The Promised Son Rebels

Gods sovereign will cannot be stopped.

Genesis 25:21-23 Isaac pleaded with the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children. The LORD answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins. 22 But the two children struggled with each other in her womb. So she went to ask the LORD about it. “Why is this happening to me?” she asked. 23 And the LORD told her, “The sons in your womb will become two nations. From the very beginning, the two nations will be rivals. One nation will be stronger than the other; and your older son will serve your younger son.”

Genesis 27:1-4 One day when Isaac was old and turning blind, he called for Esau, his older son, and said, “My son.” “Yes, Father?” Esau replied. 2 “I am an old man now,” Isaac said, “and I don’t know when I may die. 3 Take your bow and a quiver full of arrows, and go out into the open country to hunt some wild game for me. 4 Prepare my favorite dish, and bring it here for me to eat. Then I will pronounce the blessing that belongs to you, my firstborn son, before I die.”

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Hold on, did you see what just happened? In chapter 25 of Genesis God said that the older son, Esau would serve the younger son, Jacob and then over in chapter 27 Isaac is attempting to turn all of that around.

Even before he was born, God made it clear that Jacob would be the heir of the covenant promises made to Abraham but suddenly Isaac calls in his son Esau to try and give him the inheritance. But Isaac doesn't realize that his wife is going to step in and "help" God with his will so that Jacob will get what has been promised.

All four of the characters in this family drama are working outside of God's will, Isaac and Esau conspired together to go against God but Rebekah and Jacob were also outside of God's will even though they were trying to accomplish God's will.

The Deception

• Blessing the oldest son was usually done with the rest of the family present but Isaac and Esau didn't want anyone reminding them of what God told them. Isaac was more concerned about what his wife thought than he was about God.
• This is probably not the first time that Rebekah has been eavesdropping on the conversations between Isaac and Esau. That's why the props needed to make the deception work were so accessible.
• Jacob didn't refuse to go along with the deception for the right reasons, he was more concerned with getting caught than doing the right thing, he is a grown man that could have easily stood up to his mom. (40 years old)
• Isaac intended to give all of his blessings to Esau without anything being left to give to Isaac. That's why there wasn't anything left when Esau begged to have something after it was all given to Jacob.
• Jacob must have been anxious to get the blessing done before Esau returns. He had to keep telling more lies as he answered his father's questions. Jacob had the nerve to say that God helped him.

The consequences 

• Isaac set his heart on that which was contrary to the will of God, this is the same man that got on the altar when God told his dad to sacrifice him, he has gone from huge faith and obedience to one of the biggest examples of rebellion in the Bible.
• Esau wants to kill Jacob so that the blessings can then come back to him. But instead Esau would father the nation of Edom which would bring trouble to the descendants of Jacob.
• Jacob was forced to leave home and leave behind all of the inheritance that would someday be his. He had gained everything but he temporarily lost it all.
• Rebekah lost her awesome relationship with Jacob and her relationship with Esau become strained even more that before. Esau purposely annoyed her by marrying more of the local Canaanite women.
• Esau and Jacob will have a strained relationship, it will be 20 years later when the two meet and settle their differences.

Attempting to help God accomplish his will and purposes is a crazy idea, we can't even guarantee the outcomes of the events that happen in our lives, how can we believe that God needs our help.

God has always had a people, he chooses whoever he wants and makes his sovereign will come to pass, even the rule about the firstborn son doesn't matter to God. The first born doesn't always win:

• Abel over Cain
• Isaac over Ishmael
• Jacob over Esau
• Ephraim over Manasseh 
• Judah over Reuben

God didn't need Rebekah to deceive her husband to thwart his plan to rebel against God, even if Isaac's plan to pass the blessings on to Esau had been successful, God could have killed Esau and the rights as the oldest son would have gone to Jacob.

The most unnecessary job in the world is trying to help make God's will come to pass. Worse yet is lying and cheating to make his will come to pass. God has a long history of working out his will without my help.

Keep me in the center of your will Lord.

