Have you ever witnessed a moment of joy so profound it's as if laughter was born from the very depths of disbelief? That's the transformative experience we unveil as Abraham and Sarah welcome Isaac into their world, a name that literally resounds with laughter. With the birth of Isaac in Genesis 21, we unwrap a narrative steeped in divine promise. We also navigate the complexities of a celebratory feast for Isaac juxtaposed with the poignant departure of Hagar and Ishmael, delving into the spiritual and historical repercussions of these events.
Then, we transition to the life and legacy of Ishmael, uncovering the grace that follows him even as he settles into the wilderness. His prowess with the bow and his abode in the desert of Paran paint a vivid picture of the enduring resilience in Abraham's lineage. Join us as these ancient tales unfold, revealing the enduring faith and promise intricately woven into the fabric of history.
Have you ever witnessed a moment of joy so profound it's as if laughter was born from the very depths of disbelief? That's the transformative experience we unveil as Abraham and Sarah welcome Isaac into their world, a name that literally resounds with laughter. With the birth of Isaac in Genesis 21, we unwrap a narrative steeped in divine promise. We also navigate the complexities of a celebratory feast for Isaac juxtaposed with the poignant departure of Hagar and Ishmael, delving into the spiritual and historical repercussions of these events.
Then, we transition to the life and legacy of Ishmael, uncovering the grace that follows him even as he settles into the wilderness. His prowess with the bow and his abode in the desert of Paran paint a vivid picture of the enduring resilience in Abraham's lineage. Join us as these ancient tales unfold, revealing the enduring faith and promise intricately woven into the fabric of history.
Thank you for joining me as we again examine the mysteries of God's Word. Today we are in Genesis, chapter 21, and we are looking at the birth of Isaac, starting in verse 1. The Lord visited Sarah, as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised, and Sarah conceived and bore Abraham, a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. Our chapter starts out speaking about how the Lord visited Sarah, as he said. That's a phrase used in Scripture to represent the Lord fulfilling a promise that he had made. The Lord was visiting his promise to Sarah, and the Lord did to Sarah as he promised. Back in chapter 17, the Lord had promised to bless Sarah and to give Abraham a son by her. However, it's been 25 years that Abraham has waited for this promise to be fulfilled. When God first called him from Ur of the Chaldeans, he told Abram that through him the earth would be blessed, and throughout Abram's life, he was very impatient. He attempted in different ways to fill the promise of God in his own ways, but it was this day, the day that the Lord visited Sarah, which the Lord had spoken of In verse 3, abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him Isaac, and Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was 8 days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was 100 years old when his son, isaac, was born to him, so Abraham calls the name of his son Isaac, which means laughter or he laughs. This is the name that God told Abraham to name his son. It will be a constant reminder to Abraham and Sarah how they laughed when God told them they would have a son in their old age, and it will also remind them of the Lord's strength and faithfulness in keeping his promise. Isaac was the child of promise through the womb of a barren woman prefiguring the virgin birth, and he will also be a child of God through faith in the Messiah, just like all who have received and believed on Jesus Christ. Galatians 4, 28 reads Now, you brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise, and we see that Abraham circumcised Isaac when he was 8 days old. This was the command of God. This outward act of obedience was a sign of the eternal covenant that God had made with Abraham and it was to be done to every male in the family throughout all generations. It was an outward sign of Abraham's inward faith and his circumcised heart toward God. Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born. To him, just as a reference, abraham lived to be 175.
Speaker 1:
In verse 6 we read and Sarah said God has made laughter for me. Everyone who hears will laugh over me. And she said who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age. Again, we see a reference to Isaac's name being laughter. When Sarah says Everyone who hears will laugh over me, what she is saying is that everyone who hears will rejoice over her with laughter, or perhaps more simply put in our language everyone who hears will congratulate me. Sarah uses the word laugh here not to express any past disbelief or chastisement of God, but rather to express her joy in the promised child and that everyone who hears will celebrate with her. What she's conveying is that everyone who hears of this miraculous child being born to them after their years of childbearing and in such an old age is going to laugh with them in the joy of God's blessing and His provision.
Speaker 1:
Verse 8 says and the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the Son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had born to Abraham, laughing. So she said to Abraham Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be in error with my son, isaac. In these three verses we first see that Isaac grew and was weaned.
