May 28, 2013 … God of Abraham, Isaac, AND Jacob

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 148

Passage of the Day #1: Genesis 50: 24 [NLT] …  
24 “Soon I will die,” Joseph told his brothers, “but God will surely come for you, to lead you out of this land of Egypt. He will bring you back to the land he vowed to give to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
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 Contextual Study for today’s passage: Genesis, Chapter 50 [NLT] … Go to this link … 
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Reference Passage #1: 1st Kings 18:36 : [Praying to the God of us all.] …[NLT] … At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command.

 Reference Passage #2: Jeremiah 33:26 : [Gods’ promise to us all.] …[NLT] … I will never abandon the descendants of Jacob or David, my servant, or change the plan that David’s descendants will rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will restore them to their land and have mercy on them.”

My Journal for Today: Os Hillman’s mentor once asked him an interesting question to ponder: “Why often in Scripture is God referred to as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?” For example, when Elijah prayed to His Lord for intervention from His God, (see 1st Kings 18: 36 quoted above), he referred to The Lord as “God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” and not just some generic reference to “The Lord.” … And when Jeremiah was making reference to God’s covenant promise to Israel in Jeremiah 33: 26, again the Prophet referenced the “descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” not just a reference to the descendants of only Abraham.

It’s an interesting question, isn’t it? And before I read all of Os Hillman’s devotional entry for this day, I meditated and pondered on the question myself; and maybe, if you’re reading along with me here today, it would be a good exercise to go off alone, before you read the rest of my blog, and see what thoughts God might give you.

[And now that you’re back with me if you did what I suggested …]

Hillman’s mentor gave him what I thought might be the answer to this brain teaser. > > > God’s word refers so often to God being the “God of Abraham, Isaac, AND Jacob,” because God wants us to see that He is the LORD OF ALL, not just any one patriarch of the faith to whom He (God) had made a covenant. If God’s word just referred to His promises by referring to Himself as the “God of Abraham” alone, it would put the character of Abraham on a pedestal as the only prototype father of the faith. But God’s promise and His covenant also came through Abraham’s son, Isaac; and then through a vastly different type of character in Jacob. Those three were all very, very different character types; and so, … God’s covenant was for ALL His people, not just one prototypical character type.

So, today as you ponder on what this really means for us now as children of God, some 3000+ years after Abraham first received God’s covenant, we need to realize that our Lord is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and “__________.” And then you can put your own name into that blank, realizing and internalizing that all of God’s promises and His relationship of love is just as much for you – or me – as it was for an Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob type of believer.

My friend, our God is the GOD OF ALL; and He will always provide Bill Berry [and you, if you are in Christ] with the same promises and provisions which He promised to Abraham, Isaac, AND Jacob … and … Matthew, Mark, John, Peter, AND Paul; … and to any other believer who comes to a faith-relationship with the living God.

And as I leave you here, do I sense, from you, a loud “HALLELUJAH!!!” … just as I’m declaring it here in prayer this morning?

My Prayer for Today … Oh, Lord, my Lord, and the Lord of all who believe on Your Name, … HALLELUJAH; … You are the Lord of all!! … Amen