Good news part 5

Good News! 

Part 5 

The Son of Promise 

In the previous part of this study, we followed YHWH's call of Abram and the promises He made concerning his descendants, the land, and the blessing that would one day reach all the families of the earth. Those promises reached a new stage when Master YHWH established His covenant with Abram, demonstrating that its fulfillment rested not upon Abram's faithfulness, but upon His own. 

Yet one question still remains. How would these promises come to pass? 

Abram and Sarai were advanced in years and still had no child. From a human perspective, the promises seemed impossible. But throughout the Scriptures we repeatedly discover that what is impossible with man is not impossible with Almighty YHWH. Once again, the Good News moves forward—not because mankind finds a solution, but because the Almighty continues to accomplish His purpose according to His own perfect timing. Let's  begin with Genesis Chapter 16. 

Gen 16 

1. And Sarai, Aḇram’s wife, had borne him no child. And she had a Mitsrian female servant whose name was Haḡar. 
2. And Sarai said toAḇram, “See, יהוה has kept me from bearing children. Please, go in to my female servant. It might be that I am built up by her.” And Aḇram listened to the voice of Sarai. 
3. And Sarai, Aḇram’s wife, took Haḡar her female servant, the Mitsrian, and gave her to her husband Aḇram to be his wife, after Aḇram had dwelt ten years in the land of Kena‛an. 
4. And he went in to Haḡar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 
5. And Sarai said to Aḇram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my female servant into your bosom. And when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Let יהוה judge between you and me.” 
6. And Aḇram said to Sarai, “See, your female servant is in your hand, do to her what is good in your eyes.” And Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.
7. And the Messenger of יהוה found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur, 
8. and He said, “Haḡar, Sarai’s female servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of Sarai, my mistress.”
9. And the Messenger of יהוה said to her, “Return to your mistress, and humble yourself under her hand.” 
10. And the Messenger of יהוה said to her, “I am going to increase your seed greatly, too numerous to be counted.” 
11. And the Messenger of יהוה said to her, “See, you are conceiving and bearing a son, and shall call his name Yishma‛ĕl, because יהוה has heard your affliction. 
12. “And he is to be a wild man, his hand against every one and every one’s hand against him, and dwell over against all his brothers.” 
13. And she called the Name of יהוה who spoke to her, “You are the Ěl who sees,” for she said, “Even here have I seen after Him who sees me?” 
14. That is why the well was called Be’ĕr Laḥai Ro’i, see, it is between Qaḏĕsh and Bereḏ. 
15. And Haḡar bore Aḇram a son, and Aḇram called the name of his son, whom Haḡar bore, Yishma‛ĕl. 
16. And Aḇram was eighty-six years old when Haḡar bore Yishma‛ĕl to Aḇram. 

Years passed, yet the promised son had not come. Rather than continue waiting upon YHWH Elohim, Abram and Sarai attempted to bring the promise about by their own plan. Sarai gave Hagar, her servant, to Abram, and Ishmael was born. Although this decision might have seemed reasonable from a human perspective, it was not the fulfillment of the covenant Master YHWH had established.

Throughout the Scriptures, we repeatedly encounter this temptation. When Almighty YHWH's promises seem delayed, we often attempt to accomplish His work through our own wisdom and strength. Yet the Creator's purposes never depend upon human schemes. He fulfills His promises in His own time and in His own way.

