You Can Depend on God! – Genesis 21:1-34

At the equator, the earth is 40,070 kilometres around and it spins at 1,670 kilometres per hour. It has been spinning dependably for 6,000 years. Because it is so dependable, scientists know exactly what time the sun will come up and go down. The reason the earth’s rotation is dependable is that our God who sustains the earth is dependable. Colossians 1:17 “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

Transition

This morning as we study Genesis 21, we are going to find four reasons that we can depend on God.

God Always Keeps His Word, v.1-2

God did what He promised.
1. He had promised a son no less than five times.
  1. Gen 12:2 to make Abram a great nation
  2. Gen 15:4 to give him seed as the stars
  3. Gen 17:6 make many nations of him
  4. Gen 17:19 to give Sarah a son
  5. Gen 18:10 birth according to the time of life
2. Note the words of Genesis 21:1 “as He…”
3. God fulfilled His promise in giving Sarah a son (v.2). Sarah was 90 years old and Abraham was 100. God did the impossible!
4. The Bible contains many examples of God’s truthfulness.
  1. In Joshua 6:5, God promised that Jericho’s walls would fall flat. In Joshua 6:20, they did.
  2. In 2 Kings 7:1, God promised plenty of food for the starving people the next day. Fulfilled in 2 Kings 7:16.
  3. In Isaiah 53:3-6, God predicted the suffering of Christ 700 years before it happened. 1Peter 3:18 describes its fulfilment. Not only does God do as He promises, but…
God is always on time.
1. Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for the promised son. They often doubted. Abram tried to help God by marrying Hagar. Sarah even laughed at God’s promise. When it was humanly impossible, then God gave Sarah a child (v.2).
2. Why did God make Abraham and Sarah wait 25 years for the promised son? Probably for the same reasons He sometimes makes us wait:
  1. God was teaching them patience.
  2. God was building their trust in Him.
  3. God was preventing human explanation.
  4. God was bringing greater glory to Himself.
    The first reason you can depend on God is that He always keeps His word. The second reason is because:

God Is Always There When You Need Him, v.14-19

God heard the cry of Ishmael and Hagar.
1. Ishmael was a lad of about 16 years old when he and his mother left Abraham’s camp. Though God did not want him to be Abraham’s heir, God still cared about him.
2. They soon ran out of water and were desperate (v.15-16).
3. God heard their cries, v.17.
God provided for Ishmael and Hagar.
1. God provided water for them, v.19.
2. God was with them, v.20.
  God cares just as much about your burdens today!
  
  Psalm 50:15 “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
  
  Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
  
  1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
  
  The second reason you can depend on God is that He is always there when you need Him. The third reason is because:

God Always Draws Near Those Who Draw Near Him, v.22

Though Abraham was human, he stayed close God
1. Yes, Abraham doubted, got out of God’s will, and lied, but afterwards he always repented and drew near to God. True repentance is the secret to a close walk with God.
  James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
2. Because Abraham stayed close to God, he is called the Friend of God.
  James 2:23 “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.” (Compare 2Ch 20:7 and Isa 41:8)
Others could see that God was with Abraham
1. Abimelech and Phichol spoke to him about the way God was with Abraham in all that he did, v.22.
2. Why does God bless some people more than others? Jesus gave us a general reason for God’s blessing.
  Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
  
  People are watching your life. They see how you live. They observe your church attendance. They hear your words. They note your character. Can they see God working in your life? Do you reflect Christ in your life? Can people see that God is with you?
  
  The third reason you can depend on God is that He always draws near those who drawn near Him. The fourth reason is because:

God is Eternal, v.33

Abraham planted a grove
1. The word “grove” usually refers to trees or carved posts around which the heathen worshipped. However, the word here is different. It refers to a tamarisk tree.
2. It seems that Abraham planted this tree as a memorial of God’s continual goodness to him.
  Keil & Delitzsch Commentary states, “The planting of this long-lived tree, with its hard wood, and its long, narrow, thickly clustered, evergreen leaves, was to be a type of the ever-enduring grace of the faithful covenant God.”
Abraham called on the eternal LORD
1. Here we find yet another name for Jehovah God. He is El Olam – God Everlasting. The covenant Abraham had made with Abimelech was temporal. God and his word is eternal. God does not change as do men.
2. God existed in eternity past and will exist in eternity future. He is the only uncaused cause. While evolutionists claim that everything began with a big BANG. The Bible teaches that everything began with a big GOD. The first four words in the Bible are, “In the beginning God.”
  1. The Psalmist wrote,
    Psalm 90:2 “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.”
  2. The writer of Hebrews also spoke of God’s eternality.
    Hebrews 1:10-12 “And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.”
    
    Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
3. Because God is eternal, you can trust Him with your soul eternally. Because Jesus Christ is the eternal God, He was able to pay our eternal sin debt for us and offer us eternal life. Trusting Jesus is the ONLY way to heaven.

Conclusion

You can depend on God! He always keeps His word. He is always there when you need Him. He always draws near those who draw near him. And He is the eternal creator, sustainer, and provider of eternal life. If you have doubted God’s dependability, I hope that this morning your faith has been revived. Ask God to forgive you and depend fully on Him from now on. If you have never trusted Christ alone to save you from hell. Trust Him today. He is dependable!

Song: Only Trust Him – 252
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You Can Depend on God!
31 August 2014 AM – Genesis 21:1-34 – Gen 14 – Scott Childs