Ge. 21: Huzzah for Isaac...Ishmael is outty-five

OK, Finally! I can rejoice with Abraham, because in chapter 21, Sarah gives birth to Isaac (c. 2038), presumably meaning "laughter." The Bible says it was at God's appointed time, exactly when He said He'd deliver (Gen 18:10). I'm pretty happy for Abe, because he waited a very long time to have a son by his wife, the way it was meant to be. I have only the frame of reference of a few years at the longest in waiting on God to provide an answer to prayer. And when He did, I was overwhelmed with thanksgiving and...well, relief. God consistently shows He is a specific person, not a vague concept. I cannot imagine the joy that Abraham felt. He just wanted to party.

The birth of Ishmael led to pain and controversy and family dischord. The birth of Isaac was unifying, to Abraham and Sarah, and to Abraham and his family.

Ishmael was born pre-circumcision covenant...he had to be brought in after the 8 day rule. Isaac was born, and was circumcised into the covenant exactly as God intended.

Ishmael was a result of man attempting to force God's hand. Isaac was the hand God stacked the deck to play.

Ishmael was a mocker at the feast celebrating Isaac's weaning. Sarah saw this, and was not willing to have Ishmael share in Isaac's inheritance. She told Abraham to get rid of Hagar and Ishmael. Abraham wasn't at peace with that type of decision, so he took it to the LORD. God said, "Listen to Sarah, because like I said, Isaac will be the source of your offspring, and fulfillment of my promise."

What's interesting next is that God says he will also make Ishmael a great nation as well. This is not because God wanted Hagar or Ishmael to feel better, or as some sort of a consolation. It was merely because Abraham was his father. So Abe gives them the boot the next day.

Hagar and Ishmael wander around in the desert until the provisions given them by Abraham run out. Hagar is desperate. In her tears, the Angel of the Lord comforts her. I don't know if this is a new angel, or if its the one that gave her comfort the last time she was in the desert after being banished. The angel encourages Hagar, telling her that God hears her cries, and not to worry. God graciously reveals a well that may or may nor have been there before, and Hagar and Ishmael are saved. The Bible says God was with Ishmael, despite him not necessarily being a part of the covenant. Was this due to Ishmael's father being Abraham, or the fact the God was benevolent to everyone? Maybe it's something else entirely.

Meanwhile, Abimelech is conferring with Abraham, telling him not to pull any stunts on him, as a favor to the nation in which he lives that shows him kindness. After swearing it, Abraham tells Abimelech that maybe his nation isn't so kind. Apparently some of Abimelech's men seized a well dig by Abraham's men. Abimelech is like, "This is news to me." Abraham gives Abimelech seven ewe lambs as a testimony that he is telling the truth. Seven, like on the ark...

Anyway, the well is called Beersheba. Maybe there were a lot Beersheba's back in the day, because Beersheba is where Hagar encountered the angel. Same, different...thats a question for God.

Abraham planted a tamarisk tree and called on the name of the Eternal God.

Questions for God:
1. Is everyone assigned an angel, or what? How does that work?

Ge. 16: Love child

Even after the covenant promised in the last chapter, Sarai was still concerned that she and Abram had not yet conceived. In Chapter 16, she complains that God has not yet blessed them with a son. So she does what any centered, sane woman would do: She tells her husband to sleep with her maid. Hagar, an Egyptian maid servant was given as a wife to Abram by Sarai. I know the man should be joined with woman...but women? Of course, Hagar conceives. With the pregnancy hormones a-flying, and the resentful Sarai jealous, life becomes a living hell for both of them. And probably everyone else in camp.

Even though it was Sarai's idea, she blames Abram for going through with the deed. Women.

Abram, showing a masterful hand of leadership tells Sarai to deal with her maidservant herself. Sarai treats Hagar poorly, so she flees.

The Angel of the LORD finds her by a spring in the desert on the road to Shur. "What's the deal?" the Angel asks.

"Sarai was being a bi...a big jerk, so I left," Hagar replies.

The Angel tells Hagar to go back and take Sarai's abuse...to put up with it. God promised Hagar that her son's descendents would be too numerous to count, like Abram's would be. I don't know if I could go back to a scornful, barren woman if I were pregnant with her husband's heir. That would be pushing it for me.

I've learned that whenever the Bible recounts how someone is named, there's always an explanation to follow, describing what the name literally means. "Ishmael" probably means "God hears," because the Bible says God hears Hagar's suffering, and "El" is consistent with "God."

So, I guess that would make Hagar feel better...Ishmael's descendants will be too numerous to count (Genesis 15:5)...yet, Abram's descendants will be too numerous to count...God's going to run out of planet if everyone's descendants will be too numerous to count. He's already used up 2 "too numerous to counts" in the first 2000 years.

Apparently, Ishmael will turn out to be a wild man, a rowdy man, and will be notorious for picking fights easily, will not get along with his family. Hm.

At any rate, this made Hagar happy, and she named the spring after God seeing her.

She gives birth to Ishmael when Abram is 86 years old, making Ishmael born around 2024 at the earliest. Which is neat.

This whole saga is a little unsettling to me. Abram just had a bunch of amazing signs and wonders shown to him, yet still he goes about his business like he had seen nothing. Maybe he thought that God would bring him a son through his maidservant, and that was how his line would be preserved? I must admit, I am guilty of the same. God shows me how He works, and then I expect something else. Additionally, we learned way back during the creation that God typically works in a methodical, sometimes maddeningly so, process. But, come on, Abram...the maidservant?