27 January 2010
Psalm 119:49-72; Gen. 16:1-14; Heb. 9:15-28; John 5:19-29

Abram and Sarai decide to take matters into their own hands rather than trusting God and it causes enormous problems not just for them but for us as well. They have given up on God, one chapter after the covenant ceremony. We don’t know how much time has elapsed between the chapters. The first problem is that now there is a division in the family. The slave girl, Hagar, now looks down on Sarai because she has become pregnant. The implication is that clearly the problem in having this child lies with Sarai and not Abram, the Lord isn’t blessing her. This is a complicated business with Sarai’s mistreatment of Hagar and Hagar running away. The Lord cares enough about her to find her and comfort her, revealing Himself to her in the form of the angel of the Lord. His promise is to multiply her offspring and yet the word bless is not here and the description of Ishmael is less than flattering. This, recall, is the line through whom the modern day Islamists trace themselves.

Jesus reveals Himself powerfully through these claims. It would be difficult to imagine hearing these words and not being completely offended by them. He is indeed claiming to be one with the Father, privileged status among all who have ever lived. He is unique in being sent by the Father and the Father will reveal Himself more completely in and through Jesus than in any other way. Here Jesus speaks of having life in Himself, having judgment committed to Him, and that believing in Him is the key to eternal life. That the dead also will receive life in Jesus would have made plain that His claims were complete.

The Hebrews passage begins with basic teaching on covenants and ends with Jesus being the mediator of the only covenant that matters. The old covenant was simply a sketch of the heavenly one and therefore animal sacrifice was sufficient to gain entrance. In heaven, however, greater sacrifice is required. The tabernacle and temple were constructed of materials that expressed the holiness of God the further you went into them. The materials in the holy place were more precious than in the court and the materials in the holy of holies were the most precious of all. The heavenly courts are more precious still and it is into these that Jesus has gone and purchased access for us. His sacrifice was sufficient for all time and the writer assures us that He will come again to save us. The firstborn son of God will save those who come after, not at enmity with them as was Ishmael.

You have dealt well with your servant,
O LORD, according to your word.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments.