As I read through Genesis 18 and 21 today, as part of the 40 days challenge, I can’t resist the temptation of reading it through from 18 to 21. It’s not just an exercise, it’s a delight. I truly feel like I’m getting breakfast this morning, and the mixture is delightsome. It’s the typical intercontinental breakfast, all the elements are from different places, the plate looks beautiful, and the meal sumptuous. Let’s go through a bit of the menu together – remember Jesus is our object. There is no point appreciating the meal, if we are not going to eat it.
God is entertained with human food!
In Gen 18, It’s clear that a member of the God head is on earth. Abraham calls Him Lord! He’s there with 2 of his angels, and there was a brief stopover in the house of Abraham. Call Him Emmanuel, call him Lord, but we see God relating to man as a friend, much as he did regularly in the garden of Eden. This casts new lights on eternity, brings us to remember that man would yet eat angels food, and that heaven is not far in operation from the earth!
Friendship with God!
It is clear isn’t it? That there is a relationship beyond the fatherhood of God! (I can see the beam on my Aunty’s face here). God’s posture with Abraham on this day gives insight way into the future. “Shall God do a thing, and not tell Abraham His friend?” God confides in Abraham, shares with him the secret mission He is in. The cup of Sodom and Gomorrah is full, destruction is next! Abraham’s intercession sounds like the emotional contest of a wife trying to prevent her husband from doing what he is capable of doing!
In this negotiation, we see the template for the minimum for the retaining of nations through to eternity. Sodom and Gomorrah lost their place in this earth, and in the new earth, because Lot had not discipled 10. We know another intercessor arose who daily intercedes for us before the father – Jesus Christ. We can see the template that Abraham was able to in friendship with God develop – “If there are 10 men in any city, the wicked will yet be given chance, but if those who stand with God as harvest hands are less than 10, the Lords remnant will be taken away, and the city destroyed.” Selah.
God’s misperception as a comedian – No be today!
The first time anyone laughed in the Bible, God was involved. I still think many people don’t take God seriously, I beg you – Repent!
Abraham laughed, Sarah laughed, but God was not joking. To God, it wasn’t about man’s quest for a son, or a woman’s need for productivity. God was concerned about the Seed of the woman that will bruise the head of serpent, He was willing to work through the imperfections of man, to bring forth the man-child that will deliver humanity from the stranglehold of the devil. It’s okay to laugh, in fact, God decided to remind them for the rest of their lives that they laughed. In Isaac shall the seed be called!
You know how comedians tell a story and reserve a punchline? God did it, I’m going to give you a son, after you have given yourself a son, but you know what? That son I’m going to give you is not the son I will bless you through, I’m only going to put my seed in that son! Yeah, not funny
Law versus Promise!
“Akoba adaba, Olurun maje ka ri!” – May we not put ourselves in self made problems! Abraham did not cause a problem for just himself in Ishmael, it started a war for us all. Law will always mock faith! Legalism and it’s defenders, will always scorn and harass those who are free-born of faith and promise. These two births – Ishmael and Isaac represent the two ways of being in a relationship with God! Human faithless connivance or spirit empowered as a result of faithful promise. The mockery and harassment would always be by the ill dressed, tithe paying, first fruit collecting, Sabbath observing, these are the traditions sect! Those who declare the liberties in God, and living out the life of Christ from within would be at the butt of their scorn. The scriptures are however clear on what to do.
The Galatians narrative is quite clear – “Isn’t it clear, friends, that you, like Isaac, are children of promise? In the days of Hagar and Sarah, the child who came from faithless connivance (Ishmael) harassed the child who came—empowered by the Spirit—from the faithful promise (Isaac). Isn’t it clear that the harassment you are now experiencing from the Jerusalem heretics follows that old pattern? There is a Scripture that tells us what to do: “Expel the slave mother with her son, for the slave son will not inherit with the free son.” Isn’t that conclusive? We are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.” – Gal 4:21-31
A woman’s delight!
When God says to your husband – “Listen to your wife!” I don’t know any woman that won’t dance (shoki) to that one. I can see my wife smiling already.
Single Mothers! This version was not sang by Beyonce (single ladies).
God cares! Haggai looks like the first visible Single mother in the Bible. She was thrown out with her son, and experienced first hand, what it means to be the only one there for a child. While she must not be your role model, there is comfort in knowing that God spoke to her more than any lady before her time. God cares! If you depend on Him, you won’t be denied. All the wells of resources required to disciple these ones are near you, all you need is open eyes! Lose your personal agenda – God is not making the child great because of you. He has his plans. Submit your child to His plans.
Business – Yesoo!
Enter Abimelech! If the business has a future, let’s sign some contracts. Things will go well, for sure, but let’s put a few sheeps between us, and define who owns what. Easy enough?
You ask, but where is Christ in this? Remember Rahab the Harlot? Remember Ruth and Naomi? By entering into deals with God’s people they were preserved and brought into Christ’s lineage. You need to get this otherwise having a Job or doing business will make no sense to you. All of these partnerships are the ways in which we connect others to God. Look at the opportunity God gave Lot? He was asked to go inform his family, friends and allies about the incoming danger! Even his family members thought he was joking! That says a lot about how Lot did business.
Remember, our assignment is to accept God’s friendship, and then make friends with others, with their eternity in mind. I believe 2 Cor 5:20 captures this well. “We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.”
If you endured the sound doctrine till the end or enjoyed the sumptuous breakfast to the end – Write done! God bless you!
Adeolu Akinyemi
WhatsApp: 08037228919
NB: One Goal in Life – Christ – Disciple a Few!