The Promised Son Fails

The heir of the promise didn't do anything to deserve God's blessings.

Genesis 26:1-3  A severe famine now struck the land, as had happened before in Abraham’s time. So Isaac moved to Gerar, where Abimelech, king of the Philistines, lived.  2  The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you.  3  Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father.

Genesis 26:10  “How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.”

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It seems that God really wants us to know that we don't do anything to deserve his promises. Looking at the life of Abraham and Isaac we learn that the school of faith is never closed and  the test keep coming until the Lord takes us home.

Right after the death of his father, Isaac received confirmation from God that he was next in line for the promises and he would have his favor but it didn't take long to prove that he isn't any better qualified for those promises than his father was.

Struggling to Trust in God’s Promises: Isaac Lies about Rebekah 

(Genesis 26:1-17)

• Isaac didn't go to Egypt but he still had problems with his ungodly peers that brought him a lot of fear and grief.
• Just like Abraham, Isaac feared for his life because of his beautiful wife and he repeated his father's lie. 
• Abraham and Isaac were both reprimanded by ungodly men for their sin and it seems like neither of them repented.
• Sometimes God's people seem less like their father than the people around them.

Struggling to Live with Sinful Men: Isaac Quarrels with the Men of Gerar 

(Genesis 26:18-25)

• Isaac was well known by the elites of his day but not well liked by them. Sometimes God's blessings will bring hate and resentment from the people around us that don't have the blessings.
• Isaac's neighbors didn't tell him to his face to get out of town but they did make it impossible to stay. Isaac kept the peace and moved on each time there was a dispute. 
• To Isaac these wells were a necessity for survival, but to the Philistines these were a claim to the land and a means to support his growing household and livestock.
• Isaac may not have realized it but it was the disputes over the ownership of the wells he dug or reopened that served to guide him in the direction of the land of promise.

Struggling to Recognize the Sovereignty of God: Isaac Makes a Covenant with Abimelech 

(Genesis 26:26-33)

• God came through greatly on his promise to prosper Isaac if he resisted the urge to move to Egypt to get away from the famine.
• Abraham and Isaac both offended Abimelech and they were both approached later to make a treaty with him.
• Maybe Abimelech wanted God's favor and blessings and he thought that he could get it by becoming Isaac's friend.
• Isaac had nothing to gain by making the covenant with Abimelech. Isaac already learned that his safety and his prosperity came from God and not the king.

God's covenant with Abraham was passed on to another undeserving sinner that had many flaws. Thankfully God's covenant was an unconditional one that did not rely on the faithfulness and good works of Abraham, Isaac or any of us.

Galatians 3:2-3, 9  Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.  3  How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?

9  So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.

Thankfully the new covenant that Jesus offers (Luke 22:19-20) is also given freely without needing to deserve it. God's blessings and care for us is based on what the ultimate promised son (Jesus) did for us instead of what I have or have not done. God's promise of redemption that he made way back in Genesis is still good no matter how bad mankind has become and how little we deserve them.

Thank you Lord for the new covenant with the better high priest that paid the final sacrifice for every sin for those that believe in him. (Hebrews 8:1-13)

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The Promised Son Needs A Bride

God's servants need to prayerfully find a bride for his son.

Genesis 24:36-40 “When Sarah, my master’s wife, was very old, she gave birth to my master’s son, and my master has given him everything he owns. 37 And my master made me take an oath. He said, ‘Do not allow my son to marry one of these local Canaanite women. 38 Go instead to my father’s house, to my relatives, and find a wife there for my son.’ 

39 “But I said to my master, ‘What if I can’t find a young woman who is willing to go back with me?’ 40 He responded, ‘The LORD, in whose presence I have lived, will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful. Yes, you must find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father’s family.

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In the previous post we looked at the concept of foreshadowing, a lot of prophecy and events of the Old Testament are symbolic of events in the life of Jesus or they are pointing us to events when Jesus returns. The symbolism that is seen throughout the Bible helps verify that all of the writers of this book were inspired by God.

