Gênesis 21
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gênesis 21
Cole - God chose Isaac so that we would know that the life of faith requires total dependence on God, so that all the fruit comes from Him. That which stems from our flesh, which we can do apart from God, can never please Him. It exalts human pride and robs God of His glory. That which the Spirit produces in and through us brings God the glory due His name. So even though it seems unfair that Hagar and Ishmael be expelled, it was necessary for God’s purpose and glory. This story teaches us that the joy of the life of faith comes from obtaining what only God can do; the pain comes from separating from what I can do in my own power. (The Joy and Pain of a Life of Faith -- Genesis 21:1-21) Matthew Henry Concise - Ge 21:9-13. Let us not overlook the manner in which this family matter instructs us not to rest in outward privileges, or in our own doings. And let us seek the blessings of the new covenant by faith in its Divine Surety. Ishmael's conduct was persecution, being done in profane contempt of the covenant and promise, and with malice against Isaac. God takes notice of what children say and do in their play; and will reckon with them, if they say or do amiss, though their parents do not. Mocking is a great sin, and very provoking to God. And the children of promise must expect to be mocked. Abraham was grieved that Ishmael should misbehave, and Sarah demand so severe a punishment. But God showed him that Isaac must be the father of the promised Seed; therefore, send Ishmael away, lest he corrupt the manners, or try to take the rights of Isaac. The covenant seed of Abraham must be a people by themselves, not mingled with those who were out of covenant: Sarah little thought of this; but God turned aright what she said. QUESTION - Who was Ishmael in the Bible? ANSWER - Simply put, the Ishmaelites were the descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abram by his wife’s handmaiden, Hagar (Genesis 16:1–12). From small beginnings, the Ishmaelites became a numerous and mighty people. The origin of the Ishmaelites was fraught with difficulty. When Sarai was unable to produce a child with Abram, she followed the common cultural practice and gave Hagar to him, and Hagar conceived his child. But Sarai later became jealous and mistreated Hagar, who fled from her mistress into the wilderness. There Hagar met the Angel of the Lord who pronounced the first of three prophecies concerning the child she was bearing. She would give birth to a son, and his descendants would multiply greatly. It was at this time that God told Hagar to name him Ishmael, which means “God hears” (Genesis 16:10–11). In the wilderness the Angel of the Lord also predicted that Ishmael—and therefore the Ishmaelites—would be stubborn, untamable, and warlike: “He will be a wild donkey of a man; / his hand will be against everyone / and everyone’s hand against him, / and he will live in hostility / toward all his brothers” (Genesis 16:12). After hearing the angel’s words, Hagar returned to her mistress and eventually gave birth to Ishmael. Later, God changed the names of Sarai and Abram to Sarah and Abraham and established a covenant with Abraham’s son Isaac. But Ishmael also had a promise from God: he would be blessed, too, and he would be the father of a great nation, beginning with twelve sons, the first of the Ishmaelites (Genesis 17:20). The names of the twelve are listed in Genesis 25:12–16; it is from the Ishmaelites that the Arab nations descended. Ishmael was about fourteen years old when Isaac was born. A year or a few later, when Isaac was weaned, Sarah saw Ishmael mocking her son. Sarah asked Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away, and God told Abraham to comply. The Angel of God met Hagar and her son once again and predicted for the third time that Ishmael would father a great nation (Genesis 21:18). Later in Israel’s history, the Ishmaelites were also called Midianites (although not all Midianites were descendants of Ishmael), and they engaged in the buying and selling of slaves (Genesis 37:28; 39:1). Judges 8:24 tells us that it was a custom for the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings. During the reign of King David, the Ishmaelites joined a confederacy against God and against His people, Israel (Psalm 83:5–6). Their goal was to “destroy them as a nation, / so that Israel’s name is remembered no more” (verse 4). Considering the current turmoil in the Middle East and the hatred often directed against Israel by her neighbors, the prophecies concerning the descendants of Ishmael continue to prove true. GotQuestions.org James Butler - Persecuting Isaac “And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.” (Genesis 21:9) THAT this mocking of Isaac was persecution is verified in the New Testament when Paul speaks of this as Isaac being “persecuted” by Ishmael (Galatians 4:29). This mocking involved a good deal more than just Isaac. It also involved an attack upon the people, the power, the promises, and the provision of God. Attacking the people of God. Isaac represents the Jewish nation. The Jews are of the seed of Isaac. Ishmael’s descendents comprise many of the Muslim people today. The Muslims are still attacking the Jews. The Middle East hostilities today go back to this mocking of Isaac by Ishmael. But Israel will be delivered from all this mocking when Christ returns. Attacking the power of God. Isaac was a result of a miracle of Divine power. Therefore, in mocking Isaac, Ishmael evidenced no respect for the great work God had accomplished through Abraham and Sarah. This is always the habit of the evil world. It is forever belittling the work of God and discrediting the miracles of God. Anything God does the world mocks. Therefore, do not be surprised when they mock the power of the Gospel (Romans 1:16). But mocking does not enfeeble the Gospel, it only indicts the mocker. Attacking the promises of God. God promised that Isaac would be the progenitor of a great nation and a provider of great blessings to the world. Thus in mocking Isaac, Ishmael mocked the promises of God. The world is ever mocking Divine promises. They mock the promises of Christ’s return, the promise of Divine judgment upon evil, and the promise of Israel’s restoration. But be assured that no mocking ever stopped any promise of God from being fulfilled. Attacking the provision of God. The great provision involved in Isaac’s birth was the Savior, Jesus Christ. Thus, Ishmael’s mocking involved a mocking of Jesus Christ. People are still mocking Christ. He was mocked at Calvary, and He has been mocked ever since He was born. But no mocking will get you in more trouble than mocking Jesus Christ. (Daily Bible Reading) Donald Cantrell - It’s Time to Say Goodbye to Our Ishmaels (Online Jewels for the Journey 194 full page sermon starters - daily devotions) Gen 21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Gen 21:10 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. Gen 21:11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. In this passage something extremely hard was being asked of Abraham, he was required to send his first born son away. The boy was birthed due to the haste of Abraham; he ignorantly listened to Sarah his wife and ran ahead of God, in doing so he had a son out of God’s will. The handmaiden of Sarah, being named Hagar, conceived a son, his name was Ishmael, and this boy would only bring grief to his family. Ishmael had a mixed heritage, his mother was an Egyptian and his father was a Hebrew, one represented the worldly walk, the other represented spiritual walk. In the process of time Sarah conceived a son with her husband Abraham, his name would be called Isaac, he was the chosen son, the one sent and promised by God. As little Isaac began to grow, Ishmael started mocking him, Ishmael felt that because he was the first son he had greater privileges, he most likely thought that his father loved him more than Isaac. Upon seeing the mocking of Ishmael, Sarah approached her husband and demanded that the handmaiden and her son be sent away, this was very grievous to the aged Abraham. He truly loved this boy, he had grown to share his affection between the two sons, but upon talking to God, the Lord informed him to listen to Sarah, Why? The time comes when we have to get rid of the things from Egypt, we must cast them away, this dear friend will be a test of great magnitude, and this bidding from God will challenge you like you have never been challenged. 1. The Worldly Birth “His Divided Affection” 2. The Woeful Banishment “His Designed Affliction” 3. The Wonderful Benefits “His Delightful Admiration” As we inspect our lives, do we have some Ishmaels hidden away, nobody knows but the Lord. We tenderly divide our affection between loving the worldly and the spiritual. This was one of two major tests that Abraham had to pass; the second test also involved his son, only it required the death of his precious son Isaac. As the Lord shows you things in your life, will you be willing to expose and expel the Ishmaels from your life? In the following space I will list some or all of my Ishmaels: J J Knapp - Mocking Gen. 21:9 The birth of Isaac, the son of the promise, was a bitter disappointment for Ishmael and his mother. While before he could have expected to become Abraham’s heir, he saw that hope disappear like a cloud of smoke, when Isaac was born in due time. The boy could not handle it. When Isaac was weaned and the whole household was steeped in the joy of feasting, the pent-up rage came out and he teased the small boy with his evil mocking. The New Testament says that he pursued him, and that it was not the somewhat harmless teasing of a mocking heart, but that it was intended to hurt. The more it hurt, the better it was. He could not stand that half-brother at all, who was the bearer of the richest promises of God. Now he would hurt him and his old mother with a vengeance, and so it went on with gestures or words towards poisonous mocking. Let us not assume that this only happened in Abraham’s tent. There are still homes in which brothers and sisters know thoroughly the art of teasing and mocking . They don’t dare to attack each other because in that case father will get involved. However, they know well how to quietly pester. Behind father’s back to jest and to denigrate. To mock each other about the colour of the hair or of a stuttering speech. To gloat when brother once again cannot express himself properly and then to try and imitate him,—this is a deeply sinful characteristic of many a child’s heart. Fortunate, if a mother is at hand to take it up for the reviled one. We can fully understand that Sarah flew up in indignation and said to her husband: “Cast out this bondwoman and her son,”—that was what she was a mother for. She mentioned the servant first, because the boy had obviously learned the mocking from his mother. It makes the story so sad, because Hagar knew, of course, that Isaac faced a great future, since once Christ would be born from him. If she bore knowledge of this, the mocking was double venomous. In that case it was almost a mocking with the holy thing that was hidden in Isaac and that would come forth from him at a later century; a mocking such as Jesus had to endure, when they mocked Him on the cross and made light of Him, saying, or rather mocking: “If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross!” The spirit of mocking must be purged from our heart, just like any desire to mock. Like in Abraham’s tent Ishmael could not live peaceably with Isaac, so no mocking Ishmael may remain in our heart, but the great miracle Child, Jesus Christ, must be the only Ruler there, who animates all our expressions of life, and who replaces the jealousy with a tender sense of love. Oswald Chambers - Which? Genesis 21:9-21 (Not Knowing Where) Profit?—Loss? Who shall declare this good—that ill? When good and ill so intertwine But to fulfil the vast design Of an Omniscient Will?— When seeming gain but turns to loss,— When earthly treasure proves but dross,— And what seemed loss but turns again To high, eternal gain? John Oxenham* And God said, . . . Let it not be grievous in thy sight. Genesis 21:12 The dilemmas of our personal life with God are few if we obey and many if we are wilful. Spiritually the dilemma arises from the disinclination for discipline; every time I refuse to discipline my natural self, I become less and less of a person and more and more of an independent, impertinent individual. Individuality is the characteristic of the natural man; personality is the characteristic of the spiritual man. That is why Our Lord can never be defined in terms of individuality, but only in terms of personality. Individuality is the characteristic of the child, it is the husk of the personal life. It is all “elbows,” it separates and isolates; personality can merge and be blended. The shell of individuality is God’s created covering for the protection of the personal life, but individuality must go in order that the personal life may be brought out into fellowship with God—“that they may be one, even as We are one.” 1. The Offence of the Natural (Genesis 21:6-10) Sarah is full of indignation when she sees the mocking of Ishmael, and begs Abraham to “cast out this bondwoman and her son.” God tells Abraham to hearken to what Sarah says, and Ishmael is cast out. We have to remember, however, that Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to be his wife; we always become anxious when we take our own self-chosen ways. In the Epistle to the Galatians the Apostle Paul makes his great revelation regarding that which was “born after the flesh” and that which was “born after the