All right. I want you to take
your Bibles and turn back to the book of Genesis chapter 21. Genesis chapter 21. Last Wednesday evening I announced
that I would try to divide this closing passage out of this precious
chapter, Genesis 21, and I'd like to deal with the last portion
of this passage. I'll begin in a moment in verse
28 of Genesis 21, but just to quickly bring everyone back to
where we were. Abimelech, the king, and Phicol,
his chief captain. Abimelech's army has come from
Gera to meet with Abraham, They make this statement to Abraham.
This is in verse 22 of Genesis 21. He said, God is with thee
in all that thou doest. And last Wednesday night, I told
you that in this chapter right here, this last portion, we're
going to see Abraham being a picture of the Lord. It's Abraham, a
picture of Almighty God. Abimelech, a picture, a type
of the vessel of God's mercy and compassion. And Abimelech,
he desired to enter into a covenant of peace with Abraham, but he
made a statement in verse 23, he said, now I want you to deal
with me in truth, swear, verse 23, unto me here by God, that
thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, thy son's
son, but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee thou
shalt do unto me into the land wherein thou hast sojourned he
desired peace but he made up a statement there as all men
by nature do he thought that this peace would be established
by the kindness that he had shown Abraham that's men by nature
they think that they have done something or they can do something
to establish peace he said now Abraham, I want you to be truthful
with me. And Abraham said, I will be.
I swear, that's what he said, 24th verse, I will swear. And what Abraham did for Abimelech
in dealing truthfully with him, he reproved him for what Abimelech's
servants had done. Some of his servants had taken
a well, by violent force, had taken a well away from those
that were servants of Abraham and Abraham told Abimelech he
said now before this can be established as peace now we're going to have
to deal with a problem that we've got and there was that beautiful
picture of what man Adam had done and all his posterity that
came from him this is what God had been offended in the garden
Abraham had told Abimelech he said there's an offense Man has
offended God. All men in Adam disobeyed God. And it's going to have to be
dealt with. Well, Abimelech and Abraham, Abimelech told him,
he said, I didn't know anything about this offense. I was ignorant
of this. And man by nature is ignorant.
He's ignorant of his offense before God. Man by nature doesn't
realize the depth of his But Abraham is going to establish
peace with Abimelech. And Abraham, in verse 27, took
sheep and oxen and gave them unto Abimelech. Abraham. Now
look who did it. Look who took the sheep and oxen.
Who provided? Who provided the sacrifice? Abraham. Abraham did. Remember when Abraham
told his son Isaac, Lord willing we're going to look at this in
chapter 22. Beautiful chapter. This is the next chapter deals
with when Abraham took Isaac and he's going to sacrifice him
according to the word of the Lord and the Lord provides a
ram. You know the story. But Abraham, Abraham took the
sheep. Here's a picture now. Abraham's
a picture of Christ. And he took and he provided himself. He takes, Abraham takes the sheep,
verse 27, the oxen gave them unto Abimelech, and both of them
made a covenant. The covenant was cut. And in
agreement, it shows how almighty God has been pleased to sacrifice
the sacrifice of himself. It gives his people a heart of
agreement to say, Lord, you're worthy. You're worthy. Lord,
you redeemed us, you kept us. And so here's that covenant of
peace. Abimelech has offended Abraham,
man has offended God. God Almighty has provided himself,
just as Abraham provided the sacrifice. And then we'll pick
up right here now. We're going to pick up in verse
28. And after this, they made this
covenant, verse 27. And it says in verses 28 to 30,
now let's see what the Lord has to say here. Abraham set seven
ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. And Abimelech said unto Abraham,
what mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? And he said, for these seven
ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness
unto me that I have digged this well. Now, Abimelech had said,
had asked in verse 23, he asked Abraham, he said, Abraham, swear
unto me by God. Now I told you last time that
word swear right there means seven, it means seven, perfection. Seven yourself. That you give
me your word. Seven yourself. In perfect truth. Perfect truth. As if you're telling
me, I promise, I promise, I promise, I promise, I promise, I promise,
I promise. I will never, no never, no never,
no never, I'll never forsake you. Seven yourself. So here's Abraham in verse 28. He sent seven ewe lambs of the
flock by themselves. And Abimelech asked him, what
do these seven ewe lambs mean? What's the meaning of this? And
the Spirit of God moved Abraham to declare a precious truth that
blesses the heart of God's people. And this is what Abraham said,
For these seven new lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they
may be a witness, now listen, unto me, unto Abraham, unto Abraham,
that I have digged this well. Now, there is no revelation or
understanding of the scriptures except the scriptures. To see
the meaning of scripture, look to the scriptures. Let the scriptures
declare the meaning of the scriptures. So, seven ewe lambs. Well, my heart was stirred. I want to look up. I want to
find out what does the scriptures have to say about the ewe lamb,
the female lamb. small female lamb. What's the
scriptures have to say for it? Hold your place there and turn
to Leviticus 14.10. Leviticus 14.10. I can say this, there's no confidence,
no explanation that settles the heart like reading it in the
Word of God. You're reading the Word of God and you know what
it says? That's it right there. There's the truth right there.
