18 In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE."
19 Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb;
20 yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God,
21 and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.
V. 18 - “hope against hope he believed” - This is an odd phrase. The NLT translates it: “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping-believing...” Because Abraham believed God, he could continue to hope the promise given would remain true. He and Sarah were old, but the LORD had told him.
He had several options: 1) believe his body (and Sarah’s) were beyond hope of having a child;
2) rationalize that even though they were beyond child bearing years, it might be possible;
3) believe that God would do what He said, and place his hope in that promise.
Options 1) and 2) show no faith in God’s word. The third indicates faith that God can do what He says in spite of the physical circumstances or evidence.
The quote, “So shall your descendants be”, is from Gen. 15:5.
“so that he might become a father of many nations” - Many ‘nations’ means great-grand-children, and great-great-grand-children, etc. You know Abraham had to be contemplating the implications.
V. 19 - “Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body” - We see on the news that someone just collected $40 million because they had the ‘Powerball’ winning numbers on their ticket. There is precedent - if the person won, it is possible I, too, could win the lottery. (Good luck with that!) There is no precedent for Abraham to draw upon. No way to say, “Well, it happened to ...” He is 100 years old! Sarah, 99! And yet, he believes God’s promise!
V. 20 - “he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith” - James tells us, “But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.” (Jam. 1:6-8) He also warns us, “Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.” (Jam. 4:10) Abraham was NOT unstable in his relationship with the LORD.
V. 21 - “being fully assured” - God said it. That settled it.
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