至终靠神恩典的力量生了以撒—在神为亚伯拉罕改名，并命令他受割礼的时候，神在十七章二十一节对他说，“到明年这时节，撒拉必给你生以撒”。我们在这里看见神定了一个约会，定规了以撒出生的时候。这在十八章十四节题到，神说，“在约定的时候，我要回到你这里，在生命的时候，撒拉要有一个儿子”（直译）。那约定的时候，就是所定规以撒出生的时候，乃是“生命的时候”。“生命的时候”这辞非常有意义。在希伯来文中，这里的生命和二章九节生命树的生命同字。以撒出生的时候，就是“生命的时候”，要发生在亚伯拉罕受割礼以后。这指明“生命的时候”，就是基督成为我们生命的时候，要在我们天然的力量受过对付之后来到。
在他肉体的力量死去以后—在以撒出生以前，亚伯拉罕和撒拉都已全然衰老。撒拉的生育已经断绝，亚伯拉罕的身体如同己死（罗四18-19）。他所有的－以利以谢，并他所要保留的－以实玛利，都被拒绝，而他天然的能力也被了结。他们还能作甚么? 但生命的时刻一到，以撒从这两个如同已死的人生出来了，就如同藉着复活的能力生出来的。这出生的时候就是“生命的时候”。用属灵的话说，以撒的出生乃是生命的出生。
藉着耶和华的访问—以撒的出生乃是藉着耶和华的来访，藉着主的临到（创十八14）。以撒的出生不仅是人的出生。在那出生里有耶和华的临到，因为主曾说，在约定的时候，祂要回来，以撒要生下来，那时候将是“生命的时候”。当亚伯拉罕天然的力量了结时，耶和华就来了，在“生命的时候”叫以撒生下来。那就是生命的转换。凡出于我们天然生命，或出于我们自己的，都无分于神的经纶。一切天然的都必须结束，直到我们完了、死了、变为无有了。我们到了尽头的时候，耶和华就来了。这耶和华的来临就是生命，就是“以撒”。因此，以撒的出生就是耶和华的临到。这是生命，这是新的起头，这是生命的转换。这是神呼召的意义。
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The Experience of the Call One – Abraham (2) – Rom 4:19-20
Finally, Relying on the Strength of God’s Grace to Bear Isaac—When God changed Abraham’s name and commanded him to be circumcised, God said to him in Genesis 17:21, “Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.” We see here that God made an appointment and scheduled the time of Isaac’s birth. This is mentioned in Genesis 18:14, where God says, “At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time of next year and Sarah will have a son.”. That appointed time, the time scheduled for Isaac’s birth, was the “time of life” .The phrase “time of life” is very significant. In Hebrew, the word for life here is the same as the word for life in the tree of life in Genesis 2:9. The time of Isaac’s birth was the “time of life”, which was to occur after Abraham was circumcised. This indicates that the “time of life” is the time when Christ becomes our life, which comes after our natural strength has been dealt with.
After the Strength of His Flesh Died—Before Isaac was born, Abraham and Sarah were already completely aged. Sarah’s barrenness had been cut off, and Abraham’s body was as good as dead (Rom. 4:18-19). Everything he had—Eliezer, and what he wanted to retain—Ishmael, were rejected, and his natural ability was ended. What else could they do? But when the time of life arrived, Isaac was born from these two who were as good as dead, as if he were born through the power of resurrection. That time of birth was the “time of life”. In spiritual terms, the birth of Isaac was the birth of life.
Through the Visit of Jehovah—The birth of Isaac was through the visitation of Jehovah, through the coming of the Lord (Gen. 18:14). Isaac’s birth was not merely a human birth. In that birth, there was the presence of Jehovah, because the Lord had said that at the appointed time, He would return, and Isaac would be born, and that would be the “time of life”. When Abraham’s natural strength was ended, Jehovah came, and at the “time of life”, Isaac was born. That was the change of life. Everything that is out of our natural life, or out of ourselves, has no part in God’s economy. Everything natural must end until we are finished, dead and reduced to nothing. When we come to our end, Jehovah comes. This coming of Jehovah is life; it is “Isaac”. Therefore, the birth of Isaac is the visitation of Jehovah. This is life, this is a new beginning, and this is the change of life. This is the meaning of God’s calling.
Daily Question: In the experience of the called one—Abraham, how was God’s promise fulfilled? When was Isaac born?