Genesis 18:1-15 Can You Hear Me Now?

"The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.  Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby.  When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of  his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground."  (Genesis 18:1-2 NIV)

It seems that the three men appeared rather suddenly, for when Abraham looked up, they were already standing nearby.  Although Abraham may not have known this at first, these were no ordinary visitors.  However, Abraham hurries to give them the best of Near Eastern hospitality.  He provides water to wash their feet (a welcome refreshment from their hot, dusty journey).  He urges them to stay for a meal and serves these strangers as though they were honored guests.  While Sarah bakes bread, Abraham selects a choice calf and curds and milk and the couple prepare a feast for their visitors.  While they ate, Abraham stood nearby, ready to serve them in any capacity. (Genesis 18:2-8)

Eventually, the visitors begin to reveal the purpose of their visit.  "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him.  (Genesis 18:9 NIV)  I wonder if, at this point, Abraham begins to realize that these are no ordinary travelers.  Who else would know about Sarai's recent name change?  When Abraham indicates that Sarah is in her tent nearby, "...the Lord said, 'I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.' "  (Genesis 18:10 NIV)  In Genesis 17:16,19,21 God had already promised this, and 17:21 indicates that the Lord had already told Abraham that Isaac would be born by that time next year.  Not much time had passed since the Lord's previous visit, for He repeats the fact that Isaac would be born by that time next year.  I wondered why God would repeat this same message so soon.  Well, one reason may be that the Lord had previously appeared to Abraham alone (Genesis 17:1).  Perhaps the news about Isaac was so amazing and unlikely that the Lord wished to convey it to Sarah in a more direct manner.  This would also explain why the Lord had asked specifically about where Sarah was (in Genesis 18:9).

Did you ever hear of that phenomenon where, if a person is in a room full of people, he or she will still perk up and zero in when his or her name is being spoken?  This is sometimes called 'the cocktail party effect'.  Even though competing conversations are going on all around, a person is able to filter out the surrounding 'noise' and is able to pick up on the fact that someone just said his name.  I picture that happening here.  When the Lord asked where Sarah was, I'll bet her ears perked up within the tent and she immediately focused in upon what this stranger could possibly be saying about her.  (Which may have been why the Lord had inquired about her, for He certainly had known all along exactly where she was!)

:"Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.  Abraham and Sarah were already old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.  So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, 'After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?' " (Genesis 18:10-12)  See, I told you that she was listening!  Who could blame her?  The Lord was standing right in front of her tent!

"Then the Lord said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh and say, "Will I really have a child, now that I am old?"  Is anything too hard for the Lord?  I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.' " (Genesis 18:13-14 NIV)  Sarah was afraid, so she lied and denied that she had laughed.(v.15)  However, the Lord called her on it:  "Yes, you did laugh." (Genesis 18:15)  His gentle rebuke reminds me of two things:

1. Don't ever try to lie to God and, also,
2. Don't think that anything is too difficult for God to accomplish.

Through the Scriptures, and in our everyday lives, God is calling out our name.  We can hear Him.  Are we listening?

Genesis 17:21-27 Abraham's Immediate Obedience

God has promised that Abraham and Sarah would have a son, who was to be named Isaac ('He laughs').  God had also reassured Abraham that his son Ishmael would not be forgotten, either -- he was to become a numerous people and God would make Ishmael into a great nation.

God repeats, however, that He would establish His covenant with Isaac.  (Genesis 17:21)  After this, "When He had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him." (Genesis 17:22 NIV)  This seems to be a very stately exit -- there would be no further discussions about these matters at that time.

As for Abraham, "On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.  Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, and his son Ishmael was thirteen; Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that same day.  And every male in Abraham's household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him." (Genesis 17:21-27 NIV)

Abraham's immediate obedience was striking, especially since the prospect of what he and his household had to do was, well, --- if there was any time to procrastinate, it would have been then, right?  Yet Abraham obeyed promptly.  This characteristic of prompt obedience will come up again at least twice in a couple of upcoming chapters of the book of Genesis, and the price of obedience becomes, unbelievably, even higher.

Genesis 17:18-20 Ishmael: God Hears

Ishmael has already been mentioned in several posts so far.  In my previous post, I mentioned that Abraham's love for Ishmael is clear:  "And Abraham said to God, 'If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!' " (Genesis 17:18 (NIV)  Even though Isaac, the son of Abraham and Sarah, would be the one through whom God established His covenant (Genesis 17:19,21), Abraham longs for Ishmael to be blessed as well.

