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Promises, Promises Introduction: It was 3:30 a.m., on Wednesday, May 4, 2004, in Sydney, Australia. Lamar and I were there for a planning session for the Pentecostal World Conference when I was awakened by the Holy Spirit and drawn to Genesis’ account of Hagar. I had begun a personal study of Genesis several weeks earlier. But, on that early Wednesday morning in my concentrated study of these verses, I experienced new insight and revelation regarding the ageless promises of God which I will share more with you later. They have become most encouraging and pivotal in my life ever since. Throughout this Bible study it is my desire to share with you several priceless principles of promise that I have gleaned from this story. I pray they will be a continual blessing in your life also. Scripture: Personal Background: On September 20, 1997, I experienced the sudden tragic death of my late husband, Chris, after some 22 years of full-time ministry. Little did I know that equally unexpected and as grievous as death, I would struggle the next several years to recover temporary loss of my divine call to ministry. From age thirteen until my days as a widow, I had never doubted my divine call and commission to ministry. But death had invaded life, taking with it my husband and my ministry. My hope was anchored in Romans 11:29, “For the gifts and call of God are without repentance.” Why the interruption of death? Where was the promise now? What had become of it? Had it departed with my late husband? Had the call to ministry been permanently lost or was it temporarily expired, camouflaged in the curse and grief of death? What was the call now? As a widow and single, was I to seek another call or just a vocation? Was ministry, as I had known it, also buried in a sealed coffin leaving behind an empty vessel to be permanently shelved? If so, why the persistent tug and longing for ministry? Why the unrelenting pain of grief and the continual sorrow for the lack thereof? Why the prevailing echoes of my initial call? Why the barrenness? Why was life so devoid of meaning? Where was the gratification of the Great Commission in everyday living? Was the PROMISE hidden in the CURSE, the curse of death? What was the purpose of it all? Was the promise still alive? Was there a remnant of the call remaining, waiting to be nurtured and revived? Why the interruption of death? Greater still, why was the CALL STILL CALLING? I hadn’t died or passed away and neither had the CALL…nor had the CALLER! David said in Psalm 77:8, “…doth His promise fail for evermore?” (KJV). 1 Kings 8:54-56 reads as follows, “And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, that he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. Then he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying: ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses’” (NKJV). The Lesson: This Bible study is about Abraham, Sarah and Hagar, who experienced God’s redeeming power in very intimate and life-changing ways through His promises.
The book of Genesis records that a wealthy tent dweller by the name of Abram, whom God later renamed Abraham, went for a brief journey from Canaan due to famine into Egypt. Upon his departure from Egypt and his return to Canaan, Abraham’s wife, Sarai, whom later God renamed Sarah, took a young Egyptian slave girl named Hagar to be her handmaid. Some scholars suggest that Hagar may have been one of the gifts given to Abraham by Pharaoh in Genesis 12:16 and if so, she would have been one of the more cultured slaves. Through this transaction, about which Hagar was most likely not consulted, she physically found herself in a new world where she experienced:
No doubt Hagar had not been long in the tent of Abraham until she learned that this new family possessed a peculiar faith, a faith most unique in that they worshiped only one God, and the gods of Egypt they would have nothing to do with. It was at the call of this one God that the master of the tent, Abraham, had left his childhood home to journey into the unknown. It was to this one God that he looked for daily guidance. Hagar must have observed that Abraham’s supreme hope, the great enthusiasm of his life, was a peculiar promise that this one God had made him, the promise of a son and that this son would be a man of great destiny and through this heir God was going to bless all the nations of the earth. But anxiety, due to the years of delay of the birth of this covenant son, perpetuated Sarah’s rationale to take matters into her own hands. Through circumstances not of her own making, once again Hagar found herself in a peculiar and strange place. Sarah instructed Abraham to take Hagar as his wife that she may give birth (in Sarah’s opinion) to destiny’s child. Abraham consented to Sarah’s plan and Hagar is now pregnant with his son. Early into the pregnancy, enmity arose between Hagar and Sarah. Hagar ran away from Sarah but she did not run away from God. The Bible says, “…the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur, meaning “a wall.” In other words, I guess you could say Hagar had hit