4. Abraham and Ishmael

Read 16:1-4. Who was the instigator in this sin? (Sarah.)

How long had they waited for the promised seed? (10 years – Abram would be 85 – Sarai 75)

How could the father of believers engage in this sinful act? (still growing – social custom of day – if wife can’t have kid – give her maidservant and the kid belonged to wife and husband.)

PB: The spade of the archeologist has uncovered marriage contracts from ancient Nuzi, in what is now Iraq, in which a bride promised to give her husband a maid if she herself was unable to have children. (145)

HaGar = Islamic HEGIRA – Mohammed’s flight

Again, they may have tried to reinterpret God’s Word in a human way to make it reasonable. Explain the progression. (Ok, God said through Abraham’s body but not Sarah’s.)

So we can see two ways in which their faith was defective . . .

1. (tried to use human devices to achieve God’s purpose.)

2. (they interfered with God’s plan)

What was the usual result of this type of union? (rivalry – as happens throughout Old Testament.)

Read 16:5-6. This was not a blank check; according to ancient law, a slave mother could not be banished. According to the Hebrew no cruelty is suggested. Luther suggests that perhaps Hagar was asked to live with the servants or to perform more menial tasks.

Why does Sarai blame Abram? (He is still the head. Perhaps she was testing him to see what he would do; wanted him to say “no”.)

Read 16:7-16. Who found Hagar? (the angel of the Lord – dogmaticians call him LOGOS ASARKOS – Word without flesh .)

What tells us that this was actually the LORD? (10, 13 – angel also means messenger.)

Further appearances down the line:

Genesis 22: But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide.

Genesis 33:11 The angel of God said to me in the dream, 'Jacob.' I answered, 'Here I am.' 12 And he said, 'Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you. 13 I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed a pillar and where you made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and go back to your native land.' "

Why did the LORD appear to Hagar? (to care for her and to tell her to return – give Abram time with his son – and promise her prosperity of child.)

The LORD reiterated His promise with Abraham:

Genesis 17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac. (Later also has Ishmael circumcised at age 13 – before sent away.)

Genesis 25: These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. 16 These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps. 17 Altogether, Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people. 18 His descendants settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the border of Egypt, as you go toward Asshur. And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers.

How does this prediction still seem to run true yet today? (nobody gets along with Iraq / Iran people much / Islam claims descendants from Ishmael. PICTURE OF UNBELIEF – DO IT MYSELF – nobody else can do it right! God helps those who HELP THEMSELVES.)

Knowing what we know of what happened of Ishmael, what would you think God should have done? (Let her die in desert.)

Why doesn’t He then? (who knows the LORD’s ways – God of mercy – not wanting anyone to perish. The LORD lets us LIVE under results of our bad decisions / lack of faith.)