God lets Abraham know that He has not forgotten Ishmael:  "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you:  I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers.  He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation." (Genesis 17:20-21 NIV)

 This passage reminds me of the account in Genesis 16, where the angel of the Lord appears to Ishmael's mother, Hagar, while she is still pregnant with Ishmael.  Hagar had run away from her mistress, Sarai.  The angel of the Lord tells Hagar to return to her mistress, and promises that "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count." (Genesis 16:10 NIV)

The angel also says,

• "You are now with child and you will have a son.  You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery." (Genesis 16.11 NIV)  (Ishmael's name means 'God Hears'.)
• "He will be a wild donkey of a man;..." (Genesis 16:12 NIV) This reference meant that Ishmael would roam the desert like the wild donkey.
• "...his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand will be against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers." (Genesis 16:12 NIV)  That one is fairly obvious.  Ishmael will not be the easiest 'neighbor' to have.  In fact, it sounds like he won't get along with anyone (including his brothers), and that everyone will not be able to get along with him very well, either.

Well, Hagar returned to Sarai, had Ishmael, and now, in Genesis 17:20, more details of the blessings upon Ishmael are revealed.  Ishmael would be fruitful, and increase greatly in number.  The angel of the Lord had already revealed this to Hagar in Genesis chapter 16.   Now, new details emerge:  Ishmael would be the father of twelve rulers and God would make him into a great nation. (Genesis 17:20)

Genesis 17:10-22 He Who laughs last, laughs the best

The Lord next turns to the matter of Sarai, Abraham's wife:

"As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.  I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her.  I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."  (Genesis 17:15-16 NIV)

It is no wonder that, directly after these verses in the Bible, we are told that Abraham fell face down.  No doubt part of this was falling down in worship to God for the wonderful things which had just been said.  He and Sarah would finally have a son together!  However, Abraham also laughed to himself and thought, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?  Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"  (Genesis 17:17-18 NIV)

Out loud, "...Abraham said to God, 'If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!' (v.18) This verse, small as it is, is very telling.  It reveals that Abraham loves his son Ishmael very much.  How do I know this?  Well, God has just told Abraham that he and Sarah would soon be having a son of their own.  However, in the midst of this great news and the realization of their dreams as a couple, Abraham is still thinking of his son Ishmael.  (More on this in my next post.)

"Then God said, 'Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.  I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.  And as for Ishmael, I have heard you:  I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers.  He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.  But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.' (Genesis 17:19-21 NIV)

God makes it clear that he will indeed bless Ishmael, as Abraham requested.  However, God had already decided that He would establish His covenant with Isaac.  I love the wordplay in this chapter, and, in particular, in these verses:  God 'heard' Abraham's request about Ishmael, whose name means 'God hears'.  Abraham, whose name means 'Father of many' is well on his way to fathering many nations.  And, best of all,  Abraham, who probably thought his somewhat unbelieving laughter had escaped God's attention, is informed that the son with whom God will establish His covenant is to be named Isaac, 'He laughs'.  This tells me three things: 

1.  God lets Abraham know that nothing escapes His attention.  (I know you laughed, Abraham.)
2.  God knew that Isaac would bring Abraham and Sarah much joy.  (You'll laugh with Isaac.)
3.  God Himself was laughing.  (Look Who's really laughing, Abraham.)

Abraham's Part: Genesis 17:9-14

Next, God turns to Abraham to inform him as to his part in the covenant.  As the rest of the chapter makes clear, this covenant is not only with Abraham, but also with his descendants for the generations to come. Verse 7,8,9,10,12,13,19,23, and 27 all make some type of mention of how Abraham's descendants are included in this arrangement.  In a previous post, I had mentioned that when something is repeated in Scripture, it is especially important -- well, in this case, you certainly can easily tell what the point of the chapter is meant to be!

God informs Abraham that "This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep:  Every male among you shall be circumcised.  You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you." (Genesis 17:10-11 NIV)

There are other people groups which practice circumcision.  However, in Abraham and his descendants' case, it would have a particular meaning not shared by other groups:

