Does God want you to feel good? It’s a trick question. I think we have created an era for ourselves of pursuing feeling good as our predominant goal in life. If we focus ourselves around feeling good, and we behave as if feeling good is our first priority, we will receive the result of our feel good behavior, which is to not feel good. If you eat too much junk food you get sick. If you smoke, drink, or do drugs, you die sooner, and with physical illness. A wise old preacher used to say “Feelings come and go but the word of God lives and abides forever”. I like that. It’s simple. Feelings do come and go. But God does not arrange all heaven and earth so that we can feel good. Whoever sold you that lie has some ocean front property in Colorado for you too. We felt good about the “hope and change” we were promised a few years ago, regardless of the experience, voting record, and eligibility of the candidate who promised it to us, so we elected him. Now we are worse off than we were when we were hopeless and in a routine. Sometimes we may go to churches that manipulate our feelings so that we feel good, however we become worse off when we find out that God had a few rules for us to live by and that not every one that says to him “Lord Lord” enters into his kingdom. Telling are the people who petition Jesus for entrance, as they start listing their deeds, as if those were qualifiers to heaven. Yet he says depart from me I never knew you. The interesting word to look at here is iniquity, which means violation of law or illegal activity. Why did Jesus use that word? Is there a law or a set of rules we should follow? It doesn’t feel good to do what I don’t want to do, yet I am accountable to play by His rules if I wish to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I didn’t write it, I am simply pointing out that life is not about feeling good.
Matt 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.KJV
The reason I’m on the feel good kick is that I think of the hardships and harshness that our biblical forefathers went through and God didn’t seem to do anything to make them feel better. Able wouldn’t have died and Cain wouldn’t have been cursed and exiled if God wanted them to feel good. Plus Adam and Eve felt pretty badly when Able was murdered. Certainly more people would have been saved besides Noah and his family before the flood waters swallowed them up if God was concerned about how they felt as doom set into their hearts. I’m sure Abraham would have felt better if he had Isaac when he was in his 30’s instead of his 100’s. I think of Sarah, being married to two different kings without consummation. I’m sure Sarah didn’t feel good wondering if either or both of the kings would sleep with her. I’m sure she wondered if she would ever see Abraham again. It is not a good feeling to be taken by others and to have no say about it. This is not a feel good church message, but it is the reality of life. What we created for ourselves is a false world where we pretend that everything is wonderful, which then sets people up for depression when things go wrong. The bible does not promise us heaven on earth, now, while we are living. God is not interested in our feelings; he is interested in our obedience. If we are happy along the way that is our choice but it is not God’s primary focus and it should not be ours. Just because the Holy Spirit indwells you does not give you a “get out of jail free” card for your game of life. Therefore we should toughen up, and stop whining. We should stop seeking things to boost our feelings and start seeking our Master which set up a plan to live by so that we can have eternal life.
Yahweh visited Sarah and she conceived Isaac, just as he said he would while she and Abraham lived in the land of the Philistines. That is where Isaac was born and was circumcised.
Jasher 21:1And it was at that time at the end of a year and four months of Abraham's dwelling in the land of the Philistines in Gerar, that God visited Sarah, and the Lord remembered her, and she conceived and bare a son to Abraham.2And Abraham called the name of the son which was born to him, which Sarah bare to him, Isaac.3And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac at eight days old, as God had commanded Abraham to do unto his seed after him; and Abraham was one hundred, and Sarah ninety years old, when Isaac was born to them.4And the child grew up and he was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast upon the day that Isaac was weaned.5And Shem and Eber and all the great people of the land, and Abimelech king of the Philistines, and his servants, and Phicol, the captain of his host, came to eat and drink and rejoice at the feast which Abraham made upon the day of his son Isaac's being weaned.6Also Terah, the father of Abraham, and Nahor his brother, came from Haran, they and all belonging to them, for they greatly rejoiced on hearing that a son had been born to Sarah.7And they came to Abraham, and they ate and drank at the feast which Abraham made upon the day of Isaac's being weaned.8And Terah and Nahor rejoiced with Abraham, and they remained with him many days in the land of the Philistines.9At that time Serug the son of Reu died, in the first year of the birth of Isaac son of Abraham.10And all the days of Serug were two hundred and thirty-nine years, and he died.
