Isaac: Loved at a High Cost
For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.” (Isaiah 43:3-4)
God can. God cares all about you. Is anything too hard for the LORD? All things are possible with God. His love endures forever. Dear brother, sister, when you choose to trust in God, be assured you are safe and secure from all alarms. Now it is sometimes puzzling when you think about this more deeply; today I reflect on an emotional story that God needs to explain well when we meet face to face – indeed there are many such difficult stories in the Bible: this one is about the predicament of Ishmael and his mother Hagar; with God’s approval they were sent away, banished from their only home, to possible perilous suffering in the middle of nowhere (Genesis 21:8-21) for the sake of beloved Isaac whose mother heartlessly insisted to Abraham to get rid of them!
Anyone who has suffered any kind of rejection or mistreatment at home can recount the painful long-lasting wounds it brings: as a step-child or the rival wife, or just the son of a ruthless cantankerous father, home is bitter but there is nowhere else to go. Such was Ishmael’s gloomy situation with his mother. But the worst came when they were sent away completely. Whoever has gone through such suffering should take heart; God has not forgotten you – He will carry you through if you cling to Him. But for me to be more honest, I should admit that I don’t understand it all, and only God will explain tomorrow – after all I am about to explain why Ishmael had to suffer.
Here comes the answer: God loves you so much that he can even permit the suffering of others for your sake. We see this clearly in Isaac’s story; he is precious, honoured and loved as the promised son through whom the blessed descendants are to come; he is the only one to inherit both material and spiritual blessings from his father Abraham. And so, for his sake, Ishmael is given up and banished with nothing – no goat, no plot of land, completely empty handed. This ached Abraham’s heart (and for a moment I really call Sarah heartless) but hear what God told Abraham: “Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned” (v.12). It cost Abraham – it cost him his elder son. This cost of loving and honouring Isaac was very high.
Isaiah helps us to see that we are not talking about Ishmael, we are talking about the nations that he would become; Isaac too would become nations – Israel being one of them. In his immense love for you God goes this extra mile, “I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.” (Is 43:3). Trust fully in Him.
God bless you all.