The Remnant and Hostility (Advent 10, 2022)

We’re looking at verse 34 today in our study of Jesus’ genealogy recorded in Luke and how it applies to a remnant. Luke 3:34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac (laughter), the son of Abraham (father of a multitude, formerly Abram meaning high father), the son of Terah (to patiently breathe),

God doesn’t make a habit of naming people’s children, but when He does, it’s for a purpose.

Genesis 17:18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” 19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

God’s covenant, His remnant people of faith, do not descend from Ishmael,
but Isaac, the only son of Abraham and Sarah.

Genesis 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”

Questions for further thought:

Can you think of other times God named someone’s child? See Luke 1:13, 1:31.

Read Hosea 1. How many times does God name children? How does God affirm the remnant despite the negativity of the names (see verses 10-11)?

A point of contention remains, even today, because Ishmael was also a son of Abraham and indeed his firstborn, but importantly not of Sarah. The remnant comes through Isaac. Remember the pattern continuing of the second born Shem (and not Japheth) and Seth (not Cain)? When the older serves the younger, what did it prove about man’s ways vs God’s ways and the role of faith?

Which nations descend from Ishmael and what do their religions claim? Genesis 25:12-18.

Genesis 25:17 Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people. 18 His descendants settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. And they lived in hostility toward all the tribes related to them.”

How did the selection of a Chosen People as a faith remnant result in hostility? In what way does it continue to this day? How is it traceable back to the Bible and a spiritual battle? Is it any wonder that peace in the Middle East is so difficult?

What is the only true cure? See Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

Prayer:

We thank You, Father that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. We thank You that through the Holy Spirit we can have the bond of peace with You and others, and reach unity in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God to Your glory. May we become mature attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Thank You, Lord, that we have been taught how to live together in perfect unity. Help us to preach the gospel so that unity of peace will be taught to completion here on earth. We praise You Lord for Your miraculous gift of salvation and for the way You have made for us to have peace with You through the forgiveness that is available by the blood of Christ. For it’s in His Name we pray. Amen.

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Advent began Sunday, November 27, 2022 and continues to Saturday, December 24th as we explore the remnant spoken of in Scripture and awaken as the end draws near.

By signing up on the sidebar of my Home Page you can receive these daily “Awaken, Remnant” devotionals. Or they will be reposted on SeminaryGal’s Facebook page as well.

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Acknowledging inquiries about an entire season’s devotionals for your study group’s planning purposes, Seminary Gal’s prior seasons’ Advent devotionals can be accessed via the archives to the right and are as follows:

The multi-faceted Interlude between the promise of a Deliverer and the birth of our Messiah and King was the theme of 2021’s devotional series. It is archived beginning November 28, 2021.
2020’s Devotional Series Divine Intervention began on November 29, 2020 and explored God’s activity on behalf of a hurting world and nations in tumult– Intervention for you and for me when our status as sinners required nothing short of a miracle.
God’s Christmas list explored what might be on God’s Christmas list, learning what He wants from us. It began December 1, 2019.
Storyteller began December 2, 2018 and entered into the Christmas story through its telling.
The 2017 series Still Christmas, began December 3, 2017 and was the Advent complement to the Lenten series, Be Still and Know that I AM God.
The 2016 season devotionals were called “Timeless: The Message of Christmas for All Ages” and explored how the message of Christmas is timeless truth, for all ages of people, and for all ages at all times. Timeless hope, encouragement, grace, peace, and love as we looked into the Word, saw the face of our Lord Jesus, and experienced restoration in His presence. His goodness and His Gospel are truly Timeless. The 2016 devotionals began November 27, 2016.
The 2015 season devotionals were titled Incarnation and involved digging deep–and yes, I mean deep– in this important mystery of Christian theology. They began November 29, 2015.
Carol Me, Christmas! remains one of my most popular offerings and tells the Christmas story through our most beloved Christmas hymns and carols. You can access all of the numbered devotionals from 2014 via the archives. They began November 30, 2014.
The 2013 series was Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up in Person and examined the Prologue to the Gospel of John. It began December 1, 2013.
The 2012 series focused on Expecting the Unexpected…the unexpected, unlikely, and uniquely divine qualities of God’s perfect plan outlined in Luke’s account of the Christmas story. It began December 1, 2012.