ABRAHAM SERIES: THE BIRTH AND THE CONFLICTS

Genesis does not record how long Abraham and Sarah were married before our initial introduction to them in Genesis 11. What had been revealed was the barrenness of Sarah until at age ninety, when she became fruitful and she birthed Isaac, the promise of God, which represented the beginning of the Abrahamic lineage.

Genesis 21 shares the jubilation of Sarah and her declaration, “Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.” And when Isaac was eight days old, Abraham obeyed God’s instruction and circumcised him.

Also, in keeping with the ancient East customs, Abraham had a weaning celebration. Unfortunately, during the celebration, Sarah saw Ishmael teasing Issac. Consequently, she told Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.” This was not what Abraham wanted to do with his firstborn son, with whom he had established a loving relationship in these last seventeen years. However, God agreed with Sarah and shared with Abraham that He would make a nation from Ishmael, because he was Abraham’s seed, but it was Isaac whom He chose to be Abraham’s heir.

The next morning, Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away with bread and a bottle of water, and they wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba until they had drunk all of the water. Thinking thirsty Ishmael was dying, Hagar left him in the shade, moved away from him, and started crying as she sat afar off. The scriptures revealed that God heard Ishmael’s voice and an angel from heaven called to Hagar, saying, “What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.” Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well, which she went to and filled her bottle with water, and was able to give Ishmael water to drink. Faithful to His word, God was with Ishmael as he grew, living in the wilderness of Paran, becoming an archer, and his mother, Hagar, found a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Genesis 20 shared how King Abimelech told Abraham he could settle wherever he chose in Gerar, and now in chapter twenty-one, another encounter between them is shared. Realizing that God was with Abraham, the king and his chief captain, Phichol, met with him to suggest that a generational peace treaty be made between them, to which Abraham agreed. Additionally, Abraham reprimanded the king concerning a well which his servants had viciously taken away from him, and the king admitted he had no knowledge of that happening. To seal their pact with a sacrifice, Abraham gave King Abimelech sheep and oxen. Furthermore, Abraham set aside seven ewe lambs and told the king they were a gift to him as a public confirmation that the well which he had dug and called Beer-sheba, meaning “Well of the Oath,” was his. Afterwards, King Abimelech and Phicol returned to their home, and chapter twenty-one ends with Abraham living in the Philistine country for a while, planting a tamarisk tree beside the well and praying and calling upon the Eternal God.

Before sharing my nuggets from this blog, I want to share some additional information and personal thoughts.

First, biblical scholars believed Sarah was afraid that since Ishmael was Abraham’s firstborn, he would be entitled to his father’s inheritance, which she wanted for their son, Isaac, so she was adamant about Hagar and Ishmael’s departure.

Next, God understood Abraham’s emotional ties, and He acknowledged that Abraham had feelings for both Hagar and Ishmael. Abraham, who was a wealthy man, displayed this in his actions of sending Hagar and Ishmael away with a little substance. This showed he did not want them to travel too far away from him.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not point out that Hagar and Ishmael’s lives changed overnight. Ishmael, whose father had been present since his birth, would no longer be around. He and his mother, Hagar, were banished from Abraham’s house, so they no longer had protection, position, provisions, or possessions. From now on, Ishmael would be raised by a single mother, and they had to fend for themselves. I can only imagine the hurt and anger they must have felt toward Abraham and Sarah.

Now here are the nuggets I gathered from Genesis 21:

Ismael’s name means God hears, and God continually heard and responded to him and his mother’s cries. In our times of desperation, God hears our cries.

God can bring to life that which was lifeless.

God can do the improbable.

There are times when we must wait a long period before a promise is fulfilled.

The manifestation of a long-awaited promise brings joy to the receiver.

The birth of Issac represented the beginning of the Abrahamic lineage.

Oftentimes, mistakes and blessings grow up together.

You can become bound to someone or something that is not part of your destiny.

In life, when you are no longer seen as useful and fulfilling a need, you can be disposed of.

In life, it is not easy to end relationships with someone with whom you have a strong bond, because bonds formed over time are painful to sever.

There are times when men can assist you with provisions, but for their own personal reasons, they choose not to do it.

It is difficult to watch a family member die from thirst or lack of food.

God hears our cries and He sends comfort to the needy, for Hagar and Ishmael were forsaken by man but not forgotten by God.

Sometimes it takes God opening our eyes to see the provisions that he has made for us.

Unlike man, you can trust God for daily provisions, for He provides for our survival.

When God favors you, men recognize it.

Seeking a relationship with those who have favor with God is beneficial.