God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. (Genesis 17:19 ESV)
Promises
God’s people waited a long time for the Messiah. Around 2000 years from Abraham to Jesus.
This was not the kind of waiting I am used to. I am waiting years for Medicare to kick in and save us some money. I might wait months to recover after a serious injury. I wait weeks for the weather to change. I wait days for a new movie to come out. I wait hours for my wife to get home from work. I wait minutes for the microwave to heat up my leftovers.
They waited 42 generations.
And their waiting was for something much more important than Medicare, recovery, weather, a movie, a workday, and lunch.
They waited for understanding of God’s promises to provide the Savior.
They waited without knowing exactly what they were waiting for.
But God knew, and had planned, and was at work.
We do not see close-focused details about every step along the way. But God’s Word does contain details enough for us to see how He kept His promises. Abraham’s son Isaac was the first generational fulfillment of God’s promise, and Isaac paved the way for 41 more.
Years later, Paul wrote of this process: To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen (Romans 9:4,5 ESV).
The book of Genesis is filled with examples of God’s keeping His saving promise.
And God continues to do the same sort of thing with His promises to us. He keeps promising, and He keeps His promises.