BRINGING FORTH ISAAC BY THE STRENGTH OF GOD’S GRACE - At the time when God changed Abraham’s name and commanded him to be circumcised, God said to him in 17:21,...Isaac, which Sarah shall bare unto thee at this set time in the next year.” Here we see that God made an appointment, setting up a time when Isaac would be born. This is referred to in 18:14 when the Lord said, “At the time appointed I will return unto thee, at the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son” (Heb.). The appointed time, the time set for the birth of Isaac was “the time of life.” This term, “the time of life,” is very meaningful. The word life in this phrase is the same Hebrew word that is used for the tree of life in 2:9. The time when Isaac would be born was “the time of life.” This happened after Abraham was circumcised. This indicates that “the time of life” when Christ will be life to us will come after our natural strength has been dealt with.

After the death of the strength of his fleshFBefore Isaac was born, Abraham and Sarah were completely deadened. Sarah’s womb was deadened, and Abraham’s body was considered dead (Rom. 4:18-19). What he had-Eliezer-and what he intended to keep-Ishmael-were all rejected, and his natural ability was terminated. Then what could he do? Perhaps Abraham and Sarah had some unhappy fellowship. Abraham might have said to his wife, “Dear, look at yourself. Your function has been deadened.” Sarah might have said to Abraham, “Dear, look at yourself. How old!” Both of them were in a deadened condition. Sarah might have said, “Eliezer is good, but God has rejected him.” Abraham might have replied, “Ishmael is better, but God would not accept him either. Since Eliezer has been eliminated and Ishmael has been rejected, that leaves you and me in such a poor situation. What shall we do?” But when “the time of life” came, Isaac was born of these two dead ones, as if it was by the power of resurrection. The time of that birth was “the time of life.” Spiritually speaking, the birth of Isaac was a birth of life.

By Jehovah’s visitationFThe birth of Isaac was by Jehovah’s visitation, by the Lord’s coming (18:14). Isaac’s birth was not merely a human birth. In that birth there was the coming of Jehovah, for the Lord had said that at the appointed time, He would return and Isaac would be born and that that time would be “the time of life.” When Abraham’s natural strength was ended, Jehovah came to bring in Isaac’s birth at “the time of life.” That was the transfer of life. Everything of the natural life must go. Even the ability to beget a son must be terminated. Nothing of our natural life or of our self has any share in God’s economy. Everything natural must be terminated until we are finished, dead, and have become nothing. Then, when we have come to the end, Jehovah will come in. This coming in of Jehovah means life. This is “Isaac.” Hence, the birth of Isaac is the coming of Jehovah. This is life, this is the new beginning, and this is the transfer of life. This is the significance of God’s calling.

It is very good to realize that we all have been called and have had a new beginning and the transfer of race. But we should all agree that we are still in the process of the transfer of life. Probably, some of us still cling to Eliezer, some want to hold on to Ishmael, and some have been fully disappointed. However, others among us have come to “the time of life.” In their case, “Isaac” has been born. Jehovah’s coming, Jehovah’s visit, has transpired with some of us. This is the transfer of life. We all need such a transfer.

We need to forget the superficial and natural teachings, such as improving and behaving ourselves. It is not a matter of behavior but of a life transfer. We all must be transferred not only in race but also in life.

When Abraham was called out of the corrupted land, he had no son. He became old and still did not have a son. Therefore, he put his trust in Eliezer, the son of possession. God rejected Eliezer. Then Abraham exercised the strength of his flesh to produce Ishmael. Abraham loved Ishmael and wanted to keep him, but God would not accept him. The promised son had to be born of Jehovah’s coming in, of the strength of God’s grace at the appointed time. When the appointed time arrived, Jehovah came to Sarah and Isaac came forth. In a sense, Jehovah came into Sarah and Isaac came out of her. That was “the time of life.” It was altogether a transfer of life.
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