Speaker 1:
Children in the Middle East, particularly at this time in history, were suckled much longer than they are in European countries. It was very common for children to not be weaned until they were three, four or even five years old. In Isaac's case, we believe that he was weaned when he was five. This age is taken from James Usher's calculations from the annals of the world, and he quotes from Jerome of Striden, one of the greatest figures in history of Bible translation. So after Isaac was weaned, abraham had a feast.
Speaker 1:
But then Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, laughing at Isaac. Now, the Hebrew word for laughing here means to jest or daily joke with someone. However, the context as well as other scriptures tell us this was more than merely an older brother being entertained or having playtime with his younger brother. Ishmael was persecuting Isaac and he was scoffing at him. We can see from the context of Galatians 429 that there was a spiritual battle taking place as the older brother, who was born of the flesh, mocked the younger brother, who was born according to God's plan and the Holy Spirit. Galatians 429 reads but just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. According to James Usher's Annals of the World. It's been calculated that this event of Ishmael persecuting Isaac begins the 400 years in which Abraham's offspring began to be afflicted by the Egyptians. So Sarah says to Abraham to cast out this slave woman.
Speaker 1:
We see here Sarah has continued bitterness and jealousy of Hagar and Abraham's son, ishmael. Sarah demands of Abraham that he throw both of them out of the camp. To understand the context of what Sarah is asking, we need to recognize some common laws that would have existed during Abraham's life and that Abraham and Sarah would have lived under. Laws common to the Mesopotamian culture During the time of Abraham, casting out a handmaiden son such as Ishmael, who was a rightful natural heir, was outlawed in civilized areas. We also see that this upset Abraham a great deal because of his love for his son. So Sarah's request to throw Hagar and Ishmael out of the camp offends local laws, it offends Abraham's sense of right and wrong and it offends Abraham's love for his son. And Sarah says he shall not be an heir with my son, isaac. In spite of Sarah's open bitterness and anger, god is going to use this separation for a divine purpose. He's going to show us a distinction between those who are born of the Holy Spirit and those who are born of the flesh, for indeed, those who are born only of the flesh will not be heirs with those who have been born again of God. Furthermore, while we don't see it at first glance, god is looking out for Hagar and Ishmael's physical well-being through this separation.
Speaker 1:
If you remember, sarah has been treating them harshly for some time now. In verse 11 we see, and the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named and I will make a nation out of the son of the slave woman, also because he is your offspring. So we see once again, for the purpose of Abraham's good and the kingdom of God. The Lord steps in to Abraham's life. We see those two words, but God, god says Be not displeased. This certainly had to be very difficult for Abraham to hear, because he cared about his firstborn son, ishmael, deeply.
Speaker 1:
It's important for us to recognize that God speaks to Abraham's emotions and asks him to redirect his thoughts to a bigger picture. While loving and protecting our families is important, keeping our eyes on what God is calling us to do for his kingdom, both in our families and outside of our families, is of eternal importance. And God tells Abraham Do whatever Sarah says to do. Do as she tells you. Now. We saw earlier that when Abraham originally went in to sleep with Hagar, it was at the command of Sarah, and obeying the command of his wife. To go and sleep with another woman is what got Abraham into this mess. Abraham is very likely questioning if he should listen to Sarah now, considering the whole mess was her idea. But God commands Abraham to do what Sarah says, not as a pattern for him to follow, but rather as a way in which God is going to protect everyone involved in these circumstances, as well as preparing a way for the child of faith.
Speaker 1:
For God says Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. It is the heart of God's message to Abraham here in Genesis, chapter 21, and to us today, that the purpose for which God allows separation between Abraham and Ishmael to occur, even though Ishmael is his oldest son, that Isaac is the son of promise. He is the child who will be born of the Holy Spirit, the child that believes in the promised Messiah, and he will be the chosen heir. The apostle Paul says it this way in Romans, chapter 9, verses 6 and 7, but it is not as though the word of God has failed, for not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring. But through Isaac shall your offspring be named. And God also promises Abraham that Hagar and Ishmael will become a nation of many people. God had earlier communicated this to Hagar, and here God confirms to Abraham that he will in fact make Ishmael into a separate nation from Isaac. Ishmael will be the ancestor of twelve chieftains that settle northern and central Arabia.
