Genesis 16:16 to 17:1
16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram. 17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. Genesis 16:16–17:1 (NKJV)
In Genesis 16:16 we find the number eighty-six and in the very next verse, Genesis 17:1 we find the number ninety-nine. In Genesis, these numbers tell us Abram’s age while in the sitcom, they are the agent numbers of the stars of the show agent 86 Maxwell Smart, and his lovely girlfriend, later fiancée and later wife, in the show 99.
Maxwell Smart Agent 86 seems comparable to 86-year-old Abram in Genesis 16, sadly messing up by going into Hager, a slave girl who becomes Abram’s second wife. Yet, at the beginning of chapter 17, God’s call to Abram is “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless….” Genesis 17:1
Now, here in chapter 17, Abram (called to be blameless) is 99, and the character Agent “99” in “Get Smart” played by Barbara Feldon, is pretty perfect as a woman, as an agent, and as a companion and wife to Max. If there is any woman on TV that embodies perfection and blamelessness, it is the character 99. In Genesis 17, God promises to make Abraham’s son Ishmael a great nation. Maxwell Smart, a great leader for Control, fights for a great nation.
Abraham & Maxwell Smart have a lot in common:
I. Maxwell Smart and Abraham are both fighters for what is good –
1. Abram had his own mini army –
14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.
Genesis 14:14–16 (NKJV)
2. Maxwell Smart was the top agent for Control (the good guys) –
“Smart is also resourceful, skilled in hand-to-hand combat, a proficient marksman” Wikipedia Description of Maxwell Smart
As agents 86 & 99 fought KAOS, so Abram, becoming Abraham, fought lack of faith and sin.
3. We are also called to battle sin & Satan –
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
Romans 6:12 (NKJV)
II. Yet, while both Abram / Abraham and Maxwell Smart are heroes, both were bunglers as well. –
16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram. Genesis 16:16 Was just one of Abram’s faithless mistakes concerning Sara, his wife –
- Twice he made his wife Sarah lie saying she was his sister –
Once as Abram, married to then Sarai –
13 Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.” Genesis 12:13 (NKJV)
- Later as Abraham –
20 And Abraham journeyed from there to the South, and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and stayed in Gerar. 2 Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. Genesis 20:1–2 (NKJV)
This is also something Abraham and Maxwell Smart had in common, both had beautiful wives.
Sarah & 99 were both ridiculously beautiful women …. both find themselves in difficult situations due to having beautiful wives.
3. Maxwell Smart was also a regular bungler –
Wikipedia’s fuller description of Maxwell Smart – “Maxwell “Max” Smart, Agent 86, (Don Adams) is the central character of the series. Despite being a top-secret government agent, he is absurdly clumsy. Yet Smart is also resourceful, skilled in hand-to-hand combat, a proficient marksman, and—most importantly—incredibly lucky; all of this makes him one of CONTROL’s top agents.” But luck was not really luck.
Being blameless or perfect is not something Abram, or Max or any of us have in and of ourselves. We are dependent upon Almighty God as He is described in Genesis 17:1. Despite bungling the authors of the Get Smart TV show made sure he was invincible.
4. We are blameless, perfect even beyond the character 99 by Jesus Christ’s righteousness imputed to us, yet we are called despite our weaknesses –
26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 1 Corinthians 1:26–29 (NKJV)
Our victory is because of Jesus!
III. Get Smart and Abraham both bring Laughter –
6 And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.” 7 She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.” Genesis 21:6–7 (NKJV)
As the TV show was a brilliant comedy, Abraham would have a son named Laughter. Isaac means laughter.
Recently, I have seen a meme on the internet that said, “God does not want us to be happy, He wants us to be holy.” I hate memes like this. Why? Because they pit two good things against one another, and this one makes God out to be a Cosmic Killjoy. He is not a Cosmic Killjoy! God wants us to be both holy and happy.
The person who requires we take the swing out of the parakeet cage on the sabbath / Lord’s Day is going overboard.
I have enjoyed watching 86 & 99 battle evil Kaos and seeing their numbers in consecutive Bible verses, FOR ME, ties them to the joy Abraham and Sarah had when they finally had their son Isaac (whose name means Laughter).
