Children of promise like Isaac
Isaac was born to Abraham by his wife Sarah, and he became Abraham's heir. Sarah, the wife of Abraham, represents our heavenly Mother. That's why the Bible calls us "children of promise like Isaac."
Abraham, the forefather of faith, represents God the Father. Let's find out what the relationship between Abraham and God is, through the parable of the rich man and Lazarus spoken by Jesus.
Luke 16:19-31 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me ...' "
In the parable, when Lazarus and the rich man died, Lazarus was carried to Abraham's side and the rich man went to hell and was in torment. Strangely enough, the rich man in hell called to Abraham in heaven, "Father Abraham, ..." It is only God who can be called Father in the spiritual world. In other words, Abraham represents God.
The history of Abraham's family is described in various places throughout the book of Genesis in the Holy Bible. In Abraham's family, the matter of an heir was mentioned many times, and finally Isaac, whom Sarah bore, became the heir of Abraham. It was Sarah, Isaac's mother, that had a crucial role in deciding the heir.
Why do many verses in the Bible specifically describe an individual's family history? There is a certain reason for this. The history of Abraham's family shows us that Jerusalem our Mother has a decisive role in qualifying us as God's heirs to inherit His kingdom.
Abraham's family and Mother
Gen 15:1-5 "After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram (the original name of Abraham) in a vision: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir." Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." ...
When Abraham was 85 years old, he still had no son. So, he wanted to make Eliezer, a servant in his household, his heir to inherit his estate. However, God said that Eliezer was not suitable to be Abraham's heir and that a son coming from his own body would be his heir.
Gen 16:1-6, 15 "Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." Abram agreed to what Sarai said. ... Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. ... So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael."
Abraham's wife Sarah gave her maidservant Hagar to her husband as his concubine. When Hagar conceived, she began to despise her mistress Sarah. Since Sarah bore no children, she was despised by her maidservant. Afterward, she continued to suffer mental distress and anguish for about 14 years until Isaac was born.
When Hagar bore Ishmael to Abraham, he seemed to have an heir. However, God said to Abraham, "A son coming from your own body will be your heir." It was not God's will for Ishmael to be Abraham's heir. God wanted a son, who would be born to Abra-ham by Sarah his wife-the free woman, to become Abraham's heir.
Gen 17:1-7, 15-19 "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, ... God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her." Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?" And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!" Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him."
Abraham assumed that Ishmael would be his heir. However, God said that He would establish His covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah would bear to him. God didn't allow Eliezer to be Abraham's heir for the reason that he was not his own son. Even though Ishmael was Abraham's son, God rejected him as his heir because he was born by the slave woman. God acknowledged only Isaac who would be born through Sarah.
As God had promised, one year later Sarah bore a son, Isaac, who became Abra-ham's heir through his mother, Sarah (Gen 21:1-12).
May God bless you all.
We are like Isaac, we will become God's heir through our God the Mother.
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