Godly fathers-ungodly sons-13

Abraham is a study in contrasts. God chose him to be the father of many nations, appeared to him and talked to him, and saved him from his lies and deceit. Yet, God did not withdraw his promises to him. Let us continue this lesson.

Genesis 21:1  Then the LORD took note of Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had promised. 21:2  So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him. 21:3  Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. 21:4  Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 21:5  Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 

21:6  Sarah said, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me." 21:7  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." 

God of course was faithful to his promise to Abraham and Sarah, even as they doubted Him. But, when children were no longer physically possible, they are miraculously possible.

21:8  The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 21:9  Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. 21:10  Therefore she said to Abraham, "Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac." 21:11  The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son. 

As mentioned earlier, in Sara’s eyes, Abraham had lost his spiritual leadership over her and their family. Even as it was her plan to have children through Hagar, much like our plans, it wasn’t working as she had thought. So she changed her plan and banished Hagar. For this she had Abraham do the ‘dirty’ work. This understandably bothered Abraham as Ishmael was his son.

21:12  But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named. 21:13  "And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant." 21:14  So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba. 

Amazingly, God said that he should listen to his wife! God would make a great nation from Ismael. Unfortunately, this nation would become an enemy of Issac.

21:15  When the water in the skin was used up, she left the boy under one of the bushes. 21:16  Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, "Do not let me see the boy die." And she sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice and wept. 21:17  God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. 

God spoke out to Hagar at her moment of despair. Why did God not speak to her earlier? God’s plans may never make sense to us in light of our finite, sinful plans.

Gen 21:18  "Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him." 21:19  Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink. 21:20  God was with the lad, and he grew; and he lived in the wilderness and became an archer.  21:21  He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. 

In a way, Abraham’s self preservation, lies, and lack of true concern for Sarah started this saga. None of this was a surprise to God nor outside of the plan of God. While to us this seems to be a very dysfunctional family, God was always in charge of every event.

Next Saturday we will conclude this story of Abraham with a test by God.