Genesis Chapter 21
(Genesis 21:1 [KJV])And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
- Finally, promise fulfilled!
- "as he had said" is an understatement
- God always delivers on His promises. Always.
- God "visits" to give children infrequently in the Scriptures
(1 Samuel 2:21 [KJV])
And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.
LUKE 1:5-20
(Genesis 15:4 [KJV])
And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
(Genesis 17:15-16, 19 [KJV])And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.... And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
(Genesis 18:10 [KJV])And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
(Genesis 18:14 [KJV])Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
(Genesis 21:2 [KJV])
For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
(Genesis 21:3 [KJV])
- Abraham is old and older now
- This is the time God meant
- She bore ABRAHAM a son vs. she herself had a son
And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
(Genesis 21:4 [KJV])(Genesis 16:15 [KJV])
- The real laugh is now on Sarah and Abraham
- Outside of Christ, the birth of Isaac is probably the most expected, hoped for, waited for, anticipated birth ever in the history of mankind.
- Previously, for Ishmael, God did not say "that was born unto him"
- He is "born unto Abraham", Sarah "bare to him"
And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
(Genesis 21:5 [KJV])
- Abraham's obedience: It's been too long to mess this part up!
- "His son" again is repeated
And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
(Luke 1:34 [KJV])ISAAC AS A TYPE OF CHRIST
- "born unto him" is repeated
- This is truly a miracle baby, on purpose
- Isaac is a type of Christ: both births are humanly impossible
THE QUESTIONING OF SARAH AND MARY
- Abraham was "as good as dead". Joseph was not even involved
- Sarah was past childbearing years; Mary a virgin
- Isaac was promised; Jesus was promised
- Isaac was offered up in sacrifice but not sacrificed; Jesus was offered up as a sacrifice and crucified
- Both carried the wood to their place of sacrifice
- Both are children of faith
- Both mothers were doubting
- Both were named ahead of time
- The enemy tried to destroy the Plan of God before, during and after the births
- Sarah and Mary both believed God in the end
- Both sets of parents were given the child's name beforehand
(Genesis 18:12 [KJV])
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?THE FAITH OF SARAH AND MARY
(Hebrews 11:11 [KJV])
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
(Luke 1:38 [KJV])
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM AND JOSEPH
(Romans 4:17-19 [KJV])
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
(Hebrews 11:12 [KJV])
Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
(Matthew 1:18-25 [KJV])
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
(Genesis 21:6 [KJV])
And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
(Genesis 21:7 [KJV])
- Amazing how that story today is still told, the name, the account-and people still laugh!
And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
(Genesis 21:8 [KJV])
- Not only was Abraham too old, but his wife was even worse off, being past her childbearing years
- All according to the plan of God
- Abraham had six other sons with Keturah after Sarah died (Genesis 25:2)
- Sarah further indicates that she will also be breastfeeding!
And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
THE LORD OF ABRAHAM, OVERLOOKING SODOM
- Isaac was for sure a loved boy
- He was raised in the way of righteousness
- This sort of celebration would have included everyone in Abraham's life, from family, to servants, to neighbors
- The neighbors were also Philistines (21:34, below)
(Genesis 18:19 [KJV])
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
(Genesis 21:9 [KJV])
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
- Ishmael is the firstborn son and sixteen years old by now, a typical teenager
- Often the oldest boy is spoiled
- He was an only child as well, so Isaac is his first competition for affection
- In addition to this, Isaac is only his HALF-brother, he may not have had Sarah as his mother, but he DID have Abraham as his father and Hagar as his mother.
- Natural resentment and jealousy always builds.
- Earlier Sarah was resentful of his mom, Hagar
- Now the reverse has happened, but with the same reaction from Sarah...
- This is why Ishmael is the child of the flesh.........because he hates the idea that Isaac is the child of the promise and he is not. He wants his will done, not God's.
- Perhaps Abraham was so good a father that Ishmael did not want to lose him in any way.
(Luke 22:42 [KJV])
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
(Genesis 21:10 [KJV])
Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
THE BONDWOMAN, HAGAR
- This is the age old struggle with Israel and her eventual enemies
- Ishmael is now a nobody in here eyes
- This is the child she forced on Abraham
- This is early but the decision is already coming back to bite here with the mocking.
- This is not just about not being an heir...........she wanted distance between them. He could have not been an heir and stayed there.
