1 Chronicles 1:28-33: a reflection

28The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. 29These are their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 30Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 31Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael. 32The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: she bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. 33The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah.

In the long genealogies, this passage traces the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael, and beyond them the many descendants who came from Abraham through Ishmael and through Keturah, a great host of peoples. The list of names, tribe after tribe descending from Abraham, quietly bears witness to a promise kept: God had promised Abraham that he would make him the father of many, that his descendants would be numerous; and here, in the genealogy, that promise is being fulfilled, generation after generation flowing from Abraham. What God had promised, to make Abraham the father of many nations, God was faithfully bringing to pass. The genealogy witnesses to God's faithfulness in making Abraham the father of many. God kept his promise to make Abraham father of many. The many descendants of Abraham show God's promise fulfilled. God faithfully made Abraham the father of many, as he had promised.

Notice how the genealogy quietly testifies to God's faithfulness. God had promised Abraham, when he was old and childless, that he would make him the father of many, that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. It must have seemed, at the time of the promise, hard to believe. But here, generations later, the genealogy lists the many peoples descended from Abraham, through Isaac and Ishmael and the sons of Keturah, a great multitude. The promise that once seemed hard to believe had been faithfully fulfilled; God had made Abraham the father of many, just as he said. This is a witness to God's faithfulness to his promises. What God promises, even when it seems hard to believe, even when its fulfillment lies far off, he faithfully brings to pass, as the multiplying of Abraham's descendants shows. We can hold onto God's promises even when their fulfillment seems distant or unlikely, trusting that the God who kept his word to Abraham keeps his word. God is faithful to fulfill what he promises, even over long generations. What God promises he faithfully brings to pass. The God who kept his word to Abraham is faithful to his promises.

That is worth resting in, for God is faithful to fulfill his promises, as the many descendants of Abraham show the promise to make him the father of many faithfully kept. We can doubt God's promises when their fulfillment seems distant or unlikely, when we cannot see how they could come to pass; but the genealogy of Abraham's many descendants witnesses to a promise, once hard to believe, that God faithfully brought to pass over the generations. What God promises, he keeps. When God's promises seem far off, remember that he faithfully made Abraham the father of many, as he said. Rest in the truth that God is faithful to fulfill his promises, as the long genealogy of Abraham's descendants through Isaac and Ishmael and the sons of Keturah witnesses to the promise, once hard to believe when Abraham was old and childless, that God would make him the father of many, faithfully brought to pass over the generations; for we can doubt God's promises when their fulfillment seems distant or unlikely and we cannot see how they could come about, but the God who kept his word to Abraham, multiplying his descendants into a great host of peoples just as he had said, is faithful to his promises, so that we can hold onto what God has promised even when its fulfillment lies far off, trusting that he who kept his word to Abraham keeps his word.

Lord, in the long genealogies, this passage traces the sons of Abraham, Isaac and Ishmael, and beyond them the many descendants who came from Abraham through Ishmael and through Keturah, a great host of peoples. The list of names, tribe after tribe descending from Abraham, quietly bears witness to a promise kept: you had promised Abraham that you would make him the father of many, that his descendants would be numerous; and here, in the genealogy, that promise is being fulfilled, generation after generation flowing from Abraham. What you had promised, to make Abraham the father of many nations, you were faithfully bringing to pass. Show me how the genealogy quietly testifies to your faithfulness. You had promised Abraham, when he was old and childless, that you would make him the father of many, that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. It must have seemed, at the time of the promise, hard to believe. But here, generations later, the genealogy lists the many peoples descended from Abraham, a great multitude. The promise that once seemed hard to believe had been faithfully fulfilled. This is a witness to your faithfulness to your promises. What you promise, even when it seems hard to believe, even when its fulfillment lies far off, you faithfully bring to pass. I can hold onto your promises even when their fulfillment seems distant or unlikely, trusting that you who kept your word to Abraham keep your word. Let me rest in that, for you are faithful to fulfill your promises. When your promises seem far off, help me remember that you faithfully made Abraham the father of many, as you said, Lord, so that I can hold onto what you have promised even when its fulfillment lies far off, trusting that you who kept your word to Abraham keep your word.