WEBVTT

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 Most people love a good story, a good dose of good drama, right?

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 It's because that's the stuff of human life, right?

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 Love, betrayal, jealousy, hatred, conflict, escalation, and resolution.

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 And we find in these few chapters of Genesis a highly dramatic story of Abraham, Sarah,

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 and Isaac, and Hagar, and Ishmael.

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 And we see everything.

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 We see faith and doubt.

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 We see love, joy, and jealousy.

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 We see, you know, hatred as well.

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 And the rollercoaster, but through, it's like a rollercoaster, but through it all,

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 God's faithfulness is the stream that keeps it all steady and constant.

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 We see his faithfulness all throughout this passage.

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 And it serves kind of like the rails that keep this rollercoaster in place.

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 And in this way, these chapters teach us that we can trust God completely

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 because he's faithful to fulfill his promises,

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 that God always fulfills his promises, and therefore we can trust him completely.

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 So in first two chapters, chapters 20 to 21, we see God's faithfulness toward Abraham

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 in spite of his faithlessness.

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 And in chapter 22, we'll see Abraham's faith.

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 And chapter 20, if you've been with us, reads like a deja vu of chapter 12, right?

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 Because there, Abraham was in Egypt,

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 and he passed off his wife, his beautiful wife Sarah, as his sister,

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 so that the Egyptians wouldn't kill him so that they could claim his wife as their own.

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 And here, again, instead of fighting to defend his wife,

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 through whom God promised to fulfill his promise of progeny and making him a great nation,

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 he opts to preserve himself, again, to protect himself at her expense.

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 And at that point in Egypt, God intervened to protect Sarah.

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 And here, once again, God intervenes, despite Abraham's faithlessness.

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 So in chapter 12, verse 3, no, not chapter 12, verse 3,

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 that's when God had promised Abraham that whoever blesses him, he will bless,

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 whoever dishonors him, he will curse.

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 And so here, Abimelech dishonors Abraham, though unwittingly,

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 and now God will fight for Abraham's vengeance.

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 And so here, in verse 3 of chapter 20, God says to Abimelech,

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 Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken,

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 for she is a man's wife.

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 Though Abraham is a coward who doesn't defend his wife,

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 here, God is a strong advocate for Sarah and Abraham.

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 And he says, in essence, to Abimelech,

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 you're as good as dead because of what you've done in taking Abraham's wife as your own.

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 And then Abimelech defends himself, saying,

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 Well, but he said this is her sister, this is his sister,

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 and she said this is her brother.

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 And I did this in innocence.

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 And that's true.

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 And the fact that, you know, the king of the Philistines here,

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 Abimelech says that,

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 Will you kill the innocent to God?

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 Shows that God's answer is going to be no,

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 because we just found that in chapter 18,

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 that God does not sweep away the righteous along with the wicked.

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 That's what happened in Sodom.

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 So Abimelech's question,

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 Lord, will you kill an innocent people,

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 anticipates a negative answer.

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 And that's what, indeed, what we find in verses 6 to 7.

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 Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart,

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 and it was I who kept you from sinning against me.

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 Therefore, I did not let you touch her.

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 Now then, return the man's wife,

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 for he is a prophet,

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 so that he will pray for you and you shall live.

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 But if you do not return her,

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 know that you shall surely die at you and all who are yours.

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 So that encounter with Abimelech began with the threat of death,

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 and it ends with the threat of death once again.

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 So God's very serious about defending Abraham and Sarah,

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 so that his promise to them might be fulfilled.

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 And then we see Abimelech's response in verses 8 to 10,

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 and his response is prompt,

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 and it's pious, really.

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 He's honoring God in his response.

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 And it says that the men were actually very much afraid,

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 and they regarded seizing another man's wife as a great sin.

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 So it seems that these people,

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 even though Abraham didn't think much of them,

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 actually had a fear of God in them.

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 And in contrast to Abimelech's pious response,

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 we find that Abraham's response is quite pathetic, right?

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 He explains in verses 11 to 13,

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 I did it because I thought there is no fear of God at all in this place,

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 and they will kill me because of my wife.

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 And besides, she is indeed my sister.

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 Well, first, it seems like from this passage that Abraham,

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 this is not the second time he says,

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 he says whenever he went to a new place, he said he did this.

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 He passed off his wife Sarah as a sister so that he could be preserved.

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 So that's terrible.

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 And then secondly, not just that,

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 his answer is a total distraction.

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 It's a misleading answer.

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 Well, yeah, she is my sister,

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 but I mean, that's really not the point of the question, right?

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 It's not unlike the time when someone asks you, like,

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 hey, what's up?

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 And then you answer, well, the ceiling or the sky.

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 I mean, well, that's just a misleading,

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 because that's not the point.

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 It doesn't answer the question.

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 That's not what's going on.

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 Here, Abraham, sure, she is your sister.

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 Sarah is your sister.

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 But when someone comes because they're interested in claiming her as their own wife,

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 the question at hand is not whether she's your sister.

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 Even if she is sister, the question you need to answer is whether she's your wife.

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 And she is your wife.

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 And Abraham didn't tell them that.

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 And so he is totally, it's an inexcusable act that he does.

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 And even though he judged the nation to have no fear of God in the place,

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 it shows clearly in this passage that they had the fear of God.

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 In fact, the only person in this dialogue that seems to lack the fear of God is Abraham.

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 It's not Abimelech.

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 It's not the Philistines.

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 And so Abimelech returns Sarah and gives a handsome fee,

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 pays a handsome reward as a sign of vindication,

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 as a sign of Sarah's innocence,

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 that she was not harmed or touched by him or anyone in his household.

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 Yet in spite of Abraham's faithlessness,

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 God is faithful to fulfill his promises.

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 And so he protects Sarah so that his promise of progeny might continue.

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 And not only that, he also gives him the promise.

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 He had promised him the land of Canaan.

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 And through Abimelech, you get a first glimpse of that promise coming to be fulfilled.

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 In verse 15, Abimelech promises Abraham,

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 Behold, my land is before you.

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 Dwell where it pleases you.

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 So now Abraham gets to really take a stake,

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 put a stake down on his land in this property in Canaan

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 because Abimelech has given him permission to do so.

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 And at the end of this,

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 we find out that Abimelech's family,

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 the woman of his household,

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 were punished by God by closing their womb.

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 And that kind of gives us also a glimpse of,

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 a glimmer of hope.

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 If God could so close and open their womb,

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 could God also open the womb of Sarah?

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 And she had said earlier that God had prevented her from having children.

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 And we find the answer to that question in verses 1 to 7 of chapter 21.

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 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said,

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 and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised.

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 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age

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 at the time of which God had spoken to him.

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 And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him,

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 whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.

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 So the fact that God kept his promise to Abraham

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 is emphasized throughout this passage.

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 It says,

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 The Lord visited Sarah as he had said,

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 and he did to Sarah as he had promised.

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 This is something that God already promised him.

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 And then Abraham reciprocates by obeying God's commandment.

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 He says that he circumcised his son Isaac

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 when he was eight days old,

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 as God had commanded him.

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 And appropriately,

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 because Isaac has brought them such joy and laughter,

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 they name him Isaac,

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 which means laughter.

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 And this miracle boy grows up

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 and is weaned in verse 8.

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 And this is an occasion for great celebration

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 because babies in the ancient Near East

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 were breastfed for much longer

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 than babies in our culture are,

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 usually up to the age of three or so.

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 So Isaac is probably three years old.

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 He's a toddler walking around.

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 And because infant mortality rate also was much higher then,

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 this was a great occasion for celebration.

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 It was a milestone when a baby was weaned.

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 So from now on,

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 it seems that God's promise to fulfill through Isaac,

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 that Isaac will be the heir

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 through which God's promise of progeny and nation

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 will be fulfilled.

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 But then conflict and uncertainty is introduced once again

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 as an old rivalry between Hagar and Sarah is revived.

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 Verses 9 to 10, it says,

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 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian,

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 whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.

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 So she said to Abraham,

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 Cast out this slave woman with her son,

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 for the son of this slave woman

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 shall not be heir with my son Isaac.

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 So the context suggests that, you know,

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 that Hagar's son Ishmael is not laughing innocently,

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 but laughing at Isaac, presumably mocking him.

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 And he was, and just to be sure,

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 this was, there was something, you know,

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 laughable about the son of Abraham.

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 Abraham is, at this point, 103 years old.

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 And he's old enough to be Isaac's great-grandfather.

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 And here he is holding this weaned child.

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 There's some situation that, to Ishmael,

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 seemed laughable.

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 And he, this child,

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 will now compete with me for my father's inheritance.

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 And that seems to be the even deeper underlying question.

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 Because when it says that Ishmael laughed,

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 remember, Isaac means to laugh.

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 So literally, what you find here is that

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 you find Ishmael Isaac-ing.

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 Isaac-ing here.

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 He's acting the part of Isaac.

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 And so that's what's threatened to Sarah

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 as Isaac's mother,

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 is that Ishmael's acting the part of Isaac,

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 and she says,

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 no, he will not inherit with my son.

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 This is the son of a slave woman,

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 and he will not inherit.

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 So that's what's motivating Sarah

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 to act, lash out in this way.

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 And so Sarah clearly doesn't see them

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 as part of her family.

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 She refers to Ishmael as the son of a slave woman.

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 But Abraham refers to him as his son.

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 So he has an affection for him,

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 and he wants to keep him in.

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 So this is very distressing to him.

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 In fact, he is described as being very displeased.

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 And that phrase suggests explosive anger.

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 In fact, in other places in the Old Testament,

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 just being displeased suggests great anger.