Spirit.” He is dealing not with sin, but with the relationship between the natural and the spiritual. The natural must be disciplined and turned into the spiritual by sacrifice (cf. Galatians 5:24), otherwise it will produce a tremendous divorce in the life. Why did God make it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed to the spiritual? God did not. God’s order was that the natural should be transformed into the spiritual by obedience; sin made it necessary for the natural to be sacrificed to the spiritual, and that after sanctification, remember. We have the idea that sanctification means deliverance from sin only; it means much more, it means that we start on a life of discipline such as nine out of every ten of us will have nothing to do with. The offence of the natural is its robust ridicule of the spiritual, and if the natural is not “cast out”† it will not only perish itself but will lead the whole personal life astray. “I was not disciplined when I was a child.” You must discipline yourself now, if you do not, you will ruin your life for God. If the natural is not sacrificed to the spiritual by me, not by God, it will mock at the life of the Son of God in me and produce a continual “swither,” which is always the result of an undisciplined nature. Instead of “I can’t,” say “I won’t,” and you have it exactly, it is the Ishmael jeer. People go wrong spiritually because they stubbornly refuse to discipline themselves physically, mentally or in any way, and after a while they become that most contemptible and objectionable thing, a petted man or woman, and their own greatest cause of suffering. There is no suffering to equal the suffering of self-love arising from independent individuality which refuses to submit either to God or to its nobler self. 2. The Offering of the Natural (Genesis 21:11-13) The casting out of the bondwoman and her son† was necessary not only for the line of promise but for the welfare of Ishmael himself. All the problems regarding civilisation and organisation and the natural virtues arise along this line. If I put the civilised organisation to which I belong, or my natural virtues, on the throne, they will make a mock of the Son of God Who is formed in me. These things are the outcome of the natural life and I have to resolutely put them under, not because they are wrong, but because they are individual protests against the life of the Son of God in me. The natural life is not spiritual, it can only be made spiritual by deliberately casting it out and making it the slave instead of the ruler. My business is to make independent individuality conform to the Son of God in me by severity. We are apt to deify wilfulness and independence and call them by the wrong name; what we call strength of will God looks upon as contemptible weakness. The Being with the greatest will who ever lived on the earth was Our Lord Jesus Christ, and yet He never exercised His will, as We think of will; His life was one of meekness and submission (see John 5:19, 30). Our Lord was the antipodes of the individual, there was nothing independent or wilful or self-assertive about Him, and He says “Learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.” Jesus Christ cannot give me a meek and quiet spirit, I have to take His yoke upon me; that is, I have to deliberately discipline myself. The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount is the destruction of individuality and the exaltation of personality. When the personal life is merged with God, it will manifest the characteristics of God. Individuality never exhibits the characteristics of God but natural characteristics, the characteristics of Ishmael, or of Esau, or of Saul of Tarsus, that mock at the meek and lowly Son of God. What is it that begins to mock in you? “Meek? Do you think I am going to bow my neck to that? Be loyal there, in my home? Obey a passing sentiment that came to me in a prayer meeting?” Cast out “the bondwoman and her son”—the natural life and all that nourishes it, or it will lead your personal life to ruin. The casting out must be done by you, then God will bring it back into its rightful inheritance. The natural life can only be brought into union by being cast out (cf. Matthew 5:29, 48). If we do not resolutely cast out the natural, the supernatural can never become natural in us. There are some Christians in whom the supernatural and the natural seem one and the same, and you say—Well, they are not one with me, I find the natural at “loggerheads” with the spiritual. The reason is that the other life has gone through the fanatical stage of cutting off the right arm, gone through the discipline of maiming the natural, completely casting it out, and God has brought it back into its right relationship with the spiritual on top, and the spiritual manifests itself in a life which knows no division into sacred and secular. There is no royal road there, each one has it entirely in his own hands; it is not a question of praying but of performing. 3. The Ostracism of the Natural (Genesis 21:14) The casting out of Hagar and Ishmael† is necessary, but Hagar is not divorced. Divorce stands for apostasy (cf. Isaiah 1:1). We must be divorced from sin, not separated from sin. Sin belongs to hell and the devil; I, as a child of God, belong to heaven and God, and I must have nothing to do with sin in any shape or form. The separation which goes on all through the life of faith is alluded to by Paul in Galatians 2:20—“I have been crucified with Christ” (rv); and again in Romans 12:1—“Present your bodies a living sacrifice”—go to the funeral of your own independence. It is not a question of giving up sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence and self-assertiveness. Immediately I do, the natural cries out and goes through terrific suffering. There are things in me which must go through death or they will abide alone and ruin the personal life (cf. John 12:24). But if I sternly put them through death, God will bring them back into the right inheritance. Jesus says If any man will be My disciple, “let him deny himself,”†† i.e., deny his right to himself, and a man has to realise Who Jesus Christ is before he will do it. It is the things that are right and noble and good from the natural standpoint that keep us back from God’s best. To discern that the natural virtues antagonise surrender to God, is to begin to see where the battle lies. It is going to cost the natural everything, not something. 