Free Bible Commentary
“Genesis 22:15-19”
Categories: Genesis“Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, 'By Myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.' So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.”
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“Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven.” (verse 15) “Abraham has demonstrated his willingness to forfeit his posterity in obedience God's will. It is fitting, therefore, that all previous promises be now reaffirmed. The formulation features several unusual elements. All previous blessings are pure acts of divine grace; now, for the first time, these are presented as a reward for Abraham's devotion to God. For the first time, too, they are introduced by a solemn oath, with God swearing by His own Being, and they are prefaced by the prophetic formula, 'The Lord declares'....” (Nahum Sarna)
“By Myself I have sworn...” (verse 16) The Hebrews writer displayed God's oath to Abraham as the basis and motivation for followers of Christ to show diligence and patience in our service to the Lord fully to the end life's journey so that we can in “the full assurance of hope,” inherit the sure promises of Abraham (Hebrews 6:11-12). “For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, 'I will surely bless you and surely multiply you.' And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.” (Hebrews 6:13-18)
“Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son.” (verse 16) Of course, strictly speaking, Isaac was not Abraham's only son because he was father to Ishmael as well. But in a special and exclusive way, Isaac was Abraham's singular son. Isaac was the son that Almighty God had purposed for and promised to Abraham from the very beginning. Isaac was the son of promise through which God would fulfill all of the promises that He reiterated to Abraham in this passage. He was the son that God provided through Abraham's covenant wife, Sarah, thereby qualifying him as the only “legitimate” heir to the estate of Abraham and the promises of God.
The Lord was particularly impressed and pleased by the fact that Abraham had not “withheld” this extraordinary, privileged, beloved son from Him in demonstration of his love for Him and obedience to His will. What are you withholding from the Lord today? Are you holding back a portion of your heart from Him? Are you refusing to “offer up” a favorite sin that keeps you at arm's length from Him. Are you “holding out” on Him when the collection plate is passed on the Lord's Day? Are you withholding your best effort, your valuable time, your diligence in study of his word and service to His church? Abraham held back nothing from the Lord that was valuable to him and offered God the very best that he had to give. This is why the Lord was pleased with him, and blessed Him greatly in the material and spiritual realms, and greatly blessed the world through his righteous and faithful life.
“I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed...” (verse 17) “Both his natural seed, descending from him in the line of Isaac, and his spiritual seed, both among Jews and Gentiles, that tread in his steps; see Genesis 13:15.” (Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible) “And your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies.” “'Gate' for 'gates', where courts of judicature were held, and which are the security of cities and put for them, and which also include the whole country round about: so that this phrase is expressive of an entire jurisdiction and dominion over them; and was literally fulfilled in the times of Joshua, David, and Solomon; and spiritually in Christ, Abraham's principal seed, when he destroyed Satan and his principalities and powers; overcame the world; made an end of sin and abolished death; and delivered his people out the hands of all their enemies; and in all Abraham's spiritual seed, who are made more than conquerors over them, through Christ that has loved them.” (Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible)
“ In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed...” (verse 18) To where the word “seed” was plural in the previous verse, here in verse 18 it is “seed” in the singular sense, indicating the coming of the promised Messiah. The sacred “seed” that God prophesied would crush the serpent's head in Genesis 3:15, is here vowed to be a blessing to all people of all nations of all the earth who would willingly receive and embrace Him. “Hereby we know the loving-kindness of God our Saviour towards sinful man, in that he hath not withheld his Son, his only Son, from us. Hereby we perceive the love of Christ, in that he gave himself a sacrifice for our sins. Yet he lives, and calls to sinners to come to him, and partake of his blood-bought salvation.” (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary)
Please read Genesis 22:20-24 for tomorrow.
Have a great day!
- Louie Taylor
