Did you get the pay raise or promotion when you were promised or are you still waiting?
How about promises made by friends or other family members?
What about promises you made to yourself?
Is there any value in being in a state of “still waiting”?
ESV Genesis 17:21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”
God is speaking to Abraham in Genesis 17:21.
This verse comes from the context of God assuring Abraham that Ishmael, Abraham’s first son, will be protected and blessed but the covenant bloodline will be established by God with Sarah’s son Isaac, yet to be born.
- What has transpired prior to Genesis 17:21?
ESV Genesis 11:27-30 Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot. 28 Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his kindred, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 And Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. 30 Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.
Notice in the last sentence above we are specifically told Sarai, who will later be renamed Sarah, by God, is childless.
Next, God called Abram, later to be renamed to Abraham, to head to a new land with a promise of being made into a great nation that would be both blessed and be a blessing to other peoples.
ESV Genesis 12:1-2 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
Once in the land of Canaan, God appears to Abram again saying:
ESV Genesis 12:7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Remember we were told earlier that Sarai, Abram’s wife, is childless.
After traveling to Egypt due to famine (see Gen 12:10-20) and returning to Canaan (See Gen 13:1-13), the Lord affirms again that Abram will have offspring.
ESV Genesis 13:14-17 The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.”
More time has passed before God and Abram have the following discussion:
ESV Genesis 15:1-6 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.”
4 And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.
Why is God continuing to affirm his promise to Abram yet delay physical offspring?
In the next set of verses Sarai is finally mentioned again.
ESV Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife.
- How long had Abram and Sarai been waiting for offspring since returning to the land of Canaan the second time?
- What did Sarai propose?
Culturally, the giving of a maidservant to a husband to bear children was considered appropriate. God had never indicated this was how He would provide Abram’s offspring.
But God allowed it to happen.
- Why would God permit Hagar to bear a child by Abram if He did not intend for this child to carry the covenant blood line?
Once Hagar had become pregnant her attitude to Sarai changed to contempt which further led to Sarai mistreating Hagar. (See Genesis 16:4-6).
After fleeing from Sarai, Hagar is met by the angel of the Lord, promised multiple offspring, given the name Ishmael for her child, and instructed to return to Sarai.
Hagar responds with praise and obedience.
- Why did God tell Hagar to go back to Sarai?
God affirms to Abram, now renamed Abraham, that Ismael will be provided for by God:
ESV Genesis 17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.
- Can you see the gracious hand of God through these twists and turns as Abraham and Sarah awaited the fulfillment of the promised heir Isaac?
- Can you see God desired to bless Hagar and her offspring through Abraham as well?
- Can you see that God made Abraham and Sarah continue to wait for the promised heir Isaac because He wanted them, and us today, to understand that He is the one who would provide the heir to them?
ESV Genesis 17:21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”
- Can you see that God had a specific plan in mind for Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ismael, and Isaac?
- What about you? What is God’s specific plan for you?
- Are you still waiting on God? What are you learning while waiting?
- Will you respond with praise and obedience like Hagar did?
May you be encouraged that God’s timing in fulfilling His promises to you will be exactly when it is best.
Take some time to listen to the following song by TobyMac for additional encouragement if you are still waiting.
- What stories can you share about God’s timing in your life?
Blessings
Barbara Lynn