1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: Let us pray, and the Lord visited Sarah as he 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: had said, And the Lord did unto Sarah as he 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: had spoken. Genesis twenty one one, My God, the master 4 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:18,599 Speaker 1: of time, through to day's reading of Genesis eighteen. I 5 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: now make the declaration that I will not become a 6 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: victim of time. I will not go another moment believing 7 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: that the best of my life is behind me, or 8 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: that I missed my opportunity to become what You've called 9 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: me to become. Instead, I will look to Abraham and 10 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 1: Sarah and see your hand move outside the confinements of 11 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:50,880 Speaker 1: man and create something supernatural. To day, I declare that 12 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: it's not too late. To day, I declare that I 13 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: will give birth to my dreams. To day, I declare 14 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 1: that God as the final say. I will not look 15 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: to others or to my circumstance to determine if my 16 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: breakthrough can occur through Christ. My answer is yes and Amen. 17 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 1: So if God said it, I choose to believe it, 18 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 1: and that settles it. Thank You for my new season 19 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:27,119 Speaker 1: and for the birth of what's next. My new life 20 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: is upon me, and I will not laugh but rejoice 21 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: in the impossible becoming possible. Time is on my side 22 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:46,320 Speaker 1: in Jesus's name. Amen. Thank you for making prayer a 23 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: priority in your day. To learn more about the Bible, 24 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: stay tuned for today's story, brought to you by Bible 25 00:01:53,800 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: in a Year dot com. 26 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 2: Abraham and Sarah's new life. Before this story, we learned 27 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:14,679 Speaker 2: about Abram and Sarise slow descent into madness from impatience 28 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 2: with God's promises. Per Sarah's request, Abram slept with her 29 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 2: servant to have a son, Ishmaeir. In doing so, they 30 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 2: took the promises of God in their own hands and 31 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 2: furthered their dysfunction and woes. Now we will learn about 32 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 2: how God still makes promises despite their disobedience. As God 33 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 2: blessed them, he changes their names as inspired by the 34 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,079 Speaker 2: Book of Genesis. 35 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham. With today's episode of the 36 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. Yesterday, we learned that despite 37 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 3: Abram and Sarah's impatience with God and lack of faith 38 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 3: in his plans, God reaffirmed his promise to give them 39 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 3: a child that would bless the nations. Their sin wasn't 40 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:05,640 Speaker 3: without consequence, of course, and as we join them in 41 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:08,799 Speaker 3: today's story, it has been over a decade since Hagar 42 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 3: for Ishmael. Throughout the Bible, we see examples of God 43 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 3: giving people new names to signify a new start and 44 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 3: a fresh identity. This is what we find here, with 45 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 3: God once again reassuring Abram and Sarah of his covenant 46 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 3: and now giving them new names Abraham and Sarah. So 47 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:32,639 Speaker 3: the theme of new beginnings is clear with the outset here, 48 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 3: but there are other themes to pay attention to. You 49 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 3: will see also how it is okay to question God 50 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,600 Speaker 3: in faith when we have doubts, and even when we 51 00:03:43,640 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 3: wonder out loud or if he is able to deliver 52 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 3: on a promise. Faith in questions can exist in the 53 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 3: same mind and hearts without nullifying each other. You will 54 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 3: find this in today's story. We'll also see that God's 55 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 3: blessings are not limited. They are often different in nature 56 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 3: from one person to the next, but God has no 57 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 3: shortage of blessing to give to those who trust in Him. 58 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 3: And finally, today's story will mark an important step forward 59 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 3: in enacting God's plan to save the world through the 60 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 3: sacrifice of one of Abraham's descendants. Now let's get to 61 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:23,279 Speaker 3: today's story of new life and reaffirmed covenant. 