Speaker 1:
In verse 14 we read so Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder along with the child and sent her away and she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about the distance of a bow shot, for she said, let me not look on the death of the child. And as she sat opposite him she lifted up her voice and wept. So here we read that Abraham rose early in the morning, suggesting that Abraham rose early to face what was going to be a harsh task that day. He had to send his firstborn son out into the wilderness with Hagar, and Abraham took some bread and a skin of water, which was very little compared to the harsh desert they were now facing. However, abraham gave her as much as she could carry, even helping to put it on her shoulders, and it says along with the child.
Speaker 1:
The Hebrew word for child here suggests a teenager, and calculations that remain consistent with Isaac being weaned at five years old would make Ishmael 18 years old when he is being cast out with his mother. And they wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba, which is a large desert region at the southern border of Israel. And then we see that Hagar ran out of water. All of the water Abraham had given Hagar was depleted and she couldn't see any in sight, so it says that she put her child under the bush. Hagar is heartbroken, she's thirsty and she's exhausted and she gives up all hope. She's to the point of abandoning her child, even to death. But being an older teenager, 18 years old, we would expect him to be much stronger than his mother. However, young adults at this age require more fluid than more mature people and from this context, it seems likely that Hagar perhaps even didn't share as much of the water with her son as he needed.
Speaker 1:
And now, without hope and believing she had put her child in a place to die, hagar lifts up her voice and weeps. The phrase for lifting up her voice here implies that Hagar is screaming. Sometimes it's rendered noise, shouts, roars or thundering. It would be appropriate to say that Hagar went away from her son to have an emotional breakdown from the stress Of the circumstances, and she's wailing. In verse 17 we read God heard the voice of the boy and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her what troubles you, hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is Up. Lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a god, I will make him into a great nation. Then God opened her eyes and she saw well of water, and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. We see that God heard the voice of the boy.
Speaker 1:
Just a short time ago, ishmael was scoffing and persecuting the child of promise, isaac, and God told Abraham to put him and his mother out into the desert. But now Ishmael's voice is humbled and he's in desperation for his life. While God resisted the pride of Ishmael, he now gives grace to his humbled heart and we see that Hagar suddenly hears a voice from the heavens. A messenger of God calls to her, asking her why she's troubled. The question that the angel asks is meant to challenge Hagar and her lack of faith in God's promise. The angel then reaffirms to Hagar God's promise that Ishmael will indeed be a great nation, and the angel commissions her to never again abandon him, telling her hold fast with your hand to him. And then God opens her eyes. What an incredible statement in the life of Hagar and what a message to all people.
Speaker 1:
Without God's grace acting in our lives, our eyes are blinded by the devil, to our own self-centeredness and our own self-pity, and that keeps us from being able to see something that's often right in front of our eyes. Now there are only a few springs in the desert of Birsheba, but throughout history it's been commonly reported that people have died of thirst very close to a well that's been covered or hidden by brushwood. Hagar's eyes are opened to a well that was not far from where they already were, and she was able to fill her skin with water and give some to the boy. Life is revitalized, provision is provided for and strength is regained when our eyes are opened by God. Hagar was able to completely fill her water skin and give Ishmael a drink.
Speaker 1:
And then we read and God was with the boy and he grew up, he lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. He lived in the wilderness of Peran and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. We read that God was with Ishmael. It's not a statement of inward salvation through faith, but it's a statement of God blessing and strengthening Ishmael as God fulfills his promise to Abraham, making Ishmael into a great nation, and now Ishmael, after being raised in the wilderness with Abraham and being sent out into the wilderness with his mother, has made it his home and he became an expert with the bow.
Speaker 1:
Some translations say he was growing up as an archer. Ishmael continued to gain skill with the bow and he became an expert providing for his family with venison and wild bird. He also became a skilled warrior with men, and the scripture speaks of how the descendants of Ishmael's son, Kedar, were also expert marksmen, and we're told he lived in the wilderness of Peran. The information we have from scripture on the wilderness of Peran places it in parts of what we know as Jordan, northern Arabian peninsula. It seems to have extended westward toward Beersheba and the Nagev, including the Arba Valley and areas of the Sinai Peninsula, and this is where Ishmael lived and made a family. Thank you for joining me today. Next week we'll be talking about Abraham's treaty with Abimelech. God bless you this week.