Will Vaus

I believe the key verse in these four chapters is: “The Lord will provide.” (Genesis 22:14) In these chapters, we see the Lord providing a son, Isaac, for Abraham and Sarah just as he promised. We also see God providing for Hagar and Ishmael after they are cast out by Abraham and Sarah (which was not a very nice thing to do on their part, to say the least). We see God providing a ram for the sacrifice to take the place of Isaac. God provides a place for Abraham to bury Sarah in a foreign land. And finally, God provides a wife, Rebekah, for Abraham’s son Isaac. Jesus says, “But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things (food, shelter, clothing) will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33) Paul says, “And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) What is there that we need the Lord to provide as we begin a new year? If it is something that is necessary

In Genesis 17, we have the renewal of God’s call to Abram despite the fact that Abram had failed to trust God to give him a child through Sarai. What grace! And to think that God shows us similar grace, and more, is truly amazing. Also in this chapter we have the changing of the names of Abram and Sarai to Abraham and Sarah, as well as the institution of the covenant sign of circumcision. The Israelites must have wondered where this custom came from, especially when some of their neighbors were not circumcised. Thus, this story explains the origin of circumcision just as many other stories explain the origins of other things in this book about beginnings. What a sign of commitment to the Lord this showed on Abraham’s part, that he was willing to have this done to himself! But I think Ishmael had the rawer deal since he was thirteen and had no choice in the matter. Much better to be circumcised at 8 days old when you don’t know any better. Amazingly, Abraham argues

The first thing that strikes me about Abraham, or Abram as he is called at first, is how the Israelites who are telling this story do not make their forefather into a hero. They reveal Abram to the reader “warts and all”. Yes, Abram does a great thing by listening to the call of God, leaving his home, and going out to a place that he does not know, which God says he is going to give to him. That is great and reveals something of what C. S. Lewis calls Abram’s “right relationship” with God. However, no sooner has Abram done this, but he is presenting his wife Sarai as his half-sister so that a foreign king will not kill him to get her. Could Abram not trust the God who had called him to work things out without resorting to this ruse? I guess not. Here we see both great faith and great doubt. Abram is very human indeed. However, again, we see in chapter 13 that the key thing is not Abram’s doubt, but the fact that he “calls on the name of the Lord,” he keeps coming back