Read Genesis 21
The Birth of Isaac
1 Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away
8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”
11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son.12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”
14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.
15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.
17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.
The Treaty at Beersheba
22 At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. 23 Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.”
24 Abraham said, “I swear it.”
25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized. 26 But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.”
27 So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty. 28 Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, 29 and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?”
30 He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness that I dug this well.”
31 So that place was called Beersheba, because the two men swore an oath there.
32 After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.
Go Deeper
In the previous chapter we see God preserve Sarah from Abimelech after deception, and a further blessing on Abraham. In Genesis 21, we see evidence of God’s provision and care. He provides for Abraham and Sarah through the birth of Isaac, He provides for Hagar and Ismael even through their expulsion, and He provides for a Gentile king through a treaty with Abraham. This chapter gives hope that God’s promises will be fulfilled. It begins telling us that “Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him.” They named their son Isaac meaning “laughter,” which refers to Sarah’s response to God’s vow to give her a son in her old age.
The birth of Isaac is a miracle! No matter how desperate the situation appeared, God was good and faithful to keep His promises. There are many similarities between the birth of Isaac and the birth of Jesus. We see that both births had been promised from the Lord, both had a long interval of time of when it was promised and fulfilled, both seemed impossible, and both sons were obedient to their fathers, even to the point of death. We see shadows of the Savior through the birth of Isaac. Ismael was born according to the flesh, but Isaac was born according to the promise. Being “born out of the flesh” meant that it was by their own works. Being “born of the promise” meant it was not by man’s power, but by the power of God. Galatians 4 references this passage and tells us that like Isaac, we are children of the promise. We become a child of God, not by our own works but by the power and saving work of Christ.
With God’s provision of Isaac’s birth, Ismael then became a potential rival for the inheritance. Sarah said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac” (v. 10). Under God’s instruction, Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael out in the wilderness giving them temporary provision with food and water. Hagar realizes that her situation is hopeless, and as she and Ishmael weep, God hears and has compassion towards them. An angel of the Lord calls Hagar and tells her, “Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation” (v. 17-18). The Lord sees them and cares for them in their despair. Like the Lord had promised, from Ishmael’s descendants came the Arab nations.
The Lord continues to show that He is not only a God of promises, but a God of provision. Abraham and Sarah waited a long period of time for the Lord to provide a son through them. It was twenty-five years! God was faithful and at work, even in their waiting, and when it seemed impossible. Many of us are waiting for things to happen in our life. We are praying specific requests for the Lord to answer. Whatever we are waiting on, we can cling to the promise that God’s character does not change, His promises are trustworthy, and He is working all things for our good. We can rest knowing that we are in the caring hands of a good Father.
Questions
- Abraham and Sarah waited a long time for the fulfillment of God’s promises to them. What are you waiting for? How can you trust God in the waiting?
- What are the parallels between the birth of Isaac and the birth of Jesus?
- What does the Lord’s care for Hagar and Ishmael teach you about His character? When is a time the Lord has provided for you?
Did You Know?
The name Issac means “laughter.” This is appropriate for a couple of reasons. First, it refers back to Abraham and Sarah’s response of joy and disbelief earlier in Genesis 17-18, second it foreshadows the great pleasure and joy that Issac will bring to his parents.
7 thoughts on “Genesis 21”
The lyrics of “Sovereign Over Us” came to mind after reading this passage. Here’s a portion of them:
:
You are wisdom unimagined
Who could understand Your ways
Reigning high above the Heavens
Reaching down in endless grace
You’re the lifter of the lowly
Compassionate and kind
You surround and You uphold me
And Your promises are my delight
https://youtu.be/FFO_87VBwNc?si=g5ReFqhIxtl9lsd6
God loves us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When all seems hopeless, BUT GOD does for us even when we are not doing what we should. “God is not faithful because we have been obedient. He is faithful so we can walk in obedience.”Brad Boyles. Abraham was a flawed man. God is showing us through Abrahams trials and tribulations that He, God, can work with even a flawed person. The imprortant thing is that when we stumble, we get up, dust ourselves off, and be humbly, confess. We need to not permit one lapse of faith to cripple us but get right with God and make a new beginning. God prepared Abraham for more to come. Abraham’s journey has taught him that his power is unfaithful and God’s power is always faithful. It’s not about us. It’s about Him. We can’t know what obedience looks like without experiencing God’s love. We can’t fully understand a love relationship with God without grace. We can’t live out our purpose without His power.
God thank You that I can experience Your love and see it even when… God I am thankful for helping me grow in wisdom and knowledge of You. Thankd you for forgiveness, grace, learning Your ways better to help me fulfill my purposes. God thank You for Your Holy Spirit giving me nudges and quickenings to stop when I am vering in the wrong direction. God help me to hear and see what it is that would bless You. God thank You for these minutes of this day that I would be glorifingto You in my thoughts, words, deeds, actions, and to praise You when I stumble. God show me/helpme to endeavor to do right things. GodI want to be saying/singing/rejoicing all these minutes of this day in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Man how easy we forget who God is & what he promises. Sarah even after God did what seemed impossible, giving her a son, still doubted his goodness & the truth of the promises he made. She like us took matters in her own hands to ensure the promise was fulfilled and the inheritance stayed with Issac. What will it take for us to stop doubting God is good on his promises? All that all he needs from us is a surrendered, willing, heart that trusts in him no matter how long he takes. His timing is perfect every single time!
I love how despite ourselves and the “good” intentions we think we have in taking matters into our own hands God can still work for good! Thank you God for being good on your promises and that my screw ups and desire for control doesn’t thwart your plans or come as a surprise to you! Teach me to rest and rely on your promises and to hide your word in my heart so that when doubt arises I am reminded of YOUR truth. Thank you for not taking away your good plans for me even when I stray!
God proved that He was faithful to keep even the most impossible-sounding promise. This faithfulness is the foundation of our trust in God because we know He will keep His promise to save us in Jesus Christ. Amen. To God be the glory.
6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”
Laughter is important to our lives. We are born to laugh! But not all laughter is good. Sarah seems to have been a laugher. Sometimes in good ways, bad sometimes in bad ways.
God, make me a healthy laugher!
I get that Christians can’t ever fully explain the trinity but it’s just as crazy to deny the whole Old Testament to all of my Muslim friends. The OT makes it clear where & what god is doing.
Another cool thing about God’s character towards Ishmael I realized!
We were also BORN in the flesh the same way Ishmael was. We are defaulted to our flesh and rebellion to God.
God also gives us compassion the same way God had compassion towards Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness.
Through His compassion, God promised to make a great nation out of Ishmael, He is making a great nation out of us too!
1 Peter 2:9- But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a HOLY NATION!
The parallels to the NT keep getting better and better!