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 And when God is displeased,

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 usually there's spilled blood,

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 judgment, and death.

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 And so, but this is the only place

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 in the entire Old Testament

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 where someone is described as being very displeased.

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 So this is, Abraham is infuriated

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 that Sarah would suggest such a thing.

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 Yet, in a surprising way, God intervenes

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 and calms Abraham down

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 and then tells him to listen to Sarah.

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 12, 13.

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 Be not displeased because of the boy

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 and because of your slave woman.

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 Whatever Sarah says to you,

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 do as she tells you.

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 For through Isaac shall your offspring be named.

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 And I will make a nation of the son

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 of the slave woman also

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 because he is your offspring.

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 Because God had promised earlier

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 that it is through Isaac

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 that his promise will be fulfilled.

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 So he reiterates that, reaffirms that,

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 and says, don't worry, don't fret.

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 Listen to Sarah

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 because this is part of what I'm doing.

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 It's part of this fulfilling my plan

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 for you and for your family.

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 And so Abraham sends off Hagar and Ishmael.

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 And he says that he rose early in the morning,

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 verse 14,

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 and he personally takes bread and skin of water

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 and puts it on Hagar's shoulder.

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 And then lastly, perhaps showing his reluctance,

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 he hands off Ishmael to Hagar.

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 But unfortunately,

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 Hagar gets lost on her journey.

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 It says in verse 14,

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 she departed and wandered

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 in the wilderness of Beersheba.

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 And the story continues in verses 15 to 16.

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 When the water and the skin was gone,

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 she put the child under one of the bushes.

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 Then she went and sat down opposite him

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 a good way off about the distance of a bow shot

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 for she said,

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 let me not look on the death of the child.

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 And as she sat opposite him,

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 she lifted up her voice and wept.

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 So the word she put the child under the bush,

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 the word put,

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 it's really kind of the word for dumping.

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 You know, it usually refers to

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 people dumping a corpse somewhere

00:12:42.419 --> 00:12:44.339
 or dumping someone into a well

00:12:44.339 --> 00:12:45.339
 or a pit to die.

00:12:45.619 --> 00:12:46.059
 So that's the,

00:12:46.119 --> 00:12:49.779
 so here it shows Hagar's despair and desolation.

00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:50.799
 So he's saying she's,

00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:53.659
 she's dumping Ishmael down and despairing.

00:12:53.659 --> 00:12:54.559
 I mean, can you imagine,

00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:56.839
 for those of you who have children

00:12:56.839 --> 00:12:59.019
 or for at least for those of you who don't,

00:12:59.059 --> 00:12:59.600
 you could imagine,

00:12:59.699 --> 00:13:01.059
 can you imagine the pain of

00:13:01.059 --> 00:13:03.100
 seeing your own child die

00:13:03.100 --> 00:13:06.519
 and being helpless to be able to do anything about it?

00:13:06.699 --> 00:13:09.019
 That's the pain that Hagar is in now.

00:13:09.139 --> 00:13:10.600
 And so she weeps and she says,

00:13:10.719 --> 00:13:12.559
 I can't bear to watch him die,

00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:14.100
 so I'll dump him off here.

00:13:14.219 --> 00:13:15.699
 And then she goes and wails.

00:13:15.700 --> 00:13:20.140
 But God always takes care of the oppressed

00:13:20.140 --> 00:13:22.620
 and rescues the needy throughout scripture.

00:13:23.580 --> 00:13:25.160
 As Psalm 82, 3 to 4 says,

00:13:25.379 --> 00:13:27.860
 God gives justice to the weak and the fatherless.

00:13:27.960 --> 00:13:30.040
 He maintains the right of the afflicted

00:13:30.040 --> 00:13:31.740
 and the destitute.

00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:33.540
 So that's what he does.

00:13:33.860 --> 00:13:34.759
 He intervenes.

00:13:35.080 --> 00:13:35.460
 And he says,

00:13:35.540 --> 00:13:37.460
 he heard the voice of the boy.

00:13:37.940 --> 00:13:40.400
 That's an allusion to the name Ishmael,

00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:41.940
 which means God has heard.

00:13:41.940 --> 00:13:44.240
 So God heard Ishmael

00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:46.680
 and then he intervenes on their behalf.

00:13:47.980 --> 00:13:51.080
 And this is a great example for us as a people,

00:13:51.160 --> 00:13:52.600
 even though Hagar and Ishmael

00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:55.580
 are not part of God's elect line.

00:13:55.940 --> 00:13:57.440
 They are not chosen people.

00:13:57.540 --> 00:13:59.240
 They're not the people through whom

00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:00.580
 the Messiah will come.

00:14:00.800 --> 00:14:02.180
 Yet God reaches out to them.

00:14:02.260 --> 00:14:03.560
 He has compassion on them.

00:14:03.700 --> 00:14:06.560
 And he rescues them from this dire situation.

00:14:07.260 --> 00:14:09.120
 And that's because God always advocates

00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:11.680
 on behalf of the powerless and the voiceless.

00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.399
 In society.

00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:15.059
 And that's what Christians throughout history

00:14:15.059 --> 00:14:15.939
 have been known to do.

00:14:16.599 --> 00:14:18.399
 Alvin Schmidt, a historian,

00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:19.519
 writes in his book,

00:14:19.579 --> 00:14:20.899
 How Christianity Changed the World,

00:14:21.419 --> 00:14:23.339
 that it's Christian influence on government

00:14:23.339 --> 00:14:24.839
 that was primarily responsible

00:14:24.839 --> 00:14:26.779
 for outlawing infanticide,

00:14:27.299 --> 00:14:29.000
 child abandonment, abortion,

00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:31.620
 and gladiatorial games in the Roman Empire.

00:14:32.259 --> 00:14:34.000
 And for instituting prison reform,

00:14:34.079 --> 00:14:36.439
 such as segregating of male and female prisoners.

00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:39.279
 Stopping the practice of human sacrifice

00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:41.399
 among the Irish, the Prusians,

00:14:41.779 --> 00:14:42.659
 and the Lithuanians,

00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:43.959
 as well as among other nations.

00:14:44.299 --> 00:14:45.579
 Outlawing pedophilia.

00:14:45.779 --> 00:14:47.120
 Granting of property rights

00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:48.399
 and other protections to women.

00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:49.879
 Banning polygamy.

00:14:50.039 --> 00:14:51.179
 Prohibiting the burning alive

00:14:51.179 --> 00:14:52.299
 of widows in India.

00:14:52.679 --> 00:14:53.720
 Outlawing the painful

00:14:53.720 --> 00:14:54.579
 and crippling practice

00:14:54.579 --> 00:14:56.059
 of binding young women's feet

00:14:56.059 --> 00:14:56.939
 in China.

00:14:58.259 --> 00:14:59.620
 Persuading government officials

00:14:59.620 --> 00:15:00.579
 to begin a system

00:15:00.579 --> 00:15:02.120
 of public schools in Germany.

00:15:02.120 --> 00:15:06.139
 And like William Wilberforce

00:15:06.139 --> 00:15:07.460
 in England fighting again

00:15:07.460 --> 00:15:08.879
 to abolish slavery.

00:15:11.139 --> 00:15:13.980
 God heard the voice of the boy.

00:15:14.620 --> 00:15:16.340
 Are we hearing the cries

00:15:16.340 --> 00:15:18.340
 of the oppressed in our society today?

00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:22.440
 Even if they are not part of God's elect,

00:15:22.560 --> 00:15:24.779
 even if they are not going to believe

00:15:24.779 --> 00:15:26.779
 in Jesus and on account of what we do,

00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:27.960
 do we care for them?

00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:30.220
 Because God cares for people

00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:31.180
 creating his image.

00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:33.800
 He advocates on behalf of the weak

00:15:33.800 --> 00:15:34.420
 and the powerless.

00:15:36.680 --> 00:15:38.340
 And so that's not even the main point

00:15:38.340 --> 00:15:38.899
 of this passage.

00:15:39.060 --> 00:15:39.860
 But that's a side point.

00:15:39.940 --> 00:15:41.660
 And now we return to the main plot line

00:15:41.660 --> 00:15:43.000
 which is with Abraham.

00:15:44.139 --> 00:15:46.240
 And Abimelech appears on the scene again

00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:47.899
 in verses 22 to 23.

00:15:48.379 --> 00:15:49.120
 And he says,

00:15:49.560 --> 00:15:51.680
 he's acknowledged that God is with Abraham.

00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:53.040
 He just wants to make sure

00:15:53.040 --> 00:15:54.240
 he gets a piece of that pie.

00:15:54.700 --> 00:15:55.000
 So he says,

00:15:55.060 --> 00:15:55.399
 you know what?

00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:56.860
 When you are thriving and well

00:15:56.860 --> 00:15:57.540
 in the future,

00:15:57.779 --> 00:15:59.000
 don't look down on us

00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:00.320
 but be favorable toward us

00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:01.919
 is basically what Abimelech

00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:03.019
 is trying to do.

00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:05.059
 And he makes Abraham swear an oath.

00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:07.539
 But then Abraham rebukes him.

00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:08.200
 He reproves him,

00:16:08.259 --> 00:16:09.240
 bringing up the fact that

00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:10.240
 some of his people

00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:11.100
 had seized the well

00:16:11.100 --> 00:16:11.980
 that he had dug.

00:16:12.500 --> 00:16:14.299
 And so they hash out about that

00:16:14.299 --> 00:16:15.120
 and make a covenant

00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:16.799
 in Beersheba.