62 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,719 Speaker 2: Abram and SARAHI, following their shameful attempts to fulfill the 63 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 2: will of God themselves, had waited thirteen years. They were 64 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 2: both growing old, and their already small chances of being 65 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 2: able to have children were all but lost. Abram was 66 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 2: ninety nine years old. Yet God is not a god 67 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:53,039 Speaker 2: to fail on his promises. God spoke again to Abram, saying, 68 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 2: I am the Almighty. Walk with me, be blameless, and 69 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 2: I will make my covenant between us, and I will 70 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 2: multiply you greatly. Abram, in prayer to God, prostrated himself 71 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:12,000 Speaker 2: in the dirt, face down on the ground. Abram responded 72 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 2: to God, broken and discouraged. God continued saying, MY covenant 73 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 2: is with you, and you shall be the father of 74 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:25,919 Speaker 2: many nations. Behold, no longer shall your name be called Abram, 75 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 2: but your name shall be Abraham, because I have made 76 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 2: you a father of all nations. My promise to you 77 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 2: will last for thousands of generations in everlasting covenant. I 78 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: will be God to you and all your offspring. Abraham 79 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 2: looked to heaven. God had promised him again that he 80 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 2: would provide him a namesake, and through him all nations 81 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 2: would be blessed. God, knowing that Abraham needed reassuring, spoke again, 82 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 2: My promises are true, you will see. But first your 83 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 2: promise to me must be made. Go and circumcise yourself 84 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 2: and all the men in your family. This will be 85 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 2: a sign of our covenant that you will be mine 86 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 2: and I will be yours. From now on, when a 87 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 2: baby boy is eight days old, you will circumcise him. 88 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 2: Any male who is not circumcised will be estranged from 89 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 2: the people of God, since he has broken my promise 90 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 2: with you. God also spoke of SARAHI, saying, as for 91 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 2: your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah. 92 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:48,000 Speaker 2: I will bless her abundantly, and I will give you 93 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 2: two a son, and you will call his name Isaac. 94 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 2: I will bless her, and she shall the mother of 95 00:06:55,560 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 2: nations to come. Abraham fell on his face again, but 96 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 2: this time it was not in worship. Abraham laughed at 97 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 2: the notion of his wife giving birth in her old age. 98 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 2: He said to himself, shall a child be born to 99 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 2: a man who is a hundred years old? Is my 100 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 2: ninety year old wife going to conceive? Abraham trusted God, 101 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 2: but saw plenty of reasons to doubt before him. This 102 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 2: is the struggle of man with God, trusting him despite 103 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 2: all circumstances. Saying the opposite. Abraham looked to God and said, 104 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 2: what of my son Ishmair, Could you just bless him instead? 105 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 2: I doubt we will be able to have children. No, 106 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 2: God said, but Sarah, your wife shall bear you a son, 107 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 2: and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish 108 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,840 Speaker 2: an everlasting covenant with him. I will bless him and 109 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 2: all the children beyond him. As for Ishmair, I have 110 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 2: heard you. I have already blessed him and will make 111 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 2: him fruitful. He shall be the father of twelve princes, 112 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 2: and I will build a great nation through him. That 113 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 2: I will establish my covenant with Isaac, and Sarah will 114 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 2: bear him to you at this time next year. Abraham 115 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 2: believed in God, though he did not completely understand God. 116 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 2: Abraham and Sarah were victim to the time they felt 117 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 2: slipping away. Mankind was not built to endure the entropy 118 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 2: of age. Abraham, in faith, did as he was told. 119 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:39,839 Speaker 2: He circumcised his family. The tearing away of the foreskin 120 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 2: was a symbol that Abraham's seed belonged to the Lord. 121 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 2: It was a strange sacrifice with eternal and metaphysical meaning. 122 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 2: Abraham and Sarah's family was blessed by God forever, and 123 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 2: he carried them through all the strife of living. The 124 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 2: whole world would soon come to know intimity Abraham's blessing 125 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 2: from God. One day, the sacrifice of a descendant of 126 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 2: Abraham would shower the entire earth with blessing. Yet for now, 127 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 2: they waited on the Lord. 128 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 3: As a result of their impatience an attempt to control 129 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 3: the working out of God's plan, Abram and Sarah have 130 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 3: suffered thirteen years of waiting. As we open today's story, 131 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 3: Hagar has long since given birth to Ishmael, and God 132 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 3: has reaffirmed that it will not be through him that 133 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 3: he will deliver the promised blessing to the world. But 134 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 3: Sarah and Abram are now old, and though they are 135 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:46,319 Speaker 3: still trusting God, the promise of Sarah getting pregnant seemed miniscal. 