4. The Ordeal of the Natural (Genesis 21:15-16) Beware of blaspheming the Creator by calling the natural sinful. The natural is not sinful, but un-moral and un-spiritual. It is the home of all the vagrant vices and virtues, and must be disciplined with the utmost severity until it learns its true position in the providence of God. Remember, Abraham had to offer up Ishmael before he offered up Isaac. Some of us are trying to offer spiritual sacrifices before we have sacrificed the natural. The only way we can offer a spiritual sacrifice to God is to do what He tells us to do, discipline what He tells us to discipline. Under no consideration must we dictate to God on the basis of the natural life. When God’s Son tells me to do a thing, I have no business to allow the natural to dictate and say—I cannot do that because I get so tired. What does it matter if it kills the natural? God’s purpose for the natural will be fulfilled, I have to be absolutely stern with it and not make God wait on my natural inclinations. 5. The Outrance of the Natural (Genesis 21:19-21) “Outrance”—the utmost extremity or bitter end. Verse 20 is striking—“God was with the lad,” as long as he remained in the straits of the desert, and he found his home in the oases and by the wells. After Ishmael had learned by experience that he was not a fellow heir with Isaac, he was richly endowed by Abraham, and he also remained in friendly relationship with Isaac (Genesis 25:6, 9). God is not with my natural life as long as I pamper it and pander to it, but when I put it out in the desert, resolutely cast it out and keep it under, then God is with it and He opens up wells and oases, and fulfils His promise for it. It must be stern discipline, rigorous severity to the last degree on my part (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:27), then God will be with the natural life and bring it to its full purpose. Theodore Epp - CONFLICT IS INEVITABLE Genesis 21:9-21 After the birth of Isaac, the true nature of Ishmael was revealed. Nothing of his life is known before Isaac's birth. Even this points out a significant truth for the believer. It is not until a person receives the new nature, through receiving Christ as Saviour, that he discovers the real character of his old nature. The discovery is a painful one and even causes some to doubt their salvation as they see the struggle taking place in their lives. However, the very fact that there is conflict is proof of salvation. There is no conflict when there is only the old nature. But when the new nature comes in to control the life, the old nature sets up an intense conflict. Paul referred to this conflict when he said, "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:17). This is the condition that results when a person receives Christ as Saviour. He receives a new nature, which is in opposition to the old nature. There is conflict between the spirit of liberty and the spirit of bondage. Even as in the case of Ishmael and Isaac, where one had to be expelled, the believer cannot yield to both natures but must choose the one he will obey. "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (John 5:4). Genesis 21:10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.” Drive out this maid: Ge 25:6,19 17:19,21 20:11 22:10 36:6,7 Mt 8:11,12 22:13 Joh 8:35 Ga 4:22-31 1Jn 2:19 this maid shall not be an heir with my son: Joh 8:35 Ga 3:18 Gal 4:7 1Pe 1:4 1Jn 2:19 Genesis 21 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: Galatians 4:22-31+ (PAUL USES THIS RIFT BETWEEN SARAH AND HAGAR ALLEGORICALLY IN GALATIANS) For it is written (REFERRING TO GENESIS) that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. 27 For it is written, “REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.” 28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit (AS IN Genesis 21:9), so it is now also. 30 But what does the Scripture say? (NOTE THAT SCRIPTURE IS PERSONIFIED HERE INDICATING THAT THIS WAS AN INSPIRED DEMAND) “CAST OUT THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON, FOR THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN SHALL NOT BE AN HEIR WITH THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.” 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman. SARAH SAYS "DIVORCE HAGAR" Why do I say "divorce"? The word rendered "cast out," signifies divorce in Lev 21:7 where it describes "a woman divorced (garash; Lxx = ekbállō) from her husband," and in a sense that is what Sarah is commanding Abraham to do in this passage. Therefore she said to Abraham, “Drive out (garash; Lxx = ekbállō) this maid and her son - In Sarah's last recorded words she commands her husband to throw out Hagar and Ishmael (note she does not even use their names seems to speak with derision). For - Term of explanation. What is God explaining to Abraham? He is giving the reason Abraham must cast Ishmael and Hagar out of his tent, in essence out of his life! The son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac - Sarah seems to speak condescendingly in calling Ishmael not Abraham's son, but the son of this maid. And she calls Isaac my son, not your son. Sarah had either forgotten or did not trust God’s earlier promise about Isaac as the sole recipient of the covenant (Ge 17:21), but wants to make absolutely sure Ishmael never becomes Abraham's heir. In one sense, she is not completely wrong, for normally the firstborn son would be the heir of his father. It is interesting that the verb drive out (garash) is also used to describe God's expulsion of Adam from the Garden (Ge 3:24+) and Cain's expulsion from His presence after he murdered Abel (Ge 4:14+). Sarah's charge to Abraham to drive out Hagar compares with Ge 16:6 where "Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence." Now this is 14 years or more later and Sarah is ready for Hagar to leave. Peaceful coexistence was not possible. This conflict between Sarah and Hagar is a picture of what Paul described in Galatians 5:17 writing "the flesh (present tense - continually) sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are (present tense - continually) in opposition to one another." Those must have been a tense 14 years in the Abraham household! There is always conflict between the flesh and the Spirit, the old nature and the new.... Warren
Gênesis 21
