Scripture: Genesis 16:1-16; Genesis 17:1-27; Galatians 4:22-31; Hebrews 11:8-16 Series: 2020
Sermon notes on Genesis 16-17 read as a single unit: the birth of the people of Israel. Genesis 16 (Hagar and Sarah) is framed, via Rashi and Ambrose, as humanity’s flawed self-reliant attempt to fulfill God’s promise, akin to the golden calf, while Genesis 17 (the renewed covenant, name changes of Abram and Sarah, and the promise of Isaac, ‘laughter’) marks the beginning of the People. The preacher stresses that God blesses Abraham and Sarah not by works but by faith, anchoring the point in Hebrews 11:8-16 and noting that God also blesses Hagar and Ishmael.
Illustrations: rashi-hagar-pharaohs-daughter, rashi-multiple-angels-hagar, rashi-naming-ishmael, ambrose-defense-abraham-hagar, golden-calf-comparison, isaac-means-laughter
August 1
Gen 16-17
Gen 16 Hagar and Sarah, Abraham and Hagar
Gen 17. Second covenant with Abram and the changing of his name and changing of the name of Sarah, as well as the birth of Isaac, which means laughter.
Rashi on 16
“She was a daughter of Pharaoh; when he saw the miracles which had been performed for Sarah’s take he said, “It is better for my daughter to be a handmaid in this man’s house than be mistress in another man’s house.” -Rashi on 16:1
“For each statement (in these three verses) a different angel was sent to her, and this explains why in reference to each statement the phrase is used, “and an angel said to her”” - Rashi on 16:9
“Although Abram had not heard the words of the angel when he said to Hagar “and thou shalt call his name Ishmael”, yet the Holy Spirit rested upon him and he called him Ishmael.” - Rashi on 16:15
Ambrose on 16
Abraham and Hagar is before the Law of Moses so there is no law against adultery.
Second, he did not neglect his marriage bed because of lust or charm but zeal for progeny. Human beings were still few after the flood; it was also a matter of piety.
Third, Sarah asked him to do it.
Fourth, Paul in Galatians 4:22-31 says it is an allegory
Genesis 17 The covenant transformed. If Genesis 12 marks the beginning of history, Genesis 17 marks the beginning of the People.
We need to hold 16 and 17 together as the birth of the people of Israel. Abraham and Hagar is humanity’s attempt to follow God on its own. In a way, it is like the golden calf. The best of intentions do not make a good relationship or good action. And yet, God blesses Ishmael and Hagar in the end.
Abraham and Sarah don’t come off well in this light, but it is not by works that God blesses them.
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out without knowing where he was going. By faith he lived in the land he had been promised as a stranger. He lived in tents along with Isaac and Jacob, who were coheirs of the same promise. He was looking forward to a city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith even Sarah received the ability to have a child, though she herself was barren and past the age for having children, because she believed that the one who promised was faithful. So descendants were born from one man (and he was as good as dead). They were as many as the number of the stars in the sky and as countless as the grains of sand on the seashore. All these people died in faith without receiving the promises, but they saw the promises from a distance and welcomed them. They confessed that they were strangers and immigrants on earth. People who say this kind of thing make it clear that they are looking for a homeland. If they had been thinking about the country that they had left, they would have had the opportunity to return to it. But at this point in time, they are longing for a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God isn’t ashamed to be called their God—he has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:8-16 CEB https://bible.com/bible/37/heb.11.8-16.CEB