Abraham ultimately found his “joy” in Jesus Christ. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” John 8:56 (NKJV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4 (NKJV)
IV. Maxwell Smart & Abraham have similar reasons for always winning –
- God was on Abraham’s side –
12 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1–3 (NKJV)
2. Abraham could not lose because God was with him –
One of the people Abraham lied to was Abimelech, who could have killed Abraham if it were not for God’s interceding but instead of killing Abraham he rewards him –
14 Then Abimelech took sheep, oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored Sarah his wife to him. Genesis 20:14 (NKJV)
3. Because God was with Abraham, no one could be against him –
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31
4. This is not true for Abraham only but for all of us who love God and Jesus Christ –
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Romans 8:28–30 (NKJV)
5. Maxwell Smart was destined to Win, to conquer evil despite his silly, even hilarious mistakes because the authors of the TV show made him such a winner….
6. For us, Jesus is the Author & Finisher of our faith –
12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1–2 (NKJV)
7. Following Jesus, walking by faith, not by sight, trusting and obeying means we will win –
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. Hebrews 11:17–19 (NKJV)
Chief: “You’ll be risking your life every moment.”
Max: “and loving it!”
41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. Acts 5:41 (NKJV)
11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 (NKJV)
The angel of the LORD also took care of Hagar –
7 Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. Genesis 16:7 (NKJV)
Abraham is also called the father of many nations, his natural descendants inherit the land of Canaan, but his spiritual descendants Heaven. The human mind cannot conceive of the wonders of that place.
A Father’s Day – 6/16/2024
Our Father
“Our Father” Matthew 6:9-13
9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:9–13 (NKJV)
My parents, even though they were not yet believing Christians, taught my brothers and I the Lord’s Prayer to pray before we went to sleep at night.
Because it was not a big deal to them whether we got the PRAYER right or not, they NEVER corrected my brother Dan’s interpretation of verse :13
“Lead us not into the gas station!”
When our Lord Jesus taught this prayer to His disciples, I believe He wanted them not only to know the correct wording of the prayer, but also
He wanted them to know the God, the Heavenly Father they were praying to!
- Our Father is a heavenly, royal Father, hallow His name, treat Him with the highest respect –
9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come… Matthew 6:9–10 A
- Because of Jesus’ dying on the cross our calling God, “father” is made possible.
- J. I. Packer in his great book Knowing God, has an entire chapter on God being our father – He says it is the biggest difference between Old & NT.
- The apostle Paul has us calling God “abba” –
Romans 8:15 (NKJV)
15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”
Abba = Daddy and implies cheerful intimacy with God!
Yet, we are never to forget God is our Heavenly Father, He is the Great King, He is worthy of the Highest reverence, even fear, definitely RESPECT!
- Our Father is a ruling and right Father, pray for the coming of His Kingdom, keep His commands and trust Him in all circumstances –
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10
- God’s kingdom is priority #1 –
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33
- God’s will must be before our own:
- God’s prescriptive will, His will we follow – like a doctor’s prescription …
12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long
upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. 13 “You shall
not murder. Exodus 20:12–13
- God’s decretive will, His will we fall into (we must still consider it good)-
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Romans 8:28–29 (NKJV)
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
His decretive will is like a prescription too, because He writes it, even when pains and difficulties come into our lives, we still trust Him because these things are meant to make us more like Jesus Christ!
- Our Father is a rich Father, believe He will provide for all your needs –
11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:11–12
- God provides for our material needs –
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:31–33
Not only bread, but even BACON which we will LORD willing eat tonight is part of God’s provision for us —
- God provides for our spiritual needs –
- Forgiveness – 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:12
- With forgiveness, we have every spiritual blessing –
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, Ephesians 1:3
- Our Father is the biggest and strongest. Trust Him to defeat all your enemies –
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil
one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:13 (NKJV)
As a child did you ever say to a friend… my father is stronger than your father? Or my dad can beat up your dad?
That may or may not have been true about our natural fathers….
But God as a father of Christian, can and does beat Satan …
He also beats sin and every temptation —-
As believers we should LEARN – Ephesians 6:10 (NKJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
We learn to PRAY – lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil
one.
He is the ONE TRUE KING Who is ALL POWERFUL –
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Matthew 6:13 (NKJV)
3 For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. Psalm 61:3



