God chose Abram (renamed Abraham) to be the father of Israel and many nations but for many years Abraham and Sarah remained childless.
Genesis 17:1-4, 8
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.2 And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.
8 Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
Finally Abraham and Sarah got impatient. They did not wait. Sarah allowed Abraham to have a child by Hagar, Sarah’s maid; a son whom Sarah would raise. Ishmael was that son, born out of Abraham and Sarah’s unbelief and rebellion.
God was not pleased; He had another plan – another son whose birth would be miraculous. Isaac, the son of promise would be the next step in the genealogy of the Seed of the woman.
Genesis 11:17-21
17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”
19 Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.”
PRAISE GOD FOR HIS FAITHFULNESS TO ABRAHAM WHO BECAME THE FATHER OF THE FAITHFUL.
[Gideon’s spring]
