Genesis 21

Isaac is Born

Sarah conceives a son just as the Lord had promised. It truly is a miracle for Sarah is well past child bearing age. This goes along with our faith in Jesus Christ. We were dead in sin with no hope of new life until Jesus made a sacrifice on the cross that gave us life where none before existed. It says that the Lord visited her, just as he visits us to draw us out of sin and into his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him). 

They called him Isaac which means laughter. Abraham and Sarah both laughed when it came to believing God and his promise, but now they laugh with a joy and unbelief of God's mercy. So there is this time of joy and reaping that we will all enjoy from time to time. The season, as all of life is, is just passing though. It is not long before strife comes to the tents of Abraham. Ishmael mocks Isaac and Sarah sees it. It seems that Ishmael is not old enough to come to this understanding on his own, and he had some encouragement from Hagar; we don't know this for certain, but it seems likely. 

Sarah wants Hagar and Ishmael gone from there presence. God tells Abraham to go ahead and send Ishmael out of the camp, but make no mistake, they are still paying for past sins. After Hagar and the child are cast out, God remembers his covenant with Abraham about his seed, even though Ishmael was not the one God had originally meant when he created the covenant with Abraham. God looks after Hagar and promises that Ishmael will become a great nation. 

Some time passes and we encounter Abimelech again. He wants what we would now call an alliance or peace treaty with Abraham. Abimelech knows that God had blessed Abraham and that Abraham is growing in God's blessings. It doesn't hurt that Abimelech been warned of God in the past about Abraham when Abimelech took Sarah. After Abraham corrects Abimelech about a fight at a well, they enter into their alliance. We would do well to make friends and bonds with all of God's faithful servants. 

Genesis 16

Genesis chapter 16

The bible is full of characters great and small, wise and foolish, God fearing and sinful. No one, and I mean no one in the Bible is perfect save God and his son Jesus Christ. Even Enoch was born with sin though God took him. I believe we are not to take the sins of great people in the Bible as excuses to sin, but as examples to turn back to God as quickly, humbly, and sincerely as possible.

In this chapter Sarai and Abram both make mistakes by not waiting on God. I myself cannot imagine what it would be like to patiently wait as long as this couple did. Make no mistake though, God is always right on time, every time. Man may not be there when God is ready with the answered prayer, but God is there on time.

Sarai is tired of waiting and she instructs Abram to try and bare a child from Hagar her handmaiden. Abram it says 'hearkened unto the voice of Sarai'. I don't know how many time the Bible records 'hearkened unto the voice of the Lord' but unfortunately, this isn't one of those times.

Abram does as requested of Sarai and Sarai regrets it almost immediately. We will most likely regret the times we do our own thing and not obey God. Abram, who no doubt also feels guilt tells Sarai to do as she wishes with Hagar. Now two people feel miserable about themselves and each other, and another is about to be an outcast for doing what she was told.

God is sympathetic to those that are done wrong and Hagar is no exception. God makes a covenant with Hagar that her son will be a great nation. Unfortunately for the Hebrews, her son will be a thorn in their side for the rest of time.