Origins | The Covenant

Have you ever been impatient with God?  Have you ever felt the Lord has put something on your heart or even led you to do something with your life, but instead of waiting for his timing – you took it upon yourself to open those doors?  When we look at Genesis 15, 16 and 17, we see that Abram believes God’s promises, but due to impatience, confusion sets in. God, in his patience with Abram, gives us hope when we too stray from God’s plan.  

Genesis 15 | Covenant
In the first six verses of Genesis 15 God come to Abram in a vision confirming his promise that he has made to him about both a heir and the promise land.  Abram responds with doubts. He responds with "are you sure? I don’t have a child and the longer we wait, the less it seems possible." God doesn’t strike Abram down for his doubts, but points him to the stars in the sky and says "this is how many will be a part of your family." In verse 6 it says that Abram believes and God calls him righteous.  This is important because one, it was after he had doubts and two, we see that his belief is what causes him to be righteous -- not his good works.  In the following verses, God give Abram a Covenant.  In Abram’s day there were no contracts or lawyers, only your word.  Covenants were more than just a promise but a partnership between two parties to say they would do what they promise or it would cost them their lives.  Abram watches as he sees a pillar of fire walk the path of the covenant between sacrificed animals as a sign that God alone would keep his word and give everything to Abram his has promised.  This is the Covenant Jesus often refers to as the “Old Covenant” in the New Testament and be essential until the New Covenant would come through Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.  

Genesis 16 | Confusion
In Chapter 16 after God has established a Covenant with Abram, things go sideways.  Sarai begins to get impatient. God has made this promise of a child, yet nothing is happening.  Both Sarai and Abram are in the “waiting room” of life.  It is the place between Expectations (a child) and Experience (having a child).  We have all been there and we all have one of two responses- faith or fear.  Unfortunately, Sarai choses fear and convinces Abram to be with Haggar to have a child with his servant because she believes it will be impossible because of her old age to have a child (Genesis 16:1-2). Haggar does become pregnant, but this doesn’t please Sarai because she is jealous.  When we strive from God’s plan, it normally doesn’t satisfy us.  It causes Haggar to become confused because she didn’t do anything yet Sarai mistreats her and sends her into the wilderness. The angel comes and tells her to go back. The angel tells her "that God will keep his promise that any child of Abram would be blessed and great a great nation (Genesis 16:8-10). "

Genesis 17 | Confirmation
Despite Abram and Sarai trying to accomplish God’s promise separate from God’s plan, He remains faithful and in Chapter 17 he comes back to Abram to say: “You will have a heir through Sarai.” But Abram laughs and responds I think you mean I already have a son, Ishmael, and he will be the heir.  Again God confirms it will be use Sarai to be the vessel for the child. God likes to take situations that are physically impossible and make it possible so that he receives the glory.  This is true for Sarah (Genesis 21) and true for Mary, with the birth of Christ.  
 
Big Idea: When we are waiting on God we can respond in fear or faith.  Fear leads to pain and confusion while faith leads to praise and worship.