HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-8.-The •·on of promise, or a young child's biograpliy. I. Tm: BinTII OF lsAAC. 1. A surprising phenomenon. " Who would have said that Sarah should have suckled sons?" Motherhood at ninety was certainly unusual, especially when conjoined with paternity at a hundred. In a world presided over by a per- sonal Deity there must always be room for surprises. 2. A miraculous production. That the conception and birth of Isaac were due to Divine interposition-that, in fact, the child of promise was a special supernatural creation-is asserted by Paul as well as Moses (Rom. iv. 17). 3. An accom:p_lishedprediction. Not only the fact of Isaac's birth, but the exact time was 1,pec1fied beforehand. And now the long- looked-for child had arrived. A signal proof of the Divine veracity, it was another pledge to God's people in every age of tl1e Divine fidelity in implementing his gracious word of promise. 4. A joyous inspiration. • Isaac's birth not simply woke laughing echoes in Sarah's tent, but opened founts of song in Sarah's breast; which was not wonderful, considering that the tender infant over which she exulted was the child of her own and .Abraham's old age, the child of promise, the fruit of faith and the gift of grace, and the Heaven-appointed heir of the covenant blessing. 5. A prophetic intimation. Sarah's anthem contained a higher note of melody than that occasioned by a mother's joy ; there was in it too the gladness of a faith that saw in Isaac the harbinger and pledge of another and greater Seed. Like the birth of Isaac, that of Christ was fore-announced by God, waited for in faith, accomplished through Diviue power, and welcomed with bursts of joy. II. 'l'IIE CIBCUMCISION OF ls.Uc. 1. 'fhe import of the rite (see on eh. xvii. 10). It implied the formal reception of the party upon whom it was imposed within the pale of tlie Old Testament Church ; it signified the putting away of the filth of the flesh ; it took the subject of it bound to a holy life. Of a like import is the Christian sacrament of baptism, wliich, however, differs from the Hebrew rite in looking back upon a Cliriot ,L-eady manifested, inGtead of forward to a Christ that was still to en. XXI. 1-8.] THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 271
come. 2, The authority for the rite. This was exclusively the Divine command- ment - the sole reason that can be assigned for the observance of the Christian so.crnments, which in themselves o.re only symbols of spiritual transactions, and have no validity apart from the appointment of Christ. 3. The index to the rite. This wae contained in the name generally given on the occasion of its observance: cf. Abrahn.m (eh. xvii. 5), John the Baptist (Luke i. 60), Jesus (Luke ii. 21). With this ancient custom must be connected the Christian practice of naming children at baptism. III. THE WEANING OF faAAc. 1. A mother's duty fulfil,led. The first duty of a mother is to her babe, and to withhold the eUBtenance God has provided for her babe's necessities is both to violate Divine law and to perpetrate a fraud upon her helpless offepring. Sarah, though a primess, was not above discharging the duties of a nuree-n example which Sarah's d,1ughters should diligently follow. 2. A child} s independence beg-ztn, From the moment of weaning a child may be said to enter on a separate and as it were independent existence, attaining then for the first time to a distinct individuality of being, 3. A father's joy expressed. The interest- ing event was celebrated by a festal entertainment, at which, if not Shem, Mel- chieedek and Selah, according to the Rabbis, the inmates of Abraham's household were do~btlees present. "God's blessing upon the nursing of children, and his pre- servation of them during the perils of infant age, are signal instances of the care and fonderness of Divine providence, which ought to be acknowledged to its praise" (Henry). • Lessons :-1. The nght of parents to reJ01ce • • m • t h e1r • cIu'Id ren. 2. Th e d uty o~• parents to introduce their children to the Church of God. 3. The propriety of Darents recognising the separate individualities of children.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-8.-Bi'rth, cirC'ltmcision, and weaning of Isaac. Here is- I. THE FAITHFULNESS OF JEHOVAH. "As he bad spoken." "At the eet time." " God bath made me to laugh." II. THE FAITH OF HIS SERVANT, which was evidenced in wniting, hoping, naming the son born unto him, obeying the commandment. III. THE GIFT of God was THE REVELATION of God: bis love, bis power, his purpose, his patience. IV. Taken TYPICALLY, the foreshadowing of the miraculons conception, the kingdom of God, ns originnting in the sphere of human infirmity and helplessness; as being tho introduction of bright hope and cheerful promise into the gloomy barrenness of human life; as the lifting up of man's state into the covonnnt of God, sealed with his appointed ordinance, surrounded with the promised blessings. Isnac was the type of Christ, Sarah of Mary, Abraham of the people and Church of God. V. SARAH'S BONO, the first cradle hymn of a mother's thankful joy, representing the Divine delight in the pure and simple happiness of those who a.re children of God. Abraham rejoiced to see the brightness of the future (John viii. 56). VI. THE WEANING FEAST. All called in to share in the joy. Household joy should be widespread. We may suppose that such a banquet was religious in its charo.cter. If so, not only is it a sanction of religious festivals, but it reminds us that we should connect the events of the family life immediately with the word and ordinance3 of God.-R. Vere. 8-21.-The separation of the bondwoman's son from the prom·ised seed. It was necessary that this should take place for the accomplishment of the Divine plan. Human conduct is employed, as in so many other cases, ns the instrument or occasion. There was mockery or unbelief in Ishmael. It was not personal merely, but a mockery of Jehovah and of hie Church. Sarah saw it. The mother's keen a:ffection3 were sharpened to detect the scorn of her joy. Abraham and Sarah were both severely tried. Their lack of faith must yield fruit of ~orrow. The eepuation was pain tc, the father, but it was part of the gracious work of God for Isaac. Abraham 272 TIIE BOOK OF GENESIS. [en. XXI. \J-1,1.
was being prepared by 1>uch discipline for his great climax of trial. There is bentt• tifnl. tenderness ~nd simplicity in -A;brah~m•s conduct (ver. 14). It is-1. Entire obedience. 2. Kind and gentle cons1derat1on for Sarah and Hagar. 3. Strong faith: he committed her to God according to his word. 4. The master and the servant at 1 he door of the house in the early morning; the master himself placing the bottle of water on th_e bondwoman•~ shoulder ~s a sign of continued affinity. God com- m;inJs separat10~s. In ob~d1ence t~ him t_hey may involve severe Atrnggle with ~elf._ Should s1111 be earned out with ns little wounding of human affections as poss1ble.-R.