Okay, so today I read in Genesis 21 and verses 8-14 are where my questions reside. Sarah didn't like Hagar and Ishmael ( I understand all that- bad decision from the get go), but what I don't understand is why God went ahead and told Abraham to send off his son and Hagar? I am sure that greatly upset Abraham, as scripture says. It seems to me that they got into this mess and dealing with a stepson of sorts is just one consequence for Sarah to deal with. She really had a lot of influence here, doesn't she? I mean, she gave Hagar to Abraham and now Ishmael's making fun of Isaac, so she wants to get rid of him, and SHE DOES! She gets her way! Please check this scripture out for me. Again, I just want to know why? Can any of you shed some spiritual light into this for me? Maybe you have more biblical understanding on this than me!
3 comments:
hey tricia,
I looked up in my commentary and I will just quote what it said:
"The next year Ishmael mocked Isaac at the festival of Isaac's weaning. At Sarah's insistence and with God's approval, Hagar and Ishmael were expelled from Abraham's family, Abraham grieved for Ishmael, but God comforted him by revealing that a great nation would come out of Ishmael.
After they had wandered in the wildernes and their water was gone, Hagar laid her son under the shade of a bush to die and an angel of the Lord appeared to hagar and showed her a well. This is a beautiful picture of God's concern for the outcast and helpless."
My own personal belief of why God allowed that is simply because the people of Promise were to be set apart. God foreknew that the descendants of each would fight over their inheritance(not HIS plan) and so He allowed us to see(in scripture) the natural consequences of thier lack of trust and faith in God that He will fulfill His promises and when we don't believe and we intervene, then we pervert God's best plans for us.
Hope that helps...
Ron & I had a great conversation over this last night. I will share with you tonight!
Tricia,
Lori's commentary had some good thoughts. Here are my two bits. Along the lines of the children of Israel being set apart...God wanted everyone to know that the privileges and promises were only to those in the line of Isaac. Not all of Abraham's descendants belonged to the physical people of God (nation of Israel). It seems like a great picture of salvation. Not everyone born of Adam receives the blessings of salvation, only those who trust in Jesus Christ.
It is also interesting to me that Ishmael was not just teasing Isaac, he was mocking the fact that Isaac was the rightful heir of Abraham; so, at the age of about 17, he was mocking what God said. (Gen. 16:16 and Gen. 21:5). Even so, God was merciful and saved him and Hagar in the wilderness, and did make a great nation from him. The descendents from that nation even have the opportunity for eternal salvation as long as they follow God's plan and accept His Son.
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