the wall. It appeared that she was heading back to Egypt, to the familiar. But there the angel of the Lord met her and instructed Hagar to return to Sarah instead and submit to her authority. As an encouragement, the angel promised Hagar that she would have a son who was to be called Ishmael meaning “God hears” because the Lord had heard Hagar’s affliction (Genesis 16:11). His descendants would be unnumbered. With new purpose, passion and promise, Hagar returned to Sarah and Abraham and gave birth to her son Ishmael. Genesis 12 tells us of God’s covenant promise which He made to Abraham when he was age seventy-five. God promised to bless Abraham’s seed and make of him a great nation. In Genesis 16:16, we read that it was eleven more years before Ishmael was born to Hagar and some twenty-four years before Isaac was conceived. One can only imagine that for the next thirteen years Hagar’s joy knew no bounds. She had been honored far beyond her greatest dreams. For now she remembered the great promises that God had given to Abraham’s son. She herself would have a part in these wonderful promises. In her son Ishmael (not in Sarah’s) all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Perhaps they were the talk of the tents and oh, the honor and privilege of these high hopes! Then one day, fourteen years later, something happened to change Hagar’s day into night. God at last fulfilled His covenant promise to Sarah and Abraham. Sarah gives birth to her own son Isaac. Without a doubt this event brought springtime to Sarah’s heart, but was a killing winter frost to Hagar. Hagar no longer had prominent nor permanent place in Abraham’s tent. Where was the divine promise concerning Ishmael now? Had someone or something changed the mind of God? Encumbered with confusion and perplexity, fulfilled and unfulfilled promises dominated and complicated the lives of Hagar and Ishmael. The promise of one had become the curse of the other. And once again domestic tension was on the rise. The Bible (Genesis 21:8) says that on the same day Isaac was weaned Abraham gave a great feast of celebration. It was on this day that Sarah saw Ishmael, son of Hagar the Egyptian, mocking Isaac the covenant child. Therefore, Sarah demanded that Abraham cast out this slave woman and her son. This was a heavy blow to Abraham who for some fourteen years now had loved Ishmael as his only son. Nevertheless, under the instructions of God, Abraham complied with Sarah’s demand (Genesis 21:9-11). On one fate-filled day, Abraham set Hagar and Ishmael, his teenage son, adrift in an unfriendly world armed only with bread and bottled water and very little experience of traveling alone. The Bible gives no insight of the parting scene. What we do know is that Hagar was sent off into a desert place with little to sustain her and Ishmael. She soon became hopelessly lost, being blinded by tears of grief and anger. Hagar had reached the end of her hope for life, placing her sick and listless son under the shade of a shrub to die. Without the courage to see or hear him die, Hagar went a bowshot away and sat down. There she lifted up her voice and sobbed over the loss of all she had once held dear. Hagar wandered into the wilderness Beersheba, which means “Well of Oath.” Remember, to God, a promise is a promise! Important things to understand:
Principles we can glean from this story:
In Hagar’s desperation: 1. God Responds. There in the wilderness, Hagar and Ishmael were reduced to great distress. Like someone under the power of the spirit of bondage, Hagar despairs of hope. She dwelt upon nothing but the death of the child even though God had told her prior to Ishmael’s birth that he would live to be a great man. Her senses had deceived her and dictated to her hopelessness. How often we too forget God’s former promises when our present circumstances seem to contradict them. We live under the influence of our senses which, sad to say, are often contrary to the voice of God. If we don’t hear it, see it, smell it, taste it, or touch it, then we can’t believe it. 2. God Relieves. This angelic visitation sent to relieve Hagar was not the first time that she had encountered God’s comforts in the wilderness. In their distress, God graciously appeared again for their relief. “Fear not,” He said. And twice in Genesis 21:17 we read, “And God heard the voice of the lad.” We do not read of a single spoken word from Ishmael, but without a doubt his sighs, and groans, and calamitous state, cried loudly in the ears of Mercy.The angel of the Lord assured Hagar of the cognizance God took of her distress. God had heard the voice of the lad where he was, even though he was near death in a wilderness place. Remember Ishmael’s God-given name means, “God hears.” God is faithful to help us wherever we are. It doesn’t matter what the trouble may be, God willingly provides a way open heavenward. Every human extremity becomes God’s opportunity. 