What does Genesis 21:33 Mean?

Study Notes

everlasting God
(1) The Hebrew "Olam" is used in Scripture:

(a) of secret or hidden things (e.g. Leviticus 5:2 "hidden"; 2 Kings 4:27 , "hid"; Psalms 10:1 , "hidest");

(b) an indefinite time or age Leviticus 25:32 , "at any time"; Joshua 24:2 "in old time"). Hence the word is used to express the eternal duration of the being of God, Psalms 90:2 . "From everlasting to everlasting"), and is the Hebrew synonym of the Greek "aion," age or dispensation.

, note (4).

(2) The ideas therefore of things kept secret and of indefinite duration combine in this word. Both ideas inhere in the doctrine of the dispensations or ages. They are among the "mysteries" of God Ephesians 1:9 ; Ephesians 1:10 ; Ephesians 3:2-6 ; Matthew 13:11 . The "everlasting" God (El Olam) is therefore that name of Deity in virtue of which He is the God whose wisdom has divided all time and eternity into the mystery of successive ages or dispensations. It is not merely that He is everlasting, but that He is God over everlasting things. See, for other names of Deity:

See Scofield " Genesis 2:4 " Genesis 2:7 See Scofield " Genesis 14:18 " See Scofield " Genesis 15:2 " See Scofield " Genesis 17:1 " See Scofield " 1 Samuel 1:3 "

make man in our image

Man. Genesis 1:26 ; Genesis 1:27 gives the general, Genesis 2:7 ; Genesis 2:21-23 the particular account of the creation of man. The revealed facts are:

(1) Man was created not evolved. This is

(a) expressly declared, and the declaration is confirmed by Christ Matthew 19:14 ; Mark 10:6 ,

(b) "an enormous gulf, a divergence practically infinite" (Huxley) between the lowest man and the highest beast, confirms it;

(c) the highest beast has no trace of God-consciousness--the religious nature;

(d) science and discovery have done nothing to bridge that "gulf."

(2) That man was made in the "image and likeness" of God. This image is found chiefly in man's tri-unity, and in his moral nature. Man is "spirit and soul and body" 1 Thessalonians 5:23 .

"Spirit" is that part of man which "knows" 1 Corinthians 2:11 and which allies him to the spiritual creation and gives him God-consciousness. "Soul" in itself implies self-consciousness life, as distinguished from plants, which have unconscious life. In that sense animals also have "soul" Genesis 1:24 . But the "soul" of man has a vaster content than "soul" as applied to beast life. It is the seat of emotions, desires, affections Psalms 42:1-6 . The "heart" is, in Scripture usage, nearly synonymous with "soul." Because the natural man is, characteristically, the soulual or physical man, "soul" is often used as synonymous with the individual, e.g. Genesis 12:5 . The body, separable from spirit and soul, and susceptible to death, is nevertheless an integral part of man, as the resurrection shows; John 5:28 ; John 5:29 ; 1 Corinthians 15:47-50 ; Revelation 20:11-13 . It is the seat of the senses (the means by which the spirit and soul have world-consciousness) and of the fallen Adamic nature. Romans 7:23 ; Romans 7:24 .

us , Genesis 11:7

Context Summary

Abimelech was impressed with Abraham's growing prosperity. He felt that it could not be explained on merely natural grounds. "God is with thee in all that thou doest." He sought, therefore, to secure the well-being of himself and his kingdom by forming an amicable treaty. Abraham immediately indicated that, while willing to meet him, they must first have a clear understanding about a certain injustice which he had suffered. As our Lord taught afterward, he showed Abimelech his fault as between them alone, Matthew 18:15. The matter was easily adjusted by the king's frank disavowal of his servants' action. In lieu of written documents the seven lambs would be a perpetual sign and token of Abraham's claim to the well, henceforth known as "the well of the oath." The tamarisk was the second of these natural title-deeds. Wherever the religious man dwells he should pray, and leave behind him trees and wells. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 21

¹  Isaac is born, and circumcised
⁶  Sarah's joy
⁸  Isaac is weaned
⁹  Hagar and Ishmael sent away
¹⁵  Hagar in distress
¹⁷  The angel relieves and comforts her
²³  Abimelech's covenant with Abraham at Beersheba