It took forever for the promised son to be born but now Isaac is about forty years old, his mom has already died, his dad probably won't live much longer and Isaac still doesn't have a wife. How will Abraham have so many descendants when Isaac doesn't even have a wife? How could this rich bachelor still be single?

The foreshadowing continues in the life of Abraham and Isaac as the father sends his servant to his homeland to get a bride for his son. If we see Isaac as a type of Jesus, then take the next step and look at Rebekah as a type of the church, the bride of Christ. The story of the servant being sent to get the bride suddenly takes on new meaning that God's people need to understand more fully.

The faithful servant has taken an oath to go back to Abraham's family to find a bride without taking Isaac with him. The servant loves the son and wants to make him happy but how can he persuade the lady to willingly come back with him without a photo or a social media profile to show her?

Genesis 24:12 “O LORD, God of my master, Abraham,” he prayed. “Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham.

The servant went straight to God, this huge task didn't seem to cause him any worry, he is confident that with God's help he will be successful. The servants prayer was answered quicker than any of my prayers, in fact his prayer time ended as the answer to his prayer walked up to the well. (Genesis 24:15)

The answer to the servants prayer was so obvious, Rebekah was willing to do everything that the servant requested. The servant was eager to tell the potential bride and her family about his master. He shared about the fame, the goodness and the riches of his master so that a longing grew in Rebekah to meet the father and his son. 

Genesis 24:58 So they called Rebekah. “Are you willing to go with this man?” they asked her. And she replied, “Yes, I will go.”

A lot of marriages in those days were forced but the decision to be the bride was left up to Rebekah, the servant was convinced and Rebekah's relatives were also sure, but she was allowed to have the final say.

Ephesians 5:31-32  As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.

Throughout scripture marriage is a metaphor for the relationship of God with his chosen people and for Jesus relationship with the church. Every time the Bible mentions marriage we can find a message from God about our relationship with him.

If you love the father and his son then you will be the faithful servant, you will take the oath to go get a bride for the son, no matter how difficult it may seem. The son is in his home country preparing a place for his bride. He is counting on his faithful servants to fulfill their duty out of love for him.

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The Lord Will Provide A Son

God's promised son is the only sacrifice that can save.

Genesis 22:1-2  Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith. “Abraham!” God called. “Yes,” he replied. “Here I am.” 2 “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

Genesis 22:7-8 Isaac turned to Abraham and said, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “We have the fire and the wood,” the boy said, “but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” 8 “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham answered. And they both walked on together.

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It is easy to become overwhelmed with the Old Testament and set it aside and stay in the New Testament. If you avoid Genesis through Malachi and jump into the Bible somewhere in Matthew through Revelation then you miss out on a lot of important information.

Genesis explains to us that in the beginning our world was perfect and it tells us that he is the only one that can fix the problems caused by sin. There are a lot of social justice warriors out there today but they are not very effective because they do not address the heart problem that only God can fix. As soon as we messed it up God told us about his plan to make it all perfect again, that's what the rest of the Bible is trying to reveal to us.

God chose Abraham to be the beginning of a special people that would be the lineage of our savior. Abraham wasn't chosen because he was perfect for the job, over the years Abraham slowly progressed through the school of faith, as he learned more about God his faith would grow and he would trust him more.

This story of God telling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac is very disturbing from our perspective and we have to wonder how God could make such an extreme request. It seems like mental torture for everybody involved. But we have to realize that in the Old Testament we see God interacting with man very direct and often times he asks very great things of them that we never see in our day. 

In the book of Genesis alone there was Noah, Abram, Isaac and Joseph that all did mighty things for God that he would never ask us to repeat. Since we have never experienced God in such a personal and direct way, it can be very difficult to understand this relationship between God and his people in the Old Testament.

Abraham is asked to go to an undisclosed location, a mountain somewhere in the land of Moriah where he would build yet another altar to sacrifice to God, today we know this place as the area that includes the Temple Mount and the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem. Abraham was to go there to offer God the most precious sacrifice. 

