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For this is<\/em> the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n God always keeps His promises to us.<\/p>\n \u201cAt this time<\/span>\u201d is translated from kata ton kairon touton<\/em><\/span>. The word kata<\/em> <\/span>means \u201cdown\u201d but metaphorically it is used to express the relationship one thing has toward another. In this use it is often translated \u201caccording to.\u201d The word kairon<\/em><\/span> expresses \u201ca period of opportunity.\u201d It really has no English equivalent but can loosely be translated here as \u201can opportune time\u201d or \u201ca season.\u201d Hence, a literal translation of this phrase could be, \u201caccording to this opportune time\u201d or \u201caccording to this season.\u201d We can interpret this to mean \u201cat about this time next year.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul is explaining that even though the Jews had all the special privileges as the children of Israel (Jacob), they were not all righteous. This is because that righteousness does not come from lineage but from the imputation of righteousness by God\u2019s own choosing. The children of the flesh are not the children of God, the children of the promise are.<\/p>\n Paul now reminds his countrymen of the promise that was made to Abraham. A more literal translation of the open phrase of this verse is \u201cthis word is one of promise.\u201d In other words, this is not THE promise made to Abraham, but it is one example of a promise that God made to him and it certainly ties into the earlier promise:<\/p>\n Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.\u201d <\/span> (Genesis 12:1-2<\/strong><\/span>)<\/p>\n In keeping with the promise to make the name of Abraham great and to make him a blessing, God later promised Abraham a son. That son, however, was not to come for nearly twenty-five years. After twenty-four years, God again told Abraham that he would have a son (in addition to Ishmael) and Paul quotes this promise from Genesis 18:10<\/strong><\/span> which says;<\/p>\n And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”<\/span><\/p>\n It was about a year later that Sarah gave birth to Isaac. A living son brought forth from a dead womb. As a result we see that the child of Sarah (conceived through faith), not the child of Hagar (conceived through works), was the one God promised Abraham he would have. Abraham was about one hundred years old when this promise was made and Sarah about ninety. She was past the age of childbearing and he was too old to produce offspring himself. God is able to fulfill his promises to us even when it seems physically impossible. He can do the impossible, like saving condemned sinners like you and me.<\/p>\n God has made many promises to us in the New Testament such as: \u201cIf you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved<\/span>\u201d(Romans 10:9<\/strong><\/span>) and \u201cI will never leave you nor forsake you<\/span>\u201d (Hebrews 13:5b<\/strong><\/span>). Like Abraham, we can trust His word because God keeps His promises. Always!<\/p>\n In God\u2019s service, for His glory,<\/strong><\/p>\nTruth to Learn<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Behind the Words<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Meaning Explained<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
Application<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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