1. Lessons from the OT
Genesis 21

4. We live amid constant overstatement
We live amid constant overstatement. We are surrounded by blinding neon signs, blaring public announcement systems, TV commercials repeated … constant input…
When we read the word of God, many of us read only words,, there are so many good stories in the scriptures… but how do we apply these scriptures to us… chances are we will not be 90 years old and having a baby, chances are we will never need to build an arc, or be thrown in a den of lions.
so we tend to miss the more important parts of the Bible message, the motivational parts, the aspects of it that can have real impact on our lives. We miss much of its feeling.
So today I challenge you to look deeper than the words written – and place yourself in this situation.

5. Has anyone ever made a promise to you, but it seemed unlikely that they would be able to fulfill that promise

6. Abraham and Sarah’s promise is finally fulfilled
Genesis 21:1-5
Has anyone ever made a promise to you, but it seemed unlikely that they would be able to fulfill that promise… By this time Abraham was almost 100 years old and Sarah was almost 90.

7. I can only imagine how frustrated Sarah and Abraham must have felt when they were promised children and years and years went by before this promise was finally fulfilled.
Genesis 21:6-8
6-And Sarah said, God hath made me laugh… JST rejoice
Genesis 21:6

8. The Lord comforts Abraham
Sarah sends Hagar away
Abraham 21:12-13
The Lord comforts Abraham
Genesis 21:9-11
9- And Sarah saw the son (Ishamel) of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
(back in Genesis 16:4) when Hagar was able to conceive a baby and Sarah was not able to Hagar taunted Sarah and kind of threw it in her face.
10- Wherefore (as a result) she (Sarah) said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman (Hagar) and her son (Ishmael) for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir wit my sone, even with Isaac
11- And the thing was very previous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
Sarah saw Ishmael (hagar’s son) mocking, or persecuting Abraham. Sarah told Abraham to send Hagar away… this made Abraham very sad
12- and God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grevious in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
13- And also of the son of the bondwoman (Ishmael) will I make a cation, because of thy seed.
The Lord comforts Abraham and tells him to grant Sarah’s request, assuring him that Isaac is the covenant son through whom the Abrahamic covenant will be fulfilled. In addition, He affirms that the promise to Abraham of a numerous posterity will be partially fulfilled through Ishmael.
14- And Abraham rose up early in the morning and took bread and a bottle of water and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder and the child, and sent her away; and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba
15- And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs (in the shade)
16- And she went, and sat down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child, and she sat over against him, and lift up her voice and wept
17- and God heard the voice of the lad, and the angel of God called to Hagare 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.
18- Arise and lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation
19- And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water (she was made aware of a spring of water nearby) and she went , and filled the bottle with water,and gave the lad drink
20- And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer
Ishmael eventually became the principal ancestor of much of the Arab world in fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham
Abraham 21:14-21
The Lord does not
forget Ishmael

9. Thomas S Monson
I priomise you that one day you will stand aside and look at your difficult times, you will realize that he was always there beside you

10. What means more to you than anything else
in the world?
What means more to you than anything else in the world?
Write down what you treasure most, put it in the treasure box and retrieve a nugget

11. Genesis 22:1-2
Genesis 22:1-2
1- And it came to pass after these things (the things in Chapter 21) that God did tempt (test, prove his faithfulness, see footnote 1a) Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here am I
2- And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, (JST… take now thy son, thine only Isaac) whom thou lovest, and thee into the land of Moriah (part of a hill or ridge system in Jerusalem) and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
Remember that Abraham had another son, Ishmael, Isaac was the only son born to Sarah and the son the Lord had promised to make His covenant with)
What did the Lord command Abraham to do? (To sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering)

12. TYPE- Symbol The Father: Sacrificed His Only Begotten Son
Abraham: Called upon to sacrifice his only convenant son
There is a lot of symbolism in this chapter.
For Example: Abraham is a TYPE of Heavenly Father—- meaning that he symbolizes the Father… And Isaac is a TYPE of the Savior
The Savior’s birth: Was miraculous
Isaac’s birth: was miraculous
The Savior: Voluntarily gave His life
Isaac: Voluntarily submitted to his father, Abraham

13. TYPE- Symbol The Savior: Was in the tomb for three days
Abraham and Isaac: Took three days journey to Moriah
There is a lot of symbolism in this chapter.
For Example: Abraham is a TYPE of Heavenly Father—- meaning that he symbolizes the Father… And Isaac is a TYPE of the Savior
The Savior Carried His own cross on which he was crucified
Isaac: Carried the wood for his sacrifice
The Savior: Was crucified on Golgotha
Isaac: Was placed on the altar on Moriah, part of the same set of hills in Jerusalem as Golgotha

14. After Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden of Eden, the Lord commanded them to offer as sacrifices the firstlings of their flocks. These sacrifices included killing a male, firstborn, unblemished animal with no broken bones, placing it on wood upon an altar, then burning it, symbolically demonstrating to God a willingness to give Him everything

15. So What ???????
So What??? Why is this story in the scriptures? What do you get out of it and how can you apply this to your life?
Chances are… we will never be asked to sacrifice our children, but we may ARE asked to sacrifice 10% of our income and giving a generous fast offering… we are asked to put aside out daily routine on Sunday, we are asked to fast with a purpose. We are asked to live in the world but not of the world.

16. Do we love and trust in the Lord enough to make the sacrifices He has asked us to make?
Do you have enough faith in the Lord to trust Him and follow His instructions?