Abraham who, contrary to hope, in hope believed

.... so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken.  And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead.   He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,  and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform (Romans 4:18-21).  So then “what was spoken” was that God had made Abraham the father of many nations (Genesis 17:5). Note the tense “had made!” God spoke to Abraham about about what would happen in the future, as a completed action, as if it had already happened (this is the force of the Hebrew tense). You see God's promises are sure, they are yes and Amen. God sees the end from the beginning, and in any case,  He dwells outside of time. 

In terms of his not being weak in faith, Abraham did not let the reality of “his body already dead” get in the way of his faith. The meaning of the title phrase is clear. He had no earthly reason to hope, but he did have reason, it was his faith in the One who “gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (verse 17).  When God speaks,  what He speaks actually calls what is spoken into existence. For example when there was no light,  He spoke “Let there be light, and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). The word “consider” in verse 19, has the sense of “fix one’s eyes or mind upon”.  It doesn't mean  he ignored the reality of his body being dead. No, there was a higher reality, the reality that the  One who speaks things into existence,  had spoken.

That “he did not waver” is interesting.  He certainly tried to make the promise happen his way, rather than waiting on God. The result was disastrous, in that in so doing he sired a nation that has been at war with the sons of the promise since that time (Genesis 16:3; 17:20).  You have to wonder how many of us have received a promise from God and likewise,  in the delay, have tried to make it happen, rather than waiting on God. Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt!  But the God who chooses to remember our sins and iniquities no more (Hebrews 8:12),  does not report them when He records history under New Covenant inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16).  What is important, and what should be encouraging to those of us who don't always wait perfectly,  is the end of the story. And the end of the story,  is that through it all his faith was strengthened, and through that strengthening he became fully convinced that what God had promised He was also able to perform. And also importantly,  he  gave glory to God (verses 20, 21).  

Father, I sense You telling us this morning, that when You have given us a promise, that our struggle to believe through the difficult time of waiting, is there to strengthen us. And that if we refuse, contrary to hope, to continue to hope,  we will come to the place where we will thank You for the result even before is comes, and that this gives You glory. So I thank You this morning Lord that all Your promises as yes and Amen and I give You glory in Jesus Name Amen