syrians who play an important although not often wonderful role in the Bible. They were however used by God to correct and rebuke his people.
Further down the line we have this wonderful list of names that continues. But note if you will the last name in verse 22. A man named Bethuel. He is actually quite important. His importance becomes even more evident in the 24th chapter. But let me ruin the surprise for you.
Here in the mixture of names that might have brought a bit of joy and yet sorrow to his heart is the name of his Son’s soon to be father-in-law and his wife. Do you see the 23rd verse there? "Bethuel became the father of Rebekah..."
As we’ll discover in chapter 24 when we arrive there - it was vitally important that Isaac have a wife who would not lead him spiritually astray. It was vitally important that Isaac have a wife who would submit herself to God’s will.
By the way ladies can I just interrupt and for a second confirm for you how very vital your role is in the lives of your husband. He may not tell you, but I will. As much as it is the husbands Job to be the spiritual head of the home, and to direct and protect you in the faith; your own faith has a powerful impact on your husbands.
My wife has been for me a remarkable encouragement. Let me give you an example. This spring when I headed off for the Moody Pastor’s conference I was feeling a bit low. None of you probably knew that. But now that It’s past I can tell you I guess. When I finally got to my room and started to unpack for the week, I opened my suitcase and found a note that said, "I’m praying for you this week sweetheart." That meant a lot to me. I took that note and laid it on the desk there in the room. Finally I pulled out my Bible and there on the top was another note reminding me that she understood how important this conference was to me and that again she would be praying for me.
I can’t tell you how much that meant to me. Ladies I want to encourage you- to encourage your husband in his faith. Proverbs 31 shows how needful this is when it says,
" 10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. 11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life." - Pro 31:10-12
It was vital that Isaac have a godly wife, and God was working to make certain that what was most needed was provided (Even when Abraham couldn’t see it).
What we might see as a problem or even what we might see as unimportant might be something God is doing to prepare for our future.
You see, Nahor had 11 kids, but Abraham had God’s promise. Just as we have his promises. "He will never leave us or forsake us."
"If we seek his kingdom everything we need will be provided."
"He knows our name and he is preparing for us a place to be with him."
God’s promises will never go unanswered.
So what do we learn from all of Abraham’s trouble and from this list of names?
Just as after every victory over a struggle is followed with more testing, God is working behind the scenes to prepare something even greater for us than we can imagine. It might be a stronger ministry. It might be a new direction. It might be the pre-planned provision of grace from God’s hand to our greatest need of the moment.
But in it all, God is there. And HE is faithful. We can trust Him, even when we can’t see what on earth He might be doing.