00:16:17.139 --> 00:16:18.320
 And this is significant

00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:19.399
 because in verse 33,

00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:20.039
 it says,

00:16:20.179 --> 00:16:22.399
 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree

00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:23.159
 in Beersheba

00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:24.259
 and called there

00:16:24.259 --> 00:16:25.139
 on the name of the Lord

00:16:25.139 --> 00:16:27.179
 the everlasting God.

00:16:27.179 --> 00:16:30.439
 People don't plant trees

00:16:30.439 --> 00:16:32.239
 in the yard that they have

00:16:32.239 --> 00:16:33.419
 in a condo that they're in.

00:16:34.639 --> 00:16:35.939
 Because you're not going to be there

00:16:35.939 --> 00:16:37.279
 long enough to see the tree grow.

00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:39.099
 You plant trees

00:16:39.099 --> 00:16:40.019
 in your permanent home

00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:41.359
 where you're going to

00:16:41.359 --> 00:16:43.319
 where future generations live.

00:16:43.819 --> 00:16:45.279
 And that's what Abraham does here.

00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:47.079
 So he plants a tree

00:16:47.079 --> 00:16:48.419
 in this property

00:16:48.419 --> 00:16:49.259
 and that's a sign

00:16:49.259 --> 00:16:50.159
 that it's a development

00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:51.379
 and advancement once again

00:16:51.379 --> 00:16:53.599
 of God's promise to him

00:16:53.599 --> 00:16:54.319
 that you will inherit

00:16:54.319 --> 00:16:56.019
 this promised land of Canaan.

00:16:56.019 --> 00:16:57.259
 And so he plants a tree there

00:16:57.259 --> 00:16:58.759
 and the guarantee of the well

00:16:58.759 --> 00:17:00.159
 that Abimelech grants him

00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:01.559
 is a sign of that

00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:02.419
 because without a well,

00:17:02.539 --> 00:17:03.240
 what good is land?

00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:04.000
 You can't live there.

00:17:04.900 --> 00:17:05.960
 And so we see here

00:17:05.960 --> 00:17:07.900
 in these chapters 22 to 20 and 21

00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:09.759
 that we can trust God completely

00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:10.859
 because he is faithful

00:17:10.859 --> 00:17:12.000
 to fulfill his promises.

00:17:12.259 --> 00:17:13.420
 And we see how he does that

00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:14.039
 for Abraham.

00:17:15.200 --> 00:17:17.259
 And having seen God's faithfulness

00:17:17.259 --> 00:17:17.960
 toward Abraham,

00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:19.819
 we see now the pinnacle

00:17:19.819 --> 00:17:21.660
 of Abraham's faith

00:17:21.660 --> 00:17:23.039
 in response to God

00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:23.980
 in chapter 22.

00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:25.839
 Verse 1 begins,

00:17:26.299 --> 00:17:27.220
 After these things,

00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:28.440
 God tested Abraham

00:17:28.440 --> 00:17:29.799
 and said to him,

00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:30.500
 Abraham,

00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:31.620
 and he said,

00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:32.500
 Here I am.

00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:34.200
 This is the first

00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:35.220
 of three dialogues

00:17:35.220 --> 00:17:36.059
 in this chapter

00:17:36.059 --> 00:17:37.339
 and each dialogue

00:17:37.339 --> 00:17:38.220
 begins with

00:17:38.220 --> 00:17:39.940
 an address of Abraham

00:17:39.940 --> 00:17:41.299
 and then his response,

00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:42.099
 Here I am.

00:17:42.660 --> 00:17:44.400
 And then each of the dialogues

00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:46.000
 mention burnt offering,

00:17:46.259 --> 00:17:47.360
 his only son Isaac.

00:17:47.720 --> 00:17:49.440
 So each of these dialogues,

00:17:49.539 --> 00:17:50.039
 three dialogues

00:17:50.039 --> 00:17:50.700
 in this chapter,

00:17:50.839 --> 00:17:52.360
 advance the story

00:17:52.359 --> 00:17:53.639
 and build the tension

00:17:53.639 --> 00:17:55.599
 until the climactic moment

00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:57.399
 that comes to Isaac,

00:17:57.639 --> 00:17:59.059
 the sacrifice of Isaac.

00:17:59.639 --> 00:18:00.779
 And what God says

00:18:00.779 --> 00:18:02.179
 to Abraham in verse 2

00:18:02.179 --> 00:18:03.179
 is it's totally

00:18:03.179 --> 00:18:03.979
 out of the left field.

00:18:04.099 --> 00:18:04.679
 It's shocking.

00:18:05.339 --> 00:18:05.439
 Right?

00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:05.799
 He says,

00:18:06.139 --> 00:18:06.639
 He said,

00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:07.939
 Take your son,

00:18:08.219 --> 00:18:09.579
 your only son Isaac,

00:18:09.659 --> 00:18:10.379
 whom you love,

00:18:10.539 --> 00:18:11.740
 and go to the land

00:18:11.740 --> 00:18:12.299
 of Moriah

00:18:12.299 --> 00:18:14.179
 and offer him there

00:18:14.179 --> 00:18:15.279
 as a burnt offering

00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:16.219
 on one of the mountains

00:18:16.219 --> 00:18:17.479
 of which I shall tell you.

00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:19.279
 Note the similarity

00:18:19.279 --> 00:18:20.039
 between this

00:18:20.039 --> 00:18:20.839
 and the command

00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:22.480
 in Genesis 12, 1

00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:24.240
 when he said to Abraham,

00:18:24.399 --> 00:18:25.319
 Leave your country,

00:18:25.700 --> 00:18:26.379
 your kindred,

00:18:26.680 --> 00:18:27.960
 and your father's house

00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:28.720
 and go to the land

00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:29.920
 I will show you.

00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:31.319
 So both involve

00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:32.279
 going to a place

00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:33.639
 that God will reveal to them.

00:18:34.359 --> 00:18:35.879
 And in chapter 12,

00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:36.359
 that command

00:18:36.359 --> 00:18:37.420
 was progressively

00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:38.259
 more difficult

00:18:38.259 --> 00:18:39.059
 and narrow

00:18:39.059 --> 00:18:39.779
 and specific.

00:18:40.319 --> 00:18:40.420
 Right?

00:18:40.500 --> 00:18:40.740
 First,

00:18:40.879 --> 00:18:41.500
 leave your country,

00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:42.879
 then your kindred,

00:18:42.960 --> 00:18:43.680
 your relations,

00:18:43.960 --> 00:18:45.259
 and then your family,

00:18:45.399 --> 00:18:46.259
 your immediate household,

00:18:46.399 --> 00:18:47.019
 father's household.

00:18:47.019 --> 00:18:48.379
 And now here also,

00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:49.139
 the command becomes

00:18:49.139 --> 00:18:50.460
 progressively more difficult

00:18:50.460 --> 00:18:51.359
 and narrow,

00:18:51.500 --> 00:18:51.980
 specific.

00:18:52.379 --> 00:18:53.160
 Because first,

00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:53.440
 he says,

00:18:53.639 --> 00:18:54.160
 Take your son.

00:18:54.660 --> 00:18:55.660
 And Abraham could be

00:18:55.660 --> 00:18:56.339
 wondering to himself,

00:18:56.500 --> 00:18:57.500
 which son?

00:18:57.539 --> 00:18:58.960
 I have two sons.

00:18:59.460 --> 00:19:00.420
 Maybe God wants me

00:19:00.420 --> 00:19:01.879
 to go find the Israel again.

00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:04.139
 But then God specifies,

00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:05.660
 Your only son.

00:19:06.599 --> 00:19:07.639
 Not the son

00:19:07.639 --> 00:19:09.519
 by your slave wife,

00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:10.240
 Hagar,

00:19:10.460 --> 00:19:11.539
 but the only son

00:19:11.539 --> 00:19:12.579
 you have by your wife,

00:19:12.740 --> 00:19:13.039
 Sarah.

00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:14.279
 Isaac,

00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:14.940
 he names them.

00:19:14.940 --> 00:19:16.400
 And then,

00:19:16.580 --> 00:19:17.299
 not just that,

00:19:17.420 --> 00:19:18.180
 your only son,

00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:18.440
 Isaac,

00:19:18.539 --> 00:19:19.940
 whom you love.

00:19:20.059 --> 00:19:20.400
 Yes,

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:21.660
 your son,

00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:23.279
 your only son,

00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:24.140
 Isaac,

00:19:24.340 --> 00:19:25.640
 the one you love,

00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:26.820
 the one on whom

00:19:26.820 --> 00:19:27.920
 all of your hope

00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:28.700
 is riding.

00:19:29.220 --> 00:19:29.480
 Yes,

00:19:29.620 --> 00:19:30.340
 that one.

00:19:30.519 --> 00:19:31.299
 Take him

00:19:31.299 --> 00:19:33.160
 and offer him

00:19:33.160 --> 00:19:34.500
 as a burnt offering

00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:36.420
 in the land of Moriah.

00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:38.620
 That's a devastating command.

00:19:40.360 --> 00:19:41.480
 Abraham had waited

00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:42.980
 25 years

00:19:42.980 --> 00:19:43.580
 for Isaac

00:19:43.580 --> 00:19:44.299
 to be born.

00:19:45.840 --> 00:19:46.940
 And from the moment

00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:48.420
 he first cradled Isaac

00:19:48.420 --> 00:19:49.140
 in his arms,

00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:49.779
 he was probably

00:19:49.779 --> 00:19:50.940
 the apple of his eye.

00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:53.360
 And as he watched

00:19:53.360 --> 00:19:54.059
 Isaac grow

00:19:54.059 --> 00:19:54.740
 and as he helped him

00:19:54.740 --> 00:19:55.820
 take the first steps

00:19:55.820 --> 00:19:57.059
 and when he finally

00:19:57.059 --> 00:19:58.279
 was weaned

00:19:58.279 --> 00:19:59.320
 and he threw a party

00:19:59.320 --> 00:20:00.059
 to celebrate

00:20:00.059 --> 00:20:01.140
 his growing up

00:20:01.140 --> 00:20:02.039
 and now he's

00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:02.940
 a teenage boy.

