Transcendence

Seven: A Promise Fulfilled

After the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah Abraham moved to the region of the Negev, between Kadesh and Shur.

There was another instance though while he was in Gerar, for safety reasons, that Abraham found the need to again claim Sarah as his sister. He did it to keep them from killing him and then taking her for themselves. Abimelech, the king, saw that she was very beautiful. He believed she was Abraham's sister and took her as his own. He also provided protection for her 'brother', hence Abraham's lie worked just as he hoped it would. That was until God appeared to Abimelech in a dream and told him he was as good as dead for taking in a married woman. Abimelech pleaded to God saying not only had he not touched her, but he had no idea she was married. He explained that Abraham told him a lie. He claimed that he took her in with a clear conscience and clean hands. God answered him by explaining that not only did He protect Sarah by preventing the king from touching her but He also knew Abimelech was innocent. Still, Sarah was in fact a married woman, thus God demanded Abimelech return her to Abraham. God also made the king aware that only through Abraham's prayer would he would be allowed to live.

The next morning Abimelech called Abraham to come to him. When Abraham arrived the king was furious and asked why he had done such a thing, why had he lied and brought guilt upon his kingdom? Abraham admitted that he was afraid they would kill him for Sarah because not only was she very desirable, but he didn't believe Gerar was a nation that feared the Lord. He also admitted she was indeed his half sister, the daughter of his father, but not of his mother, so in reality it was only a half-lie. Abimelech didn't care about the excuses and was still very angry, but he couldn't act on his anger because he was afraid of what God would do. He knew God was on Abraham's side, protecting him and blessing him in everything he did. He knew Abraham was a prophet loved by God. He also knew he would only be allowed to live if Abraham prayed for it to be. Therefore, instead of killing him as he wished, he instead collected many gifts together to present Abraham in hopes of protecting himself and his people. He knew he needed to make amends, so he brought sheep, cattle and both female and male slaves and gave them to Abraham. Along with the many gifts he also returned to him Sarah, his wife. He offered Abraham the choice land saying, "My land is before you, live where you like." He then gave Abraham a thousand shekels of silver to cover the offense and his time with Sarah even though he didn't touch her.

The king was in desperate need for the situation to be completely vindicated, terrified of the punishment God was able to inflict if it was not. Because of this, he asked for an oath that Abraham would not deal falsely with him or his descendants ever again. He asked Abraham to show him kindness as he had been shown. Abraham agreed and swore the oath. To confirm that he was indeed vindicated, Abraham prayed to God to spare Abimelech's life. God did so, and He also healed Abimelech wife and all of his slave girls so they may have children again for the Lord had closed up every womb in his household because of Sarah.

Later on Abraham told Abimelech about a well, one he dug himself, that Abimelech's servants had seized. He complained that he wanted repossession of it. Though Abimelech had not known his servants had seized the well, he wanted to make it right. So the two made a treaty, and Abraham set aside seven ewe lambs and gave them to Abimelech as a witness that he again had possession of the well, in which he had indeed dug himself. The place was called Beersheba, because an oath between them had been sworn there. Abimelech and the commander of forces returned to the land of the Philistines, and Abraham planted a tamarisk tree there and called upon the name of the Eternal God. 

Abraham remained living in the land of the Philistines for a long time.

Then just as God had promised, a beautiful and happy miracle happened. In God's perfect timing Sarah became pregnant in her old age. The amazing miracle that she had all but givin up on was happening and she couldn't have been more excited or happy. A baby boy was on the way. The son she had waited and prayed so long for was finally growing inside her. The months she and Abraham spent awaiting his arrival must have been sweet bliss knowing God always made good on His promises.

They named their son Isaac.

Abraham was one hundred years old when Isaac was born.

It was a peaceful, wonderful time. Sarah was filled with laughter and happiness. She understood and was pleased that having a son at her old age was a testament of what God can do regardless of age, or for that matter regardless of any human limitation. (Here we see a miracle, a true testament of God's power, and how nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible for God. We also see that if we wait on God's perfect timing with prayer, instead of having doubt and worry, absolutely everything works out for His good.)

When Isaac was eight days old, Abraham had him circumcised, just as God had commanded him.

Isaac grew in happiness and love. Sarah and Abraham were delighted with him. On the day he was weaned Abraham held a great feast. During this feast, Sarah - still having jealousy and negative feelings toward Abraham's first born son Ishmael - was watching and saw that Ishmael (Abraham's son with Hagar) was mocking Isaac. She told Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for they will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac." (Here we see how having Isaac changed Sarah. Instead of being thankful and full of kindness Sarah was filled with greed. She was quick to forget how desperate she had once been to fulfill her desire to have a child before Ishmael was born. Instead of remembering her desperation she could only focus on how the child was now taking away from her very own son. She wanted rid of him so that Isaac would be sole heir.) This distressed Abraham because Ishmael was his first born son whom he loved very much. (Here we see how Sarah taking into her own hands to "help God out" by creating a family through her servant Hagar created unwanted results. God never needs help in fulfilling his promises. Only He can decide what timing is perfect. Humans can't see the bigger picture.)

Abraham was very worried about Sarah and her feelings toward Ishmael so he asked God about the situation. God answered Abraham and told him that it would be through Isaac that his offspring would be reckoned, not Ishmael. Yet because Ishmael is also his offspring, he too would become a nation. Abraham knew he had to made a decision to keep his wife happy. It was a decision he was not happy to make, but the next morning he took some food and water and gave them to Hagar and sent her and Ishmael on their way.

Hagar and her young son Ishmael wandered in the desert of Beersheba. In time, when the water ran out Hagar had no idea what to do. She was terrified, and very worried for their lives. She was afraid she would have to watch her son die. She began to cry out for help and God heard her cries. He appeared to her and immediately relieved her worries when he promised He would bless them. He opened Hagar's eyes and she saw a well of water just ahead and was able to give her son a drink. From then forward God watched over them and as Ishmael grew up He protected him. Ishmael grew into a great Archer, and in time his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.

( Life question: It is very hard to wait on God's timing for things we pray for. Could you wait one hundred years as Sarah and Abraham did? )