136 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 3: Did you notice that once again God makes a covenant 137 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 3: with Abram, But this time there is a big difference. 138 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,320 Speaker 3: With the covenant comes a new name, a name that 139 00:09:56,400 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 3: further solidifies the promise. Listen to Genesis seventeen, verses four 140 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,560 Speaker 3: and five. As God records the promise and the new 141 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 3: name Abram receives. As for me, behold, my covenant is 142 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:11,680 Speaker 3: with you, and you will be the father of a 143 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 3: multitude of nations. No longer shall you be named Abram, 144 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 3: but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made 145 00:10:19,520 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 3: you the father of a multitude of nations. He also 146 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 3: gives Sarah a new name, Sarah. God does not tire 147 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 3: of reassuring those who trust in him. He knew Abraham 148 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 3: and Sarah were weary. He knew they were holding onto 149 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 3: something that, from a human perspective, seemed downright crazy that 150 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:42,880 Speaker 3: an old man and an old woman would conceive and 151 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 3: have a child. So God lovingly restated his promise, and 152 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 3: he gave them new names and a visible new sign 153 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 3: of the promise, circumcision. This would be a constant reminder 154 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 3: that God has set Abraham and his descendants apart. And 155 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,839 Speaker 3: although in his heart Abraham believed God and had faith 156 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 3: in him, this story shows that it is possible to 157 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 3: question God and wonder honestly how I promise will come about. 158 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:13,479 Speaker 3: It's not as though God does not know of these doubts. 159 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 3: God can handle your questions. He can take care of 160 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 3: your doubt even your laughter at the seeming impossibility of 161 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 3: his plans. He is pleased by your honesty and will 162 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 3: comfort you as he did Abraham, even in the moments 163 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:32,719 Speaker 3: of doubt. So Abraham falls on his face laughing at 164 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,920 Speaker 3: the thought of him and Sarah having children. God is 165 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 3: not upset or angry. He once again confirms that indeed 166 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 3: they will be the parents of a child. We even 167 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 3: see Abraham trying to offer another alternative. Just use Ishmael 168 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 3: to fulfill it, he suggests. Again, making a suggestion or 169 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,839 Speaker 3: an offer is an offensive to God. It was when 170 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:59,280 Speaker 3: Abraham took things into his own hands without consulting God 171 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:03,560 Speaker 3: that problem arose. But God told him, no, I will 172 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 3: do what I said. We also see here that God's 173 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 3: blessings are not limited. He promises to bless Ishmael, just 174 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 3: in a different way. So Abraham demonstrates his faith with action. 175 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 3: He circumcises the males in his household, and so finally 176 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 3: God gives Sarah and Abraham a son, Isaac. It is 177 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 3: through Isaac that God will bring about his great redemptive plan, 178 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 3: a perfect sacrifice once for all time. Holy God, your 179 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 3: timing and your plans are perfect, and we thank you 180 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:40,640 Speaker 3: for this powerful story today that shows us just how 181 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 3: true this is that you keep your promises. Just as 182 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 3: you kept every promise to Abraham and his descendants, you 183 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 3: are faithful to keep your promises to us through Jesus Christ. 184 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 3: And we praise you for this, and we thank you 185 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 3: help us to honestly always come before you, even in 186 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:01,960 Speaker 3: times of doubts and questions, fears and anxiety, and that 187 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 3: we would trust you and trust ourselves to your loving 188 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 3: care and for your assurance every day of our lives. 189 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 3: In Jesus' name. Amen, thank you for listening to today's 190 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. 191 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:21,839 Speaker 3: Download Theprey dot com app and make prayer a priority 192 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 3: in your life. If you enjoyed this podcast, share it 193 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 3: with someone you love because by sharing this podcast, you 194 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 3: can make a difference in someone's life. And if you 195 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 3: want more resources on how to tap into God's word 196 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 3: for power in living the Christian life, be sure to 197 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,680 Speaker 3: visit Jack Graham dot org.