Isaac Promised

January 8, 2023 AM, Genesis 18:1-15.

Take a moment to review what we have studied lately in Genesis. Start with chapter 12—God’s initial description of the terms of the Abrahamic covenant. Abram moved to Egypt temporarily. In chapter 13, Abram moved back to the promised land and had to split from Lot because of their combined herd size. Lot moved toward Sodom, a decision that would prove devastating in two separate incidents in the future. The first such incident was in chapter 14, where Lot was kidnapped by a coalition of kings that came against Sodom and other allied cities. Abraham retrieved him, and Melchizedek came out and blessed Abram who had returned from defeating the kings. In chapter 15, God officially made (“cut”) the covenant with Abram and promised the land to his descendants. Hagar bears Ishmael in chapter 16, the result of a hare-brained (rash or ill-judged) plan to get Abram an heir since he and Sarah could not seem to make that happen. God’s tender care toward Hagar is shown. Finally, in chapter 17, God reiterates the covenant a third time and gives a physical sign—male circumcision—to remind the nation of the blessings of the covenant (Abram will multiply, nations and kings will descend from him, the land grant) and of their responsibilities in it (walk blamelessly, keep the covenant). Notice the cyclical nature of this portion of Scripture: God’s promise, man’s failure and God’s rescue, God’s promise confirmed, man has another failure, God remains faithful, and then God promises—and requires faithfulness in His people.

Our Scripture reading was found in Song of Solomon 7:1-13.