00:20:03.140 --> 00:20:03.620
 That's what

00:20:03.620 --> 00:20:05.720
 boy is referring to.

00:20:06.059 --> 00:20:06.820
 And every year,

00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:07.240
 probably,

00:20:07.340 --> 00:20:08.160
 Abraham's heart

00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:09.240
 was knit closer

00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:10.759
 to the life

00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:12.220
 of this child.

00:20:12.220 --> 00:20:16.319
 God tells him,

00:20:16.660 --> 00:20:17.100
 take him.

00:20:17.620 --> 00:20:18.620
 The one thing

00:20:18.620 --> 00:20:19.220
 in his life

00:20:19.220 --> 00:20:20.079
 that he was least

00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:20.900
 willing to give up,

00:20:20.980 --> 00:20:21.579
 God tells him,

00:20:21.640 --> 00:20:22.160
 take him,

00:20:22.579 --> 00:20:23.480
 sacrifice him

00:20:23.480 --> 00:20:25.240
 on Mount Moriah.

00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:28.620
 Hey, at least

00:20:28.620 --> 00:20:29.440
 in chapter 12,

00:20:29.579 --> 00:20:30.400
 God sweetened the deal

00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:31.440
 by giving him a promise.

00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:32.759
 Here,

00:20:32.900 --> 00:20:34.180
 there's no such promise.

00:20:34.420 --> 00:20:34.819
 In fact,

00:20:35.099 --> 00:20:36.420
 the very act

00:20:36.420 --> 00:20:37.160
 of sacrificing

00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:37.940
 Isaac

00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:39.180
 seems to negate

00:20:39.180 --> 00:20:41.059
 and reverse

00:20:41.059 --> 00:20:41.839
 and nullify

00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:42.380
 the promises

00:20:42.380 --> 00:20:42.779
 that God

00:20:42.779 --> 00:20:43.299
 had given him.

00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:45.980
 That's why

00:20:45.980 --> 00:20:46.839
 this is a test.

00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:47.279
 Right?

00:20:47.339 --> 00:20:47.819
 This is God

00:20:47.819 --> 00:20:48.900
 tested him.

00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:50.420
 A test reveals

00:20:50.420 --> 00:20:51.420
 the true character

00:20:51.420 --> 00:20:52.420
 or nature

00:20:52.420 --> 00:20:53.420
 of someone

00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:54.560
 or something.

00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:56.420
 So is Abraham

00:20:56.420 --> 00:20:57.259
 willing then

00:20:57.259 --> 00:20:58.000
 to give up

00:20:58.000 --> 00:20:58.980
 what is most

00:20:58.980 --> 00:21:00.400
 precious to him

00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:01.560
 in order to

00:21:01.560 --> 00:21:02.240
 obey God,

00:21:02.300 --> 00:21:02.660
 in order to

00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:03.380
 follow God?

00:21:03.759 --> 00:21:04.500
 Does Abraham

00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:05.779
 trust God enough

00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:07.120
 to go through

00:21:07.120 --> 00:21:08.340
 with even this?

00:21:09.180 --> 00:21:10.180
 That's the test.

00:21:11.620 --> 00:21:12.380
 Whether Abraham

00:21:12.380 --> 00:21:13.120
 loves Isaac

00:21:13.120 --> 00:21:13.640
 more than he

00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:14.300
 loves God,

00:21:14.820 --> 00:21:15.460
 whether Abraham

00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:16.420
 loves the gift

00:21:16.420 --> 00:21:17.920
 more than the giver,

00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:20.740
 whether Abraham

00:21:20.740 --> 00:21:21.740
 has turned Isaac

00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:22.560
 into an idol

00:21:22.560 --> 00:21:24.120
 by treasuring him

00:21:24.120 --> 00:21:24.860
 and enjoying him

00:21:24.860 --> 00:21:25.779
 more than he treasures

00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:27.220
 and enjoys God.

00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:31.580
 What are the precious

00:21:31.580 --> 00:21:32.840
 things in your life?

00:21:33.620 --> 00:21:35.620
 What do you love?

00:21:37.300 --> 00:21:38.539
 What would be the thing

00:21:38.539 --> 00:21:39.500
 that you'd be least

00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:40.779
 willing to give up

00:21:40.779 --> 00:21:42.019
 for God?

00:21:42.120 --> 00:21:43.320
 That's the idol

00:21:43.320 --> 00:21:44.080
 of your heart.

00:21:46.080 --> 00:21:46.960
 This could be

00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:47.680
 any number of things.

00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:48.140
 It could be

00:21:48.140 --> 00:21:48.700
 your family.

00:21:49.600 --> 00:21:50.039
 It could be

00:21:50.039 --> 00:21:50.539
 your boyfriend.

00:21:51.700 --> 00:21:52.380
 It could be

00:21:52.380 --> 00:21:53.080
 good grades.

00:21:53.660 --> 00:21:53.960
 It could be

00:21:53.960 --> 00:21:54.779
 people's approval.

00:21:55.580 --> 00:21:56.060
 It could be

00:21:56.060 --> 00:21:57.180
 a business success,

00:21:57.380 --> 00:21:57.759
 wealth,

00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:58.740
 and the power

00:21:58.740 --> 00:21:59.299
 and prestige

00:21:59.299 --> 00:22:00.140
 that come with that.

00:22:00.180 --> 00:22:00.740
 It could be

00:22:00.740 --> 00:22:02.160
 your sports team

00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:03.640
 or the carefully

00:22:03.640 --> 00:22:04.620
 curated image

00:22:04.620 --> 00:22:05.320
 that you project

00:22:05.320 --> 00:22:06.120
 on your social

00:22:06.120 --> 00:22:06.940
 media profiles.

00:22:08.220 --> 00:22:08.980
 It could be

00:22:08.980 --> 00:22:09.860
 your dream career.

00:22:10.620 --> 00:22:11.160
 And it could be

00:22:11.160 --> 00:22:12.080
 good things,

00:22:12.680 --> 00:22:13.900
 yet if you

00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:14.700
 treasure them

00:22:14.700 --> 00:22:15.460
 and cherish them

00:22:15.460 --> 00:22:15.980
 above,

00:22:15.980 --> 00:22:18.480
 God,

00:22:18.920 --> 00:22:20.120
 then it becomes

00:22:20.120 --> 00:22:20.500
 an idol.

00:22:21.500 --> 00:22:23.140
 And there's a few

00:22:23.140 --> 00:22:24.019
 telltale signs

00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:24.740
 that you have an idol

00:22:24.740 --> 00:22:25.500
 lodged in your heart.

00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:26.880
 At first is fear

00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:28.360
 because you're afraid

00:22:28.360 --> 00:22:29.200
 of losing it.

00:22:30.200 --> 00:22:31.339
 Fear, you're afraid.

00:22:32.779 --> 00:22:33.380
 You're afraid

00:22:33.380 --> 00:22:34.259
 of losing your job,

00:22:34.339 --> 00:22:34.839
 your child,

00:22:34.940 --> 00:22:35.460
 your health.

00:22:37.059 --> 00:22:37.640
 And the second

00:22:37.640 --> 00:22:38.319
 telltale sign

00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:39.599
 is discontentment.

00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:41.400
 You're discontent,

00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:42.460
 unsatisfied,

00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:43.500
 unhappy,

00:22:43.840 --> 00:22:44.540
 so you complain

00:22:44.540 --> 00:22:45.259
 and grumble.

00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:46.220
 Or if you don't

00:22:46.220 --> 00:22:46.960
 get what you want,

00:22:47.040 --> 00:22:48.120
 you become angry.

00:22:50.140 --> 00:22:51.180
 You're discontent

00:22:51.180 --> 00:22:51.740
 because God

00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:52.500
 is not enough

00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:52.980
 for you

00:22:52.980 --> 00:22:53.860
 and God's not

00:22:53.860 --> 00:22:55.019
 enough for you

00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:55.580
 because you don't

00:22:55.580 --> 00:22:56.600
 have enough of God

00:22:56.600 --> 00:22:57.440
 because you're making

00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:58.100
 him share

00:22:58.100 --> 00:22:59.300
 a part in your heart

00:22:59.300 --> 00:22:59.960
 with the idols.

00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:02.440
 The third

00:23:02.440 --> 00:23:03.100
 telltale sign

00:23:03.100 --> 00:23:03.680
 is lust.

00:23:04.340 --> 00:23:05.780
 Not just sexual lust,

00:23:06.440 --> 00:23:08.000
 but inordinate desire,

00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:09.860
 any insatiable appetite

00:23:09.859 --> 00:23:10.659
 for something

00:23:10.659 --> 00:23:12.759
 that you can't control.

00:23:14.199 --> 00:23:15.000
 Maybe it's your addiction

00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:16.299
 to TV shows

00:23:16.299 --> 00:23:17.299
 or your smartphone,

00:23:18.299 --> 00:23:18.919
 video games

00:23:18.919 --> 00:23:19.439
 or alcohol,

00:23:19.719 --> 00:23:20.899
 porn or drugs.

00:23:22.259 --> 00:23:23.679
 You believe the lie

00:23:23.679 --> 00:23:25.659
 that you must have this

00:23:25.659 --> 00:23:26.819
 and that's a sign

00:23:26.819 --> 00:23:28.219
 God's not sufficient

00:23:28.219 --> 00:23:29.159
 for you.

