Sarah and Isaac, by Scott Snow

Genesis 18–23: Lesson 25

Genesis 15–18; 21

“The Lord Did … as He Had Spoken”

Visit “Studying the Scriptures” to help prepare yourself spiritually to learn.

Promises are made when people want to show strong commitment to something. Sadly, people don’t always keep their promises to each other. But, when Heavenly Father makes a promise, He keeps it. This lesson can help you increase your trust that the Lord will keep His promises.

Study the Scriptures

Read the following scenarios:

A young woman has chosen to be honest in her schoolwork, believing the Lord will bless her. She notices her grades are worse than other students who are cheating.

A young man received his patriarchal blessing, which states that he will serve a full-time mission. During a medical exam, doctors discover he has physical complications that will not allow him to serve.

A young woman has put Moroni’s promise to the test by reading the Book of Mormon and praying to know that it is true. She feels she has not received an answer.

What are some questions these young people might have about God and His promises?

Choose one of these scenarios that you would like to think about throughout the lesson.

The Lord’s promises to Abraham and Sarah

Abraham and Sarah desired to have children (see Abraham 1:2). But as they got older, it appeared that they might not be able to have their own children during their mortal lives.

Context: As you study the scriptures, it can be helpful to understand the context. Context is the circumstances or background surrounding a particular passage. The context can clarify and bring a deeper understanding to the stories or teachings in the scriptures.

Read each of the following passages and their accompanying context. Mark words or phrases you feel are important and want to remember. As you read, keep in mind that the Lord eventually changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah.

1. Genesis 15:1–6

   Context: Abram was over 75 years old at the time of this vision (see Genesis 12:4). The closest person Abram had to a child was a servant who was born in his house.

2. Genesis 17:15–21

   Context: The Lord had promised children to Abram in his old age (see Genesis 15:4–5). But Sarai and Abram were still unable to have children. The Lord commanded Abram to marry Sarai’s servant Hagar. Abram was 86 years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael (see Genesis 16:3, 16; Doctrine and Covenants 132:34). Since Hagar was Sarah’s maid or servant, Ishmael would have legally been considered Abraham and Sarah’s child. In this way, Sarah may have felt that the Lord’s promise of posterity was fulfilled.

3. Genesis 18:9–14

   Context: The Lord sent three messengers to visit Abraham and Sarah. Earlier, the Lord told Abraham that Sarah, who was around 90 years old at the time, would have a son (see Genesis 17:16–19). Upon hearing the messengers repeat this promise to Abraham, Sarah laughed to herself in disbelief (see Genesis 18:12).

How do you feel the context helped you understand what you studied?

Read Genesis 21:1–6, looking for how the Lord kept His promises to Abraham and Sarah. What did you learn about the Lord and His promises?

You may want to record truths you found about God keeping His promises in a note next to these verses.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, then of the First Presidency, shared a lesson he learned about God’s promises:

God’s promises are not always fulfilled as quickly as or in the way we might hope; they come according to His timing and in His ways. (“Continue in Patience,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2010, 58)

If available, watch “Good Things to Come” (4:55). Or think of personal experiences you have had when you have seen the Lord’s promises fulfilled in your life.

Review the following study options. Complete one or more.

Option A

How can I help others see that God fulfills His promises?

Pick one of the scenarios from the beginning of the lesson. Using the account of Abraham and Sarah and what you have learned about the Lord and His promises, write an encouraging message to the person in that scenario.

Option B

How can I remember that God fulfills His promises?

Heavenly Father wants you to remember that when you obey the covenants you make with Him, He will keep His sacred promises. Take a few minutes and write a letter of encouragement to yourself. Include truths Heavenly Father has taught that would help you during difficult times. It might be good to include details about Abraham and Sarah or details from your own life.

Share Your Thoughts

Lesson Purpose: To help you increase your trust that the Lord will keep His promises.

Share one or more of the following with your teacher or class:

• The message you wrote to a person in one of the scenarios. Include something you learned from the Lord’s interactions with Abraham or others.

• The letter of encouragement you wrote to yourself.

• Something specific you did to achieve the purpose of this lesson.

• Any questions this lesson raised for you. How will you try to find answers to your questions?