WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.580 There's a proverb that many of us live by. 00:00:04.020 --> 00:00:07.900 That's a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 00:00:07.900 --> 00:00:09.160 You guys have heard of this. 00:00:09.480 --> 00:00:20.620 And this 16th century proverb predates really the supposedly revolutionary findings of cognitive psychologists of today. 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:26.339 Like Daniel Kahneman, Amos Tversky, they published their findings in a popular book called Thinking Fast and Slow. 00:00:26.780 --> 00:00:28.679 And they talk about loss aversion. 00:00:29.539 --> 00:00:32.259 People hate to lose things that they already have. 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:41.439 In fact, they would much rather give up the prospect of gaining $5 so that they never have to worry about losing the $5 they already have. 00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:45.899 In fact, they say that loss is twice as effective a motivator as gain. 00:00:46.679 --> 00:00:54.039 So the prospect of gaining $10 more is the same motivator for someone as the fear of losing the $5 that they already have. 00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:56.980 So that proverb is actually quite accurate. 00:00:56.979 --> 00:00:59.359 A bird in the hand, one bird is worth two in the bush. 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:03.500 And this partly explains why we have such a hard time living by faith. 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:12.439 Because we like to live by sight by what we already have in our hands, by what we already know and see around us. 00:01:12.439 --> 00:01:15.200 And we like to keep things in the here and now. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:19.579 And we don't want to live with faith, looking ahead to what God has for us in the future. 00:01:20.579 --> 00:01:25.159 But in God's economy, he calls us to forsake everything to follow him. 00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:32.539 We saw how God told Abraham to leave his country, his people, and his father's household to follow God to where he is calling him. 00:01:32.540 --> 00:01:38.500 And in God's economy, what we gain is not just twice as good as what we leave behind. 00:01:38.580 --> 00:01:39.680 It's infinitely better. 00:01:40.940 --> 00:01:44.040 It's an everlasting possession, he says to Abraham. 00:01:44.960 --> 00:01:54.219 And so from Abraham's example, we learn here that we are, as God's people, to keep God's covenant by believing in and living according to his promises. 00:01:54.219 --> 00:01:56.459 That's the main idea of this passage. 00:01:56.620 --> 00:01:58.319 And I'll talk about it in three points. 00:01:58.739 --> 00:02:02.280 First is going to be covenant inaugurated, covenant started. 00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:05.500 Second is going to be covenant transgressed, violated. 00:02:05.980 --> 00:02:08.240 And then third is going to be covenant confirmed. 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:11.020 It's going to be chapters 15, 16, and 17. 00:02:11.159 --> 00:02:12.900 So first, covenant inaugurated. 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:14.879 God begins his covenant with Abraham. 00:02:15.259 --> 00:02:16.680 Verse 1 begins this way. 00:02:16.979 --> 00:02:20.159 After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision. 00:02:20.680 --> 00:02:22.620 Fear not, Abraham, I am your shield. 00:02:22.620 --> 00:02:24.620 Your reward shall be very great. 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:30.140 So the phrase after these things is referring to what happened at the end of chapter 14. 00:02:30.640 --> 00:02:38.800 What happened is that Abraham rescued his relative Lot and defeated the king's ally with Sher de Laomir. 00:02:39.140 --> 00:02:41.099 And he did that successfully. 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:47.879 And as he came to King Melchizedek and King of Sodom, King of Sodom offered to be his patron, his benefactor. 00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:48.819 I will bless you. 00:02:48.819 --> 00:02:58.699 But Abraham, knowing that God had said he would be his benefactor, because God had promised Abraham, I will bless you, he refuses King of Sodom's offer. 00:02:59.479 --> 00:03:00.479 So we don't know. 00:03:00.739 --> 00:03:04.419 The narrative doesn't tell us what he felt afterward. 00:03:04.419 --> 00:03:13.119 But the fact that God now appears to him after these things to comfort him and tell him not to fear suggests that maybe there was some trepidation on Abraham's part. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:17.279 Or maybe he's feeling some regret for refusing the loot that the king of Sodom offered. 00:03:17.619 --> 00:03:20.459 Or maybe he's feeling, oh, maybe I really should have taken him up on that offer. 00:03:20.519 --> 00:03:22.799 It would be nice to have the king of Sodom to have my back. 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:28.080 But God comes to him and he says to him, fear not, Abraham. 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:29.700 I am your shield. 00:03:30.740 --> 00:03:32.740 Your reward shall be great, very great. 00:03:32.820 --> 00:03:35.920 And this reward, the word, refers to military bounty. 00:03:36.060 --> 00:03:38.719 It's what you get as a reward for success in warfare. 00:03:39.300 --> 00:03:41.180 So God's referring back to what happened. 00:03:41.500 --> 00:03:46.580 And he is assuring Abraham, you made the right decision to looking to me and not to a king of Sodom. 00:03:46.580 --> 00:03:51.360 And so God promises him great rewards. 00:03:51.700 --> 00:03:54.360 But still, Abraham raises a concern in verses 2 to 3. 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:57.160 Oh, Lord God, what will you give me? 00:03:57.500 --> 00:04:02.200 For I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus. 00:04:03.080 --> 00:04:07.740 Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir. 00:04:08.580 --> 00:04:12.320 You could sense Abraham's exasperation in what he says. 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:17.759 He says, look, God, you promised me a great nation, but I don't have a single child. 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:23.000 What can you give me that will really be my great reward? 00:04:24.939 --> 00:04:27.719 But God reassures him in verses 4 to 5. 00:04:28.120 --> 00:04:29.819 This man shall not be your heir. 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:31.939 Your very own son shall be your heir. 00:04:32.539 --> 00:04:34.300 Look toward heaven and number the stars. 00:04:34.420 --> 00:04:38.019 If you are able to number them, so shall your offspring be. 00:04:38.019 --> 00:04:44.159 His own son, a son literally from his own body will be his heir. 00:04:44.419 --> 00:04:50.120 So this must mean that it will be through Sarai, because that's his only wife at this point. 00:04:51.319 --> 00:04:53.699 And then verse 6 concludes this way. 00:04:53.839 --> 00:04:57.899 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:01.819 Abram believed the Lord, and God counted it to him as righteousness. 00:05:01.899 --> 00:05:03.939 This is a really unusual way of putting that, 00:05:03.939 --> 00:05:07.680 because usually righteousness in the Old Testament is something that people do. 00:05:08.019 --> 00:05:11.899 Something that people have because of their righteous actions. 00:05:12.599 --> 00:05:15.479 But here it says that what Abraham believed, 00:05:16.019 --> 00:05:20.019 on account of what he believed, his faith, he was considered righteous. 00:05:20.099 --> 00:05:21.699 He was counted as righteous. 00:05:22.839 --> 00:05:25.339 And that's really significant, as we'll see later. 00:05:25.479 --> 00:05:28.719 But this faith is foundational to our relationship with God. 00:05:29.060 --> 00:05:31.859 We must first believe in order to have anything to do with God. 00:05:31.860 --> 00:05:35.780 In fact, in Hebrews 11, which holds up Abram as an example of faith, 00:05:35.860 --> 00:05:39.000 it says that without faith, it is impossible to please God, 00:05:39.220 --> 00:05:42.160 for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists, 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:43.759 and that he rewards those who seek him. 00:05:44.259 --> 00:05:47.740 And if you think about it for a moment, that makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? 00:05:47.740 --> 00:05:49.439 I mean, if you don't believe that God exists, 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:52.220 and you don't believe that he rewards those who follow him, 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:53.860 I mean, then you're not going to live for him. 00:05:54.139 --> 00:05:56.180 And you wouldn't want to, and you couldn't, even if you tried. 00:05:56.180 --> 00:05:57.740 We have to believe. 00:05:59.060 --> 00:06:02.259 And that's really at the root of all our struggles, all our sins, 00:06:02.400 --> 00:06:04.300 really, that the absence of faith. 00:06:04.740 --> 00:06:05.860 We give into greed, 00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:11.060 because we don't really believe what God says in Acts 20, 35, 00:06:11.180 --> 00:06:11.480 when he says, 00:06:11.620 --> 00:06:13.660 It is more blessed to give than to receive. 00:06:15.780 --> 00:06:18.160 We give into discontent, 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:22.340 because we don't really believe what God says in his word. 00:06:22.340 --> 00:06:23.560 1 Timothy 6, 6, 00:06:23.560 --> 00:06:26.639 Godliness with contentment is great gain, 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:28.139 for we brought nothing into the world, 00:06:28.180 --> 00:06:29.740 and we cannot take anything out of the world. 