QT 9/4/2025 Gen 17:15-27, When God makes it very clear, it usually means you are not listening

Genesis 17:15–27 (ESV) —

15 And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” 19 God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”

22 When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. 23 Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. 27 And all the men of his house, those born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

 

NOTE: It seems as if God has to repeat multiple times to Abraham that Sarah will be the mother of his son. Some argue that Abraham's laughter was not unbelief because he was not rebuked by God like Sarah, but the insistence of God through repetition alone is a sort of rebuke. Not to mention God's dismissal of Abraham's alternative plan of Ishmael, and repetition of Sarah giving birth to Isaac. God leaves off the "wife" description of Sarah if only to make the point stronger, Sarah will give birth to Isaac. Abraham comes across thick-headed. Whereas Sarah understands exactly what God says (in chapter 18) and laughs incredulously (as Abraham did as well). In some ways, Sarah's faith seems stronger than Abraham. She knew what God was saying, and Abraham is still offering other solutions. God even gives a date, "about this time next year."

 

PONDER:

1. How many times does God need to tell me something before I listen?
2. What will it take for God to get your attention?

 

PRAYER: Father, I don't want to be thick-headed. I want to hear and listen to you when you speak to me. Help me to keep my ears open and listen to you.