Abraham's love and faith in God was put to the ultimate test that reminds me a lot of Job. We will find out whether his blessings were the reason for his obedience or would Abraham be obedient in the most difficult circumstances? God gives us good things but what happens when God wants them back?

Abraham's only verbal response to God was simply "Here I am." The Bible doesn't tell us that he debated with God to try to change his mind and he didn't ask for an explanation. Abraham personally started the task of obeying, he didn't leave it up to a servant to get things ready to go.

After over forty years of following God, he has experienced God and come to know him in a more intimate relationship than anybody that I know of in today's world. That's probably why God made a request that seems so huge to us. Abraham's faith journey brought him into such an intimate, trusting relationship with God that anything short of this extreme request wouldn't really be a true test of his faith. 

Earlier when he didn't trust God, Abraham had Ishmael running around the house as a constant reminder of his lack of faith, if he failed this faith test then he would have Isaac hanging around the house as a painful reminder of his failure, sometimes our sins have long term consequences that we have to live with.

Abraham passed this test, but he wasn't the only one being tested, his only son was old enough that he had to be submissive to God's command in order for it to happen. Isaac could have refused to be involved once he found out that he was the one that his dad intended to put on the altar.

Ancient cultures were killing their children to please their gods but Abraham learned that the only sacrifice that the one true God seeks is a living sacrifice. (Romans 12:1-2) God is never pleased with a dead human and it grieves him greatly that we are so willing to rebel by murdering our baby's. 

When he laid himself on the altar, trusting his father and his God, he came of age as the true seed of Abraham and entered on the inheritance, making God his God. At that supreme moment he made himself over to God, he put himself at God’s disposal; if his death was to be helpful in fulfilling God’s purpose he was willing to die. It was God’s will that must be done, not his.

He had familiarized himself with the thought that he belonged to God; that he was on earth for God’s purposes, not for his own; so that now, when he was suddenly summoned to lay himself formally and finally on God’s altar, he did not hesitate to do so.

-Expositors Bible Commentary

This cooperation between father and son are a foreshadow of God the Father and his Son Jesus. The Father was willing to sacrifice his Son but the Son had to be willing to be a part of the plan to save the world.

There are a lot of prophecy's in the Bible that have a dual fulfillment. Abraham's prophecy that God will provide the lamb for the sacrifice was fulfilled that very day but it was also a prediction that would take thousands of years to accomplish.

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

John 3:16-17 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

The true lamb of God is the promised son that was represented in the foreshadowing of Isaac, God would never have been pleased with the death of Isaac, only a perfect human sacrifice could pay the penalty for man's sin. Since there are not any perfect humans around, Jesus is the only one that could satisfy God's demand for a sacrificial payment for our sin. (Matthew 10:37-39, 1 Peter 1:18-20)

The Lord has provided, just as he promised way back in the book of Genesis, but we have to believe in the provision. We must see how far short we fall from perfection and realize that God kindness in providing the sacrifice for our sin is our only hope of being with him in eternity. (Romans 3:23)

Isaac Was A Foreshadow of Jesus
The miracle birth was prophesied God issues His command—His will—to sacrifice a beloved son The sons accept God’s will The sons carry the wood God provides a substitute Loved ones grieve for three days Faith in the resurrection

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A Tale Of Two Sons

God's first promised son was symbolic of the ultimate promised Son.

Genesis 21:1-7  The LORD kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised.  2  She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would.  3  And Abraham named their son Isaac.

 4  Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded.  5  Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.

6  And Sarah declared, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me.  7  Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!”

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A baby usually brings great joy to the family and to their friends, everybody wants to see the baby and bring gifts to celebrate the new life, but imagine the extra amount of excitement that is experienced when the baby's arrival is a long awaited miracle.

When Issac was born, it was the end of a very great sadness that Abraham and Sarah experienced as they failed to get pregnant over and over again for probably 70 or 80 years of marriage. It was even more heartbreaking to be promised a child but after 25 years the promise was still not fulfilled.

Imagine the heartbreak that the couple had when they attempted to help God with the miracle baby through human effort. Hagar became pregnant and Ishmael was born but instead of joy this only brought more trouble and heartache. 