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:30.660 Right? 00:06:31.939 --> 00:06:34.839 We give into self-loathing and hatred, 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:38.180 because we don't really believe God's word, 00:06:38.220 --> 00:06:40.019 when it says in Jeremiah 31, 3, 00:06:40.100 --> 00:06:40.439 God says, 00:06:40.540 --> 00:06:43.699 I have loved you with an everlasting love. 00:06:45.860 --> 00:06:49.379 We give into guilt and self-condemnation, 00:06:49.379 --> 00:06:54.399 because we don't really believe what God's word says in Romans 8, 1. 00:06:54.659 --> 00:06:58.600 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 00:06:58.899 --> 00:06:59.040 Right? 00:06:59.379 --> 00:07:00.839 It's at the root of every sin, 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:01.800 every struggle we have. 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:03.680 We take things into our own hands. 00:07:03.779 --> 00:07:05.540 We take control of our life situations, 00:07:05.540 --> 00:07:07.019 instead of waiting on God, 00:07:07.100 --> 00:07:08.240 entrusting ourselves to him, 00:07:08.379 --> 00:07:11.219 because we don't believe God's word that says, 00:07:11.579 --> 00:07:13.199 As the heavens are higher than the earth, 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:16.680 so are my ways higher than your ways, 00:07:16.740 --> 00:07:17.959 and my thoughts than your thoughts. 00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:19.620 Isaiah 55, 9. 00:07:20.139 --> 00:07:23.259 Disobedience always stems from deficient faith. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:26.180 And so here, it's that initial faith, 00:07:26.459 --> 00:07:28.300 not Abram's subsequent righteousness, 00:07:28.579 --> 00:07:30.980 that is counted to him as righteousness. 00:07:31.379 --> 00:07:33.759 Because Abram has that initial faith in God, 00:07:33.860 --> 00:07:35.959 to believe in his promises and live by it, 00:07:36.199 --> 00:07:38.639 that's why Abram is counted here as righteous. 00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:43.180 And this faith is what we are called as God's people to live by. 00:07:44.099 --> 00:07:48.259 And so God assures Abram first of this promise of offspring, 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:51.399 saying that it's from your own body that my promise will be fulfilled, 00:07:51.899 --> 00:07:52.539 your own heir. 00:07:53.180 --> 00:07:56.060 And then God turns to the second part of the promise he made in Genesis 12, 00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:56.839 which is land. 00:07:57.319 --> 00:07:59.000 He wants to give Abram a people, 00:07:59.379 --> 00:08:01.300 and then a place for the people to dwell. 00:08:02.039 --> 00:08:03.219 And so he says in verse 7, 00:08:03.579 --> 00:08:06.800 I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:09.099 to give you this land to possess. 00:08:09.819 --> 00:08:11.480 But once again, Abram has a concern. 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:15.379 Well, Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it? 00:08:15.840 --> 00:08:17.319 It's great that you're telling me this, 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:19.160 but I don't know if you can tell, 00:08:19.240 --> 00:08:20.759 but there's a whole nation living here. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:21.960 What do you mean? 00:08:21.980 --> 00:08:24.180 How can I know that I will possess this? 00:08:24.540 --> 00:08:25.120 And God says, 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:26.980 Bring me a heifer three years old, 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:28.759 a female goat three years old, 00:08:28.819 --> 00:08:29.740 a ram three years old, 00:08:29.780 --> 00:08:30.340 a turtle dove, 00:08:30.379 --> 00:08:31.120 and a young pigeon. 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:32.980 And Abram brought him all these, 00:08:33.100 --> 00:08:33.799 cut them in half, 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:36.159 and laid each half over against the other. 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:38.100 But he did not cut the birds in half. 00:08:38.139 --> 00:08:40.159 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, 00:08:40.659 --> 00:08:41.759 Abram drove them away. 00:08:42.139 --> 00:08:46.860 Wow, what a strange response to Abram's request for confirmation, right? 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:47.320 He's saying, 00:08:47.379 --> 00:08:48.960 How can I know that I will possess this land? 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:52.259 This is really a covenant ratifying oath. 00:08:52.400 --> 00:08:54.540 It's an oath sign that God gives to Abram. 00:08:55.040 --> 00:08:58.000 And the meaning is given in verses 12 to 16. 00:08:58.139 --> 00:08:59.400 Follow along with me as we read it. 00:09:00.300 --> 00:09:01.900 As the sun was going down, 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:03.860 a deep sleep fell on Abram. 00:09:04.160 --> 00:09:07.580 And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. 00:09:07.940 --> 00:09:09.400 Then the Lord said to Abram, 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:11.960 Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:14.759 in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:17.500 And they will be afflicted for 400 years. 00:09:17.500 --> 00:09:20.179 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, 00:09:20.259 --> 00:09:22.340 and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 00:09:23.240 --> 00:09:26.120 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace. 00:09:26.620 --> 00:09:28.480 And you shall be buried in a good old age. 00:09:28.500 --> 00:09:31.179 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation. 00:09:31.659 --> 00:09:35.019 For the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:38.299 So that ritual that God had Abram enact, 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:40.840 the sacrifices and the animals cut in half 00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:42.919 and set over in parallel against each other. 00:09:43.240 --> 00:09:46.860 So this is a picture really of what's going to happen 00:09:46.860 --> 00:09:47.620 to his descendants. 00:09:48.220 --> 00:09:50.659 So God foretells Israel's captivity in Egypt, 00:09:50.800 --> 00:09:51.279 what's going to happen, 00:09:51.379 --> 00:09:52.740 what we're going to see in the book of Exodus, 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:55.180 for 400 years. 00:09:55.259 --> 00:09:56.519 And 400 is a round number. 00:09:56.740 --> 00:09:58.740 It's representing the three generations 00:09:58.740 --> 00:10:00.560 that will be in captivity. 00:10:00.980 --> 00:10:03.680 And that seems to be why the animals that he picks 00:10:03.680 --> 00:10:06.419 for the sacrifice are three years old, 00:10:06.800 --> 00:10:09.159 to represent the three generations of captivity 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:11.039 that Israel's people will experience 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:12.459 at the hands of the foreigners. 00:10:13.779 --> 00:10:17.879 Now, and so that's calculated from one generation, 00:10:18.079 --> 00:10:20.699 which Genesis 6, 3 tells us 120 years. 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:21.519 So it's a round number. 00:10:22.059 --> 00:10:23.219 Now, combine this with the fact 00:10:23.219 --> 00:10:25.339 that all the animals are sacrificial animals. 00:10:25.339 --> 00:10:27.839 They're all clean animals, not unclean animals. 00:10:27.980 --> 00:10:30.299 Today, the animal seems to represent Israel, 00:10:30.759 --> 00:10:32.579 the chosen people of God who are set apart, 00:10:32.659 --> 00:10:33.139 who are clean. 00:10:33.939 --> 00:10:35.120 And so they are the people, 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:38.080 and God then appears in this form. 00:10:38.200 --> 00:10:41.899 And he appears in the form of a smoking fire pod, 00:10:42.500 --> 00:10:44.379 like a smoking oven of sorts, 00:10:44.620 --> 00:10:46.039 which is hard for us to imagine 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:47.279 because we don't have the same kind of oven, 00:10:47.700 --> 00:10:48.860 and a flaming torch. 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:53.539 And it passes between the pieces of the cut-up animals. 00:10:53.899 --> 00:10:55.159 And this is a theophany. 00:10:55.299 --> 00:10:56.320 It's an appearance of God. 00:10:56.460 --> 00:10:58.240 God, when he appears throughout the Old Testament, 00:10:58.519 --> 00:11:02.440 he often appears in the form of smoke or fire, right? 00:11:02.759 --> 00:11:04.560 So when he leaves Israel in the wilderness, 00:11:04.559 --> 00:11:06.019 he leads them in the cloud, 00:11:06.259 --> 00:11:07.799 pillar of cloud by day, 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:09.639 and then the pillar of fire by night. 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:11.559 And when he appears on Mount Sinai, 00:11:11.619 --> 00:11:13.279 it says in Exodus 19, 18, 00:11:13.599 --> 00:11:15.519 Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:18.539 because the Lord had descended on it in fire. 00:11:19.219 --> 00:11:21.039 So that picture, that ritual, 00:11:21.359 --> 00:11:23.539 is telling Abraham, reassuring him, 00:11:23.819 --> 00:11:26.399 that God is going to walk in their midst. 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:28.339 When Israel is in captivity 00:11:28.339 --> 00:11:30.039 and suffering under foreign persecution, 00:11:30.539 --> 00:11:31.759 God is going to be with them 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:33.399 and walking among them. 