Why Settle For An Ishmael, When You Can Have An Isaac

WHY SETTLE FOR AN ISHMAEL WHEN YOU CAN HAVE AN ISAAC GEN 16: 1-5 GEN 21: 10--13

5/5/05

INTRODUCTION: WHY SETTLE FOR “SECOND” BEST, WHEN GOD WANTS WHAT IS BEST FOR HIS PEOPLE. WHAT TROUBLES WE CREATE, WHEN WE TRY TO MIX MAN’S WAY WITH GOD’S WAY.

GOD MADE A PROMISE TO ABRAHAM. (DESPITE AGE**)

1. HE PROMISED ABRAHAM A SON THROUGH HIS WIFE, SARAH.

2. HE PROMISED A COVENANT THROUGH THE PROMISED SON.

3. ABRAHAM GOT IMPATIENT, SARAH GOT DISCOURAGED. (BAD COMBINATION)

4. HAGAR, SARAH’S MAID WAS ORDERED INTO ABRAHAM’S TENT.(HOPING TO PRODUCE A SON FOR AN HEIR.)

5. THAT COMPROMISE OF MAN’S WAY, RATHER THAN GOD’S WAY, CAUSED GREAT PROBLEMS. (ABRAHAM AND SARAH, SARAH AND HAGAR, SARAH AND ISHMAEL)

6. THOSE PROBLEMS STILL EXISTS TODAY BETWEEN THE JEWS AND THE ARABS

7. ANYTIME YOU CHOOSE MAN’S WAY AND MAN’S DOCTRINE OVER GOD’S WAY AND GOD’S DOCTRINE, TROUBLE IS SURE TO COME.

I. ISHMAEL WAS OF THE BONDWOMAN.

HE WAS NOT THE PROMISED SEED FROM JEHOVAH GOD.

ANYTHING THAT IS NOT OF GOD IS A COUNTERFEIT.

(A) GOD IS IN NO WASTEFUL HURRY TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PLANS.

1. MAN MAY FUSS AND FUME AS TO WHAT IS TO BE, BUT REST ASSURED GOD HAS IT ALREADY FIGURED OUT AND THE EXACT TIMETABLE TO DO IT IN.

2. ISAIAH 28:16: HE THAT BELIEVES SHALL NOT MAKE HASTE.

3. GOD WILL ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL, IN HIS TIME, REGARDLESS OF THE HINDRANCES CREATED BY MANKIND.

4. SCRIPTURE ASSURES US IN MANY PLACES THAT GOD’S PLAN WILL PREVAIL REGARDLESS OF THE OPPOSITION.

(B) GOD REALIZED ABRAHAM WAS OLD AND SARAH WAS BARREN. 100 AN 90 NOT THE IDEAL CHILDBEARING AGE***

1. NOTHING SURPRISES GOD.

2. ABRAHAM WAS WILLING TO “HELP GOD OUT.”*****

3. GOD DOESN’T NEED OUR HELP, HE NEEDS OUR OBEDIENCE.

4. SARAH’S SON BY ABRAHAM (ISAAC) WAS TO BE THE HEIR, NOT ISHMAEL. NOT THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN.

5. GOD NEVER MENTIONED HAGAR, NOR ISHMAEL, NOR AN ALTERNATE PLAN.

(C) ISHMAEL WAS THE PRODUCT OF NATURE.*****

1. THERE WAS NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT HIS BIRTH. GAL. 4:31

2. THERE WAS NOTHING MEANINGFUL, IN REGARDS TO THE PROMISED SEED.

3. HE WAS BORN AFTER THE FLESH.

4. HE WAS A PRODUCT OF MAN’S SCHEME AND MAN’S PLANNING.

II. ISAAC WAS THE CHILD OF THE FREE WOMAN.

HE WAS THE PROMISED CHILD.

(A) HE WAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO THE LORD.

1. GOD WOULD ESTABLISH A COVENANT THROUGH THE PROMISED SEED OF ABRAHAM.

2 IT BEGAN WITH ABRAHAM, RAN THROUGH ISAAC AND CONTINUED THROUGH CHRIST, WHERE IT ESTABLISHED SALVATION FOR WHOSOEVER WOULD CONFESS THEIR SINS AND BELIEVE UPON THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON.

JOHN 3:16.

(B) HE WAS IN THE EYES OF MANKIND THE :CHILD THAT COULD NOT BE” *******

1. ABRAHAM WAS 100 AND SARAH WAS 90

2. WITH GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

3. GOD HAD MADE A PROMISE AND WHAT GOD PROMISES MUST BE FULFILLED.*****

1. THE APPOINTED TIME HAD BEEN SET

2. THE APPOINTED HEIR HAD BEEN CHOSEN

3. GOD HAD SPOKEN.

III. ISAAC WAS THE CHILD OF MIRACLE.

(A) SARAH’S WOMB WAS DEAD**** NOT CAPABLE.****

ROMANS 4:19

(B) ABRAHAM’S FAITH WAS ALIVE IN GOD.

1. HIS FIRST IMPRESSION WAS TO LAUGH. SO WOULD SARAH**

2 SO WOULD YOU IF YOU WERE THAT AGE AND THE DOCTOR TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE GOING TO HAVE A CHILD.****

(C) SHE CONCEIVED BY A SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH.

1. HERE IS A FORESHADOW OF THE MIRACULOUS BIRTH OF CHRIST.

IV. NOTICE THE COMPARISON OF ISAAC AND CHRIST.

(A) ISAAC WAS THE PROMISED SEED AND THE PROMISED SON. . GENESIS 17:16

1. SO ALSO WAS CHRIST. GENESIS 3:15 AND ISAIAH 7:14

2. A LENGTHILY INTERVAL OCCURRED BETWEEN GOD’S PROMISE TO ABRAHAM AND THE FULFILLMENT OF IT.

3. A LENGTHILY INTERVAL BETWEEN GOD’S PROMISE TO TO SEND CHRIST AS THE MESSIAH, AND THE ACTUAL FULFILLMENT OF IT.

4. WHEN SARAH LEARNED SHE WOULD GIVE BIRTH TO ISAAC, SHE ASKED THE QUESTION: “ SHALL I SURELY BEAR A CHILD IN MY OLD AGE?”

5. WHEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD MADE KNOWN TO MARY THAT SHE WOULD BEAR A CHILD AND HE WOULD BE THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, SHE ASKED THE QUESTION: “HOW CAN THIS BE, I’VE NEVER KNOWN A MAN”

THE ANGEL ANSWERED: “WITH GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

6. ISAAC’S NAME WAS SPECIFIED BEFORE HIS BIRTH, JUST AS JESUS’ NAME WAS.

7. ISAAC’S NAME WAS GIVEN TO HIM BY HIS FATHER ABRAHAM, CHRIST WAS GIVEN HIS NAME “IMMANUEL” BY HIS HEAVENLY FATHER

(B) BEFORE ISAAC WAS BORN, THE POWER AND ACTIVITIES OF NATURE WERE MADE AN END OF. (DEAD TO THE FLESH)

1. IN ORDER FOR ISAAC TO BE BORN, THAT WHICH WAS DEAD HAD TO BE QUICKENED (MADE ALIVE) BY JEHOVAH GOD.

(C) BEFORE A PERSON IS RE-BORN (SAVED BY GRACE, BORN AGAIN) HE MUST COME TO REALIZE: