Readings for today: Genesis 20-23
Though the Bible was written for us, it was not written to us. It was originally written to a particular people at a particular time in a particular place with a particular language and cultural worldview. It is essential we keep this principle in mind, especially as we read the Old Testament. The stories can feel so foreign to us and that’s because they are! You are catching a glimpse into the ancient near east and the cultural divide between us and them is as vast as the Grand Canyon.
God speaks down to us. He gets on our level. He meets us where we are. This was as true for Abraham and Sarah as it is for us. God speaks through the culture of the day. He speaks through the language of the day. He speaks through the normative attitudes and actions of the time to reveal Himself and shift our way of thinking. Consider what we read today. Abraham and Sarah hiding their relationship out of fear of how they would be received among the Philistines. The exile of Hagar and Ishmael from Abraham’s camp. The incident over land and water. The purchasing of the burial plot for Sarah. And, of course, the famous story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac.
Each of these stories is difficult for us to understand. We don’t understand why Abraham and Sarah felt it necessary to lie about their relationship because we live in a world where such relationships are respected and honored. You don’t take another person’s spouse as your own. Things were much different in the ancient near east where women were largely considered property and local kings did whatever they thought was right. We don’t understand how Abraham could cast out his own son and his son’s mother and leave them essentially to die and that’s because we live in a world where every life has equal value and worth and property is shared equally among all children. Things were much different in the ancient near east where masters and slaves were not considered equals nor were their children. The threat to the clan was real if Ishmael were to grow up in the family and become a competitor with Isaac for leadership. We don’t understand the critical, life-saving importance of wells because we live in a world where water flows from a tap. We don’t understand the importance of the conversation between Abraham and Ephron over the purchase of the cave of Machpelah because we don’t live in a culture with a tradition of haggling. And we, for sure, do not understand how a father could ever take his child up a mountain to sacrifice him. This makes absolutely no sense to us. It is abusive and horrific and yet it was a normative cultural practice in the ancient near east.
So what can we learn from such stories? Well, ask yourself what Abraham and Sarah are learning. Remember, they came from pagan backgrounds. They had no knowledge of God. They didn’t even know His name! They had no access to the Ten Commandments. They had no experience with His miraculous saving work. They simply knew this God had reached out to them and established His covenant with them. As they walked with Him, they learned to trust Him. Learned to depend on Him. Learned to lean on Him. So, for example, they learned they didn’t need to hide their relationship because God would protect them. As they dug wells and set up altars and purchased burial plots, they began to see how God’s promise to give them this particular land would be fulfilled. As Ishmael grew up into a mighty leader in his own right and a prince over many nations, Abraham learned how God works through even our sinful, abusive choices for His purposes. And finally, by taking Isaac up a mountain for sacrifice and finding a ram caught in the thicket, Abraham learned that his God was different than the pagan gods he had grown up with. His God wouldn’t accept human sacrifice and instead treasures the lives of those He made in His image.
The Bible wasn’t written to us but it was written for us so what can we learn from these stories? What principles can we draw out that are applicable to our own time and place? Where do we find ourselves learning about God’s provision and protection? Growing in our understanding of who God is and what He’s all about? How is God speaking to you today? How is God revealing Himself to you in this new year?
Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 24-26