I will make the son of the slave into a nation also because he is your offspring. Genesis ESV. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. James ESV.
God still had a plan for both Ishmael and Isaac. But because Abraham in the Bible chose to disobey God, Abraham's sons reaped the consequences. Drama ensued in their family and tore them apart. Abraham's sons show us that we must trust in God's promises and not try to force them on our own. This article is part of our People of Christianity catalog that features the stories, meaning, and significance of well-known people from the Bible and history.
Here are some of the most popular articles for knowing important figures in Christianity:. How Did the Apostle Paul Die? Who are the Nicolaitans in Revelation? Who Was Deborah in the Bible? Who Was Moses in the Bible? While traveling, Abraham told two different kings that his wife, Sarah, was actually his sister so that he would not be harmed.
Talk about being in the doghouse! Fortunately, both kings discovered the truth and returned Sarah to her husband. But was Abraham actually lying? In Genesis , after being found out, Abram explained to King Abimelek that Sarah was the daughter of his father, but not of his mother.
Is this problematic? Not necessarily. Abraham was obviously no exception. Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Abraham was in the line of Shem and was a tenth-generation descendant of Noah. Abraham was a great example of faith as he ventured off in obedience to God, yet he never experienced the fulfillment of this promise in his lifetime.
In fact, Abraham lived his life as a nomad, constantly traveling from place to place. The only land he personally owned was a burial site—a cave in a field Abraham purchased from the Hittites so he could bury Sarah when she died. This burial site served as a representation of the promised land that Joshua would someday conquer. Yet there is nothing beyond what God can do, and God continues to work through even this dark situation. Quick literary lesson: Mehlville uses this opening to connect his character with the biblical account of Ishmael, and establish him as an outcast, and as one who suffers consequences for something that was not his doing.
In the case of the book, this is Captain Ahab chasing a whale. He was not to be the child of promise and he was not to be the heir of Abraham. Sarah grew bitter against Hagar and treated her poorly, causing Hagar to run away while still pregnant.
This led not to joy and fulfillment, but anger, bitterness, and broken relationships. The story that led to the birth of Ishmael was not a happy one. Yet God was not absent. After Hagar ran away, God brought her back. It is accepted that most if not all current-day Arabic people trace their lineage back to Ishmael. That is a lineage numbering in the millions.
She was not forgotten, and as his name suggests, God was listening. Why be given a name about laughter? There are a few reasons. The first is because laughter was the response from both Abraham and Sarah when God told them they would have a son in their old age. It seemed impossible, so the thought of it made them laugh.
I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her. Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?
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