SERUG [SIR uhg] (branch) - a son of Reu and the father of Nahor (Gen 11:20-23). Serug is listed as an ancestor of Jesus in Luke's genealogy (Luke 3:35; Saruch, KJV).(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Serug (branch), son of Reu and great grandfather of Abraham. His age is given in the Hebrew Bible as 230 years. Gen 11:20-23. ( B.C. 2180.)(from Smith's Bible Dictionary, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
It is significant how the whole family came to visit Abraham at the time of Isaac’s weaning. I can’t imagine how so many old people traveled such a long distance to visit. I’m sure it didn’t feel good to travel that far. Shem and Eber came, they were probably the oldest and we do know that Shem & Eber lived in Salem, or Jerusalem. From Gerar that was abiut 66 miles or so. We know Terah and other family members lived in Haran and that is maybe 467 miles from Gerar. Neither of these locations was a short journey for people as old as they all were. A horse can travel about 20-30 miles in a day, and a camel can travel between 25-40 miles in a day. That is not quick travel.
Jasher 21:11 And Ishmael the son of Abraham was grown up in those days; he was fourteen years old when Sarah bare Isaac to Abraham.12And God was with Ishmael the son of Abraham, and he grew up, and he learned to use the bow and became an archer.13And when Isaac was five years old he was sitting with Ishmael at the door of the tent.14And Ishmael came to Isaac and seated himself opposite to him, and he took the bow and drew it and put the arrow in it, and intended to slay Isaac.15And Sarah saw the act which Ishmael desired to do to her son Isaac, and it grieved her exceedingly on account of her son, and she sent for Abraham, and said to him, Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for her son shall not be heir with my son, for thus did he seek to do unto him this day.16And Abraham hearkened to the voice of Sarah, and he rose up early in the morning, and he took twelve loaves and a bottle of water which he gave to Hagar, and sent her away with her son, and Hagar went with her son to the wilderness, and they dwelt in the wilderness of Paran with the inhabitants of the wilderness, and Ishmael was an archer, and he dwelt in the wilderness a long time.17And he and his mother afterward went to the land of Egypt, and they dwelt there, and Hagar took a wife for her son from Egypt, and her name was Meribah.
It seems like Ishmael was a troubled teenager; at the time he was 19 years old. Since the parade of old people didn’t come visiting when he was born, I’m sure he felt threatened over Isaac. Isaac being 5 could have been an annoying little brother as well, we really don’t know, but I’m sure there wasn’t a halo over his head just because he was the child of promise. Sarah being a protective mom, did what she felt was right, and God agreed with her.
Jubilees records that the Lord came to Sarah and did what he promised, then the angels came and gave Abraham instructions. They also tell Abraham he would have six more sons, which he does after Sarah dies.
Jubilees 16:10 And in this month Abraham moved from Hebron, and departed and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur in the mountains of Gerar. 11. And in the middle of the fifth month he moved from thence, and dwelt at the Well of the Oath.12. And in the middle of the sixth month the Lord visited Sarah and did unto her as He had spoken, and she conceived. 13. And she bare a son in the third month, and in the middle of the month, at the time of which the Lord had spoken to Abraham, on the festival of the first-fruits of the harvest, Isaac was born. 14. And Abraham circumcised his son on the eighth day: he was the first that was circumcised according to the covenant which is ordained for ever. 15. And in the sixth year of the †fourth† week we came to Abraham, to the Well of the Oath, and we appeared unto him [as we had told Sarah that we should return to her, and she would have conceived a son. 16. And we returned in the seventh month, and found Sarah with child before us] and we blessed him, and we announced to him all the things which had been decreed concerning him, that he should not die till he should beget six sons more, and should see (them) before he died; but (that) in Isaac should his name and seed be called: 17. And (that) all the seed of his sons should be Gentiles, and be reckoned with the Gentiles; but from the sons of Isaac one should become a holy seed, and should not be reckoned among the Gentiles. 18. For he should become the portion of the Most High, and all his seed had fallen into the possession of God, that it should be unto the Lord a people for (His) possession above all nations and that it should become a kingdom and priests and a holy nation. 19. And we went our way, and we announced to Sarah all that we had told him, and they both rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Here we have Abraham celebrating the first Feast of Tabernacles. Today we view Tabernacles as a thanksgiving feast where meals are to be eaten in a Sukkah outside under the stars. Abraham waited on God’s promise for a long time and then rejoiced with a seven day feast. Zechariah says we will all be celebrating Tabernacles in Jerusalem in the future.