00:23:30.419 --> 00:23:31.439
 What's the test

00:23:31.439 --> 00:23:31.979
 that God is putting

00:23:31.979 --> 00:23:33.039
 before you this morning?

00:23:33.459 --> 00:23:34.500
 What is he asking you

00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:35.179
 to sacrifice?

00:23:35.719 --> 00:23:36.719
 And God commands you

00:23:36.719 --> 00:23:37.939
 as he did Abraham

00:23:37.939 --> 00:23:38.959
 to offer it up

00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:40.600
 as a burnt offering.

00:23:41.740 --> 00:23:42.259
 To burn it up.

00:23:42.299 --> 00:23:43.120
 You might have faith

00:23:43.120 --> 00:23:43.620
 in God,

00:23:43.819 --> 00:23:44.640
 but your faith

00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:45.360
 is not enough

00:23:45.360 --> 00:23:46.000
 if your faith

00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:47.640
 is not evidenced

00:23:47.640 --> 00:23:48.480
 in your works,

00:23:48.740 --> 00:23:49.380
 in your obedience.

00:23:49.500 --> 00:23:50.579
 So James uses

00:23:50.579 --> 00:23:51.700
 this example of Abraham

00:23:51.700 --> 00:23:52.539
 in chapter 2,

00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:54.079
 21 to 23.

00:23:54.200 --> 00:23:54.299
 He says,

00:23:54.380 --> 00:23:55.279
 Was not Abraham

00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:55.980
 our father

00:23:55.980 --> 00:23:57.700
 justified by works

00:23:57.700 --> 00:23:58.840
 when he offered up

00:23:58.840 --> 00:23:59.700
 his son Isaac

00:23:59.700 --> 00:24:00.460
 on the altar?

00:24:01.100 --> 00:24:02.220
 You see that faith

00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:03.200
 was active along

00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:03.819
 with his works

00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:05.100
 and faith was completed

00:24:05.100 --> 00:24:05.880
 by his works

00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:06.720
 and the scripture

00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:07.519
 was fulfilled

00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:08.559
 that says Abraham

00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:09.639
 believed God

00:24:09.639 --> 00:24:10.519
 and it was counted

00:24:10.519 --> 00:24:12.519
 to him as righteousness.

00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:15.299
 Faith without works

00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:15.859
 is dead.

00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:16.740
 Only the faith

00:24:16.740 --> 00:24:18.119
 that produces good works,

00:24:18.299 --> 00:24:19.680
 that produces sacrifice,

00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:21.339
 that produces obedience

00:24:21.339 --> 00:24:22.619
 counts toward eternity.

00:24:25.980 --> 00:24:26.619
 And so here,

00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:28.200
 it's Abraham's

00:24:28.200 --> 00:24:29.319
 subsequent obedience

00:24:29.319 --> 00:24:30.740
 that proves

00:24:30.740 --> 00:24:31.379
 the genuineness

00:24:31.379 --> 00:24:32.019
 of his faith.

00:24:32.099 --> 00:24:33.039
 It says in verse 3,

00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:34.299
 So Abraham rose

00:24:34.299 --> 00:24:35.180
 early in the morning,

00:24:35.379 --> 00:24:36.240
 saddled his donkey,

00:24:36.599 --> 00:24:37.299
 and took two

00:24:37.299 --> 00:24:38.379
 of his young men

00:24:38.379 --> 00:24:38.899
 with him

00:24:38.899 --> 00:24:40.079
 and his son Isaac.

00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:41.279
 And he cut the wood

00:24:41.279 --> 00:24:42.139
 for the burnt offering

00:24:42.139 --> 00:24:42.960
 and arose and went

00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:43.440
 to the place

00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:43.960
 of which God

00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:44.599
 had told him.

00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:46.119
 So Abraham obeys

00:24:46.119 --> 00:24:46.859
 completely

00:24:46.859 --> 00:24:48.119
 and immediately.

00:24:49.220 --> 00:24:50.359
 And on the third day,

00:24:50.420 --> 00:24:51.119
 he begins to see

00:24:51.119 --> 00:24:51.599
 the place

00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:52.059
 that God

00:24:52.059 --> 00:24:53.240
 has shown him.

00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:55.139
 So imagine this,

00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:56.480
 you're having to sacrifice

00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:57.259
 your only son,

00:24:57.619 --> 00:24:58.819
 your beloved son Isaac,

00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:00.799
 and it's a three days journey.

00:25:00.919 --> 00:25:02.099
 So for three days,

00:25:02.419 --> 00:25:03.599
 he's playing in his mind

00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:04.500
 what might happen,

00:25:04.919 --> 00:25:06.119
 what he would have to do,

00:25:06.460 --> 00:25:07.619
 the unthinkable thing,

00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:09.299
 the pain.

00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:11.759
 And the verses 5 to 8

00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:13.059
 are written so beautifully

00:25:13.059 --> 00:25:13.740
 and poignantly.

00:25:13.940 --> 00:25:14.759
 Read it with me,

00:25:14.839 --> 00:25:15.639
 verses 5 to 8.

00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:16.740
 So they went,

00:25:16.919 --> 00:25:18.279
 both of them together.

00:25:19.180 --> 00:25:19.960
 And Isaac said

00:25:19.960 --> 00:25:20.899
 to his father Abraham,

00:25:21.059 --> 00:25:21.700
 My father.

00:25:22.180 --> 00:25:22.919
 And he said,

00:25:23.079 --> 00:25:24.099
 Here I am, my son.

00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:25.460
 He said,

00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:27.059
 Behold the fire and the wood,

00:25:27.460 --> 00:25:28.599
 but where is the lamb

00:25:28.599 --> 00:25:29.480
 for a burnt offering?

00:25:29.480 --> 00:25:31.220
 Abraham said,

00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:32.759
 God will provide for himself

00:25:32.759 --> 00:25:34.019
 the lamb for a burnt offering,

00:25:34.099 --> 00:25:34.500
 my son.

00:25:35.059 --> 00:25:35.740
 So they went,

00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:36.620
 both of them,

00:25:37.099 --> 00:25:37.480
 together.

00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:39.160
 You could hear

00:25:39.160 --> 00:25:41.819
 the irrepressible affection,

00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:42.920
 the paternal affection,

00:25:43.360 --> 00:25:43.940
 My father.

00:25:44.559 --> 00:25:45.779
 Here I am, my son.

00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:49.299
 And Isaac's unknowing innocence

00:25:49.299 --> 00:25:50.980
 is heart-rending, right?

00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:51.980
 He doesn't even know.

00:25:52.099 --> 00:25:53.480
 So where's the offering

00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:54.599
 that you're going to bring to God?

00:25:55.160 --> 00:25:56.200
 And then Abraham answers,

00:25:56.360 --> 00:25:57.779
 God will provide for himself

00:25:57.779 --> 00:25:59.279
 the lamb for a burnt offering.

00:25:59.880 --> 00:26:01.000
 And notice how these verses

00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:01.819
 are grouped together.

00:26:01.940 --> 00:26:02.900
 It begins and ends

00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:03.460
 with the statement.

00:26:03.579 --> 00:26:05.480
 So both of them went together.

00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:06.900
 So you see,

00:26:07.319 --> 00:26:09.740
 that structure makes it seem like

00:26:09.740 --> 00:26:11.380
 they're on this long,

00:26:11.539 --> 00:26:12.339
 silent,

00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:14.420
 ponderous journey together.

00:26:14.819 --> 00:26:15.720
 They're not really talking,

00:26:15.819 --> 00:26:16.319
 just walking.

00:26:16.940 --> 00:26:19.000
 And then after a while of silence,

00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:21.099
 it's interrupted by Isaac's question.

00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:22.980
 Where is the lamb

00:26:22.980 --> 00:26:23.779
 for the burnt offering?

00:26:24.539 --> 00:26:26.000
 And then after Abraham answers

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.339
 that question,

00:26:26.420 --> 00:26:27.720
 they resume once again

00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:28.359
 on that long,

00:26:28.579 --> 00:26:29.799
 silent walk together.

00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:30.700
 Both of them.

00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:32.000
 It's really just,

00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:33.920
 there's so much tension

00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:36.079
 and sadness,

00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:38.839
 a tinge of sadness

00:26:38.839 --> 00:26:40.579
 in this passage.

00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:43.879
 But we see more than just emotion here.

00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:45.379
 We see Abraham's faith.

00:26:45.380 --> 00:26:48.580
 In Hebrews 11, 17 to 9,

00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:48.860
 it said,

00:26:48.859 --> 00:26:50.059
 By faith,

00:26:50.319 --> 00:26:50.679
 Abraham,

00:26:50.839 --> 00:26:51.699
 when he was tested,

00:26:52.159 --> 00:26:53.379
 offered up Isaac.

00:26:53.579 --> 00:26:55.559
 And he who had received the promises

00:26:55.559 --> 00:26:57.299
 was in the act of offering up

00:26:57.299 --> 00:26:58.139
 his only son,

00:26:58.419 --> 00:26:59.500
 of whom it was said,

00:26:59.939 --> 00:27:02.019
 Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.

00:27:02.399 --> 00:27:04.159
 He considered that God was able

00:27:04.159 --> 00:27:05.839
 even to raise him from the dead,

00:27:05.939 --> 00:27:06.439
 from which,

00:27:06.759 --> 00:27:07.719
 figuratively speaking,

00:27:07.859 --> 00:27:09.079
 he did receive him back.

