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Fundamentals of Dispensational Truth.
#31.
The Child of Promise.
pp. 5 - 9
As early as the time recorded in Gen. 15: Abraham learned that God would give him a
son, and that his heir should not be "this Eliezer of Damascus". When the Lord bade him
look toward heaven and consider the multitude of the stars, saying "so shall thy seed be",
Abraham believed. Chapter 16: however opens with the words:--
"Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no children; and she had a handmaid, an
Egyptian, whose name was Hagar."
This maid was given to Abram by his wife in accordance with the law of the time
(recorded in Code of Khammurabi), and the birth of Ishmael was the result. Abram was
eighty-six years of age when Ishmael was born. Thirteen more years passed and then
came the word, "I am the Almighty God, walk before Me, and be thou perfect". God
then renews the covenant with Abram, "thou shalt be a father of many nations", and
changes his name from Abram to Abraham, "father of a great multitude". Then comes
circumcision, the sign and the seal of the righteousness of faith (Rom. 4:). God can now
reveal the next step to Abraham:--
"As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah (Princess) shall
her name be, and I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: Yea, I will bless her,
and she shall become nations; Kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon
his face and LAUGHED."
When Sarai overheard the words of the angel,
"I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life and lo, Sarah thy wife
shall have a son" (18: 10).
we read, "therefore Sarah LAUGHED". Both Abraham and Sarah laughed--the one in
the joy of faith, the other in the derision of unbelief. Responding to the laugh of faith, the
Lord continued to Abraham,
"Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name
LAUGHTER (Isaac)."
In reply to the laugh of unbelief come the words:--
"Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return unto thee
according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
Three important dispensational principles are disclosed to us by this passage:--
1. The nature of PROMISE.
2. The factor of TIME.
3. The fact of RESURRECTION.