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:35.620 And that's the old sign that God, 00:11:36.079 --> 00:11:40.159 and it's through that God makes a covenant with Abraham. 00:11:40.819 --> 00:11:41.639 Just to explain, 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:43.600 since this is the first time this has come up, 00:11:43.779 --> 00:11:46.980 the real covenant that's initiated, inaugurated, 00:11:47.539 --> 00:11:50.259 the covenant is a legally binding relationship 00:11:50.259 --> 00:11:51.379 between two parties. 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:53.959 And the Bible portrays God 00:11:53.959 --> 00:11:55.899 as always making covenants with his people. 00:11:55.899 --> 00:11:58.579 And a typical ancient Near Eastern covenant 00:11:58.579 --> 00:12:01.720 was between a suzerain, a more powerful lord, 00:12:02.100 --> 00:12:03.959 and a subject, a vassal. 00:12:04.439 --> 00:12:06.100 And then, so the more powerful king 00:12:06.100 --> 00:12:07.100 would basically promise 00:12:07.100 --> 00:12:10.819 to protect this less powerful king, the vassal. 00:12:11.059 --> 00:12:12.059 And then in return, 00:12:12.179 --> 00:12:14.860 this less powerful king would be loyal to this king, 00:12:15.379 --> 00:12:17.819 and pay him tribute and all such kind of things. 00:12:17.820 --> 00:12:18.960 And so here, of course, 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:20.420 God is that suzerain king 00:12:20.420 --> 00:12:22.160 making a covenant with Abraham, 00:12:22.560 --> 00:12:24.340 assuring him about all these promises, 00:12:24.580 --> 00:12:27.320 but it also comes with some obligations for Abraham. 00:12:28.300 --> 00:12:30.140 Now, it won't happen right away, though, 00:12:30.220 --> 00:12:31.080 if you caught that, right? 00:12:31.100 --> 00:12:34.200 So it's going to be preceded by 400 years 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:38.020 of oppression in a foreign power. 00:12:38.260 --> 00:12:40.720 And then his descendants will inherit the land. 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:44.399 So that's God's unusual providence, 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:47.279 as we see in our lives as well. 00:12:47.940 --> 00:12:49.480 And that's helpful for us 00:12:49.480 --> 00:12:52.259 when we feel like God's not answering our prayers, 00:12:52.460 --> 00:12:54.040 or when we feel like in our lives 00:12:54.040 --> 00:12:56.240 that we're suffering in a way that we shouldn't be. 00:12:56.800 --> 00:12:59.360 Or it's because the reason that God gives 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:01.720 for this delay of fulfilling his promise to Israel 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:02.460 is really interesting. 00:13:03.000 --> 00:13:04.540 Verse 16, chapter 15 says, 00:13:04.620 --> 00:13:07.560 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, 00:13:07.559 --> 00:13:11.639 for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. 00:13:12.819 --> 00:13:16.879 The Amorites, it stands for all the inhabitants of Canaan. 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:18.719 Basically, they're being used 00:13:18.719 --> 00:13:20.919 to stand for all the inhabitants of Canaan. 00:13:21.619 --> 00:13:23.599 And so what's going on then is 00:13:23.599 --> 00:13:26.779 God's action in bringing Israel 00:13:26.779 --> 00:13:28.539 and giving them the promised land 00:13:28.539 --> 00:13:30.659 and helping them to conquer the promised land 00:13:30.659 --> 00:13:33.039 is not just some arbitrary act of favor, 00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:34.219 saying, well, I like these guys 00:13:34.219 --> 00:13:35.599 and I don't like these guys, 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:37.399 so I'm going to bring Israel and give it to them. 00:13:37.559 --> 00:13:39.299 No, it's also simultaneously 00:13:39.299 --> 00:13:41.139 a divinely executed judgment 00:13:41.139 --> 00:13:42.859 on the wicked nations. 00:13:43.259 --> 00:13:45.239 So God's not just dealing with Israel. 00:13:45.339 --> 00:13:46.819 He's also executing judgment 00:13:46.819 --> 00:13:49.059 on the nations that deserve his punishment. 00:13:49.859 --> 00:13:51.079 And so that's helpful 00:13:51.079 --> 00:13:53.439 because it's a great illustration 00:13:53.439 --> 00:13:56.359 of God's sovereignty at work in Abram's life. 00:13:56.839 --> 00:13:58.459 And it's because often we won't understand 00:13:58.459 --> 00:13:59.799 God's providence in our lives. 00:13:59.959 --> 00:14:01.219 So for example, like Abram, 00:14:01.379 --> 00:14:04.379 if we're in the middle of a 25-year period 00:14:04.379 --> 00:14:06.559 of waiting for the child that God promised, 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:08.939 it's easy to doubt his promises. 00:14:10.059 --> 00:14:11.819 Or if we're like Israel 00:14:11.819 --> 00:14:14.359 in the 400-year captivity in Egypt 00:14:14.359 --> 00:14:16.119 waiting for the promised land, 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:18.399 it's easy to question God's sovereignty, 00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:20.579 whether he really can fulfill his promise or not. 00:14:21.019 --> 00:14:22.639 But it's helpful for us to remember 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:24.119 that we don't see the whole picture. 00:14:24.219 --> 00:14:26.059 Only God sees the whole picture. 00:14:26.299 --> 00:14:28.659 So it's kind of like a picture mosaic. 00:14:28.819 --> 00:14:30.919 If you've seen some big picture mosaics, 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:31.959 if you look up close 00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:34.420 and are looking at just the several pictures 00:14:34.420 --> 00:14:35.460 that are side by side, 00:14:35.620 --> 00:14:37.040 you can't make sense of it. 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:37.500 It doesn't, 00:14:37.620 --> 00:14:39.280 you don't see how those two pictures relate. 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:41.040 But when you take a step back 00:14:41.040 --> 00:14:43.340 and you take in the whole picture mosaic, 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:45.560 then you see how those are all forming 00:14:45.560 --> 00:14:47.040 one grand picture. 00:14:47.540 --> 00:14:49.800 Only God sees that whole picture. 00:14:49.799 --> 00:14:51.000 So as people who, 00:14:51.319 --> 00:14:52.740 with their faces up against it, 00:14:52.859 --> 00:14:54.839 only seeing a little bit here and there, 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:56.639 we can entrust ourselves to God 00:14:56.639 --> 00:14:58.479 knowing that he is sovereign, 00:14:58.599 --> 00:14:59.699 he is in control, 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:02.079 even when we do not understand 00:15:02.079 --> 00:15:03.359 his providential leadings. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:07.659 And so God establishes his covenant. 00:15:07.859 --> 00:15:09.439 It's his covenant inaugurated. 00:15:09.839 --> 00:15:12.299 But we soon see the covenant transgressed 00:15:12.299 --> 00:15:13.379 in chapter 16. 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:15.519 Because keeping the faith, 00:15:15.719 --> 00:15:16.059 of course, 00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:17.219 is easier said than done. 00:15:17.220 --> 00:15:19.840 And we see Abram and Sarai struggling 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:21.259 to do so in chapter 16. 00:15:22.440 --> 00:15:25.300 And so it says in verses 1 to 3 of chapter 16, 00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:26.180 follow along with me. 00:15:26.700 --> 00:15:28.720 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, 00:15:28.920 --> 00:15:30.620 had borne him no children. 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:33.620 She had a female Egyptian servant 00:15:33.620 --> 00:15:34.460 whose name was Hagar. 00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:36.960 And Sarai said to Abram, 00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:38.139 Behold now, 00:15:38.279 --> 00:15:40.279 the Lord has prevented me 00:15:40.279 --> 00:15:41.200 from bearing children. 00:15:42.019 --> 00:15:43.100 Go into my servant. 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:45.860 It may be that I shall obtain children by her. 00:15:45.860 --> 00:15:49.039 And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 00:15:49.419 --> 00:15:51.279 So after Abram had lived 10 years 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:52.259 in the land of Canaan, 00:15:52.680 --> 00:15:53.779 Sarai, Abram's wife, 00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:55.159 took Hagar the Egyptian, 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:56.019 her servant, 00:15:56.279 --> 00:15:57.779 and gave her to Abram, 00:15:57.860 --> 00:15:58.399 her husband, 00:15:58.820 --> 00:16:00.220 as a wife. 00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:04.779 That first sentence is really terse, 00:16:05.060 --> 00:16:08.340 but it conveys that devastating reality, 00:16:08.539 --> 00:16:09.899 the plight that Sarai was facing. 00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:12.139 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, 00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:14.039 had borne him no children. 00:16:14.039 --> 00:16:16.379 Now that's not as big of a deal 00:16:16.379 --> 00:16:17.059 in our culture 00:16:17.059 --> 00:16:20.019 where people delay having children 00:16:20.019 --> 00:16:21.699 or forego having children altogether 00:16:21.699 --> 00:16:22.699 for all kinds of reasons. 00:16:23.139 --> 00:16:24.000 But in this culture, 00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:25.559 for a married woman 00:16:25.559 --> 00:16:27.120 to not have children 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:28.699 was a source of great shame 00:16:28.699 --> 00:16:29.759 and humiliation. 