00:27:09.939 --> 00:27:10.699
 In other words,

00:27:11.139 --> 00:27:13.500
 because God had promised to Abraham

00:27:13.500 --> 00:27:14.519
 that through Isaac,

00:27:14.639 --> 00:27:16.079
 his offspring will be named,

00:27:16.079 --> 00:27:17.879
 Abraham believed that

00:27:17.879 --> 00:27:19.500
 in spite of this ordeal,

00:27:19.579 --> 00:27:20.939
 even through this ordeal,

00:27:21.199 --> 00:27:23.059
 somehow he would end up

00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:24.659
 receiving Isaac back.

00:27:25.220 --> 00:27:26.799
 Because God has told him,

00:27:26.980 --> 00:27:27.919
 it's through Isaac

00:27:27.919 --> 00:27:30.259
 that your offspring will be named.

00:27:31.500 --> 00:27:33.220
 Even if it meant having to kill

00:27:33.220 --> 00:27:34.059
 his own son,

00:27:34.419 --> 00:27:36.299
 he believed that God could raise him

00:27:36.299 --> 00:27:37.919
 from the dead.

00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:42.659
 And you can see glimpses of this faith

00:27:42.659 --> 00:27:43.500
 throughout this dialogue.

00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:44.480
 Because in verse 5,

00:27:44.480 --> 00:27:46.120
 Abraham said to his young men,

00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.079
 Stay behind,

00:27:47.259 --> 00:27:49.360
 and then my son and I will go

00:27:49.360 --> 00:27:51.039
 and will return to you.

00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:52.720
 Both him and his son,

00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:53.099
 he said,

00:27:53.140 --> 00:27:53.759
 they will return.

00:27:55.460 --> 00:27:57.059
 And we see this again here

00:27:57.059 --> 00:27:57.660
 in this passage

00:27:57.660 --> 00:27:58.960
 that we just read in verse 8,

00:27:59.400 --> 00:28:02.180
 where Abraham says to Isaac,

00:28:02.480 --> 00:28:03.880
 God will provide for himself

00:28:03.880 --> 00:28:05.400
 the lamb for a burnt offering,

00:28:05.539 --> 00:28:05.980
 my son.

00:28:06.039 --> 00:28:06.759
 This is an allusion

00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:07.880
 to the name Moriah,

00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:09.900
 which means the land will provide.

00:28:10.460 --> 00:28:11.400
 So there's faith

00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:12.539
 that God will provide.

00:28:12.539 --> 00:28:15.279
 But from where

00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:16.519
 and when

00:28:16.519 --> 00:28:18.059
 this provision

00:28:18.059 --> 00:28:19.099
 and deliverance

00:28:19.099 --> 00:28:20.420
 from the Lord will come,

00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:22.759
 Abraham has no idea.

00:28:23.519 --> 00:28:24.940
 So he has to go through

00:28:24.940 --> 00:28:25.480
 with the act.

00:28:26.420 --> 00:28:28.299
 And we come to that moment of truth

00:28:28.299 --> 00:28:30.099
 when he arrives

00:28:30.099 --> 00:28:30.680
 at the place

00:28:30.680 --> 00:28:32.460
 which God had told him.

00:28:32.819 --> 00:28:33.379
 Verse 9,

00:28:33.460 --> 00:28:33.759
 it says,

00:28:34.200 --> 00:28:36.319
 Abraham built the altar there

00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:37.420
 and laid the wood

00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:38.259
 in order

00:28:38.259 --> 00:28:40.099
 and bound Isaac,

00:28:40.180 --> 00:28:40.579
 his son,

00:28:40.859 --> 00:28:42.180
 and laid him on the altar

00:28:42.180 --> 00:28:43.299
 on top of the wood.

00:28:43.879 --> 00:28:44.799
 Then in verse 10,

00:28:44.900 --> 00:28:46.640
 Abraham reached out his hand

00:28:46.640 --> 00:28:47.799
 and took the knife

00:28:47.799 --> 00:28:48.940
 to slaughter his son.

00:28:50.160 --> 00:28:51.440
 But in the nick of time,

00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:53.200
 God intervenes.

00:28:53.299 --> 00:28:53.559
 Rather,

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:55.500
 the Lord intervenes.

00:28:55.940 --> 00:28:58.039
 He says in verses 11 to 12,

00:28:58.279 --> 00:28:59.779
 but the angel of the Lord

00:28:59.779 --> 00:29:01.140
 called to him from heaven

00:29:01.140 --> 00:29:01.539
 and said,

00:29:01.819 --> 00:29:02.879
 Abraham, Abraham.

00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:03.480
 And he said,

00:29:03.539 --> 00:29:04.200
 here I am.

00:29:04.259 --> 00:29:04.539
 He said,

00:29:04.539 --> 00:29:05.579
 do not lay your hand

00:29:05.579 --> 00:29:06.039
 on the boy

00:29:06.039 --> 00:29:07.359
 or do anything to him.

00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:08.279
 For now I know

00:29:08.279 --> 00:29:09.299
 that you fear God

00:29:09.299 --> 00:29:10.259
 seeing you have not

00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:11.180
 withheld your son,

00:29:11.460 --> 00:29:12.399
 your only son,

00:29:12.619 --> 00:29:13.379
 from me.

00:29:14.139 --> 00:29:14.339
 Right?

00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:16.119
 Throughout this entire narrative,

00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:17.799
 God was referred to

00:29:17.799 --> 00:29:19.440
 generically as God.

00:29:20.099 --> 00:29:21.279
 It's a generic word

00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:22.119
 that all the people

00:29:22.119 --> 00:29:22.819
 use for God,

00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:23.920
 the creator God.

00:29:25.079 --> 00:29:26.460
 But it's here

00:29:26.460 --> 00:29:27.579
 at this juncture

00:29:27.579 --> 00:29:28.519
 when he is addressed

00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:29.440
 for the first time

00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:30.639
 as the Lord,

00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:32.139
 the angel of the Lord

00:29:32.139 --> 00:29:33.099
 responded.

00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:33.920
 And this usage

00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:34.759
 is most likely

00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:36.039
 theologically motivated

00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:37.160
 because when God

00:29:37.160 --> 00:29:38.080
 asks Abraham

00:29:38.080 --> 00:29:39.160
 to surrender Isaac,

00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:40.000
 he does so

00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:41.039
 as God the creator.

00:29:41.620 --> 00:29:42.480
 But when he comes

00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:43.279
 to intervene

00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:44.420
 to redeem him,

00:29:44.539 --> 00:29:45.440
 to save him,

00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:46.340
 to deliver him,

00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:48.100
 he comes as Yahweh,

00:29:48.200 --> 00:29:48.740
 the Lord,

00:29:48.980 --> 00:29:49.880
 the great I am

00:29:49.880 --> 00:29:50.800
 that we've been singing about.

00:29:51.560 --> 00:29:52.820
 He comes to deliver

00:29:52.820 --> 00:29:53.740
 and rescue Isaac

00:29:53.740 --> 00:29:54.740
 from the offering.

00:29:55.160 --> 00:29:56.039
 And he provides

00:29:56.039 --> 00:29:57.000
 a substitute,

00:29:57.580 --> 00:29:58.200
 a ram,

00:29:58.880 --> 00:29:59.740
 a male lamb

00:29:59.740 --> 00:30:00.880
 that can be offered

00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:01.660
 as a burnt offering

00:30:01.660 --> 00:30:02.340
 in the place

00:30:02.340 --> 00:30:03.640
 of his son.

00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:06.320
 dramatic story.

00:30:06.539 --> 00:30:07.480
 It's an amazing story.

00:30:07.600 --> 00:30:07.740
 I mean,

00:30:08.600 --> 00:30:09.360
 anyone tells you

00:30:09.360 --> 00:30:10.060
 the Bible is boring,

00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:10.940
 tell them to read this.

00:30:11.900 --> 00:30:12.920
 Up to this point,

00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:14.560
 we haven't asked

00:30:14.560 --> 00:30:15.120
 the question,

00:30:15.840 --> 00:30:16.840
 was God right

00:30:16.840 --> 00:30:17.580
 to command

00:30:17.580 --> 00:30:20.100
 such an unthinkable act?

00:30:20.759 --> 00:30:20.779
 Right?

00:30:21.860 --> 00:30:22.880
 And was Abraham

00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:24.140
 right to obey him?

00:30:26.360 --> 00:30:26.880
 Clearly,

00:30:27.060 --> 00:30:27.580
 the narrative

00:30:27.580 --> 00:30:28.600
 commands Abraham

00:30:28.600 --> 00:30:29.560
 for his obedience,

00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:29.920
 right?

00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:31.300
 So God rewards him

00:30:31.300 --> 00:30:31.620
 and he says,

00:30:31.700 --> 00:30:32.900
 because you have done this

00:30:32.900 --> 00:30:33.539
 and have not withheld

00:30:33.539 --> 00:30:33.980
 your son,

00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:35.019
 your only son,

00:30:35.080 --> 00:30:36.440
 I will surely bless you.

00:30:36.600 --> 00:30:36.720
 Right?

00:30:36.779 --> 00:30:37.460
 So clearly,

00:30:37.560 --> 00:30:37.960
 the narrative

00:30:37.960 --> 00:30:38.820
 commands Abraham

00:30:38.820 --> 00:30:39.600
 for his obedience.

00:30:42.500 --> 00:30:44.100
 But elsewhere

00:30:44.100 --> 00:30:44.740
 in the New Testament,

00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:45.380
 for example,

00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:46.900
 in Leviticus 18,

00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:47.380
 21,

00:30:47.539 --> 00:30:48.460
 22 to 5,

00:30:48.840 --> 00:30:49.660
 God forbids

00:30:49.660 --> 00:30:51.259
 offering child sacrifices

00:30:51.259 --> 00:30:52.200
 to Molech,

00:30:52.340 --> 00:30:52.580
 right?

