Sun.’s Devo - Tests

Read: Genesis 20:1-22:24; Matthew 7:15-29; Psalm 9:1-12; Proverbs 2:16-22 Abraham moved to the southern border of Canaan and then to Gerar. Abraham deceitfully introduced his wife as his sister to protect himself since Sarah was so beautiful. The King Abimelech sent for Sarah and had her brought to his palace for his harem. That night God came to Abimelech in a dream and told her that he was a dead man because he had taken a married woman. Because he was innocent, God told Abimelech to give Sarah back to Abraham and Abraham would pray for him because Abraham was a prophet. Early the next morning, Abimelech obeyed and gave Sarah back to Abraham demanding to know why he would do such a thing. Abraham told him it was to save his own life. Abimelech gave him some of his sheep and goats, cattle and servants. He gave Sarah back to him and He also gave him his choice of land and 1,000 pieces of silver to pay for what he did. Abraham prayed for Abimelech and blessed him and his family. God had caused his family to be sterile until Sarah was returned. It must have healed Sarah’s barrenness to pray for their bareness because this was the time that she finally became pregnant. Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 years old. He circumcized him on the eighth day. This time Sarah laughed out of wonder and true happiness. Isaac means “laughter”. Isaac threw a big party when Isaac was weaned but Sarah noticed Ishmael making fun of Isaac and threw a fit. She wanted Hagar and Ishmael to leave. Abraham went to the Lord because he loved Ishmael. God told him to do what Sarah said to do because his descendants would be counted through Isaac, not Ishmael. God would make Ishmael and great nation also. The next morning, Abraham prepared food and water for Hagar and Ishmael and sent them away. When they ran out of their supplies, Hagar sat Ishmael under a bush and went a distance away to cry. She didn’t want to see Ishmael die. God spoke to her and told her that he heard Ismael’s cries and came to save them. Ishmael would become a great nation. Then God showed Hagar a well full of water which gave them strength. Ishmael became a great archer and they settled in the wilderness of Paran. He married a woman from Egypt. Abimelech came to visit Abraham and saw how blessed he was. They made a covenant to be allies. Abraham told Abimelech about a quarrel that both of their servants were having over a well. Abraham claimed that the well was his. They made a covenant and Abraham got the well. He called it Beersheba which means “well of the oath”. God tested Abraham and asked him to sacrifice Isaac to Him. Abraham was to take Isaac to the land of Moriah and offer Isaace as a burnt offering on one of the mountains there. It is believed to be Mt. Gerizim. This is where the threshing floor of Ornan (2 Sam 24:24, 25; 2 Chr 3:1) was and where Solomon built his Temple. We all know this story. God tested Abraham to the very core. He found that he could trust Abraham and that Abraham had learned to trust Him. Because Abraham passed this test, God told him that his descendants would multiply like the sand on the seashore and the stars in the sky. All the nations of the earth would be blessed by his descendants. Abraham learned that his brother Nahor had been blessed with eight sons. The last son was Bethuel who was the father of Rebekah who would become Isaac’s wife. Nahor had four sons from a concubine making his sons total 12. In Matthew Jesus told his followers to beware of the false prophets who appeared to be good but were wolves instead. They would show their true colors by their fruit. In the end, God would testify against them. Jesus’ words are our foundation and if we stand on them we will stand through any storm. Lord, we do stand on the Word of God as our foundation. Help us not to faint but to pass our tests for your glory.