My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Abraham was upset when God told him to send Hagar’s son Ishmael and the bondwoman out of the house. So, God –

Genesis 21: 13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.

Not only did Sarah tell but God also told him to do the same thing as Sarah. Abraham obeyed it completely and   rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.

And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So, she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar and said to her, “What bothers you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.”

Genesis 21: 19, 20 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink.

So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.

They took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do. Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.” From this we know that Abraham has come to the land of the Philistines.

Genesis 21: 24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

There was a well which Abraham had dug, that was seized by the servants of Abimelech so Abraham rebuked Abimelech.

When Abimelech said that he does not know this thing, I have not heard about it –

Genesis 21: 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

Genesis 21: 29 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?”

And Abraham is confirming that he dug the well and said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well.”

Therefore, he called that place Beersheba, because the Abraham and Abimelech swore an oath there.

After making a covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phichol, returned to the land of the Philistines.

Genesis 21: 33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.

And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days.

From this we understand that, since Abraham had his thoughts towards the flesh he came and stayed in the land of Philistines for many days. God changed his fleshly thoughts and wanted to give him spiritual thoughts. So, God is showing us these things through Abraham as a pattern.

God wanted Abraham to undergo circumcision and change his fleshly thoughts and so planned to bring him from the land of Philistines to Mount Moriah. We must think of these things in our life as well. Because we are following worldly customs and traditions, perverse things, fleshly lusts and doing many things which does not please God and trusting and walking in God. So, in order for God to make our body, soul and spirit blameless and holy God is calling us to come with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, all our thoughts. After hearing the calling if we still do not understand God punishes us till, we fulfill his will in our lives.

That is why in Jeremiah 30: 23, 24 - Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord Goes forth with fury, A continuing whirlwind; It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.

The fierce anger of the Lord will not return until He has done it, and until He has performed the intents of His heart. In the latter days you will consider it.

My dear brothers and sisters, we can realize that these days are the last days. We can realize that these are the days of God’s fierce anger.

That is why, God is sending Abraham to Mount Moriah and though Abraham’s son Isaac was his only son, he tells him to offer him as a burnt offering.

Therefore, in these days let us submit ourselves completely so that for us Christ will fulfill God’s righteousness within us and deliver and save us from old sinful characters, iniquities, transgressions, curses, diseases and make us as a new creation to attain complete grace and Christ’s life will be manifested in us. We must realize that for this only we are called and chosen.

Let us pray. May the Lord bless you all.

-        To be continued