00:30:52.579 --> 00:30:56.919
 But of course,

00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:57.480
 that's wrong

00:30:57.480 --> 00:30:58.139
 because Molech

00:30:58.139 --> 00:30:58.759
 is an idol,

00:30:59.039 --> 00:30:59.220
 right?

00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:00.480
 It's a false god,

00:31:00.539 --> 00:31:01.379
 so it's wrong

00:31:01.379 --> 00:31:03.119
 to sacrifice

00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:03.679
 your children

00:31:03.679 --> 00:31:04.679
 to Molech.

00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:06.159
 And so we can answer

00:31:06.159 --> 00:31:06.639
 this question

00:31:06.639 --> 00:31:07.879
 in a couple different ways.

00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:08.299
 So first,

00:31:08.419 --> 00:31:09.879
 in a more general way

00:31:09.879 --> 00:31:10.679
 and then later

00:31:10.679 --> 00:31:11.639
 in a specific way.

00:31:12.039 --> 00:31:13.279
 In a more general way,

00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.500
 the simple answer

00:31:14.500 --> 00:31:15.879
 is yes,

00:31:16.639 --> 00:31:18.119
 God has every right

00:31:18.119 --> 00:31:19.500
 to demand Abraham

00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:20.500
 to sacrifice

00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:21.879
 his son Isaac.

00:31:21.880 --> 00:31:23.100
 Right?

00:31:23.340 --> 00:31:24.440
 And of course,

00:31:24.640 --> 00:31:26.120
 it's not murder,

00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:26.380
 right,

00:31:26.420 --> 00:31:27.620
 if you kill

00:31:27.620 --> 00:31:28.660
 with the proper authority.

00:31:28.700 --> 00:31:29.240
 In the same way,

00:31:29.300 --> 00:31:30.320
 soldiers do not murder

00:31:30.320 --> 00:31:31.160
 when they go to war.

00:31:31.160 --> 00:31:32.640
 It's sanctioning authority

00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:33.260
 of the states

00:31:33.260 --> 00:31:34.820
 that they send them.

00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:35.780
 And God,

00:31:35.860 --> 00:31:36.800
 elsewhere in the Old Testament,

00:31:36.980 --> 00:31:38.180
 commands Israel's army

00:31:38.180 --> 00:31:38.720
 to kill,

00:31:39.120 --> 00:31:39.360
 right,

00:31:39.520 --> 00:31:40.480
 as instruments

00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:41.500
 of God's judgment.

00:31:42.380 --> 00:31:43.000
 So killing

00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:43.980
 is wrong

00:31:43.980 --> 00:31:45.260
 only if it's not sanctioned

00:31:45.260 --> 00:31:46.120
 by the proper authorities.

00:31:47.240 --> 00:31:48.800
 And God's sovereignly

00:31:48.800 --> 00:31:49.340
 in control

00:31:49.340 --> 00:31:50.380
 over every birth

00:31:50.380 --> 00:31:51.860
 and every death

00:31:51.859 --> 00:31:52.599
 in this life.

00:31:52.659 --> 00:31:53.359
 He is the source

00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:54.179
 of all life.

00:31:54.719 --> 00:31:55.259
 And in fact,

00:31:55.479 --> 00:31:55.879
 today,

00:31:56.079 --> 00:31:58.159
 approximately 150,000 people

00:31:58.159 --> 00:31:58.759
 will die.

00:31:59.479 --> 00:32:01.099
 God takes every single

00:32:01.099 --> 00:32:02.359
 one of those lives.

00:32:04.419 --> 00:32:05.299
 Over the course

00:32:05.299 --> 00:32:05.859
 of our service,

00:32:05.959 --> 00:32:06.500
 God will claim

00:32:06.500 --> 00:32:07.699
 12,000 lives.

00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:09.559
 So yes,

00:32:09.659 --> 00:32:10.599
 it's entirely

00:32:10.599 --> 00:32:12.179
 within God's rights

00:32:12.179 --> 00:32:12.979
 as the creator

00:32:12.979 --> 00:32:14.299
 to command Abraham

00:32:14.299 --> 00:32:15.219
 to sacrifice

00:32:15.219 --> 00:32:16.219
 his son Isaac

00:32:16.219 --> 00:32:17.539
 for every life

00:32:17.539 --> 00:32:19.039
 belongs to the Lord.

00:32:19.039 --> 00:32:19.099
 Lord.

00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:21.940
 But more specifically,

00:32:22.740 --> 00:32:24.180
 there is an expectation

00:32:24.180 --> 00:32:25.180
 throughout the Old Testament

00:32:25.180 --> 00:32:26.539
 that the firstborn son

00:32:26.539 --> 00:32:27.319
 in particular

00:32:27.319 --> 00:32:29.180
 belongs to the Lord.

00:32:30.519 --> 00:32:31.899
 And firstborn son

00:32:31.899 --> 00:32:33.079
 as representative

00:32:33.079 --> 00:32:34.559
 of all future progeny,

00:32:34.700 --> 00:32:34.879
 really.

00:32:35.639 --> 00:32:36.639
 And so Abraham

00:32:36.639 --> 00:32:37.500
 here journeyed

00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.220
 for three days

00:32:38.220 --> 00:32:38.879
 to worship God

00:32:38.879 --> 00:32:39.460
 upon a mountain.

00:32:39.740 --> 00:32:40.819
 And this foreshadows

00:32:40.819 --> 00:32:41.460
 and parallels

00:32:41.460 --> 00:32:41.899
 the time

00:32:41.899 --> 00:32:42.480
 when Moses

00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:43.559
 and the Israelites

00:32:43.559 --> 00:32:44.039
 will journey

00:32:44.039 --> 00:32:44.619
 three days

00:32:44.619 --> 00:32:45.259
 upon a mountain.

00:32:45.259 --> 00:32:46.640
 And there they received

00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:47.099
 the law

00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:49.359
 in Exodus 19, 11, 16,

00:32:50.299 --> 00:32:51.759
 Exodus 22, 29.

00:32:51.879 --> 00:32:52.740
 And the law stipulates

00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:53.660
 the firstborn

00:32:53.660 --> 00:32:54.299
 of your sons

00:32:54.299 --> 00:32:55.900
 you shall give to me.

00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:57.200
 And then God

00:32:57.200 --> 00:32:58.079
 later specifies

00:32:58.079 --> 00:32:59.420
 in Exodus 34, 20

00:32:59.420 --> 00:33:01.079
 that the firstborn males

00:33:01.079 --> 00:33:02.000
 of all the animals

00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:03.019
 had to be sacrificed

00:33:03.019 --> 00:33:04.599
 and the firstborn males

00:33:04.599 --> 00:33:05.539
 of all

00:33:05.539 --> 00:33:06.420
 are the families,

00:33:06.599 --> 00:33:07.859
 all the firstborn male sons.

00:33:08.059 --> 00:33:09.859
 They had to be redeemed.

00:33:10.140 --> 00:33:11.240
 They were not to be sacrificed

00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:12.240
 but redeemed.

00:33:12.680 --> 00:33:12.900
 Right?

00:33:12.980 --> 00:33:13.420
 They were supposed

00:33:13.420 --> 00:33:14.440
 to provide a substitute

00:33:14.440 --> 00:33:15.559
 and offering

00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:16.039
 an animal

00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:16.640
 that would die

00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:17.519
 in place

00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:18.980
 of the firstborn son.

00:33:19.320 --> 00:33:20.340
 And why did God

00:33:20.340 --> 00:33:21.059
 command this

00:33:21.059 --> 00:33:21.559
 in Exodus?

00:33:21.980 --> 00:33:22.580
 In Exodus

00:33:22.580 --> 00:33:23.680
 this was looking back

00:33:23.680 --> 00:33:24.620
 to God's deliverance

00:33:24.620 --> 00:33:25.120
 of Israel

00:33:25.120 --> 00:33:26.279
 during the Passover.

00:33:26.920 --> 00:33:28.200
 When God rescued Israel

00:33:28.200 --> 00:33:29.320
 from slavery in Egypt

00:33:29.320 --> 00:33:30.840
 he killed all the firstborn

00:33:30.840 --> 00:33:31.700
 males of Egypt.

00:33:32.240 --> 00:33:32.480
 However,

00:33:32.539 --> 00:33:33.539
 he spared the Israelites

00:33:33.539 --> 00:33:34.160
 families

00:33:34.160 --> 00:33:35.340
 because they had

00:33:35.340 --> 00:33:36.299
 a substitute,

00:33:36.820 --> 00:33:37.620
 a male lamb,

00:33:37.720 --> 00:33:38.420
 a ram die

00:33:38.420 --> 00:33:39.200
 in their place

00:33:39.200 --> 00:33:40.320
 and they had daubed

00:33:40.320 --> 00:33:41.140
 the blood of the ram

00:33:41.140 --> 00:33:42.039
 on their doorpost.

00:33:42.660 --> 00:33:43.299
 And so this,

00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:44.360
 really the sacrifice

00:33:44.359 --> 00:33:45.279
 here of Isaac

00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:45.919
 and God providing

00:33:45.919 --> 00:33:46.539
 a substitute

00:33:46.539 --> 00:33:48.219
 is foreshadows

00:33:48.219 --> 00:33:48.419
 that,

00:33:48.479 --> 00:33:49.819
 even precedes that.

00:33:49.959 --> 00:33:51.139
 And God spares

00:33:51.139 --> 00:33:52.219
 Isaac here

00:33:52.219 --> 00:33:53.359
 because of the ram

00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:54.119
 which is a substitute

00:33:54.119 --> 00:33:55.279
 and God spares,

00:33:55.439 --> 00:33:55.879
 right,

00:33:56.059 --> 00:33:57.259
 Israel in Egypt

00:33:57.259 --> 00:33:58.279
 because of the lamb

00:33:58.279 --> 00:33:59.159
 that died in place.