Cole has a comment similar to Wiersbe writing that "In practical terms, this involves the painful obedience of saying no to myself and yes to God. (ED: I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO REVERSE THAT STATEMENT - SAY "YES" TO GOD, AND THEN YOU CAN SAY "NO" TO YOUR FLESH - SEE expulsive power of a new affection) It means denying my pride, my sinful desires, and all that stems from my old self, and consciously depending on God’s Spirit to produce His fruit in me. It is an ongoing process of submitting to God’s pruning my flesh so that He can accomplish His purpose through me. It hurts, and often I won’t understand. But my part is to obey. (ED: REALIZING THAT EVEN OUR DESIRE AND POWER TO OBEY ARE THE RESULT OF THE SPIRIT "ENERGIZING" US! SEE Php 2:13NLT+) (The Joy and Pain of a Life of Faith -- Genesis 21:1-21) Drive out (01644) garas/qarash is a verb that means to cast out, drive out. Jonah was expelled from God's sight (Jonah 2:4), Pharaoh driving out the Israelites (Ex 6:1; 12:39), Pharaoh driving Moses and Aaron from his presence (Ex. 10:11), repeatedly used of God driving out Israel's enemies (Ex 23:28-31, 33:2, 34:11, Dt 33:27, Jos. 24:12, Ps. 78:55, Ps. 80:8 contrast result because of Israel's disobedience - Jdg 2:3, Hos. 9:15) . It is used in the general sense of banishing outcasts from society (Job 30:5). In its figurative usage, it indicates divorcing one’s wife (Lev. 21:7) describing a woman that is “put away from her husband.” It describes the sea or a river as driven and tossed (Isa. 57:20; Amos 8:8). Garash - 45v - Gen. 3:24; Gen. 4:14; Gen. 21:10; Exod. 2:17; Exod. 6:1; Exod. 10:11; Exod. 11:1; Exod. 12:39; Exod. 23:28; Exod. 23:29; Exod. 23:30; Exod. 23:31; Exod. 33:2; Exod. 34:11; Lev. 21:7; Lev. 21:14; Lev. 22:13; Num. 22:6; Num. 22:11; Num. 30:9; Deut. 33:27; Jos. 24:12; Jos. 24:18; Jdg. 2:3; Jdg. 6:9; Jdg. 9:41; Jdg. 11:2; Jdg. 11:7; 1 Sam. 26:19; 1 Ki. 2:27; 1 Chr. 17:21; 2 Chr. 20:11; Job 30:5; Ps. 78:55; Ps. 80:8; Prov. 22:10; Isa. 57:20; Ezek. 31:11; Ezek. 36:5; Ezek. 44:22; Hos. 9:15; Amos 8:8; Jon. 2:4; Mic. 2:9; Zeph. 2:4 QUESTION - Why is the birthright so emphasized in the Bible? ANSWER - The birthright is emphasized in the Bible because it honored the rights or privileges of the family’s firstborn son. After the father died, or in the father’s absence, the firstborn son assumed the father’s authority and responsibilities. However, the Bible also shows that the father could rescind the birthright and pass it on to a younger son. A good example of this is the case of Jacob and his twelve sons. Reuben was the eldest, but the birthright was given to Joseph’s sons. Even then, Jacob blessed the younger son, Ephraim, above the elder, Manasseh (Genesis 37:19-22; Genesis 49:1-4; Genesis 49:22-26). In addition to assuming the leadership role in the family, the recipient of the birthright inherited twice that received by the other sons. In cases where a husband might have more than one wife, the birthright always went to the firstborn son of the father and could not be awarded to the son of a favorite wife without proper justification (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) or if the firstborn son’s mother was a concubine or a slave (Genesis 21:9-13; Judges 11:1-2). The birthright of a king’s firstborn son included his succession to the throne (2 Chronicles 21:1-3). King Rehoboam of Judah violated this tradition by passing the birthright to Abijah, his favorite son. However, to avoid trouble with the older sons, the king paid them off (2 Chronicles 11:18-23). As New Testament Christians, we have an inherited “birthright” status through Jesus Christ as the firstborn Son of God (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15; Revelation 1:5). As God’s only begotten Son, Jesus received the kingdom from His Father and is Lord of all (Acts 2:36; Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 19:16). Christ promises to share with us His kingdom and inheritance (Romans 4:13; Galatians 3:29; Ephesians 1:18; Hebrews 11:16). Christians are warned not to imitate Esau who, on impulse, gave away his birthright for a bowl of stew (Hebrews 12:16-17; Genesis 25:19-34). Because of his foolishness, Esau lost his birthright and the blessings of his father (Genesis 27). The lesson for us is to respect what is holy. We should never throw away what is important, godly, or honorable for the sake of temporary pleasure. Our focus is to remain on Jesus, the appointed heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2; Psalm 2:7-8; Matthew 28:18). And we, through His grace and our faith in Him, are counted as joint heirs (Romans 8:17; Galatians 3:29; Titus 3:7). GotQuestions.org Charles Swindoll - CONSEQUENCES (Faith for the Journey) People are satisfied when you preach about the sins of the patriarchs, but they don’t like it when you touch upon the sins of today. DWIGHT L. MOODY [Sarah] turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!” This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. Genesis 21:10-11 GENESIS 21 gives the account of a man whose previous sin now haunts him and harms the people he loves. The birth of Abraham’s long-awaited heir, Isaac, gave him and Sarah great joy, but their delight became tinged with regret. Roughly fifteen years earlier, they had tried to rush God’s plan. In their haste to receive the fulfillment of God’s promise, they schemed to have a son on their own terms and according to their own timing. So Sarah’s Egyptian handmaid, Hagar, gave birth to a son named Ishmael —a child of Abraham, but not the long-awaited promised child. Ishmael represented the compromise; Isaac was the true child of promise. And for three years, conflict brewed. It finally came to a head at a family celebration, and by the time it was all over, Sarah demanded that Abraham send Hagar and Ishmael into the wilderness. One of the most comforting truths in Scripture is that God forgives our sins. The psalmist communicates that truth in these powerful words: “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). Yet while it’s true that God forgives our sins and wipes the slate clean in terms of our relationship with Him, our wrongdoing may have lingering consequences with others. God forgave the sin, but He didn’t change events to reverse the effect of our sin in the world. All of this points to a difficult yet helpful truth: Though every act of sin is forgivable, the effects of some sins are not erasable. We can learn a lesson from Abraham’s life, recognizing that the shock wave of sin can reverberate down through generations, even causing harm to people not yet born. REFLECT What consequences of other people’s sin have you experienced? What negative consequences might your own sin have on others? You show unfailing love to thousands, but you also bring the consequences of one generation’s sin upon the next. Jeremiah 32:18 Genesis 21:11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son. because: Ge 17:18 22:1,2 2Sa 18:33 Mt 10:37 Heb 12:11 Genesis 21 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries GOD'S HARD WORD TO ABRAHAM Paul Apple - God’s Control is Shown in Overriding Abraham’s Paternal Instincts The matter distressed (Lxx - skleros) Abraham greatly because of his son - The Lxx is interesting for it says "The word (OF THE LORD) appeared very (exceedingly) hard (skleros - harsh, unpleasant, har to take) to him." I can understand Abraham's reaction. As a father with 2 sons, if God told me to cast out one (even if there was a good reason as in Abraham's case), this would be a very painful command to obey. It is almost as if God's command to drive out Ishmael is preparation of his faith to obey an even more difficult command in Ge 22:2+ to offer Isaac as a burnt offering! I am reminded of Paul's words in 1Co 10:13+ that "No temptation (TEST) has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted (TESTED) beyond what you are able, but with the temptation (TEST) will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." So with each test, Abraham's faith grows. THOUGHT - Do we (I) really understand the great value of the tests God allows (sends) into our (my) lives (live), that they are providentially orchestrated not to make us bitter to make us better, to strengthen our trust in God? That's a rhetorical question of course! Theodore Epp - THE BASIS OF UNITY Genesis 21:11; Ephesians 2:11-16 The Scriptures say that when Sarah demanded that Ishmael be expelled from the household, "the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son" (Gen. 21:11). The word "grievous" means "bad" or "evil." Abraham viewed the conflict between his two sons as something evil. No doubt he was also grieved over the necessity of having to send Ishmael away. Perhaps Abraham thought that Ishmael and Isaac would someday be able to live together in harmony. This is the way many believers view the conflict between their old and new natures. They mistakenly think that the old nature will improve with time and they will have less conflict. There are also those who think that believers and unbelievers can dwell in harmony and even cooperate in promoting the same organization. This is what the proponents of the ecumenical movement are trying to tell us today. They stress organizational unity and peace, but they do not emphasize salvation by faith in Christ, which is the only thing that can bring about spiritual unity and lasting peace. "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad" (Matt. 12:30). Genesis 21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named. Listen: 1Sa 8:7,9 Isa 46:10 Through Isaac: Ge 17:19,21 Ro 9:7,8 Heb 11:18 Genesis 21 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries ABRAHAM'S SPIRITUAL DESCENDANTS THRU ISAAC NOT ISHMAEL But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed (jussive sense ~ command) because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen (shama) to her - Note that this is a test of Abraham. Will he obey God and not be distressed (In the Lxx it is rendered as a present imperative with a negative)? Will he listen to Sarah. The answer is "Yes" Abraham will pass these tests, even though it will be emotionally painful. The literal Hebrew of the phrase "Do not be distressed" reads "Let it not be evil in your eyes." Notice God calls Hagar your maid, not Sarah's maid, indicating God knows she is near and dear to him. Tells is in the imperfect picturing Sarah's words as already being spoken to Abraham. While some of Sarah's motivation was surely jealousy, God's command to Abraham clearly does not signify He approved of Sarah's attitude. God's command was based on His sovereignty, for He had the right to chose who would be the heir and for that reason Ishmael had to leave. God's command listen (shama - it could be translated "Obey") meant that Abraham was to give his undivided attention to what Sarah was saying. NET NOTE - "listen to her voice." The idiomatic expression means "obey; comply." Here her advice, though harsh, is necessary and conforms to the will of God. Later when Abraham has other sons, he sends them all away as well. (Ge 25:6) For - Term of explanation. What is God explaining to Abraham again in a slightly different way? He is reiterating the reason Abraham is to cast out Ishmael. Sometimes the good must go in order that the best can come. --Ray Pritchard Through Isaac your descendants shall be named - The essence of God's word here is that His covenant promises to Abraham would be fulfilled through Isaac and not through Ishmael. This reflects God's sovereign choice beyond any doubt and is picked up by Paul in Romans 9. This passage in the Septuagint is quoted verbatim by Paul in the New Testament in defense of the doctrine of God's sovereignty in election... But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are (PHYSICALLY) descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants (E.G., LOOK AT OVER 1 BILLION MUSLIMS WHO ARE "THROUGH ISHMAEL"), but: “THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED.” 8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants. 9 For this is the word of promise: “AT THIS TIME I WILL COME, AND SARAH SHALL HAVE A SON.”(Ro 9:6-9+) QUESTION - Was Hagar Abraham’s wife or his concubine? ANSWER - Hagar is properly considered a concubine of Abraham’s, although the Bible does call her a “wife” of Abraham in Genesis 16:3: “So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife” (ESV). A wife and a concubine held distinct roles in a family, but a concubine was still considered a wife of sorts. Hagar had been Sarah’s servant, but she was raised in status to be a second wife to Abraham. This action was required for Abraham to have a child with Hagar, but it did not place Hagar on a par with Sarah (see Genesis 25:5–6); Hagar remained a secondary wife—a “slave wife,” as it were (cf. Galatians 4:21–31). The Hebrew words for “wife” and “concubine” are different, but the word for “wife” has a broad range of meanings and can be translated as “woman,” “wife,” or “female.” The word was not always used with precision. That’s why, in Genesis 16:3, both Sarah and Hagar are called a “wife” of Abraham, using different forms of the same Hebrew word. The broad definition of the word in question means we have to use context clues to more precisely define it. In Hagar’s case, her status as Sarah’s slave means that she was a “wife” of a lesser class. In biblical times there were various rankings of wives, but the first wife always had seniority. It is worth noting that, after Sarah died, Abraham married again: “Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah” (Genesis 25:1). Elsewhere, Keturah is called Abraham’s “concubine” (1 Chronicles 1:32); so, Keturah was both. She was a wife, but she was of an inferior status to Sarah. The same could be said of Hagar. Abraham had a principal wife, Sarah, and two secondary wives, Hagar and Keturah. Sarah alone possessed legal rights and social standing as Abraham’s wife, and only her child, Isaac, was the rightful heir to the family inheritance (see Genesis 25:5). Sarah, who had been unable to bear children, gave her Egyptian servant, Hagar, to Abraham as a concubine/wife. Taking a concubine was a common solution to childlessness in ancient times. But a concubine only held “secondary wife status.” God had plans for Hagar and her child by Abraham. God dealt kindly with both Hagar and Ishmael, preserving their lives and making Ishmael the father of a great nation (Genesis 21:8–21). GotQuestions.org Vance Havner - Good intentions What God looks for is the intent of the heart and, when in our hearts we have already made the sacrifice required, God may sometimes not ask us to actually finish what we meant to do. Abraham put God first, not Isaac, and