Leviticus 14.10. The scripture says, and on the
eighth day he shall take two he-lambs without blemish and
one ewe-lamb of the first year without blemish and three-tenths
deals of fine flour. Now here's what I'm setting forth.
The ewe-lamb was to be set forth as a meat offering, mingled with
oil, and one log of oil. Now, the scripture sets forth
that in the sacrifices there was found, we're going to look
at another one in just a minute, but for sure the scripture sets
forth that the ewe lamb was the lamb that was going to be used
to set forth or to be the meat offering. Now, the meat offering,
I've mentioned this before, I'll tell this all again, the meat
offering was the bloodless offering that was given. It was fine flour,
thoroughly ground, almost like powder, just fine, fine, mingled
with oil in one log of oil. And what did this meatless, I
mean bloodless, not meatless, bloodless offering set forth?
This flour. It set forth the perfect humanity
of the Lord that's what the meat offering set forth mingle with
or who he who was given the spirit without measure the Holy One
of heaven he who knew no sin so the scripture sets forth that
in Leviticus 14 10 that a you lamb was going to be that which
was used to declare the purity the humanity of our Lord, he
who knew no sin. Then, secondly, the ewe lamb
was set forth in Numbers. Turn over to Numbers chapter
6. Numbers chapter 6. Numbers 6 and verse 13, 14. Here was another record of the
ewe lamb being used. Numbers 6, 13, 14. This is the
law of the Nazarite. When the days of his separation
are fulfilled, he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation, and he shall offer his offering unto the Lord,
one he-lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering,
and one you-lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin
offering, one ram without blemish for a peace offering. Now, the
part that I'm looking at He's talking about the ewe lamb being
a picture or being the means or being the type of the sin
offering. Now, that sin offering, what
did it set for? He who bore the guilt of our
people, of his people. He who was made sin for his own. He who bore all of their guilt. in his own body, the sin offering. So here's, you take this offering,
you take one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, or
a sin offering. So a ewe lamb was used for the
meat offering. A ewe lamb was used for the sin
offering. And then there was one other
reference that I found concerning the ewe lamb, and it was found
in 2 Samuel. 2 Samuel, chapter 12. Turn with me, 2 Samuel, chapter
12. There's another reference to a ewe lamb that I thought
was very, very profitable. 2 Samuel 12, one
to three. Now this is the incident when
David, King David, took Bathsheba. Remember that? Took her and committed
adultery with her. had her husband killed. And the
scripture says, after that happened, 2 Samuel 12, 1 to 3, and the
Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and he
said unto him, There were two men in one city, one rich, the
other poor. The rich man had exceeding many
flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing, save one little
ewe lamb. which he had bought, nourished
up, and it grew up together with him, and with his children, and
did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, lay in
his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter. That little, that
new lamb, what was it a picture of? It was a picture of our precious
Savior, who was the only possession of those poor in spirit, made
so by the grace of God. Here is a picture of the ewe
lamb. Turn back to Genesis chapter
21. Here's the ewe lamb. Now Abimelech
said, I want you to seven yourself to me. Be truthful with me. Tell me
where whereon this peace is established. Tell me, tell me how this is
wrought. Scripture says that Abraham, verse 28, he said, seven
you lambs of the flock by themselves. What, what mean these, what mean
these you lambs? What mean these seven you lambs,
you that will seven yourself? He said, this, this, this, this
is going to be a witness unto me, Abraham said. Here's a picture
now, Abraham, a picture of Picture of Almighty God. This is a witness
unto the Lord. Seven ewe lambs. These seven
ewe lambs, what do they stand for? His perfect humanity. His glorious willingness to suffer
and die in the stead of his people. Bearing their guilt in his own
body. and his preciousness of being
the one who alone is the comfort, peace, and life of his poor people. Poor in themselves, rich in faith. That man back in 2 Samuel 1,
he was poor. He had one little ewe lamb. You know what God's people have?
They have Him. They have Him. and they love
him. That man back in 2 Samuel, he
loved that little ewe lamb, nourished it. Oh God Almighty is loved
by his people. But that, before I go on from
here, it amazed me. I kept reading of the ewe lamb. It's female, female, female. Here is our Lord who was made
in the likeness of men, his bride. He took upon himself the form
of sinful flesh. For whom did he come? His bride,
his people, his church, here in beautiful tithe. What do these
ewe lambs mean? It means him. His willingness
to suffer. The only one, the only possession
of his people. Perfect humanity. Abimelech,
what mean ye, verse 29, and he said, These seven ewe lambs shall
thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that
I have digged this well. You know, it reminded me of that
passage of scripture when in Egypt the Lord said, I want you
to take a lamb, kill it, Take the blood, put it on your doorpost,
get inside. What do you say? When I see the
blood, when I see the blood, when I
see the blood, I'll pass it over you. Oh, I don't doubt for one
second that every time Abimelech looked at those little seven
ewe lambs that he would remember his own ignorant offense toward
Abraham. I don't doubt that he He would
look at those seven new lambs and remember the kindness that
Abraham had shown unto him. I doubt, I don't doubt for one
second that he would remember that Abraham dug that well. That
was Abraham's. And that Abimelech had offended
Abraham through his service. But he was responsible. But I'm
telling you, the Lord brings back to our memories too. What he's done for us, redeemed
us. by grace, generated us by grace, kept us by grace. But these seven new lambs were
not said to be for Abimelech's remembrance, but rather Abraham's
remembrance, to be a witness before him. And with that thought,
turn with me to Genesis chapter 9. With that thought, we remember
it's the Lord's good pleasure to remember His covenant. You
say, well, the Lord will never forget anything. I know that.
