Premium Only Content

A Metaphor of Grace in Eliezer, Ishmael, and Isaac
Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness...
Romans 4:4-5 ESV
Forgiveness of sins and eternal life are gifts of God, granted by his grace alone. Nobody can buy or work their way into eternal life. Eliezer, Ishmael, and Isaac make a great illustration of God's plan.
Eliezer was Abraham's chief servant. He worked for Abraham his whole life, helping him build his wealth and watch out for his family. If Abraham had died without children, Eliezer would have been his heir according to the traditions of man. He was a faithful servant, but his inheritance would have been the wages of his own efforts.
Ishmael was Abraham's firstborn son according to the flesh. However, he was also the son of a slave. If Abraham had not had another son by a free wife, Ishmael would have inherited God's covenant as Abraham's firstborn, displacing Eliezer, in accordance with the laws of both man and biology.
Isaac was a child of promise, conceived through miraculous intervention. Sarah's time in Abimelech's house might cast a shadow over Isaac's right of inheritance as Abraham's biological son, but God's decree overrides anything man might do. Isaac inherited the covenant promises of Abraham because God intervened and made it happen, apart from any natural or man-made law, and Abraham believed him.
This is an image of our salvation, which is granted by divine intervention according to our belief in God's promises.
See also Genesis 15:1-5 and Genesis 17:15-21.
From Jay Carper at Common Sense Bible Study (https://CommonSenseBibleStudy.com) and American Torah (https://www.AmericanTorah.com).
This content is free, but I accept contributions via Paypal at https://jaycarper.com/paypal.
Follow me on Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@AmericanTorah
Send me a friend request on The Torah Network: https://www.thetorahnetwork.com/jaycarper
Follow me on Twitter: https://jaycarper.com/twitter
Add me as a contact on MeWe at https://jaycarper.com/mewe
Follow me on Gab at https://gab.com/carper
Connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/americantorah/
-
5:56
American Torah
1 month agoA Sabbath to YHWH, part 2c: Why Does It Matter?
222 -
15:27
robbijan
1 day ago $2.40 earnedThe Emperor’s New Labubu & The Spiritual War Behind Everything
42.9K43 -
LIVE
GritsGG
18 hours ago36 Hour Stream! Most Wins 3420+ ðŸ§
773 watching -
2:05:47
TimcastIRL
6 hours agoTrump FBI Raids John Bolton Amid Classified Docs Investigation | Timcast IRL
174K73 -
2:15:23
TheSaltyCracker
7 hours agoFinally Someone Gets Raided ReEEeStream 8-22-25
81K214 -
2:59:21
I_Came_With_Fire_Podcast
19 hours agoChina's New Ship Killers, EU Dead, Shooter HOAX, and The Missing Woman
16.1K2 -
3:46:26
SynthTrax & DJ Cheezus Livestreams
15 hours agoFriday Night Synthwave 80s 90s Electronica and more DJ MIX Livestream OUTSIDERZ Edition
23.7K -
3:39:16
VapinGamers
5 hours ago $0.07 earnedFortnite Friday with BrianZGame and Community! #1 Controller Scrub NA - !rumbot !music
9.83K -
5:00:14
iCheapshot
6 hours ago $0.02 earnedTrying Out The Finals | Complete Newb
6.77K3 -
1:59:06
HogansAlleyHero
8 hours ago💥2XP WEEKEND - BF6 REWARDS UNLOCK GRIND 💥
4.03K