3. God Repeats. Now that God had Hagar’s full attention, He repeated His promise concerning Ishmael that he should live to become a great nation. Even though Hagar had forgotten the promise, God had not…and He never will! Ishmael was not consulted as to his selection of parents or the circumstances under which he would be born. God had a design in mind and no man would change His plan. Regardless of mistakes, interferences, or willful wrong doings, no man would make God’s covenant promise ineffective. 4. God Restores (Genesis 21:19). God directed Hagar to a present fresh supply of grace. He opened her eyes, which were swollen and almost blinded from weeping. Restoration was now in sight. There in a desert place Hagar rediscovered her well of oath. How often do we suffer spiritual thirst and malnutrition because we do not recognize God’s promise of provision? It is sometimes difficult to see God’s promises through tears of disappointment. There is a well of living water by us in the covenant of grace, even though we often are unaware of it and have not yet benefited from it, realized it or experienced it. Until we allow the same God that opened the eyes of Hagar through His divine Word to open our eyes that we may see our promised provision, it will remain a bowshot away from us—so near and yet so far away. Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” It is time for us to stop running into the desert places of want and despair, abandoning our rightful covenant and communion with God. Why do we continue to settle for the poor and slender provisions of this world which will soon spend out, leaving us to wander endlessly in search of satisfaction and happiness, only to sit down a bowshot away from the promise? Just take a look at the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-24) or the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34). They both were spent out by the things of this world, but each experienced divine restoration. 5. God Revives. This “Well of Oath” in the desert Beersheba is symbolic of our Lord Himself. The One Who said in John 4:13-14, “Every one that drinks of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.…” Yes, in Hagar’s desperation, God:
Earlier I shared with you my experience in Sydney, Australia, when I was awakened with this message heavy upon my heart. As I began to study that morning, I was greatly intrigued by Genesis 21:17, “And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.” Being sympathetic with Hagar and identifying with her devastation, I began to make inquiry of the Lord. Why did God acknowledge Ishmael’s voice twice in this verse, while in the preceding verse, the Bible says that it was Hagar who lifted up her voice and wept? In the way the Holy Spirit speaks to me He answered, “Because it was My promise I heard crying from underneath the shrub and I cannot let My promise die.” What an incredible revelation! In reality, Hagar had cast the promise of God underneath the shrub to die. To God a promise really is a promise and His promise cannot die. 1 Peter 5:7 says, “…casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” CAST YOUR CARE—NOT YOUR PROMISES!
Psalm 89:34-35: “My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie…” (KJV). Don’t forfeit the promises of God! In Genesis 21:18, God gives Hagar instructions for revival: “Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation” (KJV). In other words, reclaim God’s promise, the one for which you have lost hope. Grasp His promise once again! He will fulfill every word of His good promise! Set your feet once more on the road you have abandoned. Get up from your hopeless, helpless death trap. You will find it is as fresh and alive as the day He first declared it unto you! Maybe in the stress of your life’s journey you have cast some portion of God’s promises under the shrubbery of fear, doubt, and confusion. God’s Promises Concerning:
Arise! Lift up the promise which God made you concerning your situation. Take possession and ownership of that promise once again. Revive it by the sure well of Living Water, Jesus Christ, and He will surely bring it to pass. He made that promise with all the authority, power, competence, and intent to bring it to pass. Closing Remarks: As previously stated, I was guilty of casting a very special promise God made to me as a young teen concerning my personal call to ministry under the shrub of misery and hopelessness. I had allowed my circumstance and senses to dictate a very bleak and despondent future. But I discovered God’s call to be truly impenitent, without repentance and without regret. It does not return void. In the last six years, I have had the awesome privilege of traveling with Lamar into some forty nations, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Be encouraged! Our Redeemer lives and His priceless, precious promises are certain and boundless. Isaiah 40:8 says: “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (KJV). Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31 and Luke 21:33, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (KJV). Also, Luke 4:4 tells us, “And Jesus answered him, saying, it is written, that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God” (KJV). You can truly trust the One Who has made you the promise! |
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