“Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.” -Genesis 25:21 “Like father, like son.” This saying began to play out in Isaac’s life in a way he did not desire. Just as Abraham and his wife could not have children, we read that Isaac and his wife could not have a child. Later in the chapter we discover he was in his late... Read more
Then he prayed, “LORD, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. -Genesis 24:12 Abraham’s life influenced the lives of those around him. Genesis 24 offers an insightful example. Here, Abraham’s servant is sent on a mission–to find a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac. No doubt, this is one of Abraham’s most senior advisers. He does not want to mess this up. What does he do to find success? He prays to... Read more
“1 Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. 2 She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.” -Genesis 23:1-2 When Abraham’s wife died, we discover how deep his love was for her. We are told he mourned and wept over her. Weeping would not be surprising at the death of a Middle Eastern man’s wife. Mourning would. Men tend to... Read more
12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will... Read more
“1 Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when... Read more
3 But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” 4 Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation? 5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this with a clear conscience and... Read more
“So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.” -Genesis 19:29 God remembers us. Even in times of trouble, he is looking out for his people. When we think of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible, the focus is often on God’s judgment. Yet we clearly see in verse 29 that God remembered Abraham. How do we know? God rescued Lot... Read more
Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” -Genesis 18:32 Abraham knew God was merciful; he had experienced it himself. When God revealed his plans to destroy two cities, Abraham pleaded for a similar mercy. Not only were a lot of lives at stake; his nephew Lot and his family were among... Read more
3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between... Read more
13 She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” -Genesis 16:13 Hagar stood in a tough situation. She was in the desert, pregnant, with no support. She felt hopeless. God saw her plight and spoke a word of comfort. Her response? “You are the God who sees me.” God sees us in our pain. Let us look to... Read more
Holy Writ
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In