Genesis 21:1-24
Tuesday, 6 July 2021
“…for in Isaac your seed shall be called.” -Genesis 21:12
Our GOD is a God of Covenant. In Genesis 15, the LORD spoke to Abram “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”(V.5) and “On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I have given this land…” (V.18). Abram and Sarai were childless then and remained so until old age- then as God had promised, Isaac was born to them.
Genesis 21:1 says, “And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken.” God’s promise and His covenant to Abraham that his descendants would possess the land of Canaan had to first see its fulfilment through the birth of his rightful first descendant, Isaac! HE reiterates His promise again in Genesis 17:7 “I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.” We see that God did bring the children of Israel to the land of Canaan -though for a time did they remain to be later scattered because of their disobedience. Yet GOD’s covenant to them never fails- we are yet to see it fully fulfilled when Christ returns to earth!
Well, friends, the covenant given to Abraham and his seed doesn’t end with them or the nation of Israel, their descendants. It is relevant to you and me today in its fulfilment through Christ Jesus, again the SEED of Abraham generations later - not in the possession of the land of Canaan but the promise of becoming God’s sons through Christ. “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal.3:26,29). What a privilege for the children of God through Christ!
How do we enter into such a privilege? Remember how Abraham was reckoned righteous (right with God)? Through His faith! Genesis 15: 6 [NLT]: “And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.” So how does it apply to us? “And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.” (Romans 4:23-25). We who have the same faith as Abraham exhibited in trusting God to keep His promise, will be accepted by God when we believe that God’s provision of His Son, Jesus Christ is sufficient to make us right with Him. Then we become God’s children! “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8:16,17)
Dear friend, the world and all its desires pass away… what will remain is our faith in God and our inheritance in Christ. God’s promise to make you His child is just a prayer away- “Dear GOD, I believe You sent Your Son to die for my sin so that I may inherit eternal life in You. Count me righteous in Jesus Christ. Let me inherit Your promises in Him!” Amen.
Think on: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)