Day 6: Genesis 16-18

(The previous post covered the beginning of the 4th Dispensation.)

Genesis 16
¹ Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no children: and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
² And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Jehovah hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

(Sarai stated that God caused her to be barren. Sarai had a plan of her own.)

³ And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.

(Abram and Sarai violated their covenant with God when they tried to bring about God's portion themselves through Hagar. Notice, Abram was married to Hagar and Sarai because he had consensual sexual intercourse with her, even Sarai consented. In fact, this was Sarai's idea. Abram took direction from Sarai, like Adam did with Eve?)

⁴ And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

(Sarai realized her mistake.)

⁵ And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: Jehovah judge between me and thee.

(Sarai's response was very different than Eve's. Sarai did not justify herself (like Eve) but admitted she was wrong and that her wrong actions affected Abram.)

⁶ But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine eyes. And Sarai dealt hardly with her, and she fled from her face.

(Again, Abram took direction from Sarai. Although Abram was Sarai's husband, it did not seem like he was leading her. Hagar ended up being afflicted (dealt hardly) by Sarai as a result of Sarai's plan.)

⁷ And the angel of Jehovah found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

(Hagar was found by the angel of Jehovah.)

⁸ And he said, Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence camest thou? and whither goest thou? And she said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.
⁹ And the angel of Jehovah said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

(Submit meant "to intentionally (willfully agree to) give up your will." It happens from a position of power. Hagar had the upper hand on Sarai.)

¹⁰ And the angel of Jehovah said unto her, I will greatly multiply thy seed, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
¹¹ And the angel of Jehovah said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son; and thou shalt call his name Ishmael, because Jehovah hath heard thy affliction.

(God was responding to the injustice committed against Hagar. Hagar was pregnant with a son and was told to name him Ishmael. Ishmael meant "God will hear." This was the first record in the Bible of a person being named before he was born.)

¹² And he shall be as a wild ass among men; his hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell over against all his brethren.
¹³ And she called the name of Jehovah that spake unto her, Thou art a God that seeth: for she said, Have I even here looked after him that seeth me?
¹⁴ Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

(Beer-lahai-roi meant "well of the Living One seeing me.")

¹⁵ And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bare, Ishmael.
¹⁶ And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

(Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.)




Genesis 17
¹ And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

(Thirteen years elapsed between chapter 16 and chapter 17. Abram was ninety-nine years old. Abram and Sarai violated their Covenant with God and appeared to have no communication with God during that time. Then, God started a new covenant...)

² And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
³ And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
⁴ As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be the father of a multitude of nations.
⁵ Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee.

(God "killed" Abram and Sarai. He made a new covenant with Abraham and Sarah.  
-Abram meant "exalted father."  
-Abraham meant "father of a multitude."
Paul referenced verses 4 and 5 in Romans 4:17.)

⁶ And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
⁷ And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee.

(God stated this Covenant would be everlasting. The first Covenant was not an everlasting covenant, not only because it did not last, but God did not state it would be everlasting. Everlasting did not mean it couldn't be ended for a time. Everlasting meant that it would exist in eternity. Even if it was ended, it would eventually be reinstated.)

⁸ And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
⁹ And God said unto Abraham, And as for thee, thou shalt keep my covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations.
¹⁰ This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised.
¹¹ And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt me and you.

(Circumcision was the token of this Covenant. Again, blood was shed...)

¹² And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner that is not of thy seed.
¹³ He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
¹⁴ And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
¹⁵ And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

(Another name change, signifying seeing the person as a new person:
-Sarai meant "princess."  
-Sarah meant "noblewoman.")

¹⁶ And I will bless her, and moreover I will give thee a son of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be of her.
¹⁷ Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

(Abraham laughed.)

¹⁸ And Abraham said unto God, Oh that Ishmael might live before thee!
¹⁹ And God said, Nay, but Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.

(Abraham still tried to convince God that his (Abram) and Sarai's plan was the right plan. God noticed Abraham's laughter: Isaac meant "laughter" or "he laughs." Notice, God promised the Covenant would continue "for his seed after him." God just promised Isaac would have at least one son, so the strategy of this dispensation (patriarchs) would continue through Isaac to the next patriarch.)