Reactions To The Promised Child

Sarah couldn't be happier, all of those years of sadness and disappointment are over, the promised son has arrived and the pain and stigma of being childless is gone. Over the years, Sarah was reminded every time she saw Hagar and Ishmael of how wrong she was to try to help God.

Ishmael's reaction to the baby reminds me of the way that his mom Hagar reacted to the news that she was pregnant with Abraham's first child. It seems like Ishmael took after his mom, she got herself in trouble for her treatment of Sarah, so it wasn't a surprise when Ishmael began mistreating Isaac.

We can't be sure about Abraham, his reaction to the newborn isn't clear, the Bible doesn't tell us without a doubt that Abraham was as thrilled as Sarah was. Abraham probably had mixed emotions about Isaac, he may have grown indifferent to the idea of another son, he was willing to substitute God's best and accept the son that he already had as the heir to the promise. (Genesis 15:4, 17:15-21)

I think that part of Sarah's desire to get Hagar and Ishmael out of the house was because she could see that Abraham wasn't as thrilled about the new baby as she was. She must have been hurt as she recalled how happy he was to get his first son and wondered why he isn't so happy this time. 

Abraham has already had fourteen years of bonding with Ishmael, he has already taught him how to be a man and he can already see the leadership skills that would make Ishmael the leader of a great nation, the future for Ishmael looked so bright before Isaac came along.

Abraham must have seen the emotional affect that the birth of Isaac had on Ishmael, for fourteen years the boy had the home to himself and his father's love, he may have thought that his mom should replace Sarah, he may have even heard about Abraham's idea to make him the promised son.

Fixing The Past

Genesis 21:10-12 So she turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!” 11 This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. 12 But God told Abraham, “Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.

Abraham's home must of been full of drama and something drastic was needed to settle things down. He became upset at Sarah's demands to send his first born son away but God made it clear that he wanted Abraham to do it. Our flesh can bring us joys that God may need to strip away from us to give us his joy that is much greater. Abraham's home would never be peaceful with both of these boys growing up under the same roof.

Conflict between brothers is a common occurrence in the Bible, it reminds me of the conflict between Cain and Abel, I have to wonder if protecting Isaac is the reason that Ishmael was sent away so abruptly.

So Hagar is sent away again, this time she has her son with her, but just like the last time she leaves without a lot of provisions and finds herself in a desperate situation. Once again, Hagar felt desperate and helpless, she cannot recall God's promises when she learned about the God who sees her.

It seems odd to me that Abraham was so kind and hospitable to complete strangers back in Genesis 18:1-8 but Hagar was treated poorly both times that she left Abraham's household. There doesn't seem to be any reason that Abraham and Sarah didn't show any kindness or hospitality toward Hagar and Ishmael, they could have been more generous in giving them supplies or even an escort to help them get to a safe place. 

I think that it's interesting that Ishmael eventually had twelve sons but his brother Isaac only had two, it would be Isaac's brother Jacob that would have the twelve sons that comprise the tribes of Israel. (Genesis 25:13-15)

It was not through Ishmael the promised seed was to come, but the descendants of Ishmael had every inducement to retain faith in the God of Abraham, who listened to their father’s cry. The fact of being excluded from certain privileges did not involve that they were to be excluded from all privileges.

-Expositors Bible Commentary

God knew the heart of Ishmael when he had Abraham send him and his mother away. It didn't take long to prove that Ishmael didn't have a heart for God. Despite all of the blessings of living in Abraham's household and seeing how intimate his father was with God, and despite the blessings that were promised to him, with all of these advantages Ishmael still walked away from God.

Looking To The Future

Galatians 4:22-24  The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife.  23  The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise.  24  These two women serve as an illustration of God’s two covenants. The first woman, Hagar, represents Mount Sinai where people received the law that enslaved them.

None of the people in this Old Testament story could have understood what was playing out in God's plan and purpose but hundreds of years later the apostle Paul realized the two boys represented the two ways to please God.

