Faith Over Perfectionنموونە

Read: Genesis 22:20–24; Hebrews 11:8–12

SOAP: Hebrews 11:8–10

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going. By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

The final sentences of Genesis 22 begin a transitional section in the narrative as the focus shifts from the life and faith of Abraham to his son Isaac. We are reminded in this brief genealogy of the descendants of Nahor of the original audience for the book. Genesis was written by Moses to the generation of Israelites who would enter the Promised Land. After being freed from slavery in Egypt and wandering for forty years in the desert because of disobedience, the Israelites were finally ready to take possession of the land God promised to give their ancestor Abraham. 

This interlude transitions from Abraham to Isaac as it includes a note of where Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, was from. She was from the family of Abraham’s brother, Nahor, showing how the legacy of Abraham’s family would continue with his son Isaac. With Nahor’s family growing, God had provided the means for the promise to continue through Isaac once Abraham and Sarah were gone. 

The author of Hebrews offers a summary of Abraham’s life and faith. As we come to the end of the Abrahamic narrative in Genesis, Hebrews 11 shows us highlights of Abraham’s faith in God’s promise. Though he had both triumphs and missteps, Abraham was always looking forward to God’s promise. While some of his missteps were attempts to preserve the promise, God always stepped in as the hero of the story. 

Abraham’s legacy of faith was what he could pass on to Isaac, his beloved son, the heir of the promise. In the same way, Abraham was required to have faith that God would do what He had promised, Isaac was also required to exercise great faith. Though Isaac faced a different set of circumstances than Abraham, we’ll also see how he both exercised great faith and trusted in his own means. Regardless of their missteps, both Abraham and Isaac believed they would receive the promise because they had faith in the Promise Keeper.

Prayer

Father God, I know You see every detail of my life. Forgive me for the times my faith is not set solely on You. I know You alone are building a future for me that is good. Thank You for providing examples of faith, not perfection. Amen.