we read, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Gen. 21:12). Our testimony is perpetuated by the Isaac we offer at God's command, whether consummated actually or intentionally. Theodore Epp - PARTING WITH THE DESIRES OF THE FLESH Genesis 21:12; Romans 6:6-14 Although the situation was grievous to Abraham, God said to him, "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" (Gen. 21:12). Abraham was to depend on what God had done for him and had given him in the person of Isaac. This had to do primarily with Isaac's being the covenant heir and being in the lineage of Christ. Abraham was grieved about having to part with Ishmael, so God emphasized to him again that "in Isaac shall thy seed be called." Present-day believers also find it exceedingly difficult to part with the desires of the flesh. The struggle is intense, but to cling to the flesh only results in bondage. God has provided a way for the believer to be free from bondage to the flesh. Paul explained it when he said, "Knowing this, that our old man is [was] crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Rom. 6:6). Verse 11 of this same chapter says, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." We need to recognize what has been done for us, count it as a fact, appropriate its benefits and continually live for God. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Vance Havner - MIRACLES In Isaac shall thy seed be called. Genesis 21:12. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son.... Isaiah 7:14. Born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:13. Every Jew is a miracle, descended from Isaac, who was born to Abraham and Sarah long past the age of parenthood. Jesus was a miracle baby born of a virgin. The true Church is made of people born again through faith in Christ. The Bible is a miracle book written by divine inspiration. No Christian has any business asking like Gideon, "Where be all the miracles?" We are part of the miracle business, the supernatural work of God. Vance Havner - AS GOOD AS DONE By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac.... Hebrews 11:17. Abraham did not actually slay Isaac upon the altar, but God knew his heart and took the will for the deed. It was as good as done. God sometimes asks of us a sacrifice which He may not let us actually make even as the Lord stayed Abraham's hand. The angel said, "Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me" (Genesis 22:12). What God looks for is the intent of the heart and, when in our hearts we have already made the sacrifice required, God may sometimes not ask us to actually finish what we meant to do. Abraham put God first, not Isaac, and we read, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Genesis 21:12). Our testimony is perpetuated by the Isaac we offer at God's command, whether consummated actually or intentionally. Today in the Word - Galatians 4 Background Genesis 21:1-14 It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. - Genesis 21:12 TODAY IN THE WORD If you miss the beginning of a movie, you risk missing the opening scene, which often provides a lot of context for what’s happening in the film. Neither is it a good idea to skip the opening chapter of a novel. You might miss out on an introduction to a major character or conflict of the book. We’re jumping out of Galatians today and back into Genesis, simply to provide some of the back story for Paul’s forthcoming arguments. If we don’t return to Genesis, we might find ourselves somewhat confused. In the last ten verses of Galatians 4, which we’ll read tomorrow, Paul introduces a lengthy and complicated argument comparing Ishmael and Isaac, the two sons of Abraham. Today we’ll read more about these two sons in Genesis, which will help us with tomorrow’s reading. We know that Ishmael was a son born to Abraham but not to Sarah. Sarah, who had spent many years grieving her inability to have children, had concocted what she thought was a no-fail plan. Abraham would impregnate her servant, Hagar, and through Hagar, Sarah would bear children (see Genesis 16). It never worked as well as Sarah had hoped. Contempt and jealousy abounded on both sides once Ishmael was born. In today’s reading, Sarah had now also conceived and given birth to a son, Isaac. He was the son of promise, the culmination of everything that God had been telling Abraham and Sarah for decades now. You will bear a son from your own bodies, and you will become a great nation. Now Isaac was the flesh and blood proof that God has kept His word. Isaac and Ishmael were no different in the sign of circumcision. Both sons were circumcised. Both sons were Abraham’s biological children. But it was through Isaac that God plans to “reckon the offspring” of Abraham. Don’t forget that in Galatians 3 we saw the word “seed,” meaning “offspring,” referred to Jesus Christ. The children of Isaac are the children of Abraham are the children of Christ! APPLY THE WORD The story of Ishmael and Isaac portrays what happens when we foolishly take matters into our own hands. God had promised children to Abraham and Sarah, but when Sarah got tired of waiting on God, she made her own plan. And the effects of that plan were disastrous! If you know for certain that God has given you direction about an area of your life, wait on Him and trust that He’ll confirm what He wants you to do next and when. Vance Havner - The Miracle of Israel From the balcony of my hotel room on the edge of Tel Aviv I watch early this morning the Mediterranean waves play along the shore. Everywhere I behold the miracle of Israel back in the land: the thriving city, the desert blossoming as the rose, the fabulous transformation of rocks and rubble into orange groves, opulent farms, and the phenomenon of a people gathered from many lands back to the homeland (which someone has described as "not a melting pot but a pressure cooker!"). Thirty years ago a college president said, "Israel will never return to Palestine. Jews love the cities where they can make money. They would never go back to that rock pile." Back at the turn of the century some Bible scholars saw Israel's return when it was as unlikely (to quote Dr. Carl Henry) as a Swiss navy. They put it into the Scofield Bible which is laughed at in some circles. They were right about it as they were about the rise of Russia as a commanding figure in the last days. True, Israel is back in unbelief but it is there and the stage is set. Anyone who can sit where I sit this morning and not be moved as he watches Scripture being fulfilled would have to be blind in both eyes and bereft of his brains. Such ignorance abounds even in church circles and it is that wilful ignorance Peter wrote about (see 1 Peter 1:14). Here is the reassembling of God's chosen people promised to the Old Testament prophets. God made a promise that must be fulfilled. It cannot be transferred to the