00:33:59.319 --> 00:34:00.379
 And God ultimately

00:34:00.379 --> 00:34:01.939
 spares people,

00:34:02.479 --> 00:34:03.519
 anyone that he saves

00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:05.299
 because of Jesus

00:34:05.299 --> 00:34:06.579
 who is the lamb of God

00:34:06.579 --> 00:34:07.659
 who takes away

00:34:07.659 --> 00:34:08.539
 the sin

00:34:08.539 --> 00:34:09.880
 of the world.

00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:10.500
 And that's what

00:34:10.500 --> 00:34:11.299
 this points to.

00:34:12.160 --> 00:34:13.340
 That's the ultimate thing,

00:34:13.420 --> 00:34:14.640
 the ultimate spiritual reality

00:34:14.640 --> 00:34:16.560
 that this points to

00:34:16.560 --> 00:34:18.220
 because Jesus is described

00:34:18.220 --> 00:34:19.060
 as the lamb

00:34:19.060 --> 00:34:19.539
 that takes away

00:34:19.539 --> 00:34:20.160
 the sin of the world.

00:34:20.160 --> 00:34:22.260
 He is God's only son,

00:34:22.640 --> 00:34:23.960
 the one he loves,

00:34:24.220 --> 00:34:25.100
 and he too

00:34:25.100 --> 00:34:25.840
 will carry

00:34:25.840 --> 00:34:26.720
 the wood

00:34:26.720 --> 00:34:27.940
 up the mountain

00:34:27.940 --> 00:34:28.860
 as Isaac carried

00:34:28.860 --> 00:34:29.240
 the wood

00:34:29.240 --> 00:34:29.940
 on his back.

00:34:30.260 --> 00:34:30.960
 Jesus carries

00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:31.500
 the cross

00:34:31.500 --> 00:34:32.460
 on his back

00:34:32.460 --> 00:34:33.500
 up the mountain.

00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:35.480
 And the key difference,

00:34:35.579 --> 00:34:36.039
 of course,

00:34:36.940 --> 00:34:38.059
 is Isaac is spared,

00:34:39.179 --> 00:34:39.880
 but Jesus

00:34:39.880 --> 00:34:42.039
 actually dies.

00:34:45.420 --> 00:34:47.360
 Jesus dies

00:34:47.360 --> 00:34:48.239
 and is forsaken

00:34:48.239 --> 00:34:48.980
 by the Father

00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:50.420
 so that people

00:34:50.420 --> 00:34:51.340
 who believe in him,

00:34:51.400 --> 00:34:51.980
 so that we

00:34:51.980 --> 00:34:53.920
 might have eternal life

00:34:53.920 --> 00:34:54.900
 and be reconciled

00:34:54.900 --> 00:34:55.420
 to the Father.

00:34:56.039 --> 00:34:57.679
 Jesus absorbs

00:34:57.679 --> 00:34:58.659
 God's wrath

00:34:58.659 --> 00:34:59.380
 towards sinners

00:34:59.380 --> 00:35:00.119
 so that we,

00:35:00.260 --> 00:35:00.800
 the sinners,

00:35:00.800 --> 00:35:02.740
 might receive

00:35:02.740 --> 00:35:03.680
 his mercy.

00:35:04.800 --> 00:35:05.980
 Jesus puts himself

00:35:05.980 --> 00:35:07.160
 on the cross

00:35:07.160 --> 00:35:07.720
 of judgment

00:35:07.720 --> 00:35:08.600
 where only

00:35:08.600 --> 00:35:09.760
 we deserve to be

00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:11.080
 so that we can

00:35:11.080 --> 00:35:11.620
 join God

00:35:11.620 --> 00:35:12.220
 on his throne

00:35:12.220 --> 00:35:13.120
 and reign with him

00:35:13.120 --> 00:35:14.019
 where only he

00:35:14.019 --> 00:35:15.160
 deserved to be.

00:35:15.320 --> 00:35:16.920
 That's what this passage

00:35:16.920 --> 00:35:17.760
 is pointing to.

00:35:18.080 --> 00:35:19.080
 And Romans 8, 32

00:35:19.080 --> 00:35:19.320
 says,

00:35:19.460 --> 00:35:20.519
 He who did not

00:35:20.519 --> 00:35:22.240
 spare his own son

00:35:22.240 --> 00:35:23.340
 but gave him up

00:35:23.340 --> 00:35:23.900
 for us all,

00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:24.620
 how will he not

00:35:24.620 --> 00:35:25.940
 also with him

00:35:25.940 --> 00:35:26.620
 graciously

00:35:26.620 --> 00:35:28.900
 give us all things?

00:35:28.900 --> 00:35:30.400
 If you seek

00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:31.340
 spiritual life,

00:35:31.660 --> 00:35:32.400
 if you seek

00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:33.519
 spiritual vitality,

00:35:33.660 --> 00:35:33.980
 meaning,

00:35:34.139 --> 00:35:35.000
 if you want your life

00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:36.240
 to be full of the love

00:35:36.240 --> 00:35:37.220
 that God pours out

00:35:37.220 --> 00:35:38.039
 to his children,

00:35:38.139 --> 00:35:38.960
 the only way

00:35:38.960 --> 00:35:39.480
 you can do that

00:35:39.480 --> 00:35:40.700
 is to believe in Jesus,

00:35:41.059 --> 00:35:42.400
 his life and death

00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:43.400
 and his resurrection

00:35:43.400 --> 00:35:44.539
 for your salvation.

00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:45.840
 He's the ultimate

00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:46.340
 fulfillment

00:35:46.340 --> 00:35:48.000
 of all these promises.

00:35:50.559 --> 00:35:51.380
 And when

00:35:51.380 --> 00:35:53.920
 God does not condemn

00:35:53.920 --> 00:35:54.639
 because his son

00:35:54.639 --> 00:35:55.539
 has died in our place,

00:35:55.700 --> 00:35:57.579
 who can condemn us?

00:35:57.579 --> 00:35:58.699
 The great I am,

00:35:58.779 --> 00:36:00.480
 the Lord has made provision

00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:01.799
 and the Lamb of God

00:36:01.799 --> 00:36:02.659
 has been sacrificed

00:36:02.659 --> 00:36:03.360
 on our behalf

00:36:03.360 --> 00:36:04.739
 so we can go to him

00:36:04.739 --> 00:36:06.299
 and place all our hope

00:36:06.299 --> 00:36:07.719
 and trust in him.

00:36:07.759 --> 00:36:08.799
 And that's what this passage

00:36:08.799 --> 00:36:09.719
 exhorts us to do.

00:36:10.179 --> 00:36:11.159
 So whether you're a believer

00:36:11.159 --> 00:36:12.779
 or an unbeliever,

00:36:12.880 --> 00:36:14.139
 I exhort you today,

00:36:14.299 --> 00:36:15.340
 put all your hope

00:36:15.340 --> 00:36:16.460
 and trust in him

00:36:16.460 --> 00:36:17.440
 and let your lives

00:36:17.440 --> 00:36:18.840
 revolve around

00:36:18.840 --> 00:36:19.699
 that truth

00:36:19.699 --> 00:36:20.400
 and that's where

00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:21.599
 you'll find life,

00:36:21.960 --> 00:36:22.239
 love,

00:36:22.420 --> 00:36:23.539
 and fulfillment

00:36:23.539 --> 00:36:24.219
 of all that God

00:36:24.219 --> 00:36:24.679
 has given you.

00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:25.920
 God has promised to us,

00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:26.460
 to his children.

00:36:26.460 --> 00:36:27.840
 Let's pray together.

00:36:38.260 --> 00:36:39.500
 Lord, let us

00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:40.559
 never lose

00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:41.420
 the wonder

00:36:41.420 --> 00:36:43.099
 of what you have

00:36:43.099 --> 00:36:44.139
 accomplished for us

00:36:44.139 --> 00:36:44.760
 on the cross.

00:36:49.280 --> 00:36:51.440
 You pay the ultimate price.

00:36:52.500 --> 00:36:54.500
 Your most precious son,

00:36:54.500 --> 00:36:55.639
 your only son,

00:36:56.300 --> 00:36:57.320
 your beloved son,

00:36:57.639 --> 00:36:59.780
 so that we might be called

00:36:59.780 --> 00:37:01.539
 sons and daughters of God.

00:37:03.860 --> 00:37:04.860
 What grace,

00:37:05.300 --> 00:37:05.880
 what love.

00:37:09.340 --> 00:37:10.460
 Now help us

00:37:10.460 --> 00:37:12.800
 to be challenged

00:37:12.800 --> 00:37:14.000
 and changed

00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:14.659
 by that love

00:37:14.659 --> 00:37:15.420
 you have shown us

00:37:15.420 --> 00:37:15.960
 through your son,

00:37:16.039 --> 00:37:16.699
 Jesus Christ,

00:37:17.099 --> 00:37:20.639
 so that we would consider

00:37:20.639 --> 00:37:22.199
 no sacrifice too great

00:37:22.199 --> 00:37:23.359
 when he's laid

00:37:23.359 --> 00:37:24.039
 at your altar

00:37:24.039 --> 00:37:28.139
 so that we would be

00:37:28.139 --> 00:37:29.119
 ourselves transformed

00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:30.019
 to love others

00:37:30.019 --> 00:37:30.719
 around us.

00:37:35.099 --> 00:37:36.379
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:37:37.159 --> 00:37:37.379
 Amen.