God's first promised "son" was symbolic of his real "Son" that would come four hundred plus years later and Ishmael, the son of the servant, is likened to those who are slaves under the bondage of the law while Isaac is likened to those saved by God’s grace and freed from the law through faith in Jesus.

The law is good and living by the law is good but it isn't good enough, virtue and goodness can be lived out for a season but the problem with virtue is that we don't do anything with true virtue and the day will come when we will mess up and the law will be there to show us how bad we are.

Galatians 3:5  I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.

I will never follow the law well enough to be qualified to go to Heaven, I can only get there by trusting in Jesus, his work on the cross is far better than any work that I can achieve through keeping the law. 

I must have a miracle birth to become a child of God so that I can inherit the riches that are promised to his children. (John 1:11-13 / 2 Corinthians 8:9)

Don't Substitute God's Best

God is patient when our hearts cling to something less than his plan and purpose.

Genesis 17:1-2  When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.  2  I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”

Genesis 17:15-19  Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah.  16  And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”

17  Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?”

18 So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!” 19 But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.

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The journey of faith that Abram and Sarai have been on ever since they left home in Ur has been a gradual revelation of who God is and what he expects of them. Earlier we saw that God revealed himself as his shield and great reward that is far better than any protection or provider that this world has to offer.

In today's scripture God reveals a new name for himself to encourage Abram and Sarai to keep on believing in the promises that still don't seem to be coming true. God wants Abram to know him as "God Almighty" that has the power to come through with his promises despite the circumstances and the delays.

God shows his power and sovereignty by giving Abram and Sarai new names. We should remember that the one that gives out the names is exerting power over the one that is being named. We see this principle when Adam names all of the animals and we also see it happen when the Babylonians gave the names Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to three of the Hebrews that they captured.

Almighty, sovereign God is still in control and the promises are still on the way despite the fact that Abram already has a son and he is very fond of him, Abram is okay with Ismael being the fulfillment of the promise, but God has bigger and better plans and he won't accept a substitute.

Ishmael represented man’s effort to fulfill the promise of a son, Abram didn't know that the son that God planned to miraculously give him would be the beginning of the lineage that would lead to the promised son that we call Jesus.

We are so willing to help God out and come up with something that isn't what God intended, something inferior, something that we can figure out instead of waiting for the miracle.

This point is so well stated in the Expositor's Bible Commentary for Genesis chapter 17:

Full of life and interest in everything, daily getting deeper into the affections of Abram, who allowed and could not but allow his own life to revolve very much around the dashing, attractive lad. So that the reminder that he was not the promised heir was not entirely welcome.

We are familiar with this state of mind. We wish God would leave us alone. We have found a very attractive substitute for what He promises, and we resent being reminded that our substitute is not, after all, the veritable, eternal, best possession. It satisfies our taste, our intellect, our ambition; it sets us on a level with other men and gives us a place in the world; but now and again we feel a void it does not fill.

We have attained comfortable circumstances, success in our profession, our life has in it that which attracts applause and sheds a brilliance over it; and we do not like being told that this is not all. Our feeling is Oh, that this might do! that this might be accepted as perfect attainment! it satisfies me (all but a little bit); might it not satisfy God?

Why summon me again away from domestic happiness, intellectual enjoyment, agreeable occupations, to what really seems so unattainable as perfect fellowship with God in the fulfillment of His promise? Why spend all my life in waiting and seeking for high spiritual things when I have so much with which I can be moderately satisfied?

For our complaint often is not that God gives so little but that He offers too much, more than we care to have; that He never will let us be content with anything short of what perfectly fulfills His perfect love and purpose.

We have a perspective that Abram didn't have, he didn't have the panorama view that we have from Genesis to Revelation, God's plan and purpose make no sense to Abram but God is patient with him.

We love to be in control and we love to help God out when things look difficult but God reminds us that he is El-Shaddai, the God Almighty, he is more than enough to come through with the best even when we are satisfied with far less.

Thank you God for being so patient with us when our affections and desires are not your own.

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