church as some have believed. There is no other nation on earth comparable to this little country that lives in a sort of desperation. They must win or else—there is no second choice. Every day is an emergency, every citizen is ready to die for his homeland. James Reston wrote: "These people have acted as if the life of the nation was everything and their personal lives were incidental." What impresses me most is not this miracle in Israel but the miracle of Israel itself. Let it not be forgotten that Israel was a miracle to begin with! Isaac was born of aged parents and we read, "... in Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Genesis 21:12; Romans 9:7). Likewise, the church began with a miracle—the virgin birth of our Lord—and every Christian begins with the new birth. In all three cases there is a miracle. Something of the utter dedication and desperation that characterizes Israel ought to mark the church—the purchased people of God. Israel has maintained her identity century after century in many lands speaking many languages and now dwells in her native land, speaking Hebrew, her native tongue. Never assimilated but always different, how like that the church should be! Alas, we are so anxious to "identify" that we have merged into the world around us. The salt is so mixed with the elements of this age that it has lost its savor. We are to infiltrate the world but the world has assimilated us. When are we going to learn to be in it but not of it? When will we regain our pilgrim character as exiles and aliens on the earth? In our well-intentioned identification with the world, we do not mold it—it molds us. We are not to be isolated but insulated, moving in the midst of evil but untouched by it. So I wish this morning here in Israel that we could learn a lesson from this compact little land so utterly consumed by its magnificent obsession. No other nation could have defeated a ring of foes in a few days. If the church could stand as resolutely no confederation of men or demons could defeat such an overwhelming minority. And we could say like that old captain when he was told that his little band was surrounded, "Don't let one of them escape!" Genesis 21:13 “And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant.” Ge 21:18 16:10 17:20 25:12-18 Genesis 21 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries YAHWEH'S PROMISE TO ABRAHAM REGARDING ISHMAEL And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also - Note the "and" which links this promise with the two commands in the previous verse. God knows Abraham is hurting deeply at having to depart with his first son. So God tenderly consoles Abraham with this "I WILL" prophetic promise. Ishmael would become a nation which fulfills His earlier promise "I have made you the father of a multitude of nations." (Ge 17:5+) Notice that promise in Ge 17:5 is in the past tense ("have made"), because the fulfillment is absolutely certain, so it is stated as if it had already taken place (See Prolepsis). In Ge 17:6 Yahweh promised Abraham "I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you." As long as Ishmael remained in the house, he would be a threat to God’s plan. -- Ray Pritchard Because he is your descendant - Yahweh explains why He will make Ishmael into a nation. God would make Ishmael a nation, because He had given Abraham the covenant promises mentioned above. God is always faithful to keep His covenant! Genesis 21:14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba. So Abraham rose early: Ge 19:27 22:3 24:54 26:31 Ps 119:60 Pr 27:14 Ec 9:10 took: Ge 25:6 36:6,7 sent her away: Joh 8:35 wandered: Ge 16:7 Ge 37:15 Ps 107:4 Isa 16:8 Ga 4:23-25 Beersheba: So called when Moses wrote; but not before Abraham's covenant with Abimelech, ver. 31. Such instances of the figure prolepsis are not infrequent in the Pentateuch. Ge 21:33 22:19 26:33 46:1 1Ki 19:3 Genesis 21 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Hagar & Ishmael Wandering in the Wilderness A DIFFICULT DAY FOR ABRAHAM So Abraham rose early in the morning - (Other early mornings for Abraham = Ge 19:27; 20:8; 22:3) One has to believe this morning was after a fitful night of sleep. In this chapter we see Abraham's joy at gaining a son, but now we see his sorrow for losing a son. But even in his sorrow, he will not hesitate to obey God's instructions. And took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away - The amount of water was not much for the desert but one waterskin (a goatskin would hold about 3 gallons, weighing about 30 pounds) is all that Hagar would have been able to carry on foot. And while some commentators insist Hagar also carried Ishmael (the Septuagint reads "he put the child on her shoulder"), this seems far fetched considering he would have been a robust teenager at this time. It is surprising that Abraham was not more generous in the send off. He was wealthy with manpower and animals and could have provided a bearer and guide as well as several beasts of burden to allow more supplies for Hagar and his son. One has to see this as God's providence, for the result was that her soon to be reached extremity gave her the unspeakable privilege of having a second personal encounter with God. Had she been fully supplied, she would not have needed God's help. THOUGHT - Abraham's minimalistic send off of bread and water opened the door for God to open Hagar's eyes and speak a blessing over her son Hagar. Oh, for us to have the spiritual eyes to see that at times our adverse circumstances many have been orchestrated by God, so that we might be allowed to experience a close encounter with Him when we have reached the end of our sufficiency and ourselves! Let this be true in our lives Lord. In Jesus' Name. Amen. Wenham notes that "Send her off” (piel שׁלח) (ED: shalach - translated "divorce" 4x out of >790 uses) is a softer term than “drive out” (garash, cf. Ge 18:16; 19:29; 3:23). It is used of divorce (e.g., Dt 22:19; 24:1, 3) and the release of slaves with a generous provision (Ex 11:1–2; Deut 15:13)." (BORROW Genesis 16-50 page 84) And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba - Parting is such sweet sorrow and this was surely a sorrow filled day for this great saint. His son Ishmael would have been about 13-16 yo at this time and clearly Abraham loved him. But we do not hear Abraham complaining to God! This recalls the words of Job 1:21-22 He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God. THOUGHT - Beloved, what "wilderness" are you wandering through as you read this note? Or perhaps you have just come out the "wilderness." Is you attitude toward God like that of Abraham and Job, or are you blaming God for the adversity you experienced? Paul tells us "In EVERYTHING give thanks (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey), for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." (1Th 5:18+) Henry