ARE YOU READY FOR YOUR PROMISED LAND?
(Gen. 18-22)
Each one of us has his own promised land. God desires that we receive the fulfillment of His promises for us concerning this “promised land”. These promises of God, specifically for us, are in His Word. He has spoken it, and so it shall come to pass.
Our journey from where we are now to where God wants us to be is where all our tests and preparations will happen … to prove whether we are ready or not to get to our promised land, and to prepare us for that day. This is our waiting time. God said, “I will surely return to you when the season comes round (Gen 18:10).” “Is anything too hard or too wonderful for the Lord? At the appointed time, when the season comes around, I will return to you (v. 14).”
God reveals His promises clearly to those whom He chooses (those who seek Him with all their hearts, those who obey Him, and those who believe in Him unwaveringly). He doesn’t hide anything. He shows those who are His not only where He wants them to be but how to get there.
“Shall I hide from Abraham (My friend and servant) what I am going to do, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him and shall bless themselves by him (vv. 17-18)?”
The Lord, in verses. 17-18, emphasized what His promise to Abraham was. He was the One who said that it shall surely come to pass.
In v. 19, God lays down the prerequisites for the fulfillment of His promise to Abraham.
“For I have known him (as My own), so that he may teach and command his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the Lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him.”
God’s promise to Abraham entails a big responsibility on his part. It required a high level of leadership. To receive God’s promise that He will be the father of many nations meant that he had to make his people obey him and God. It also meant removing all those who will not conform to what God wants to happen.
When God revealed to Abraham that He would destroy Sodom, He was not only stressing a point. He was also testing how Abraham will defend his people, a prerequisite for the fulfillment of God’s promise for him. God wanted to see how far Abraham will go for his people.
Abraham passed the 1st test.
Then God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19). This was the first prerequisite to fulfilling His promise to Abraham … to take out hindrances from reaching the promised land.
The next phase was Abraham’s financial blessings. We see in the story of Abimelech how God favored and blessed Abraham. Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell wherever it pleases you … Behold, I have given a thousand pieces of silver …” (Gen. 20:15-16).
Abraham’s financial blessings were necessary for him to receive God’s promise that he will be the father of many nations.
After blessing him, God finally fulfilled His promise that Sarah will bear a child (Gen. 21:2). Isaac was born and he grew up. Then Abraham faced another test, to prove whether he was ready for the next step.
Just like the first time, God had to remove another hindrance, this time it was Ishmael. Ishmael was the result of Abraham’s impatience and lack of faith in God. Ishmael was not what God promised Abraham. He had to be removed because he doesn’t form part of God’s promise.
It was not easy for Abraham to send his son away. He loved him. He pitied him. Sending Ishmael away was painful for Abraham (Gen. 21:11). Yet God told Abraham to obey, and he did.
Though it was difficult for Abraham to send Ishmael away, it was not as difficult as sacrificing the son that God promised him. God had to test Abraham again. He had to be sure that Abraham will not waver in faith anymore as he had before.
Being the father of many nations require a high level of leadership. It requires intent focus on the Lord, unwavering faith, and total surrender to God. All these had to be tested, before the Lord can finally give Abraham what He promised.
Abraham passed the test again. His faith in God was so strong that even his son Isaac didn’t resist being tied up as an offering. Isaac relied on his father’s unwavering faith in God. Again, this was a true test of leadership … for people to be so inspired by the faith of the leader, and they too will submit in total surrender to God.
After Abraham passed this ultimate test, God’s message for Abraham was …
“I have sworn by Myself that since you have done this and have not withheld (from Me) or begrudged (giving Me) your son, your only son, in blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore. And your Seed will possess the gate of His enemies, and in your Seed (Christ) shall all the nations of the earth be blessed (by Him) bless themselves, because you have heard and obeyed My voice (Gen. 22:16-18).”
Had Abraham failed this last test, he would have continued being a father to Isaac and enjoying God’s promise for him to have a son. But the ultimate promise of God would never have been fulfilled.
For God to send His only Son to the world for us, the root of this Seed should be able to do the same. For the world to be deserving of His Son, the person He’ll use as the first line in the genealogy should be able to do as God will do.
When Abraham obeyed, God probably said to Himself … “Finally, I’ll be able to send My only Son. I am confident of this root from where My Son will come from.”
Prayer
O Father … Your promises for me are so great … they are beyond my comprehension. Sometimes it even gets so overwhelming. At times I even ask myself why you have so much confidence in me. I believe, only because You say so. I praise You dear God that Your Word does not return to You void. Everything You have spoken shall come to pass. Even if my circumstances contradict what You promised You will do, I will still hold on to what You say. I want to have the same faith that Abraham had, dear God. I want to be able to wait patiently as Abraham did. Sustain me during this time of waiting. Strengthen me. Teach me everything I have to know so that I can carry out Your plans to the fullest. I want to pass all my tests with flying colors. I want You to be proud of me, Father. Fulfill Your promises dear Lord, and please do not delay. To You belong all the glory. In Jesus’/Yeshua’s name, AMEN.