- Sarah was not a bondwoman, but a free woman, her son being a type of Christ who is of faith and frees us
- Hagar was a bondwoman, whose child is of the flesh and not of faith, and which enslaves us
- As God commanded Abraham this time to obey Sarah, it is for the purpose of casting out the flesh and keeping the child of the promise of God, of faith.
- This is also God's command to us-cast out the flesh, let in the faith.
- The second part of the verse shows Sarah's disdain for Ishmael, since she is very adamant that Ishmael will not have any part of the inheritance, the promise of God to Isaac
(Genesis 21:10 [KJV])(Genesis 21:12 [KJV])
Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.(Genesis 21:13 [KJV])And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
(Galatians 4:23 [KJV])
But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
(Galatians 4:30-31 [KJV])
Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
ISAAC, NOT ISHMAEL
ISHMAEL
3 times chapter 16
5 times chapter 17
POST ISAAC 2 times chapter 25--Genesis 25:9, 25:12
Mostly referred to as "the child", "the boy", "the lad" after that.
ISAAC
123 times Genesis-James 2:21,
Isaac is called out by name throughout.
Genesis 17:19 ISAAC is first used and 74 times total in Genesis alone, vs. 10 for Ishmael, whose name is ONLY in Genesis
Do a search for Isaac and read every verse
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(Romans 9:7 [KJV])
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
(Hebrews 11:18 [KJV])++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: ******************************************
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
(Genesis 21:11 [KJV])
And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
(Genesis 21:12 [KJV])
- His wife telling him to throw out his son probably bothered Abraham greatly
- Regardless of how a child is born, God loves that child and expects its parents to love it also
- He may have not been Sarah's son, but he was in fact Abraham's
And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
(Genesis 17:18 [KJV])
- God most likely knew that Isaac would be persecuted as an innocent lad, as Israel is today, and Ishmael would grow into a threat.
- Notice here Abraham is told to "hearken unto her (Sarah) voice"........meaning no trouble for him this time!
- Letting Ishmael go away was the solution, and a way to fulfill the "great nations" prophecy
- These great nations, if left with Isaac in direct contact, would become a direct contact warring faction in close proximity
- It was absolutely impossible, we know today, for them to exist side by side
And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
The Lesson: There was then for Abraham, no human solution. Ishmael was his son, and not Sarah's his wife's. Sarah had the resentment, but Abraham did not:
- To this day, there is no human solution in the war in the Middle East against God's chosen people, Israel. We are all still in Abraham's shoes
- Love your enemies, even though they hate you and want you dead, applies to the church and Israel
- Israel is today still surrounded by "great nations" of enemies, descendants of Ishmael
- The nation of Abraham and Isaac (and later Jacob, Israel) is still God's chosen people of great and precious promises.
- Israel's enemies constantly war against her, killing innocents, building up arms, and want her annihilated permanently, forever
- The world still tries to make peace between the sides, without success
- This is also the story of ourselves: The flesh and the Spirit
- Comparing this to sin, we must cast it off, cast it out.
(Galatians 4:21-31 [KJV])
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
(Genesis 21:13 [KJV])
And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
(Genesis 17:20 [KJV])
- The fleshy people of the world outnumber the people of faith, the Christians, many times over. Some things never change.
- The enemies of Israel, surrounding the nation of Israel, outnumber the people of Israel many times over, still today.
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
(Genesis 21:14 [KJV])
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
(Genesis 21:15 [KJV])
- Hot desert, hot wilderness
- Food and water, a little provisions
- No word on if he gave her any money
- Only place she knew to go back to was Egypt
- Ultimately though, Ishmael being the representation of the flesh, works and the law today as Islamic Republics, must be separated from the child of Promise, of Grace and Faith-Isaac.
- The same can be said for Hagar, the woman of the flesh and Sarah, the woman of faith.
And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
THE REAL LIVING WATER: JESUS
- Water is everything, physically and spiritually
- You can go a long time without food
- Abraham was rich, but gave them so little to subsist on. Perhaps he believed God's promise of making Ishmael a great nation, like he believe with Isaac being born and will soon believe when asked to offer him as a sacrifice.
- In the desert, most is three days without water.
- God is everyone's Living Water: Jew, Gentile, Egyptian, Samaritan
- At the very least he had some shade, for now.