Jubilees 16:20. And he built there an altar to the Lord who had delivered him, and who was making him rejoice in the land of his sojourning, and he celebrated a festival of joy in this month seven days, near the altar which he had built at the Well of the Oath. 21. And he built booths for himself and for his servants on this festival, and he was the first to celebrate the feast of tabernacles on the earth. 22. And during these seven days he brought each day to the altar a burnt-offering to the Lord, two oxen, two rams, seven sheep, one he-goat, for a sin-offering, that he might atone thereby for himself and for his seed. 23. And, as a thank-offering, seven rams, seven kids, seven sheep, and seven he-goats, and their fruit-offerings and their drink-offerings; and he burnt all the fat thereof on the altar, a chosen offering unto the Lord for a sweet smelling savour. 24. And morning and evening he burnt fragrant substances, frankincense and galbanum, and stacte, and nard, and myrrh, and spice, and costum; all these seven he offered, crushed, mixed together in equal parts (and) pure. 25. And he celebrated this feast during seven days, rejoicing with all his heart and with all his soul, he and all those who were in his house; and there was no stranger with him, nor any that was uncircumcised. 26. And he blessed his Creator who had created him in his generation, for He had created him according to His good pleasure; for He knew and perceived that from him would arise the plant of righteousness for the eternal generations, and from him a holy seed, so that it should become like Him who had made all things. 27. And he blessed and rejoiced, and he called the name of this festival the festival of the Lord, a joy acceptable to the Most High God. 28. And we blessed him for ever, and all his seed after him throughout all the generations of the earth, because he celebrated this festival in its season, according to the testimony of the heavenly tables. 29. For this reason it is ordained on the heavenly tables concerning Israel, that they shall celebrate the feast of tabernacles seven days with joy, in the seventh month, acceptable before the Lord--a statute for ever throughout their generations every year. 30. And to this there is no limit of days; for it is ordained for ever regarding Israel that they should celebrate it and dwell in booths, and set wreaths upon their heads, and take leafy boughs, and willows from the brook. 31. And Abraham took branches of palm trees, and the fruit of goodly trees, and every day going round the altar with the branches seven times [a day] in the morning, he praised and gave thanks to his God for all things in joy.
I have always found it interesting that Jesus Tabernacled with us.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.KJV
Dwelt NT:4637 skenoo (skay-no'-o); from NT:4636; to tent or encamp, i.e. (figuratively) to occupy (as a mansion) or (specifically) to reside (as God did in the Tabernacle of old, a symbol of protection and communion):KJV - dwell.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Dwelt NT:4637 skeenooo, skeenoo;to fix one's tabernacle, have one's tabernacle, abide (or live) in a tabernacle (or tent), tabernacle(from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
Josephus explains the practice of circumcision which the Arabians practice in a child’s 13th year.
Josephus 12:2 Now in a little time Abraham had a son by Sarah, as God had foretold to him, whom he named Isaac, which signifies Laughter. And indeed they so called him, because Sarah laughed when God said that she should bear a son, she not expecting such a thing, as being past the age of child-bearing, for she was ninety years old, and Abraham a hundred; so that this son was born to them both in the last year of each of those decimal numbers. And they circumcised him upon the eighth day and from that time the Jews continue the custom of circumcising their sons within that number of days. But as for the Arabians, they circumcise after the thirteenth year, because Ismael, the founder of their nation, who was born to Abraham of the concubine, was circumcised at that age; concerning whom I will presently give a particular account, with great exactness.