²⁰ And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
²¹ But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

(Although the Covenant God cut with Abraham would not go through Ishmael, God still blessed Ishmael. Notice, the child of the Covenant depended on the mother, it had to be Sarah. God was more specific during this Covenant: the son would be born in the next year.)

²² And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
²³ And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
²⁴ And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

(That day, Abraham bled. They could not redo the "virginal covenant" from Genesis 15:9-17. This was similar to a second Marriage.)

²⁵ And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
²⁶ In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
²⁷ And all the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money of a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

(Everyone associated with Abraham became a part of the Covenant. Notice, Abraham's actions covered all five requirements for a covenant that we covered in Genesis 9 with Noah's covenant:
1) go through ("passing between") something,
2) bloodshed,
3) sharing,
4) agreement, and
5) death.)




Genesis 18
¹ And Jehovah appeared unto him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

(This was the same place Abram built an altar to God (Genesis 13:18).)

² and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood over against him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,
³ and said, My lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
⁴ let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
⁵ and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and strengthen ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on: forasmuch as ye are come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

(Abraham ran to meet these three men. The rest of the chapter implied it was God and two or three angels.)

⁶ And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.
⁷ And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hasted to dress it.
⁸ And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

(Abraham had a feast prepared for God and the angels. Abraham told Sarah to use three measures of fine meal.)

⁹ And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

("They" asked Abraham a question.)

¹⁰ And he said, I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.

(God alone spoke to Abraham. Paul referenced this verse in Romans 9:9.)

¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
¹² And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

(God confirmed His promise to Abraham. This time, Sarah laughed regarding how old she and Abraham were. 1 Peter 3:6 referenced this verse to point out that Sarah called Abraham "lord.")

¹³ And Jehovah said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old?
¹⁴ Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son.

(God asked Abraham questions. God asked if anything was too hard for Him. Anything meant "anything that is of value, that is good.")

¹⁵ Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

(Sarah lied. Abraham confronted her.)

¹⁶ And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
¹⁷ And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do;
¹⁸ seeing that Abraham had surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

(God asked the angels if He should hide from Abraham what He was going to do. God stated the purpose of this 4th Dispensation: use one nation (consisting of patriarchs) as an example to benefit all nations.)

¹⁹ For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

(Remember, this occurred before the Law was given. The Law was an effect of God's Nature. Here, God stated His goal was to do Righteousness and Justice. These results were direct effects of God's Nature: Right and Just.)

²⁰ And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
²¹ I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

(God stated the cry concerning Sodom and Gomorrah was great. God had heard about Sodom and Gomorrah, most likely through the angels He was with. Now, God, HIMSELF, was going to see whether the reports were factual.)

²² And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before Jehovah.
²³ And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou consume the righteous with the wicked?

(The angels went to Sodom, but God stayed with Abraham for the moment. God planned to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham referenced God's objective by directly and boldly asking if it would be just for the righteous to be destroyed with the wicked. Notice how Abraham makes his requests through questions...)

²⁴ Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
²⁵ That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
²⁶ And Jehovah said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.

(Abraham convinced God to agree to not destroying the cities for the sake of fifty righteous people.)

²⁷ And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes:
²⁸ peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.
²⁹ And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for the forty's sake.

(This time, Abraham humbled himself before he asked about the value of five people. Once God changed His Mind, Abraham quickly asked about five more people. God again changed His Mind. God had changed His Mind for ten people.)

³⁰ And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
³¹ And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake.
³² And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.

(Abraham humbled himself each of the next three times he asked about the value of ten people. Once Abraham convinced God to agree to spare the cities for ten people, the amount he had been using to change God's Mind, he could not get any lower. If Abraham had kept asking God about the value of five people, would he have been able to get God to spare the city for five people?)

³³ And Jehovah went his way, as soon as he had left off communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

(The Lord left after He agreed Sodom and Gomorrah would not be destroyed for the sake of ten people. Remember, God destroyed the world in the Flood and only eight people were saved. God did not spare the world for the sake of eight people: Genesis 7.)

(This post covered the new everlasting Covenant God made with Abraham and his seed. God also told Abraham His plans for judging Sodom and Gomorrah. God would spare the city for ten people.)

Day 7