(Jeremiah 17:13 [KJV])
O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
(Zechariah 14:8 [KJV])
And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
(John 4:10 [KJV])
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
(John 7:38 [KJV])
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
(Genesis 21:16 [KJV])
And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
(Genesis 21:17 [KJV])
- A mother would never want to see her child die
- It is obvious in the human realm that death was certain and imminent
- In the desert with no living water is where God finds us and we can know the source of our water.
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
(2 Corinthians 1:3-6 [KJV])
- The mother cried, but God heard Ishmael.
- This has to have been comforting to Hagar
- She has heretofore heard about or heard God talking to Abraham and Sarah so she probably did not expect to hear directly from Him any longer
- Sarah had earlier (chapter 16) kicked Hagar out after Ishmael was born, but God personally spoke to her to tell her to return to Sarah
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
(Genesis 21:18 [KJV])
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
- Stand up
- Have personal touch
- Believe the promise
- God asks the same of us
- Stand
- Touch the LORD Jesus Christ
- Believe
STAND
(Ephesians 6:11, 13-14 [KJV])
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil...
...Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
TOUCH
(Matthew 9:20 [KJV])
And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
(Matthew 14:36 [KJV])
And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
BELIEVE
(Acts 16:31 [KJV])
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
(Acts 19:4 [KJV])
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
(Genesis 21:19 [KJV])
And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
(Genesis 21:20-21 [KJV])
- Sometimes the answer is right with us, but because of our lack of faith, we never even see it.
- God opens eyes to His provisions and Himself
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
(Genesis 21:22 [KJV])
- Out of all of the things promised to Hagar in regards to the lad, the best was the fact that "God was with the lad"
- The return to Egypt to live and find Ishmael a wife is why there is such an abundance of Israel haters there today, surrounding her, wanting to wipe her out.
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
(Genesis 21:23 [KJV])
- For someone who is an unbeliever to say that to a believer, there has to be something visible in their life
- Most likely he is looking at the abundance of riches in the physical realm Abraham had.
- He also has to have heard of his exploits over the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and the rescue of Lot.
Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
(Genesis 21:24 [KJV])
- The above is clear because he may not trust Abraham and his descendants to be a good neighbor
- The same outward appearance of the abundance of physical blessings can be said of some mega-churches today. The world does not (rightly) trust them to do right, but they do see the physical, earthly riches that they possess.
And Abraham said, I will swear.
(Genesis 21:25 [KJV])
- Very short sentence, very certain answer. It was all he had to do and his word was apparently immediately accepted
And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
(Genesis 21:26 [KJV])
- Often, when people go around not trusting all or many other people, it is simply because they themselves are shifty in some way.
- Stealing water is like stealing life itself. Wells of water were and still are scarce in the Middle East.
- The well had been dug by Abraham (v.30) anyways
And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
(Genesis 21:27 [KJV])
- It may be that he did not know because his servants did not ever tell him what they were doing
- Abraham will have to trust God to protect him during this time
And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
(Genesis 21:28-29 [KJV])
- It may be that they did the same thing that God did with him, split the animals and this time, walked through the middle to affirm the covenant.
- This was a portion of the gift that Abimelech had given Abraham earlier
And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
(Genesis 21:30 [KJV])
- Seven is the perfect number
- This was perfect confirmation and a contract to be complete
And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
(Genesis 21:31 [KJV])
- This was to prevent any and all future disputes
Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
(Genesis 21:32 [KJV])
- Beersheba means "the well of the earth" or "the well of the oath" or "the well of the many"
- It is possible that Abraham wanted to even share this, just not have it taken by force and removed from himself.
- “well of the seven,” where there are to the present day two principal wells and five smaller ones. It is nearly midway between the southern end of the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean."
Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
(Genesis 26:15-16 [KJV])
- Isaac returned here later on and tried to reopen the wells.
- The peace with Abraham and the Philistines was apparently not transferable to Isaac
For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth. And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vie/Beersheba.html
(Genesis 21:33 [KJV])
And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
(Genesis 21:34 [KJV])
- A good use for water is to appreciate it and thank God for it
And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.
(Exodus 22:21 [KJV])
- As long as he was not in Egypt, he was in God's will
- Everyone has to live some place
- Every place was enemy territory before they had a homeland
- We are all sojourners on this planet
- They as a group were already strangers in Egypt as it was
Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
(1 Peter 2:11 [KJV])
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
(Hebrews 11:13-16 [KJV])
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
