How Yahweh deals with his creations (series 15)

Bible Texts (Concordant Version of the Old Testament and Concordant Literal New Testament with keywords Concordance (Genesis chapter 17: Main text)

               Hello my dear blog readers. I pray that the grace and mercy of Yahweh be to you. It is another week to get blessed. In last blog, I discussed with you that Sarai had misconception about the promise Yahweh made with Abram concerning child bearing. Sarai demonstrated her desperation on child bearing for her husband by handling Hagar to Abram to marry as wife. She thought by doing this, perhaps the promise of Yahweh to Abram regarding child bearing would be fulfilled. We also learnt that Sarai was too desperate and her actions backfired as she found Hagar belittling her. Yahweh's messenger met Hagar while she was running away from Sarai. He informed Hagar to go back to her mistress and gave prophecy of what Hagar's child would become in future. Please, find the rest information in series 14.

Genesis 16 appeared to be the solution to lack of child bearing in the house of Abram but more issues emanated from this. This can be found in chapter 17. In this week, I like discuss some issues that stood-up to me in this chapter with you.

Ø Between the end of chapter 16 and the beginning of chapter 17, Abram was 86 when Ishmael was born. You will find out by looking at chapter 17:24-25.

Ø Yahweh appeared to Abram when he was 99 years old. It means Yahweh did not appear to Abram since 13th year after Ishmael was born. Think about that. Was Yahweh on break? Was he tired of Abram? Who was Abram offering his sacrifices to all those years?

My concerns:

i. Was Abram concerned about the above questions? It is human to be at peace when we appear to have answers to all our prayers. Is this what Yahweh exactly wanted for Abram?

ii. Would Abram need anything else from Yahweh? After all, he was rich and had a son through Hagar. Abram might be of a conclusion that the son he got was the fulfillment of Yahweh's promise. In verse 1, Yahweh told Abram to walk before him and be blameless. This statement was rather a shocking. Humanly speaking, it should not be expected from Yahweh.  More so, Yahweh should be expected to be angry with Abram.

iii. By the way, was Yahweh angry with Abram? Was he angry at Abram for listening to Sarai's suggestion and Hagar bearing a child for Abram?

In relative sense, one might think that Yahweh was angry at everything mentioned above. Most religious people may conclude that Yahweh was angry because he did not talk to Abram for 13 years. On the other side of the coin, if he was not, should he not have reason to be? Was he even angry at all?

I found a true friend in Yahweh towards Abram. He was not angry with him at all. He only informed him of the shortcoming Abram needed to be aware of. No one can be flawless, but Yahweh.  

In absolute sense, Yahweh was not. He knew that all dramas in Abram's house would happen. He came back to speak with Abram when it was the right time in his plan, not that he abandoned Abram. He also planned everything step by step to achieve his aim for Abram.  You will see this in Genesis chapter 18. So, do not get carried away. It is all about Yahweh.

Let me get back to chapter 17. I am in more awe of Yahweh in the way he related with his creations in this chapter. Here are the rest of the events that occurred in this chapter:

Ø Yahweh said he was determined to give his covenant with Abram by increasing him exceedingly (verse 2). At this statement, Abram fell on his face. He was probably not expecting this! (Verse 3).

Ø Yahweh continued in the statement of assurance with Abram by changing his name from Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah because both of them would be fathers and mothers of many nations. What a faithful Yahweh (verse 4 through 15). So, from this blog onward, the names will be changed to Abraham and Sarah.

Ø Circumcision was another token of covenant Yahweh made with Abraham, his male children and all other male people with him. 

Ø Like I mentioned earlier, Abraham had concluded that he had had the son covenanted with him by Yahweh by the child called Ishmael, but Yahweh promised a son through Sarah. Can you believe this? This is practically impossible for humans but not with Yahweh. Now, see that Yahweh has plan for everyone and he knows when best to bring it to pass. To give Abram a double assurance, he changed Sarai's name to Sarah because she would be called the mother of many nations. There are lots of other information you may find in this chapter.

          After all these unexpected great news, Abraham put-in the issue of Ishmael before Yahweh. Yahweh did not hesitate to clarify his plan for Ishmael to Abraham. He informed him that Ishmael would also be great, but his covenant would be with the child (Isaac) that must be born by Sarah. The covenant Yahweh has with Abraham was eonian. It means Yahweh's covenant would be as long as he deems it fit but, it is not forever. Just so you know, eon means a long period of time but has an end.

          In conclusion, you can see that there is no one Yahweh does not have plan for. The plan he has for us might be different. His timing cannot be forced. He determines it. When we think everything is alright, it may not be so to him because originalities are not the same as similarities. Taking shortcut may bring pain like it did to Sarah in chapter 16. If she had known that her time would come, she would not had given Hagar to Abram to have a child. More so, whenever we make mistakes, he knows even when we do not realize them. However, he sticks to his plans and his covenants because he is the only one that is faithful and flawless! So, when Yahweh told Abram to be flawless, understand that he knew Abraham could not.

I hope you are blessed with this blog. Next week promises to be more interesting.

Please, leave your comments and be nice with them.

Have a blessed week.

Shalom!