Gen 17 

1. And it came to be when Aḇram was ninety-nine years old, that יהוה appeared to Aḇram and said to him, “I am Ěl Shaddai – walk before Me and be perfect. 
2. “And I give My covenant between Me and you, and shall greatly increase you.” 
3. And Aḇram fell on his face, and Elohim spoke with him, saying,
4. “As for Me, look, My covenant is with you, and you shall become a father of many nations. 
5. “And no longer is your name called Aḇram, but your name shall be Aḇraham, because I shall make you a father of many nations. 
6. “And I shall make you exceedingly fruitful, and make nations of you, and sovereigns shall come from you.
7. “And I shall establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be Elohim to you and your seed after you. 
8. “And I shall give to you and your seed after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Kena‛an, as an everlasting possession. And I shall be their Elohim.” 
9. And Elohim said to Aḇraham, “As for you, guard My covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations. 
10. “This is My covenant which you guard between Me and you, and your seed after you: Every male child among you is to be circumcised.
11. “And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall become a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
12. “And a son of eight days is circumcised by you, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with silver from any foreigner who is not of your seed.
13. “He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your silver, has to be circumcised. So shall My covenant be in your flesh, for an everlasting covenant. 
14. “And an uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, his life shall be cut off from his people – he has broken My covenant.”
15. And Elohim said to Aḇraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her name Sarai, for Sarah is her name. 
16. “And I shall bless her and also give you a son by her. And I shall bless her, and she shall become nations – sovereigns of peoples are to be from her.” 
17. And Aḇraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Is a child born to a man who is a hundred years old? Or is Sarah, who is ninety years old, to bear a child?”
18. And Aḇraham said to Elohim, “Oh, let Yishma‛ĕl live before You!” 
19. And Elohim said, “No, Sarah your wife is truly bearing a son to you, and you shall call his name Yitsḥaq. And I shall establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 
20. “And as for Yishma‛ĕl, I have heard you. See, I shall bless him, and shall make him fruitful, and greatly increase him. He is to bring forth twelve princes, and I shall make him a great nation. 
21. “But My covenant I establish with Yitsḥaq, whom Sarah is to bear to you at this appointed time next year.”
22. And when He had ended speaking with him, Elohim went up from Aḇraham. 
23. And Aḇraham took Yishma‛ĕl his son, and all those born in his house and all those bought with his silver, every male among the men of Aḇraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that same day, as Elohim told him. 
24. And Aḇraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 
25. And Yishma‛ĕl his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 
26. Aḇraham and his son Yishma‛ĕl were circumcised that same day. 
27. And all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with silver from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

Genesis 17 marks another significant step in the unfolding of the Good News. Once again, Master YHWH confirms the covenant He established with Abram. This time, He changes Abram's name to Abraham, "father of many nations," and Sarai's name to Sarah, reaffirming that the promised son would come through her. He also gives circumcision as the sign of the covenant, setting Abraham and his descendants apart as the people with whom He had established His covenant. 

Yet even here, we see that Abraham is still learning to trust the promises of YHWH Elohim. When told that Sarah would bear a son in her old age, Abraham fell on his face and laughed, saying, "Oh, let Yishmaʽĕl live before You!" From a human perspective, Ishmael seemed to be an obvious solution. But Master YHWH had already determined how His promise would be fulfilled. 

The Creator's answer is unmistakable: 

"But My covenant I establish with Yitsḥaq, whom Sarah is to bear to you at this appointed time next year." 

Throughout Genesis, we repeatedly encounter the same truth. Master YHWH's promises are fulfilled according to His purpose, not according to human reasoning or human effort. Abraham had a plan, but the Almighty had a greater one. The covenant would continue through the son whom Almighty YHWH Himself had promised. 

These events remind us that the Good News has never depended upon man's ability to accomplish the purposes of Elohim. From the Garden of Eden to Abraham, the story has consistently pointed to the faithfulness of the Almighty. He calls, He promises, He establishes His covenant, and in His perfect time He fulfills every word He has spoken. 

As we conclude this part of our study, the unfolding of the Good News has become even clearer. What began in the Garden of Eden as a promise concerning the Seed has now become an everlasting covenant established with Abraham and his descendants. The Almighty has identified the family through whom His purposes will continue and has declared that the covenant will be established through Isaac, the son He Himself promised. 

Yet the story is far from complete. Although the covenant has been established and the promise renewed, Abraham and Sarah are still waiting. The promised son has not yet been born, and once again they are called to trust the faithfulness of Eternal YHWH. Throughout the Scriptures we repeatedly discover that the Almighty is never late in fulfilling His word. He accomplishes every promise according to His perfect wisdom and timing. 

In the next part of this study, we will witness the fulfillment of the promise as Isaac, the long-awaited son, is born. We will also follow Abraham through one of the greatest tests of faith recorded in all of Scripture, where the Creator reveals even more about His plan of redemption. Once again, the Good News will become clearer as the promises of YHWH continue to unfold.