00:16:30.439 --> 00:16:31.240 And so this is saying 00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:33.299 that she had borne him no children. 00:16:34.099 --> 00:16:36.339 And she is by now 76 years old. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:40.000 And she has every good practical reason, 00:16:40.099 --> 00:16:40.740 human reasons, 00:16:40.819 --> 00:16:41.819 to doubt God's promises. 00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:44.280 It's, I'm well past childbearing age. 00:16:44.940 --> 00:16:45.220 What do you, 00:16:45.340 --> 00:16:46.200 so she's, 00:16:46.420 --> 00:16:48.720 it's starting to look at other options. 00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:51.500 And so the option that she comes to, 00:16:51.560 --> 00:16:52.240 the idea she has, 00:16:52.460 --> 00:16:53.520 is surrogate motherhood. 00:16:54.060 --> 00:16:54.440 She's saying, 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:54.820 you know what, 00:16:55.060 --> 00:16:56.780 I'm surely not going to have a child. 00:16:57.160 --> 00:16:59.700 So let's have my servant, 00:16:59.960 --> 00:17:01.400 whom she probably had 00:17:01.400 --> 00:17:02.720 as a part of her dowry, 00:17:02.800 --> 00:17:05.480 or maybe she acquired her in Egypt, 00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:08.120 since Hagar is described as an Egyptian. 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:10.199 And she wants to give her, 00:17:10.719 --> 00:17:10.959 who is, 00:17:11.099 --> 00:17:12.000 who belongs to her, 00:17:12.439 --> 00:17:13.179 to Abram, 00:17:13.239 --> 00:17:13.859 her husband, 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:15.000 so that she could have children 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:16.079 by her instead. 00:17:17.059 --> 00:17:19.079 This was a common practice 00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:20.000 in the ancient Near East. 00:17:20.459 --> 00:17:22.399 But from the biblical perspective, 00:17:22.399 --> 00:17:23.919 this is not the right thing to do 00:17:23.919 --> 00:17:25.979 because we know from Genesis 2 00:17:25.979 --> 00:17:27.500 that God's intention for marriage 00:17:27.500 --> 00:17:29.299 is to be between one man and one woman. 00:17:29.739 --> 00:17:32.219 And God had explicitly told Abram 00:17:32.219 --> 00:17:33.859 that he will have a son 00:17:33.859 --> 00:17:34.959 through his own, 00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:35.539 through his, 00:17:35.539 --> 00:17:36.420 from his own body, 00:17:37.000 --> 00:17:38.519 that he will have his own heir. 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:39.920 And at that point, 00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:41.039 when God gave that promise, 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:42.819 Sarai was his only wife. 00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:43.480 So he, 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:44.700 he should know at that point 00:17:44.700 --> 00:17:45.700 that Sarai was the woman 00:17:45.700 --> 00:17:47.639 from whom God's promised offspring 00:17:47.639 --> 00:17:48.200 would come. 00:17:48.659 --> 00:17:48.859 But, 00:17:48.940 --> 00:17:49.700 but at this point, 00:17:49.859 --> 00:17:52.059 it feels right to them 00:17:52.059 --> 00:17:54.220 to find another way. 00:17:54.720 --> 00:17:55.159 Because, 00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:56.059 humanly speaking, 00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:57.159 they can't believe 00:17:57.159 --> 00:17:58.139 that this is going to happen. 00:17:58.799 --> 00:17:59.799 And look at Sarai's, 00:18:00.099 --> 00:18:01.619 what Sarai says to Abram, 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:02.159 Behold now, 00:18:02.220 --> 00:18:03.720 the Lord has prevented me 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:04.779 from bearing children. 00:18:05.539 --> 00:18:06.480 Even though the Lord 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:07.599 promised them children, 00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:07.960 he says, 00:18:08.159 --> 00:18:09.399 the Lord prevented me 00:18:09.399 --> 00:18:10.420 from having children. 00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:12.180 And so, 00:18:12.599 --> 00:18:14.079 she's failing to believe 00:18:14.079 --> 00:18:14.899 in God's promises 00:18:14.899 --> 00:18:15.779 and she's living 00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:16.940 by what she judges 00:18:16.940 --> 00:18:18.799 to be the best way. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:19.559 She thinks that, 00:18:19.639 --> 00:18:19.759 well, 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:21.359 this must be God's way 00:18:21.359 --> 00:18:22.460 because I can't imagine 00:18:22.460 --> 00:18:23.019 another way. 00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:25.819 And that's very tempting 00:18:25.819 --> 00:18:26.680 for us. 00:18:26.839 --> 00:18:27.240 Often, 00:18:27.460 --> 00:18:28.299 when we face 00:18:28.299 --> 00:18:29.259 our desires, 00:18:29.379 --> 00:18:29.799 when we face 00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:30.659 our sinful desires, 00:18:30.899 --> 00:18:31.460 we're tempted 00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:32.579 to rationalize them. 00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:33.859 We're tempted to say 00:18:33.859 --> 00:18:35.199 that this must be God's way. 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:36.519 This must be what God wants 00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:37.979 because I can't imagine 00:18:37.979 --> 00:18:38.639 another way. 00:18:40.539 --> 00:18:41.379 Think someone, 00:18:41.619 --> 00:18:42.179 for example, 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:43.199 of maybe someone who, 00:18:43.919 --> 00:18:45.000 a married man, 00:18:45.059 --> 00:18:45.699 a Christian man, 00:18:45.879 --> 00:18:46.539 or a woman 00:18:46.539 --> 00:18:48.599 who finds another man 00:18:48.599 --> 00:18:49.059 or a woman 00:18:49.059 --> 00:18:49.899 very attractive 00:18:49.899 --> 00:18:50.699 in the workplace. 00:18:51.559 --> 00:18:52.539 They start to get 00:18:52.539 --> 00:18:53.039 very intimate, 00:18:53.159 --> 00:18:54.319 have great conversations, 00:18:54.659 --> 00:18:55.979 and they start to rationalize 00:18:55.979 --> 00:18:56.719 and tell themselves, 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:58.259 my wife doesn't 00:18:58.259 --> 00:18:59.180 listen to me 00:18:59.180 --> 00:19:00.000 and support me 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:01.019 like this woman does. 00:19:02.059 --> 00:19:02.880 My husband 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:04.019 doesn't care for me 00:19:04.019 --> 00:19:06.339 like this man does. 00:19:07.140 --> 00:19:08.019 And then they start 00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:08.860 to rationalize. 00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:10.880 This must have been 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:12.120 the person God wanted me 00:19:12.120 --> 00:19:13.220 to find in the first place. 00:19:13.600 --> 00:19:14.620 This must be 00:19:14.620 --> 00:19:15.140 the relationship 00:19:15.140 --> 00:19:15.799 that I'm supposed 00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:16.420 to be in. 00:19:17.019 --> 00:19:18.220 When God's word 00:19:18.220 --> 00:19:19.500 expressly says 00:19:19.500 --> 00:19:21.339 that it's sinful. 00:19:21.339 --> 00:19:26.480 or a man 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:28.699 who is attracted 00:19:28.699 --> 00:19:29.500 to other men 00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:31.399 or a woman 00:19:31.399 --> 00:19:32.199 who is attracted 00:19:32.199 --> 00:19:32.959 to other women. 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:35.579 It feels right. 00:19:36.699 --> 00:19:37.959 This must be 00:19:37.959 --> 00:19:38.799 God's will for me 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:40.459 because I was born 00:19:40.459 --> 00:19:40.959 this way. 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:42.919 God wouldn't give me 00:19:42.919 --> 00:19:43.599 these desires 00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:45.439 if this were sinful. 00:19:46.939 --> 00:19:48.259 But God's word 00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:49.559 expressly says 00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:50.799 that it's sinful. 00:19:52.059 --> 00:19:53.019 So whenever 00:19:53.019 --> 00:19:53.879 we find ourselves 00:19:53.879 --> 00:19:55.199 starting to rationalize 00:19:55.199 --> 00:19:56.879 our sinful desires, 00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:57.799 the things that are 00:19:57.799 --> 00:19:59.240 expressly forbidden 00:19:59.240 --> 00:20:00.419 in God's word, 00:20:00.500 --> 00:20:01.399 then we need to stop 00:20:01.399 --> 00:20:02.359 right in our tracks 00:20:02.359 --> 00:20:03.359 and then go back 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:04.379 to God's promises 00:20:04.379 --> 00:20:05.720 and hold on to that 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:06.720 because believing 00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:07.500 in God's promises 00:20:07.500 --> 00:20:08.579 should always trump 00:20:08.579 --> 00:20:10.039 anything that we feel 00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:11.379 or what our circumstances 00:20:11.379 --> 00:20:12.220 might seem. 00:20:12.879 --> 00:20:13.339 And so that's... 00:20:14.459 --> 00:20:15.179 And we know 00:20:15.179 --> 00:20:15.879 that what Abraham 00:20:15.879 --> 00:20:16.659 and Hagar are doing 00:20:16.659 --> 00:20:17.519 here is sinful. 