Date: 1940Place: UnrecordedScripture Reading: Gal. 4:29; 5:1; James 2:20-24; Gen. 21:8-10; 22:1-2, 5, 16-18
Abraham did not look at himself. He was bold to pray for the women in Abimelech's house to have children. If he had looked at his own barren wife, he would not have had the courage to pray for the other women to bear children. He knew that everything depended on God and that nothing can change God's power. There is a difference between God as a father and God as the Father. God being our Father means that there is a life relationship between God and us. God being God the Father means that He is the Father in the Trinity. Everything is of Him; He is the Father of everything.
It was God's will for Sarah to cast out Ishmael; it was not a matter of Sarah's jealousy. Ishmael typifies Adam, while Isaac typifies Christ. When Isaac was weaned, Abraham cast out Ishmael. At that time Isaac was about fourteen to fifteen months old. What is the meaning of casting out? In the New Testament there is a casting out in Galatians 5:1, in which we see that the Christian life is not a matter of doing or not doing something. Whenever we try to do anything to please God, the law comes. Whenever we give up trying to do anything, grace comes. Spiritual things are absolutely different from earthly things. In the world an idle person is useless. But in spiritual matters, an idle person may be very useful, because we live by what we are rather than what we do.
God chose Abraham with three goals in mind: (1) to possess the earth, (2) to gain the seed, and (3) to bless the nations through him. Abraham was tested three times in the matter of possessing the earth. He was also tested three times in the matter of securing a son. First, he begot Ishmael with fleshly means and was dealt with by God to know that He is the Father. Second, he prayed for the women in the house of Abimelech and asked God to make them fruitful. Third, he offered up Isaac.
