Genesis 16-18

What I Noticed Today (Genesis 16-18)

Genesis 16-22:19

Through a series of events, Abram’s patience and faith are tested while he waits for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

Genesis 16

In verses 1-16, Hagar, the Egyptian slave, gives birth to Ishmael:

• After living in the land of Canaan for ten years without having children, Sarai decides to build a family by giving her slave Hagar to Abram as his wife.

• Abram agreed to Sarai’s plan, took Hagar as a wife, impregnated her, and she became pregnant.
• When she found out she was pregnant, she treated Sarai with contempt.

• Sarai blamed Abram for the problem with Hagar because Abram had done nothing about the way Hagar treated Sarai.
• Abram said the slave is yours, do what you want with her.
• Sarai mistreated Hagar so much that Hagar ran away.
• An angel of the Lord found her by the spring on the way to Shur.

• The angel asked her where she was from and where she was going.
• Hagar was only able to reply she had run away from her mistress Sarai.
• The angel commanded Hagar to return to her mistress and submit to her mistreatment. In return, the angel promised God would bless her by multiplying her offspring.
• The angel said she would have a boy, who she would name Ishmael (which means “God hears”) because God has heard her affliction. He will be wild with his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him. He will live at odds with all his brothers.

• Hagar called the Lord who spoke to her, “The God who sees” or “The God who sees me.” She named the place Beer Lahai Roi (“well of the living One who sees me” Genesis 24:62).
• So Hagar gave birth, and Abram named the boy Ishmael. Abram was 86 years old when Ishmael was born.

Genesis 17

Chapter 17 describes God’s covenant with Abram and the sign of the covenant; circumcision.

In verses 1-8, God establishes His covenant with Abram:

• Abram was 99 years old, and God appeared to him. God said He was God Almighty (El Shaddai), and Abram should live in His presence and be blameless. He will establish His covenant with Abram and multiply him greatly.

• Abram fell facedown as God spoke to him.
• Describing the covenant, God said:
  • My covenant is with you.
  • You will become the father of many nations.
  • Your name will no longer be Abram (“Exalted Father”), but will now be Abraham (“Father of a multitude”).
  • I will make you extremely fruitful.
  • Many nations and kings will come from you.
  • My covenant is between Me and you and your offspring.
  • It is an everlasting covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring.
  • I will give you the land of Canaan as an eternal possession.

In verses 9-14, the sign of the covenant is circumcision:

• God also told Abraham the sign of the covenant with Abraham and his offspring with God is circumcision of every male 8-days old or older.
• This covenant was to include every slave born in their household, and any foreigner purchased with money.
• Any male not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from the people because he has broken the covenant with God.

In verses 15-22, God renames Sarai and promises to bless her:

• Continuing, God told Abraham, Sarai’s name was now Sarah (both names are variations of “princess”).
• God promised to bless her and give her a son by Abraham, and she will produce nations; kings of people will come from her.
• Abraham fell facedown, laughing to himself at the thought of Sarah giving birth since she was 90-years old. (Abraham had assumed his descendants would come through Ishmael.)
• God reassured Abraham, saying, no, Sarah will give you a son, and you will name him Isaac.
• And My everlasting covenant will be with Isaac.
• As for Ishmael, God said He would certainly bless him, make him fruitful and multiply him greatly.
• Ishmael will father twelve tribal leaders, and He will make him into a great nation.
• But, said God, I will confirm My covenant with Sarah, who will bear Isaac this time next year.
• Then God withdrew from Abraham.

In verses 23-26, Abraham obeyed God’s commands regarding circumcision:

• Then Abraham took Ishmael, and all the male slaves either born in his house or purchased by him and circumcised them that day.
• Abraham was 99 years old that day, and Ishmael was 13 years old.

Genesis 18

In verses 1-15, the promise of God’s covenant is confirmed to Abraham:

• The Lord appears to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day.

• Abraham looked up, and three men were standing before him.

• He ran up to meet them, and bowing to the ground, asked them to stay and refresh themselves, and eat.

• They agreed, and Abraham rushed to tell Sarah to make bread with three measures of flour, while he ran to the herd and got a young calf and had it prepared.

• Then Abraham took the curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared and served them while they ate under a tree.
• The Lod said I will come back to you in about a year’s time, and Sarah will have a son.
• Sarah had been listening to them at the entrance to their tent and laughed to herself, thinking she had passed the age of bearing children.
• The Lord asked why did Sarah laugh? Is anything impossible for God?
• Sarah denied laughing, but the Lord replied, you did laugh.

In verses 16-33, Abraham intercedes with the Lord on behalf of the people in Sodom:

• The men got up and were leaving when the Lord said to the angels, should I hide what I am about to do from Abraham?
• The Lord said He had chosen Abraham so 1) all nations would be blessed through Abraham, and 2) he would command his children to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is just and right.
• The outcry of the people against the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah had come up to the Lord, so He will see if the outcry is true.
• The men turned from there and went toward Sodom, and Abraham remained standing before the Lord.
• Abraham asked if the Lord would sweep away the city if there were 50 righteous? Would you kill the righteous with the wicked? The Lord replied He would spare the city if there were 50 who were righteous.
• Abraham petitioned the Lord again, what if there are 45 righteous?
• What if there are 40 righteous?
• What if there are 30 righteous?
• What if there are 20 righteous?
• What if there are ten righteous?
• When the Lord finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham went to his place.

Some thoughts for further consideration:

• We tend to be like Sarai and Abram still today. We believe God, but our faith is weak, so we come up with a plan to help God out. We fail to lead in our households. When our plans don't work out as we had hoped, we tend to blame others (including God) rather than taking responsibility for our poor choices!
• God was gracious in His dealing with Abraham and Sarah, just as He was merciful in His judgment of the sin of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.

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Tomorrow: Genesis 19-21