• Circumcision would signify Abraham's/his descendants' absolute loyalty and commitment to God.
• Only God would be worshiped, trusted and served.  There would be no other 'gods'.
• This was another self-maledictory oath. Remember before, when God cut the covenant with Abraham the first time?  (Read about it here) God had walked between the halved portions of a number of animals, signifying that if He did not keep His part of the covenant, the same should be done to Him.  (Genesis 15:9-21)  Well, now, by the practice of circumcision, Abraham and his descendants after him would be saying something like, "May God cut off me and my offspring if I do not remain loyal and obedient to the Lord."
• Even those who were not Abraham's direct offspring, but were born into his household or bought from foreigners were expected to be circumcised, for they were considered to be part of Abraham's household. (v.12,13,23,27)  These 'others' were graciously included in the covenant blessings.  Also, this would prevent a situation in which Abraham's descendants might be worshipping God while nearby, servants might be offering worship to an array of various other 'gods'.
• This covenant of circumcision would be everlasting and exclusive.  God said, "My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.  Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant." (Genesis 17:13-14 NIV)

Renewing the Covenant: God's Part (Genesis 17: 1-8)

God renews his covenant with Abram.  At first, I wondered why God had to do that, but then I realized that thirteen years have passed since the events of Genesis 16.  Abram is now 99 years old, and his son Ishmael is quite a young man in his own right.  In the past, Abram's lack of faith in God's provision of an heir led him to agree to seek to obtain a son through Sarah's maidservant, Hagar.  It is time to make a new beginning, to reconfirm the covenant.  The former covenant still stands -- Israel is still promised the land -- but this expanded covenant is a little different.  In the first place, it is not a royal grant, like the other covenant in Genesis 15.  It is more of a suzerain-vassal type of covenant, as explained in this post .  Under this type of covenant, the relationship is like a king to his subject.  The king would pledge to be his sovereign and protect the subject, who in return was expected to display absolute loyalty and obedience. There were conditions placed upon this relationship, which each side was expected to fulfill.

God repeats his promise to greatly increase Abram's descendants (v.2).  Then God begins to explain the terms of the covenant.  First, God outlines his own provisions for Abram:

You will be the father of many nations. (v.3)

Your name will be changed from Abram ("Exalted Father" -- probably in reference to God) to Abraham ("father of many"). (v.5)

God promised to make Abraham very fruitful, a father of many nations, and said that kings would come from him. (v.6)

God would establish His covenant with Abraham and with his descendants.  It would be an everlasting covenant. (v.7)

The whole land of Canaan would be given to Abraham and his descendants as an "everlasting possession". (v.8)

"I will be their God." (v.8)

        

Ten Things You May Not Know About Rocky and Bullwinkle

Alexander Anderson Jr., cartoonist and creator of many beloved characters such as Rocky the flying squirrel, Bullwinkle the moose and Dudley Do-Right died on October 22, 2010 at the age of 90.  In tribute, here are ten things which you may not know about the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show and its creators and characters:



1.  Inspiration for Bullwinkle came from a dream Anderson had, in which he was seated next to a card-toting  moose at a poker game with friends.

 2.  A Berkeley, CA, Ford car dealership (Bullwinkel Motors) owner named Bullwinkel furnished the inspiration for Bullwinkle's name.  Anderson thought the name was interesting and changed some letters in order to come up with Bullwinkle's name.

3.  Bullwinkle's favorite line was:  "Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat."

4.  Anderson and his frat brother (Jay Ward) -- working out of a garage -- created "Crusader Rabbit", which was one of the first animated series produced for TV.  It aired on NBC in the 1950's.

5.  Rocky and Bullwinkle lived in the fictional town of Frostbite Falls, Minnesota.  It was named after an actual town in northern Minnesota named International Falls.  A reporter had called that place the "icebox of America", hence the 'Frostbite' pun.

6.  Anderson thought Rocky's ability to fly was more believable than some superheroes, for some squirrels actually do have the ability to fly (or at least glide).

7.  Rocky's tagline was "Hokey Smoke!"

8.  Name four evildoers who were opposed by Rocky and Bullwinkle.  (Answers are at end of list.)

9.  In 2000, a feature film "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle" was released.

10. The middle name of Rocky begins with a 'J'.  Some believe the squirrel's actual name is Rocket Jet Squirrel.  As a tribute, "The Simpsons" creator, Matt Groening,  gave Homer, Bart and Grandpa Abe the same middle initial.  Bullwinkle also had "J" as his middle initial.  The squirrel and moose may have been given this initial to honor Jay Ward (co-creator) and Bill J. Scott (producer and writer).

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(Answer to #8:  Boris Badenov, Natasha Fatale, Mister Big, and Fearless Leader.  Also, Boris and Natasha were modeled after the Addam's Family couple, Gomez and Morticia.  Boris and Natasha were a parody of the Cold War, which was already many years underway before the series aired.)

Note:  Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons can be viewed (free) online at www.hulu.com.