00:20:17.659 --> 00:20:18.059 There are several 00:20:18.059 --> 00:20:19.179 textual clues to this. 00:20:19.939 --> 00:20:20.339 Look at 00:20:20.339 --> 00:20:21.459 verses 2 to 3 00:20:21.459 --> 00:20:22.259 of chapter 16. 00:20:22.819 --> 00:20:24.099 Abram listened 00:20:24.099 --> 00:20:24.819 to the voice 00:20:24.819 --> 00:20:25.419 of Sarai. 00:20:26.199 --> 00:20:26.759 And so Sarai 00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:27.579 took Hagar, 00:20:27.699 --> 00:20:28.039 the Egyptian, 00:20:28.159 --> 00:20:28.500 her servant 00:20:28.500 --> 00:20:29.319 and gave her 00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:29.919 to Abram 00:20:29.919 --> 00:20:30.959 as a wife. 00:20:31.299 --> 00:20:31.839 The phrase 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:33.099 listen to the voice 00:20:33.099 --> 00:20:33.839 of occurs 00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:35.179 only one other place 00:20:35.179 --> 00:20:36.359 in Genesis. 00:20:36.879 --> 00:20:38.559 That's Genesis 3.17 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:40.079 where God promises 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:40.679 his judgment 00:20:40.679 --> 00:20:41.319 over Adam 00:20:41.319 --> 00:20:42.099 after his sin 00:20:42.099 --> 00:20:42.980 in the Garden of Eden. 00:20:43.379 --> 00:20:44.099 He says to him, 00:20:44.439 --> 00:20:45.439 because you have 00:20:45.439 --> 00:20:46.819 listened to the voice 00:20:46.819 --> 00:20:47.759 of your wife 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:48.500 and have eaten 00:20:48.500 --> 00:20:49.240 of the tree. 00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:51.159 So here, 00:20:51.379 --> 00:20:52.599 it's a type 00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:53.299 of a fall. 00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:54.599 The man who 00:20:54.599 --> 00:20:54.899 should have 00:20:54.899 --> 00:20:55.779 taken responsibility 00:20:55.779 --> 00:20:56.960 for his wife 00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:57.919 and who should have 00:20:57.919 --> 00:20:58.559 led her 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:00.359 instead listens 00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:00.939 to her 00:21:00.939 --> 00:21:01.419 and follows 00:21:01.419 --> 00:21:02.119 a way of sin. 00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:04.519 And then look 00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:05.079 at the sequence 00:21:05.079 --> 00:21:06.159 of verbs also. 00:21:06.299 --> 00:21:07.059 Sarai took 00:21:07.059 --> 00:21:08.419 and gave. 00:21:08.799 --> 00:21:09.639 Took Hagar 00:21:09.639 --> 00:21:10.619 and gave her 00:21:10.619 --> 00:21:11.799 to Abram. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.879 That's the same 00:21:12.879 --> 00:21:13.740 sequence of verbs 00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:14.119 that's used 00:21:14.119 --> 00:21:15.379 to describe Eve's sin 00:21:15.379 --> 00:21:16.699 in Genesis 3.6. 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:17.759 She took 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:19.039 of the forbidden fruit 00:21:19.039 --> 00:21:20.179 and gave some 00:21:20.179 --> 00:21:20.799 to her husband. 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:22.000 So again, 00:21:22.159 --> 00:21:23.219 what's happening here 00:21:23.219 --> 00:21:24.399 is not God's ideal. 00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:25.079 It's a diversion 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:25.879 from God's will. 00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:27.259 They're transgressing 00:21:27.259 --> 00:21:28.099 the covenant 00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:29.419 because they cannot wait 00:21:29.419 --> 00:21:30.639 on God's promises. 00:21:31.379 --> 00:21:32.219 They wanted to take things 00:21:32.219 --> 00:21:33.259 into their own hands. 00:21:34.439 --> 00:21:35.359 The consequence, 00:21:35.539 --> 00:21:35.819 of course, 00:21:35.959 --> 00:21:36.579 isn't good. 00:21:37.259 --> 00:21:38.099 Verses 4 to 6 00:21:38.099 --> 00:21:38.659 tell us about 00:21:38.659 --> 00:21:39.859 the unhappy aftermath. 00:21:40.679 --> 00:21:41.519 And Abram went 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:42.159 into Hagar 00:21:42.159 --> 00:21:43.359 and she conceived. 00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:44.639 And when she saw 00:21:44.639 --> 00:21:45.399 that she had conceived, 00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:46.659 she looked with contempt 00:21:46.659 --> 00:21:47.439 on her mistress. 00:21:47.859 --> 00:21:49.199 And Sarai said to Abram, 00:21:49.439 --> 00:21:50.500 May the wrong done 00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:52.019 to me be on you. 00:21:52.379 --> 00:21:53.379 I gave my servant 00:21:53.379 --> 00:21:54.039 to your embrace. 00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:54.759 And when she saw 00:21:54.759 --> 00:21:55.679 that she had conceived, 00:21:55.919 --> 00:21:56.779 she looked on me 00:21:56.779 --> 00:21:57.479 with contempt. 00:21:57.939 --> 00:21:58.839 May the Lord judge 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:00.019 between you and me. 00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:01.740 But Abram said to Sarai, 00:22:01.819 --> 00:22:02.199 Behold, 00:22:02.500 --> 00:22:02.979 your servant 00:22:02.979 --> 00:22:03.779 is in your power. 00:22:04.299 --> 00:22:04.839 Do to her 00:22:04.839 --> 00:22:05.559 as you please. 00:22:06.179 --> 00:22:07.119 Then Sarai dealt 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:08.179 harshly with her 00:22:08.179 --> 00:22:09.539 and she fled 00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:10.699 from her. 00:22:10.700 --> 00:22:12.100 Now, 00:22:12.420 --> 00:22:14.440 Sarai is quite audacious 00:22:14.440 --> 00:22:15.840 after the suggestion 00:22:15.840 --> 00:22:16.299 she made 00:22:16.299 --> 00:22:18.420 and she's very adept 00:22:18.420 --> 00:22:19.460 at blame shifting here. 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:21.519 And Abram, 00:22:21.819 --> 00:22:22.340 likewise, 00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:23.140 sins. 00:22:23.259 --> 00:22:24.000 He cowards 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:26.980 and he is very good 00:22:26.980 --> 00:22:27.940 at absolving himself 00:22:27.940 --> 00:22:28.680 of any kind 00:22:28.680 --> 00:22:29.400 of responsibility. 00:22:29.980 --> 00:22:30.059 Right? 00:22:30.140 --> 00:22:31.019 So because what's going 00:22:31.019 --> 00:22:31.240 on here, 00:22:31.380 --> 00:22:31.700 it's, 00:22:32.580 --> 00:22:33.600 even though Hagar 00:22:33.600 --> 00:22:35.480 was the maidservant 00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:36.259 of Sarai, 00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:37.360 you remember, 00:22:37.840 --> 00:22:38.860 Sarai gave her 00:22:38.859 --> 00:22:39.859 to Abram, 00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:40.839 not as, 00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:41.439 you know, 00:22:41.459 --> 00:22:42.619 not as a concubine, 00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:43.459 as a wife. 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:46.039 So Hagar is Abram's wife. 00:22:46.699 --> 00:22:47.859 It's his responsibility 00:22:47.859 --> 00:22:48.819 to protect her. 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:49.879 And he says, 00:22:49.939 --> 00:22:50.339 Oh no, 00:22:50.419 --> 00:22:51.179 she's in your hands. 00:22:51.399 --> 00:22:51.859 Do to her 00:22:51.859 --> 00:22:52.819 whatever you want. 00:22:53.379 --> 00:22:53.539 Right? 00:22:53.539 --> 00:22:54.319 And Hagar 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:56.219 and Sarai treats her, 00:22:56.519 --> 00:22:56.740 it takes, 00:22:56.939 --> 00:22:57.639 it runs with it 00:22:57.639 --> 00:22:58.859 and she treats her harshly 00:22:58.859 --> 00:22:59.719 so much so 00:22:59.719 --> 00:23:00.699 that she flees. 00:23:01.159 --> 00:23:02.179 And those two words, 00:23:02.279 --> 00:23:03.199 treating harshly 00:23:03.199 --> 00:23:04.059 and fleeing 00:23:04.059 --> 00:23:05.319 are the exact way 00:23:05.319 --> 00:23:06.559 Israel is described 00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:07.359 in Egypt. 00:23:07.719 --> 00:23:08.799 They were treated harshly 00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:09.899 so they fled. 00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:11.079 So there's this kind 00:23:11.079 --> 00:23:11.899 of poetic justice 00:23:11.899 --> 00:23:12.980 in what's going on here. 00:23:13.460 --> 00:23:14.339 And one commentator 00:23:14.339 --> 00:23:14.960 puts it this way, 00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:15.619 What the Egyptians 00:23:15.619 --> 00:23:16.500 would later do 00:23:16.500 --> 00:23:17.779 to Sarai's children, 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:19.539 Sarai did to a child 00:23:19.539 --> 00:23:20.159 of Egypt. 00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:21.379 But God listened 00:23:21.379 --> 00:23:21.919 to both. 00:23:22.019 --> 00:23:22.680 His compassion 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:24.480 is with all his creatures. 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:26.899 So even here, 00:23:27.299 --> 00:23:28.359 God intervenes 00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:29.460 on behalf of Hagar 00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:30.240 and he sends 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:30.960 and the angel 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:31.879 of the Lord comes. 