In Genesis 21:22-34 Abraham makes a covenant with Abimelech. Though Abraham had disastrously lied about Sarah being his wife to Abimelech, now we see that God is able to turn this to good as Abimelech sees through the incident that God is with Abraham and defends him. It is by this that Abraham is able to dwell in the land peacefully, even though he is unable to acquire it.

In Revelation 14:6-13 we see an element of the gospel that is often overlooked: judgment. This seems counter-intuitive but judgment is actually an element of the gospel. This message is meant to encourage the saints to remain steadfast in the midst of all difficulties so that that final day of judgment might be a day of vindication for them, rather than a day of destruction.

In Genesis 21:8-21 we encounter problems in Abraham's family once again. Though Isaac is born, this causes tension with Hagar and Ishmael. Ishmael persecutes Isaac and the result is that both Hagar and Ishmael are cast out. God, however, shows mercy to both of them in the wilderness, foreshadowing the inclusion of the Gentiles through Christ.

In Revelation 14:1-5 we see the opposite of the mark of the beast. Whereas many will receive the mark of the beast in order to receive advantages in this life, those who receive the seal of God, with God's name written on their foreheads, will receive advantages in the life to come. This is what happens to the 144,000, a figure for all the elect. They are blessed in the presence of God singing praises to the lamb who is enthroned on Zion.

In Genesis 21:1-7 Isaac is born. God is faithful to all of His promises. The entire Abrahamic narrative turns on the birth of Isaac, and here, with the birth of Isaac, God shows that all of His promises will come to pass.

In Revelation 13:11-18 the second beast arises to persecute the church. One expression of this beast is the cultural forces at work today which seek to bring glory to Leftism, an expression of the first beast, and to make it costly to be a Christian in society. We must be aware of such opposition and remain firm in the faith, recognizing that it will cost us something to be faithful.

In Genesis 20:1-18 Abraham sins in the same way he did in chapter 12. Rather than protect his wife, he lies by calling her his sister, which leads to her being taken by Abimelech to become his wife. This sin is all the worse because Sarah is about to give birth to Isaac, the promised seed. Abraham's actions, therefore, appear to jeopardize the promises of God. God, however, is merciful to Abraham and, as He did in Egypt, defends Sarah even when Abraham fails. All of this shows that God will always keep His promises. Isaac will be born as promised.

In Revelation 13:11-18 a second beast arises. Whereas the first beast is a counterfeit Christ, the second is a counterfeit Spirit. This beast seeks to bring glory to the first beast by promoting image worship. The connection to image worship and the emphasis on a counterfeit form of Christianity make it clear that Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and any other group that follows the decisions of the Second Council of Nicaea are expressions of this second beast. Notes: The historical overview of the Second Council of Nicaea was taken predominantly from Philip Schaff’s History of the Christian Church, volume 4, sections 101-103. The arguments for discontinuity of the canons of Second Nicaea with the early church depend on Gavin Ortlund’s very helpful video. For a fuller argumentation on this point, see his video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ytYX4dXpRo&t=1897s

In Genesis 21:22-34 Abraham makes a covenant with Abimelech. Though Abraham had disastrously lied about Sarah being his wife to Abimelech, now we see that God is able to turn this to good as Abimelech sees through the incident that God is with Abraham and defends him. It is by this that Abraham is able to dwell in the land peacefully, even though he is unable to acquire it.

Fasting is not done much today, and because of this, it is not always properly understood. Many think that the purpose of fasting is to chasten the appetites of the body so as to make us less likely to indulge in sin. This, however, is a form of asceticism condemned by Paul in Colossians 2:20-23. It is of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. The true purpose of fasting is actually to humble ourselves before God in order to call out to Him in prayer.