But listen to what the Lord said. Look at Genesis chapter 9. Genesis
9, verse 12 to 15. The flood has been abased. It's over. Noah has been delivered. Genesis 9, 12. And God said,
this is the token of the covenant which I make between me you and
every living creature that is with you for perpetual generations. I do set my bow in the clouds. It shall be for a token of a
covenant between me and the earth. It shall come to pass when I
bring a cloud over the earth that the bow shall be seen in
the cloud and I will remember my covenant which is between
me You and every living creature of all flesh in the waters shall
no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. It's a thing to tell
me that God sets a bow, a rainbow. God has made that rainbow and
he said when I see the bow I'm going to remember my covenant.
I thank the Lord. Your ways are not our ways. Our
thoughts are not your thoughts. The Lord thank you for telling
us that. How can we look at a rainbow and not think of what the Lord
said he remembers? Verse 31, 32. Wherefore he called that place
Beersheba, because there they swear both of them. Thus they
made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech rose up, and Phicol,
the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land
of the Philistines. God alone has established the
covenant between himself in his triunity and his people. His covenant established, kept
according to the merit of the glorious person of our Lord Jesus
Christ. He is the well I look, look at
verse 31. If you, my Bible has a marginal
reading and it says there, wherefore he called that place Beersheba,
the well of the oath. This is the well of the oath.
This is, this is the, this is the well, a picture of the Lord
Jesus Christ, living water himself. He is the well of the covenant,
covenant of grace. from which all of God's people
speak. He alone is worthy to declare
unto all that are made spiritually thirsty. Come unto me, come unto
me. Isaiah 55, Isaiah 55, verse 1
to 4. It's a beautiful thought. Here
it is. What's the foundation of the
oath? What's the foundation? This is the well. This is the
well of the oak right here. Isaiah 55, one to four. Ho, everyone
that thirsty. Come ye to the waters. He that
hath no money, come ye buy and drink, yea, come buy wine and
milk without money, without price. Wherefore do you spend money
for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which
satisfies not? Hearken diligently unto me, and
eat ye that which is good. Let your soul delight itself
in fatness, incline your ear, and come unto me here, and your
soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with
you. even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him
for a witness to the people, a leader and a commander to the
people. Here's the truth established.
Almighty God, Christ is the well, the well of the covenant. He's
the water. He's the well. What did he say
in John chapter 7 verse 37? Remember this? In that last day
of the feast, if any man thirst, come unto me and drink. It was prophesied, he's the well. Christ declared, I am in the
well. And throughout the scriptures,
Revelation 22, here's the cry unto the very end of God's word. Revelation 22. Verse 16, 17, I, Jesus, have
sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.
I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning
star, and the spirit and the bride. Say come, let him that
hear us say come, let him that is the third come and whosoever
will, let him take up the water of life freely. last two verses in Genesis 21
and Abraham planted a grove marginal reading there is a tree in Beersheba
planted a tree there and called there on the name of the Lord
the everlasting God and Abraham sojourned in the Philistines
land many days. I read where Beersheba that that
city was right on the border of the land of the Philistines.
Right on the border. And right on that border, Abraham
planted a tree. It says a grove, the marginal
reading says a tree. He established there in type
that there is a place of rest. Established by covenant. for
the people of God. So here in that city, that city
that means well of the oath, he planted a tree, but can we
read of a tree being planted by Abraham and fail to remember
the tree upon which he was nailed? Where the payment of the covenant
was made. where the blood was shed, where
He suffered and died for our peace and rest before God. Oh, the rest that we have in
the Lord Jesus Christ. What do these new lambs mean?
It's Him. Perfect humanity. Perfect willingness
in His suffering, bearing our sins. Perfectly, the one alone. who is the fullness of the Godhead,
in whom all of our needs, all of our rest is found. And this
tree right here, where the blood was shed, and the scripture says,
He planted a grove in Beersheba and called on the name of the
Lord, the everlasting God. Called on the name of the Lord.
What does that mean? Worship was established by Almighty
God in that place. In the name of the Father, name
of the Son, name of the Holy Spirit, set forth to declare
the everlasting salvation of God's elect. There God raised
up the gospel. That's what it means. There they
called on the name of the Lord. Worship. Peace set forth. Oh, the blessing of beholding
the mercy of God found in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray the Lord bless this word to our hearts. May He bless it
to our hearts and may we behold afresh our peace and our comfort
found in Him for His glory and our good. Amen.