00:23:32.379 --> 00:23:32.859 And the angel 00:23:32.859 --> 00:23:33.339 of the Lord 00:23:33.339 --> 00:23:34.279 or the angel of God, 00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:34.500 you know, 00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:35.980 appears 69 times 00:23:35.980 --> 00:23:36.419 or so throughout 00:23:36.419 --> 00:23:36.980 the Old Testament. 00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:39.440 And it's usually, 00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:40.860 and I think it's almost always, 00:23:41.079 --> 00:23:42.220 is God appearing 00:23:42.220 --> 00:23:42.940 in human form. 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:44.360 And so at first, 00:23:44.539 --> 00:23:45.500 it appears to just be 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:46.460 a messenger of God, 00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:47.360 an angel of the Lord. 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:48.339 But then later 00:23:48.339 --> 00:23:48.900 in this course, 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:49.559 it turns out 00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:50.220 that it's actually 00:23:50.220 --> 00:23:50.960 God himself 00:23:50.960 --> 00:23:51.700 who is addressing 00:23:51.700 --> 00:23:52.240 his people. 00:23:52.779 --> 00:23:53.180 And so that's 00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:53.960 what happens here 00:23:53.960 --> 00:23:55.140 because in verse 13 00:23:55.140 --> 00:23:55.440 it says, 00:23:55.440 --> 00:23:56.660 So Hagar called 00:23:56.660 --> 00:23:57.539 the name, 00:23:57.620 --> 00:23:58.420 not of the angel, 00:23:58.559 --> 00:23:59.680 but name of the Lord 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:00.880 who spoke to her, 00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:02.860 You are a God of seeing. 00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:03.620 For she said, 00:24:03.900 --> 00:24:05.539 Truly here I have seen him 00:24:05.539 --> 00:24:07.440 who looks after me. 00:24:08.460 --> 00:24:10.559 And God tells Hagar 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:11.360 to return 00:24:11.360 --> 00:24:12.700 and to submit 00:24:12.700 --> 00:24:13.660 to Sarai. 00:24:14.120 --> 00:24:14.980 And the word submit 00:24:14.980 --> 00:24:16.240 comes from the same root 00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:17.820 as the word treated harshly. 00:24:18.180 --> 00:24:19.100 So God's not just 00:24:19.100 --> 00:24:19.940 telling her to return, 00:24:20.059 --> 00:24:21.059 but he's also telling her 00:24:21.059 --> 00:24:22.299 to return to submit 00:24:22.299 --> 00:24:24.000 to the harsh oppression 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:24.879 of Sarai. 00:24:25.619 --> 00:24:26.399 But why? 00:24:26.500 --> 00:24:27.119 Because he says 00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:27.960 the promise, 00:24:28.339 --> 00:24:29.799 he extends the promise 00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:30.639 he had given to Abram 00:24:30.639 --> 00:24:31.180 to Hagar 00:24:31.180 --> 00:24:32.299 and her offspring. 00:24:32.639 --> 00:24:33.440 You will also 00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:35.119 be a mother 00:24:35.119 --> 00:24:36.399 of many nations, 00:24:36.460 --> 00:24:37.039 of the multitude. 00:24:38.019 --> 00:24:38.899 And because of that, 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:39.759 God sends her back 00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:40.659 so that she can be 00:24:40.659 --> 00:24:42.119 an heir of that promise. 00:24:43.180 --> 00:24:43.740 And often, 00:24:44.419 --> 00:24:44.839 it seems, 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:45.619 God's promises, 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:46.139 his blessings 00:24:46.139 --> 00:24:47.119 come through a period 00:24:47.119 --> 00:24:47.639 of suffering. 00:24:47.740 --> 00:24:48.460 And that's what we see 00:24:48.460 --> 00:24:49.700 with both Israel, 00:24:49.799 --> 00:24:50.359 with the prophecy 00:24:50.359 --> 00:24:51.419 of their oppression in Egypt, 00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:52.640 and with Hagar. 00:24:53.940 --> 00:24:55.900 And then chapter 16 00:24:55.900 --> 00:24:57.279 ends with a contrast 00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:58.380 to how it began. 00:24:58.500 --> 00:24:59.440 It began by saying, 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:00.860 Sarai had borne Abram 00:25:00.860 --> 00:25:01.420 no children. 00:25:01.840 --> 00:25:02.740 And then it ends 00:25:02.740 --> 00:25:03.240 with saying, 00:25:03.380 --> 00:25:04.880 Hagar bore Abram children. 00:25:04.980 --> 00:25:06.160 It says that three times. 00:25:06.600 --> 00:25:07.519 And so at this point, 00:25:07.560 --> 00:25:08.100 there's a little bit 00:25:08.100 --> 00:25:08.600 of ambiguity 00:25:08.600 --> 00:25:09.779 in the story. 00:25:10.220 --> 00:25:10.820 Well, I thought 00:25:10.820 --> 00:25:11.340 it was supposed 00:25:11.340 --> 00:25:12.160 to be Sarai 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:12.880 that was supposed 00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:14.560 to be an heir 00:25:14.560 --> 00:25:16.120 to receive God's promise 00:25:16.120 --> 00:25:16.580 in the covenant. 00:25:16.920 --> 00:25:18.320 But it looks kind of like 00:25:18.320 --> 00:25:19.160 maybe Hagar 00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:19.779 is the person 00:25:19.779 --> 00:25:20.480 that's going to take 00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:21.039 that place. 00:25:21.420 --> 00:25:22.940 But then chapter 17 00:25:22.940 --> 00:25:23.600 clears it up 00:25:23.600 --> 00:25:24.220 and teaches us 00:25:24.220 --> 00:25:25.180 that this was actually 00:25:25.180 --> 00:25:25.900 a diversion. 00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:27.720 And that's the final point. 00:25:27.820 --> 00:25:28.880 It's covenant confirmed. 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:32.519 And another 13 years 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:32.940 has passed 00:25:32.940 --> 00:25:34.860 according to chapter 17. 00:25:35.580 --> 00:25:36.519 And God says to him, 00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:37.640 I am God Almighty. 00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:38.800 Walk before me 00:25:38.800 --> 00:25:39.560 and be blameless 00:25:39.560 --> 00:25:41.060 that I may make my covenant 00:25:41.060 --> 00:25:42.039 between me and you 00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:44.120 and you may multiply greatly. 00:25:45.180 --> 00:25:46.180 The expression 00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:47.400 God Almighty, 00:25:47.640 --> 00:25:48.740 it refers to, 00:25:48.740 --> 00:25:49.700 it's always used 00:25:49.700 --> 00:25:50.319 in the context 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:51.519 of God bringing 00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:53.299 fruit out of something 00:25:53.299 --> 00:25:54.039 that is barren. 00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:55.559 So it refers to 00:25:55.559 --> 00:25:56.160 his power 00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:57.240 to bring fruit 00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:58.319 out of barrenness, 00:25:58.420 --> 00:25:59.039 infertility. 00:25:59.539 --> 00:26:00.099 And so it says 00:26:00.099 --> 00:26:00.920 God Almighty, 00:26:01.120 --> 00:26:01.900 that's his name. 00:26:02.099 --> 00:26:03.039 And he tells Abram 00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:04.779 to walk before him. 00:26:05.140 --> 00:26:06.279 That's the same way 00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:08.039 Noah was described earlier. 00:26:08.140 --> 00:26:09.079 That's the same way 00:26:09.079 --> 00:26:10.079 Enoch was described 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:10.799 earlier in the book 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:11.279 of Genesis. 00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:13.039 To walk before God 00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:13.859 means to take 00:26:13.859 --> 00:26:15.299 every step of your life 00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:16.339 toward him 00:26:16.339 --> 00:26:17.139 and with him. 00:26:17.299 --> 00:26:17.740 To live, 00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:18.819 to make all the decisions 00:26:18.819 --> 00:26:19.399 in your life 00:26:19.399 --> 00:26:20.259 for him. 00:26:20.939 --> 00:26:21.500 And so that's 00:26:21.500 --> 00:26:22.139 what Abram 00:26:22.139 --> 00:26:23.139 is called to 00:26:23.139 --> 00:26:24.199 by God himself. 00:26:24.639 --> 00:26:25.279 And then he also 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:26.240 commands another thing 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:27.679 and this is the circumcision. 00:26:27.799 --> 00:26:28.919 This is a covenant sign 00:26:28.919 --> 00:26:30.419 for Abram 00:26:30.419 --> 00:26:31.019 and all those 00:26:31.019 --> 00:26:31.559 who are with him. 00:26:32.179 --> 00:26:33.319 And circumcision, 00:26:33.480 --> 00:26:34.000 as you well know, 00:26:34.059 --> 00:26:35.139 involves a cutting 00:26:35.139 --> 00:26:36.039 of the foreskin 00:26:36.039 --> 00:26:37.919 of the male genital organ. 