We so often look to set our own path regardless of the Lord’s promises for us. We start out with great faith and trust but then look to our own way and in essence we bring forth our own Ishmael. In Genesis 12, we see God promise Abram that He would make of him a great nation even though Abram was old and had no children, as his wife Sarai was barren. God tells him to leave where he was and travel to a land He would show him. Abram obeys and seemingly believes. But when Abram enters Egypt on his way to the land God had for him, he becomes fearful of the Egyptians and concocts a plan for Sarai to be his sister so they won’t kill him and take Sarai. God rescues Abram by bringing plagues on Egypt and Pharaoh rebukes Abram for his deceit and lets them depart with all his possessions.
God again promises children to Abram in Genesis 15. He appears to Abram in a vision and tells him that He is Abram’s shield and great reward. God tells Abram of the land he will inherit. But Abram and Sarai come up with their own plan to bring forth God’s promise. So, in Genesis chapter 16, Sarai has Abram lie with her maid, Hagar, and a child is brought forth. Ishmael. Sarai comes to regret this decision and deals harshly with Hagar who then runs away but is consoled by the Angel of the Lord. The Angel tells Hagar she shall have a son and to name him Ishmael. “He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” (Genesis 16:12)
The Lord still was merciful in His blessing of Abram and Sarai and appeared to them again (Genesis 18) and reiterated His promise of a child for them. Yet in Genesis 20, Abram again lies to Abimelech, the king of Gerar, saying Sarai is his sister, as Abram feared for their safety. God again intervenes, and in a dream, warns Abimelech of impending death if he doesn’t restore Sarai to Abram. This all leads to a great test in Genesis 22. I posit this for consideration. These are solely my thoughts, but others have had similar. What if Abram had fully trusted that God’s promise was true and nothing could stop it? From the times he lied to protect himself and Sarai, from what he saw as impending doom, to believing that he and Sarai could come up with a plan to fulfill God’s promise of a great nation through their servant Hagar and see God’s promise via Ishmael? Do you think that God would’ve called Abraham to sacrifice Isaac if he had believed all God’s promises to him? And therein lies the problem we still face every day. “All the promises of God in Christ Jesus are yes and amen to the glory of God through us.” (2 Corinthians 1:20) Yet how often do we feel we have a better way? A plan that will work just as good as His?
Old Testament scriptures point to the coming of our Messiah and how He would be received and what would be necessary for Him to go through for us to be redeemed. But when He came, they had a better idea. They wanted a Messiah who would take power with the Pharisees and rule right then. This is a shadow of what we see today with the church feeling it must be in charge of all things from government, to arts and education, to the media, religion, family and business. And that display of power by those in the know will accelerate the second coming of Jesus. And they’ll reign and rule with Him. This 7 Mountain theology has only caused division and strife. It doesn’t look like God’s promise any more than those that banded together to form our country. Noble ideas, but many often used a God of their own making. It was made by select men and did not represent all men. Especially those not of wealth, or women, or those of color. And this system was abused until a great war of division resulted in our own Ishmael. The cinders of that fire still burn bright today and many are blowing on them to reignite them. It’s working. We get into wars like Vietnam and Iraq believing we know what’s best, when in essence these were not God’s plans for us. We always find out after, but then the damage has been done. We look to leaders that offer promises or appeal to the worst in many via prejudices and hate. Those that have nothing in their own life that speak of an actual relationship with the Lord, and yet somehow, we feel we can have them bring forth a vision that looks like Isaac, the seed of promise, and not Ismael. Just look at the Middle East today and it seems like that which produced Ishmael has been proven in Proverbs 16:25 saying, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but it’s end is the way of death.”
Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:13, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go by it.” Right now, I feel we’ve just knocked over the gate and trampled on the path He’s called us to walk on. In my life I’ve created my own Ishmaels. They’ve only produced hardship and regret. Hard lessons. I still pray His grace to keep me on the right path. “We truly see through a glass, darkly.” We believe we see the promise or the way, but that which triggers passions, emotions, fears, prejudices, hatred, and decisions based on past experiences bring us to birth Ishmael in our lives. We must do as we see in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Be that one who knows that we plan our ways, but only He can truly direct our steps. Be that one who follows the promise. Blessings.
Stand My Watch 