15:5 Then he took him outside and said, “Look at the sky. Count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants! You’re going to have a big family, Abram!”6 And he believed! Believed God! God declared him “Set-Right-with-God.”
12 As the sun went down a deep sleep overcame Abram and then a sense of dread, dark and heavy.13 God said to Abram, “Know this: your descendants will live as outsiders in a land not theirs; they’ll be enslaved and beaten down for 400 years.14 Then I’ll punish their slave masters; your offspring will march out of there loaded with plunder.15 But not you; you’ll have a long and full life and die a good and peaceful death.16 Not until the fourth generation will your descendants return here; sin is still a thriving business among the Amorites.”17 When the sun was down and it was dark, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch moved between the split carcasses.18 That’s when God made a covenant with Abram: “I’m giving this land to your children, from the Nile River in Egypt to the River Euphrates in Assyria
16:8 He said, “Hagar, maid of Sarai, what are you doing here?”
She said, “I’m running away from Sarai my mistress.”9 The angel of God said, “Go back to your mistress. Put up with her abuse.”10 He continued, “I’m going to give you a big family, children past counting.11 From this pregnancy, you’ll get a son: Name him Ishmael; for God heard you, God answered you.12 He’ll be a bucking bronco of a man, a real fighter, fighting and being fought, Always stirring up trouble, always at odds with his family.”.........15 Hagar gave Abram a son. Abram named him Ishmael.16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave him his son, Ishmael.
She said, “I’m running away from Sarai my mistress.”9 The angel of God said, “Go back to your mistress. Put up with her abuse.”10 He continued, “I’m going to give you a big family, children past counting.11 From this pregnancy, you’ll get a son: Name him Ishmael; for God heard you, God answered you.12 He’ll be a bucking bronco of a man, a real fighter, fighting and being fought, Always stirring up trouble, always at odds with his family.”.........15 Hagar gave Abram a son. Abram named him Ishmael.16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave him his son, Ishmael.
17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, God showed up and said to him, “I am The Strong God, live entirely before me, live to the hilt!2 I’ll make a covenant between us and I’ll give you a huge family.”3 Overwhelmed, Abram fell flat on his face. Then God said to him,4 “This is my covenant with you: You’ll be the father of many nations.5 Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, meaning that ‘I’m making you the father of many nations.’6 I’ll make you a father of fathers—I’ll make nations from you, kings will issue from you.7 I’m establishing my covenant between me and you, a covenant that includes your descendants, a covenant that goes on and on and on, a covenant that commits me to be your God and the God of your descendants..................15 God continued speaking to Abraham, “And Sarai your wife: Don’t call her Sarai any longer; call her Sarah.16 I’ll bless her—yes! I’ll give you a son by her! Oh, how I’ll bless her! Nations will come from her; kings of nations will come from her.”17 Abraham fell flat on his face. And then he laughed, thinking, “Can a hundred-year-old man father a son? And can Sarah, at ninety years, have a baby?”18 Recovering, Abraham said to God, “Oh, keep Ishmael alive and well before you!”19 But God said, “That’s not what I mean. Your wife, Sarah, will have a baby, a son. Name him Isaac (Laughter). I’ll establish my covenant with him and his descendants, a covenant that lasts forever.20 “And Ishmael? Yes, I heard your prayer for him. I’ll also bless him; I’ll make sure he has plenty of children—a huge family. He’ll father twelve princes; I’ll make him a great nation.21 But I’ll establish my covenant with Isaac whom Sarah will give you about this time next year.”
18:1 God appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. It was the hottest part of the day.2 He looked up and saw three men standing. He ran from his tent to greet them and bowed before them.3 He said, “Master, if it please you, stop for a while with your servant.4 I’ll get some water so you can wash your feet. Rest under this tree.5 I’ll get some food to refresh you on your way, since your travels have brought you across my path.” They said, “Certainly. Go ahead.”9 The men said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He said, “In the tent.”10 One of them said, “I’m coming back about this time next year. When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man.11 Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies.12 Sarah laughed within herself, “An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?”13 God said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?’14 Is anything too hard for God? I’ll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby.”
Observations - Well, I clearly can't stop with one day's reading. I think I have issues. Anyway, I copied the passages that stood out to me & highlighted the parts that really stood out. This is such a familiar story, I was challenged to read it with new eyes. That's why I chose The Message version. I typically don't like that version for study, but I needed something a little more common. Or uncommon?
The two big things for me, was that Abram believed God & God declared him "set right." Amen!! Then in the last passage before God leaves to destroy Sodom & Gomorrah, He appears to Abraham as THREE travelers. THREE!! Father, Spirit, Jesus. And yet, Abraham talks to Him as one. God in 3 persons. God is one, yet 3 different. Our Father. Our Saviour. Our Guide.
Some other things that stood out: The prophecy about the Israelites being enslaved in Egypt. God was pretty specific about that. As well as about what land he was going to give Abram & his descendants. Ishmael being always at war with his family. God making the covenant with Abraham. He also promised to make Ishmael's descendants many, but the covenant would be with Isaac.
Application - BELIEVE GOD It's as simple as that. He keeps His promises. They may not be in our time, but He always answers. We are promised a rich inheritance. We are not promised a rich inheritance on earth. We aren't even promised an easy life, even if we could be perfect people. Jesus was perfect. His life was anything but easy & rich!
Prayer - Dear God, show me Your true nature. Help me to follow You in all that I do. I thank you, Jesus, for Your sacrifice for me. Holy Spirit, guide me, live in me, make me like You! Amen
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