00:26:38.359 --> 00:26:39.119 And it's therefore 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:40.240 particularly appropriate 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:41.559 actually for this promise 00:26:41.559 --> 00:26:42.579 because God's promising 00:26:42.579 --> 00:26:44.079 Abram a progeny, 00:26:44.399 --> 00:26:44.879 the people, 00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:46.740 generations of nations 00:26:46.740 --> 00:26:47.740 that will come from him. 00:26:48.140 --> 00:26:48.920 And so it's kind of 00:26:48.920 --> 00:26:49.640 an intimate reminder 00:26:49.640 --> 00:26:50.760 that's perpetually there. 00:26:51.180 --> 00:26:51.380 You know, 00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:52.520 remember that promise. 00:26:53.020 --> 00:26:53.720 Through you, 00:26:53.840 --> 00:26:54.680 all the families 00:26:54.680 --> 00:26:55.340 of the earth 00:26:55.340 --> 00:26:56.020 will be blessed. 00:26:56.840 --> 00:26:57.800 It's also kind of 00:26:57.800 --> 00:26:58.140 a sign, 00:26:58.220 --> 00:26:58.920 a reminder of 00:26:58.920 --> 00:26:59.580 the punishment 00:26:59.580 --> 00:27:01.000 is that if you do not 00:27:01.000 --> 00:27:02.060 follow God, 00:27:02.120 --> 00:27:02.700 if you're not committed 00:27:02.700 --> 00:27:03.000 to him, 00:27:03.040 --> 00:27:03.900 you'll be cut off 00:27:03.900 --> 00:27:04.720 from your people. 00:27:05.060 --> 00:27:05.660 You'll be cut off 00:27:05.660 --> 00:27:06.280 from the people 00:27:06.280 --> 00:27:07.520 that you are called 00:27:07.520 --> 00:27:08.380 to be a part of. 00:27:09.720 --> 00:27:09.900 And, 00:27:10.140 --> 00:27:12.260 but of course, 00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:15.579 you can cut off 00:27:15.579 --> 00:27:16.200 the foreskin 00:27:16.200 --> 00:27:17.480 all you want 00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:18.519 and people could 00:27:18.519 --> 00:27:19.539 still be rebellious, 00:27:20.119 --> 00:27:20.240 right? 00:27:20.279 --> 00:27:20.960 People could still 00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:21.980 rebel against God. 00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:22.900 People could still 00:27:22.900 --> 00:27:24.559 refuse to follow 00:27:24.559 --> 00:27:25.160 God's covenant, 00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:25.980 keep God's covenant. 00:27:26.379 --> 00:27:27.180 And that's why 00:27:27.180 --> 00:27:28.420 other parts of Scripture 00:27:28.420 --> 00:27:30.039 speak of circumcision, 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:31.160 not just of the foreskin, 00:27:31.240 --> 00:27:31.980 but of the heart. 00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:34.480 Deuteronomy 36, 00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:35.539 Moses prophesied 00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:36.500 to Israel of the day 00:27:36.500 --> 00:27:37.440 when the Lord, 00:27:37.500 --> 00:27:37.960 your God, 00:27:38.019 --> 00:27:38.759 will circumcise 00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:39.400 your heart 00:27:39.400 --> 00:27:40.259 and the heart 00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:41.000 of your offspring 00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:42.120 so that you will 00:27:42.120 --> 00:27:42.920 love the Lord, 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:43.300 your God, 00:27:43.340 --> 00:27:44.120 with all your heart 00:27:44.120 --> 00:27:45.140 and with all your soul 00:27:45.140 --> 00:27:47.060 that you may live. 00:27:48.300 --> 00:27:49.759 But we don't see 00:27:49.759 --> 00:27:51.180 this prophecy 00:27:51.180 --> 00:27:51.800 fulfilled 00:27:51.800 --> 00:27:53.120 in the rest 00:27:53.120 --> 00:27:53.800 of the Old Testament. 00:27:54.500 --> 00:27:54.800 Instead, 00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:56.220 we find God's people 00:27:56.220 --> 00:27:57.540 failing over 00:27:57.540 --> 00:27:58.340 and over 00:27:58.340 --> 00:27:59.420 and over again. 00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:01.300 They do not 00:28:01.300 --> 00:28:02.300 keep God's covenant. 00:28:02.980 --> 00:28:03.880 They do not believe 00:28:03.880 --> 00:28:04.560 in his promises 00:28:04.560 --> 00:28:05.700 and they do not live 00:28:05.700 --> 00:28:06.740 according to 00:28:06.740 --> 00:28:07.519 his promises. 00:28:08.100 --> 00:28:09.140 But if God's 00:28:09.140 --> 00:28:09.980 people do not 00:28:09.980 --> 00:28:11.220 keep God's covenant, 00:28:11.800 --> 00:28:13.320 then God's supposed 00:28:13.320 --> 00:28:14.480 to cut them off. 00:28:15.520 --> 00:28:16.259 That's what it says 00:28:16.259 --> 00:28:17.520 here in chapter 17. 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:18.759 In verse 14, 00:28:18.840 --> 00:28:19.300 it says it's supposed 00:28:19.300 --> 00:28:20.220 to cut them off 00:28:20.220 --> 00:28:20.980 from his people. 00:28:21.700 --> 00:28:23.020 But God never 00:28:23.020 --> 00:28:23.820 does that 00:28:23.820 --> 00:28:24.780 throughout the entire 00:28:24.780 --> 00:28:25.420 Old Testament. 00:28:25.940 --> 00:28:26.880 He tenaciously 00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:28.380 remains with his people 00:28:28.380 --> 00:28:29.740 even though 00:28:29.740 --> 00:28:30.320 they continue 00:28:30.320 --> 00:28:31.420 to violate his covenant 00:28:31.420 --> 00:28:32.400 and to rebel 00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:33.020 against him. 00:28:33.280 --> 00:28:34.160 He does punish 00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:34.620 his people 00:28:34.620 --> 00:28:35.580 to reinforce 00:28:35.580 --> 00:28:36.120 the covenant, 00:28:36.540 --> 00:28:37.140 but he never 00:28:37.140 --> 00:28:38.020 nullifies 00:28:38.019 --> 00:28:39.299 or dissolves 00:28:39.299 --> 00:28:39.940 the covenant. 00:28:40.059 --> 00:28:40.720 He keeps 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:41.720 the covenant. 00:28:43.319 --> 00:28:44.440 And you can see 00:28:44.440 --> 00:28:44.920 this also 00:28:44.920 --> 00:28:45.400 in the way 00:28:45.400 --> 00:28:45.879 God makes 00:28:45.879 --> 00:28:46.379 the promises 00:28:46.379 --> 00:28:47.119 to him, 00:28:47.220 --> 00:28:47.639 to Abram, 00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:48.160 because he says 00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:48.980 that I will 00:28:48.980 --> 00:28:50.059 multiply you 00:28:50.059 --> 00:28:50.440 greatly 00:28:50.440 --> 00:28:51.299 and I will 00:28:51.299 --> 00:28:51.799 make you 00:28:51.799 --> 00:28:52.779 exceedingly fruitful. 00:28:53.180 --> 00:28:53.379 I mean, 00:28:53.420 --> 00:28:54.259 those are two words 00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:54.720 that are very 00:28:54.720 --> 00:28:55.379 familiar to us 00:28:55.379 --> 00:28:55.980 by this point 00:28:55.980 --> 00:28:56.680 in our series 00:28:56.680 --> 00:28:57.379 in the book of Genesis. 00:28:57.680 --> 00:28:58.259 Be fruitful 00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:59.339 and multiply. 00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:00.599 That's what God 00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:01.720 had told Adam. 00:29:01.819 --> 00:29:02.359 That's what God 00:29:02.359 --> 00:29:03.279 had told Noah. 00:29:03.279 --> 00:29:04.299 And now Abram 00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:05.019 is this new 00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:05.700 Adam figure 00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:07.099 at the precipice 00:29:07.099 --> 00:29:08.160 of a new creation 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:09.700 and God tells him 00:29:09.700 --> 00:29:10.819 that I will 00:29:10.819 --> 00:29:11.420 make you 00:29:11.420 --> 00:29:12.279 fruitful 00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:13.420 and multiply. 00:29:14.119 --> 00:29:14.799 So God's 00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:15.859 guaranteeing 00:29:15.859 --> 00:29:16.639 what he had 00:29:16.639 --> 00:29:17.599 earlier commanded 00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:18.819 to his people, 00:29:18.940 --> 00:29:20.039 but how can God 00:29:20.039 --> 00:29:20.960 guarantee that 00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:21.940 to a faithless 00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:22.339 people, 00:29:22.420 --> 00:29:23.079 people who do not 00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:23.559 follow him 00:29:23.559 --> 00:29:24.019 and keep his 00:29:24.019 --> 00:29:24.379 commandments? 00:29:25.660 --> 00:29:26.500 For the answer, 00:29:26.619 --> 00:29:27.019 we have to 00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:28.119 go back briefly 00:29:28.119 --> 00:29:29.160 to chapter 15 00:29:29.160 --> 00:29:30.160 and back 00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:30.860 to that ritual 00:29:30.860 --> 00:29:32.279 where Abram 00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:33.540 cuts up the animals 00:29:33.540 --> 00:29:34.580 and lines them up 00:29:34.580 --> 00:29:35.500 parallel to each other. 00:29:36.360 --> 00:29:36.680 And because 00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:38.060 there's a twist 00:29:38.060 --> 00:29:38.800 to that ritual 00:29:38.800 --> 00:29:39.519 that is highly 00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:40.259 unconventional 00:29:40.259 --> 00:29:41.380 in a typical 00:29:41.380 --> 00:29:42.279 ancient Near Eastern 00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:43.860 covenant making oath, 00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:45.840 you do the same thing 00:29:45.840 --> 00:29:46.620 and then 00:29:46.620 --> 00:29:49.300 not the suzerain, 00:29:49.340 --> 00:29:50.360 not the covenant lord, 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:52.000 but the covenant subject 00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:53.540 is supposed to walk 00:29:53.540 --> 00:29:54.840 between those two pieces. 