~Lisa Maki~
Each one of us has his own promised land. God desires that we receive the fulfillment of His promises for us concerning this “promised land”. These promises of God, specifically for us, are in His Word. He has spoken it, and so it shall come to pass.
Our journey from where we are now to where God wants us to be is where all our tests and preparations will happen … to prove whether we are ready or not to get to our promised land, and to prepare us for that day. This is our waiting time. God said, “I will surely return to you when the season comes round (Gen 18:10).” “Is anything too hard or too wonderful for the Lord? At the appointed time, when the season comes around, I will return to you (v. 14).”
God reveals His promises clearly to those whom He chooses (those who seek Him with all their hearts, those who obey Him, and those who believe in Him unwaveringly). He doesn’t hide anything. He shows those who are His not only where He wants them to be but how to get there.
“Shall I hide from Abraham (My friend and servant) what I am going to do, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him and shall bless themselves by him (vv. 17-18)?”
The Lord, in verses. 17-18, emphasized what His promise to Abraham was. He was the One who said that it shall surely come to pass.
In v. 19, God lays down the prerequisites for the fulfillment of His promise to Abraham.
“For I have known him (as My own), so that he may teach and command his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the Lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him.”
God’s promise to Abraham entails a big responsibility on his part. It required a high level of leadership. To receive God’s promise that He will be the father of many nations meant that he had to make his people obey him and God. It also meant removing all those who will not conform to what God wants to happen.
When God revealed to Abraham that He would destroy Sodom, He was not only stressing a point. He was also testing how Abraham will defend his people, a prerequisite for the fulfillment of God’s promise for him. God wanted to see how far Abraham will go for his people.
Abraham passed the 1st test.
Then God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19). This was the first prerequisite to fulfilling His promise to Abraham … to take out hindrances from reaching the promised land.
The next phase was Abraham’s financial blessings. We see in the story of Abimelech how God favored and blessed Abraham. Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; dwell wherever it pleases you … Behold, I have given a thousand pieces of silver …” (Gen. 20:15-16).
Abraham’s financial blessings were necessary for him to receive God’s promise that he will be the father of many nations.
After blessing him, God finally fulfilled His promise that Sarah will bear a child (Gen. 21:2). Isaac was born and he grew up. Then Abraham faced another test, to prove whether he was ready for the next step.
Just like the first time, God had to remove another hindrance, this time it was Ishmael. Ishmael was the result of Abraham’s impatience and lack of faith in God. Ishmael was not what God promised Abraham. He had to be removed because he doesn’t form part of God’s promise.
It was not easy for Abraham to send his son away. He loved him. He pitied him. Sending Ishmael away was painful for Abraham (Gen. 21:11). Yet God told Abraham to obey, and he did.
Though it was difficult for Abraham to send Ishmael away, it was not as difficult as sacrificing the son that God promised him. God had to test Abraham again. He had to be sure that Abraham will not waver in faith anymore as he had before.
Being the father of many nations require a high level of leadership. It requires intent focus on the Lord, unwavering faith, and total surrender to God. All these had to be tested, before the Lord can finally give Abraham what He promised.
Abraham passed the test again. His faith in God was so strong that even his son Isaac didn’t resist being tied up as an offering. Isaac relied on his father’s unwavering faith in God. Again, this was a true test of leadership … for people to be so inspired by the faith of the leader, and they too will submit in total surrender to God.
After Abraham passed this ultimate test, God’s message for Abraham was …
“I have sworn by Myself that since you have done this and have not withheld (from Me) or begrudged (giving Me) your son, your only son, in blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore. And your Seed will possess the gate of His enemies, and in your Seed (Christ) shall all the nations of the earth be blessed (by Him) bless themselves, because you have heard and obeyed My voice (Gen. 22:16-18).”
Had Abraham failed this last test, he would have continued being a father to Isaac and enjoying God’s promise for him to have a son. But the ultimate promise of God would never have been fulfilled.
For God to send His only Son to the world for us, the root of this Seed should be able to do the same. For the world to be deserving of His Son, the person He’ll use as the first line in the genealogy should be able to do as God will do.
When Abraham obeyed, God probably said to Himself … “Finally, I’ll be able to send My only Son. I am confident of this root from where My Son will come from.”
Prayer
O Father … Your promises for me are so great … they are beyond my comprehension. Sometimes it even gets so overwhelming. At times I even ask myself why you have so much confidence in me. I believe, only because You say so. I praise You dear God that Your Word does not return to You void. Everything You have spoken shall come to pass. Even if my circumstances contradict what You promised You will do, I will still hold on to what You say. I want to have the same faith that Abraham had, dear God. I want to be able to wait patiently as Abraham did. Sustain me during this time of waiting. Strengthen me. Teach me everything I have to know so that I can carry out Your plans to the fullest. I want to pass all my tests with flying colors. I want You to be proud of me, Father. Fulfill Your promises dear Lord, and please do not delay. To You belong all the glory. In Jesus’/Yeshua’s name, AMEN.
~Lisa Maki~