3. As for Sarah, she at first loved Ismael, who was born of her own handmaid Hagar, with an affection not inferior to that of her own son, for he was brought up in order to succeed in the government; but when she herself had borne Isaac, she was not willing that Ismael should be brought up with him, as being too old for him, and able to do him injuries when their father should be dead; she therefore persuaded Abraham to send him and his mother to some distant country. Now, at the first, he did not agree to what Sarah was so zealous for, and thought it an instance of the greatest barbarity, to send away a young child and a woman unprovided of necessaries; but at length he agreed to it, because God was pleased with what Sarah had determined: so he delivered Ismael to his mother, as not yet able to go by himself; and commanded her to take a bottle of water, and a loaf of bread, and so to depart, and to take Necessity for her guide. But as soon as her necessary provisions failed, she found herself in an evil case; and when the water was almost spent, she laid the young child, who was ready to expire, under a fig-tree, and went on further, that so he might die while she was absent. But a Divine Angel came to her, and told her of a fountain hard by, and bid her take care, and bring up the child, because she should be very happy by the preservation of Ismael. She then took courage, upon the prospect of what was promised her, and, meeting with some shepherds, by their care she got clear of the distresses she had been in.
4. When the lad was grown up, he married a wife, by birth an Egyptian, from whence the mother was herself derived originally. Of this wife were born to Ismael twelve sons; Nabaioth, Kedar, Abdeel, Mabsam, Idumas, Masmaos, Masaos, Chodad, Theman, Jetur, Naphesus, Cadmas. These inhabited all the country from Euphrates to the Red Sea, and called it Nabatene. They are an Arabian nation, and name their tribes from these, both because of their own virtue, and because of the dignity of Abraham their father.
So that we understand who the Nabatenes were:
NABATAEA [nab uh TEE ah] — an Arabic territory situated between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. Nebajoth, son of Ishmael and brother-inlaw of Edom (Gen 25:13; 28:9), was possibly the ancestor of the Nabateans, although positive identification is impossible. Some time during the sixth century B.C. these peoples invaded the territory of the Edomites and Moabites. Their name first occurred in 646 B.C. when a people called the Nabaiate revolted against Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria. It took the Assyrians seven years to subdue these people.
In 312 B.C. Antigonus, one of the successors of Alexander the Great, sent an expedition against the Nabatean capital of PETRA. This rose-red city was situated more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of the Dead Sea in the wilderness and surrounded by mountains. Petra had only one entrance, a narrow passageway sometimes as little as eight feet wide, between the cliffs rising 60 to 90 meters (200 to 300 feet) above the road. The Greek army was unable to take the city.
At a later time the Nabateans took advantage of the turmoil of the Seleucid kingdom and extended their territory all the way to Damascus. During the first century B.C. they engaged in a war with the Maccabaean King Alexander Jannaeus. An officer of the Nabatean King Aretas IV attempted to detain the apostle Paul at Damascus (2 Cor 11:32). Eventually the Romans, under Trajan, annexed Nabatea, and it became the province of Arabia in A.D. 106.
The Nabateans controlled the desert highways south of the Dead Sea, demanding outrageous fees from caravans before they allowed them to pass. They developed an advanced civilization in the middle of the desert wilderness. Out of the red sandstone cliffs they carved beautiful obelisks, facades, and HIGH PLACES, or altars, at which they worshiped pagan gods. They also developed a beautiful, thin pottery that was decorated with floral designs. With the rise of Palmyra, the trade that formerly passed through Petra was diverted; and the Nabateans were absorbed into the surrounding Arab population.(from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Gen 21:1-21 And the Lord (Yahweh) visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord (Yahweh) did unto Sarah as he had spoken.2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God (Elohim) had spoken to him.3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God (Elohim) had commanded him.5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.6 And Sarah said, God (Elohim) hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.12 And God (Elohim) said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.17 And God (Elohim) heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God (messenger of Elohim) called Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God (Elohim) hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.19 And God (Elohim) opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.20 And God (Elohim) was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.KJV
God was with Ishmael, not just Isaac. Even though Isaac was the son of promise whose linage would bring forth the Messiah, Ishmael was still cared for by God. If Ishmael was 19 years old when he left Abraham’s house, and he married and had 12 sons, and who knows how many daughters, it would be interesting to note that until they turned from God, God was with them. As we will see next week, Abraham visits Ishmael and it is obvious Ishmael needs some coaching. Ishmael is not all knowledgeable about God at 19 so he lives as much as he knows. I’m sure it didn’t feel good to Ishmael to be hurt by the birth of a more important sibling. It didn’t feel good for him to be sent from his father’s house or to have to have his mother give up on both of them living. While life doesn’t always feel good, we can learn from our biblical examples and be overcomers of our feelings. We are not to be led by feelings but to do what is right in spite of our feelings.
End Notes
Jesus tabernacled among us