00:29:55.360 --> 00:29:56.259 And that's a way 00:29:56.259 --> 00:29:57.820 of bringing upon himself 00:29:57.820 --> 00:29:58.980 a maledictory oath. 00:29:58.980 --> 00:29:59.339 saying, 00:29:59.579 --> 00:30:00.400 if I do not 00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:01.180 keep the covenant, 00:30:01.460 --> 00:30:02.339 I will become 00:30:02.339 --> 00:30:03.259 like these animals. 00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:05.259 That's what that means. 00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:06.660 But who walks 00:30:06.660 --> 00:30:08.380 between the pieces 00:30:08.380 --> 00:30:09.099 of animals? 00:30:10.440 --> 00:30:11.559 Not Abram, 00:30:11.720 --> 00:30:12.519 who should be 00:30:12.519 --> 00:30:13.079 walking down 00:30:13.079 --> 00:30:13.519 through it, 00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:15.299 but the Lord God 00:30:15.299 --> 00:30:16.000 himself, 00:30:16.599 --> 00:30:17.519 walking down 00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:18.360 between the pieces 00:30:18.360 --> 00:30:19.259 and invoking that, 00:30:19.559 --> 00:30:19.900 and saying, 00:30:20.039 --> 00:30:20.440 promising, 00:30:20.700 --> 00:30:21.120 in essence, 00:30:21.400 --> 00:30:22.700 that he will himself 00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:23.980 bear the curse 00:30:23.980 --> 00:30:24.640 of the covenant 00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:25.740 that his people 00:30:25.740 --> 00:30:27.000 repeatedly fail 00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:27.920 to keep. 00:30:28.980 --> 00:30:30.360 And that's exactly 00:30:30.360 --> 00:30:31.640 what God did 00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:32.240 when he sent 00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:32.740 his son, 00:30:33.059 --> 00:30:33.759 Jesus Christ, 00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:34.759 who is the son of God 00:30:34.759 --> 00:30:35.920 who came into the world 00:30:35.920 --> 00:30:36.839 to save sinners. 00:30:37.079 --> 00:30:38.500 He kept God's covenant 00:30:38.500 --> 00:30:39.759 by believing in his promises 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:40.839 and living by them. 00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:42.360 He did that perfectly. 00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:43.079 Yet, 00:30:43.180 --> 00:30:44.099 instead of enjoying 00:30:44.099 --> 00:30:44.620 the blessings 00:30:44.620 --> 00:30:45.299 of the covenant, 00:30:45.700 --> 00:30:46.860 he submitted himself 00:30:46.860 --> 00:30:49.259 to take upon himself 00:30:49.259 --> 00:30:50.400 the curse of the covenant 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:52.240 and died a sinner's death 00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:52.900 on the cross 00:30:52.900 --> 00:30:53.940 and rose again 00:30:53.940 --> 00:30:54.579 so that those 00:30:54.579 --> 00:30:55.939 who believe in Jesus 00:30:55.939 --> 00:30:58.480 might be counted righteous 00:30:58.480 --> 00:31:01.579 as Abram was counted righteous 00:31:01.579 --> 00:31:03.220 because he died 00:31:03.220 --> 00:31:04.299 on our behalf. 00:31:04.439 --> 00:31:04.980 And that, 00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:06.179 brothers and sisters, 00:31:06.460 --> 00:31:08.139 that is how we become 00:31:08.139 --> 00:31:09.599 circumcised in the heart, 00:31:09.819 --> 00:31:11.619 not just in the flesh. 00:31:13.319 --> 00:31:14.819 Galatians 6.15 says, 00:31:15.079 --> 00:31:15.819 Neither circumcision 00:31:15.819 --> 00:31:16.859 counts for anything 00:31:16.859 --> 00:31:18.099 nor uncircumcision, 00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:19.779 but a new creation. 00:31:20.099 --> 00:31:21.000 And how do we become 00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:21.699 a new creation? 00:31:21.700 --> 00:31:23.279 2 Corinthians 5.17, 00:31:23.360 --> 00:31:23.539 Therefore, 00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:25.299 if anyone is in Christ, 00:31:25.700 --> 00:31:27.039 he is a new creation. 00:31:27.140 --> 00:31:28.080 The old has gone, 00:31:28.319 --> 00:31:29.759 the new has come. 00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:31.460 It's when we believe 00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:32.360 and live 00:31:32.360 --> 00:31:33.559 by the promises of God 00:31:33.559 --> 00:31:34.860 in Jesus Christ, 00:31:35.140 --> 00:31:36.360 that's when we are 00:31:36.360 --> 00:31:37.460 circumcised in our hearts. 00:31:37.700 --> 00:31:38.360 That's when we are 00:31:38.360 --> 00:31:39.319 filled with the Spirit 00:31:39.319 --> 00:31:40.640 and enabled to live 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:41.799 according to his promises. 00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:43.799 And that's what this passage 00:31:43.799 --> 00:31:45.840 is ultimately calling us to. 00:31:46.220 --> 00:31:47.440 And that's why it's said, 00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:47.720 remember, 00:31:47.860 --> 00:31:48.980 in chapter 15.6, 00:31:49.240 --> 00:31:50.680 Abram believed the Lord 00:31:50.680 --> 00:31:52.100 and he counted it to him 00:31:52.100 --> 00:31:53.220 as righteousness. 00:31:54.980 --> 00:31:56.860 And as we close, 00:31:56.920 --> 00:31:57.539 I want to ask you 00:31:57.539 --> 00:31:58.160 this question. 00:31:58.500 --> 00:32:00.039 What are the things 00:32:00.039 --> 00:32:01.320 that you count on 00:32:01.320 --> 00:32:03.039 for your righteousness? 00:32:05.740 --> 00:32:06.759 What are the things 00:32:06.759 --> 00:32:07.700 that you count on 00:32:07.700 --> 00:32:09.080 to be in right standing 00:32:09.080 --> 00:32:09.740 before God? 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:13.320 Is it your own morality? 00:32:13.319 --> 00:32:16.399 your righteousness, 00:32:17.119 --> 00:32:18.439 your faithfulness, 00:32:19.559 --> 00:32:21.500 how you did this past week? 00:32:25.179 --> 00:32:27.179 If what makes you righteous, 00:32:27.379 --> 00:32:28.200 if your confidence 00:32:28.200 --> 00:32:29.119 as you approach 00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:29.960 God's judgment 00:32:29.960 --> 00:32:31.000 to stand there 00:32:31.000 --> 00:32:32.359 is your own righteousness, 00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:33.240 that will turn out 00:32:33.240 --> 00:32:34.299 to be a false confidence. 00:32:34.839 --> 00:32:35.919 And the Father's verdict 00:32:35.919 --> 00:32:36.700 will be guilty. 00:32:36.700 --> 00:32:40.920 But if 00:32:40.920 --> 00:32:44.120 you are counting on Jesus, 00:32:45.120 --> 00:32:46.600 what he did for you 00:32:46.600 --> 00:32:47.200 on the cross, 00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:49.720 and you're relying 00:32:49.720 --> 00:32:50.819 on his righteousness, 00:32:51.819 --> 00:32:52.600 then even though 00:32:52.600 --> 00:32:53.480 with every fiber 00:32:53.480 --> 00:32:54.019 of your being 00:32:54.019 --> 00:32:55.120 as you stand before God 00:32:55.120 --> 00:32:55.559 in judgment, 00:32:55.840 --> 00:32:57.039 you know you are guilty 00:32:57.039 --> 00:32:57.900 and deserving 00:32:57.900 --> 00:32:58.900 of eternal punishment, 00:32:59.620 --> 00:33:00.980 the verdict will be 00:33:00.980 --> 00:33:01.900 not guilty, 00:33:02.640 --> 00:33:03.160 acquitted, 00:33:04.200 --> 00:33:04.580 forgiven, 00:33:04.579 --> 00:33:06.720 covered, 00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:08.419 righteous 00:33:08.419 --> 00:33:10.339 because of what 00:33:10.339 --> 00:33:11.059 Jesus Christ 00:33:11.059 --> 00:33:12.240 has done. 00:33:13.259 --> 00:33:14.199 So I urge you, 00:33:14.279 --> 00:33:15.019 whether you're a Christian 00:33:15.019 --> 00:33:15.759 or not, 00:33:16.119 --> 00:33:17.659 to consider that 00:33:17.659 --> 00:33:18.799 and to keep 00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:19.480 God's covenant 00:33:19.480 --> 00:33:20.199 by believing 00:33:20.199 --> 00:33:21.299 in the promises 00:33:21.299 --> 00:33:22.639 and living by the promises 00:33:22.639 --> 00:33:23.339 that he has given 00:33:23.339 --> 00:33:24.480 to you in Jesus Christ. 00:33:24.919 --> 00:33:25.679 Let's pray together. 00:33:32.679 --> 00:33:33.480 God, it's 00:33:33.480 --> 00:33:38.900 easy to believe 00:33:38.900 --> 00:33:39.539 in our heads 00:33:39.539 --> 00:33:42.279 that your promises 00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:42.880 are true, 00:33:43.059 --> 00:33:44.039 that you are indeed 00:33:44.039 --> 00:33:45.160 good and sovereign, 00:33:45.660 --> 00:33:46.539 that you are gracious 00:33:46.539 --> 00:33:47.380 toward us 00:33:47.380 --> 00:33:48.259 and you give 00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:49.099 every good blessing 00:33:49.099 --> 00:33:49.759 to us. 00:33:51.480 --> 00:33:52.259 Yet our 00:33:52.259 --> 00:33:53.420 idolatrous hearts 00:33:53.420 --> 00:33:54.200 so often 00:33:54.200 --> 00:33:55.380 question you, 00:33:56.380 --> 00:33:57.180 doubt your calling, 00:33:59.960 --> 00:34:01.180 impugn your goodness. 00:34:01.180 --> 00:34:03.700 so help us, 00:34:03.820 --> 00:34:04.000 God. 00:34:05.740 --> 00:34:06.700 Give us faith 00:34:06.700 --> 00:34:07.420 to believe 00:34:07.420 --> 00:34:08.720 in your promises 00:34:08.720 --> 00:34:09.519 and to live 00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:10.220 every step, 00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:11.700 every part of our life 00:34:11.700 --> 00:34:14.119 in accordance with it. 00:34:15.760 --> 00:34:16.740 In Jesus' name 00:34:16.740 --> 00:34:17.119 we pray. 00:34:17.519 --> 00:34:17.760 Amen. 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:17.900 Amen. 00:34:17.900 --> 00:34:21.360 Amen. 00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:22.019 Amen. 00:34:23.220 --> 00:34:23.300 Amen.