GOD IS FAITHFUL
“1 The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. 2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
So, we’ve finally arrived at the moment we’ve all been waiting for— “The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised.” But, as I was reading these verses, I found myself asking, “Is that it?” We’ve spent the past ten chapters building up to this particular moment in the story. We’ve seen promises. We’ve seen doubts. We’ve seen setbacks. We’ve seen waiting. And then the birth itself is told in just a couple verses.
It almost feels anti-climatic, which led me to ask the question, “Why?”
And I don’t think the brevity of this moment minimizes the moment. Instead, I think it clarifies it.
Let me explain.
As miraculously as Isaac’s birth is, it’s not the final climax of the story. It’s a crucial moment in history. But, it’s not the crucial moment in history! Isaac is the child of promise; but he’s just the beginning of the line. He’s simply a small link in the great chain of God’s grand story of redemption. Generation after generation, the story will continue to move forward until one day the promised blessing will reach the world. It will be the offspring of the offspring of the offspring of the offspring of the offspring that the global blessing will be found!
When you read the language used here in these verses, you’ll notice that the focus isn’t on the drama of the birth; instead, the focus is on the faithfulness of God.
Notice the repetition of the passage: “…as he said…as he had promised…at the time of which God had spoken to him...”
The point is unmistakably clear here: God did exactly what he said he would do, exactly when he said he would do it.
At one hundred years old, Abraham holds a son in his arms. And Sarah, who once laughed in disbelief, now laughs in joy saying, “God has made laughter for me!” This is a joyful declaration of God’s faithfulness! God is faithful to his word. He will keep every promise he makes. If he says he will do something, he will do it. And he will do it at just the right time!
Now, let’s think about this from the perspective of the original audience. Through Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, this was written to a people wandering through the wilderness. It was written to a people who were holding onto promises they had not yet seen fulfilled. So, as they were wandering through the wilderness in hopes of making it to the land promised to them, I’m sure these words were water to their soul. I’m sure these words were water to their soul because they were reminded that God would be faithful to do what he said he will do. If God was faithful over decades of waiting for Abraham and Sarah, then he would be faithful for them, as well.
God will always do what he says he will do. If was faithful to give Sarah a child, he would be faithful to lead his people into the promised land of Canaan. And if he was faithful to lead his people into the promised land of Canaan, he will be faithful to keep his promises to us now. God will be faithful to complete to work that he has begun in us. He will be faithful to forgive us of our sins. He will be faithful to never leave us nor forsake us. He will be faithful to work all things together for our good and his glory. He will be faithful to take us home to him one day where he will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
MOCKING IN CELEBRATION
Let’s continue reading. And as we continue to read, we will find that a moment of celebration quickly turns into a moment of contention.
“8 And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.”
Let’s pause here for a moment. This is a moment of joyous celebration! The long awaited son is growing and thriving. And he’s moving into a new stage of life.
The name Isaac means “he laughs.” So, every mention of his name is a reminder to us as readers that God has turned years of barrenness and doubt into joy and laughter. And here Abraham is throwing a feast to celebrate!
It’s most likely that Isaac is 2-3 years old here. During this time, weaning marked a significant milestone in a child’s life because it marked a time when the child is coming out of a fragile period in his early years of dependence. Isaac is growing stronger and more independent, which is worth celebrating!
But, in the midst of this celebration, something happens— “But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.”
At first glance, you are probably thinking, “What’s the big deal about someone laughing at the child of laughter? After all, doesn’t Sarah herself say, ‘Everyone who hears will laugh over me?’”
Well, given the context, I think it’s safe to conclude that the laughing here is not a good laughing. This word for laughing is different than what was used a few verses earlier. It’s a laughter that is rooted in mocking and scoffing, and it can also be used at times to communicate an inappropriate sexual play. So, Ishmael, who was likely somewhere between 16-17 years old at this time, is mocking Isaac. He’s turning joy into hostility.
Now, side note: We know Ishmael was between 16-17 years old because in Genesis 16:16, Abraham was 86 years old whenever Ishmael was born. Fourteen years later, Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born (Gen. 21:5), which means Isaac would have been 14 when Isaac was born. Then, this feast took place once Isaac was weaned, which would have been around 2-3 years later. So, that would mean Ishmael was likely around 16-17 years old at this point in time
So, Ishmael isn’t a young boy teasing a baby; he’s a teenager mocking a toddler. At a moment of celebration for Isaac, Ishmael is mocking and ridiculing Isaac.
This, in my opinion doesn’t justify Sarah’s actions, but it helps her actions seem more understandable. In fact, Paul, in Galatians 4:29, describes Ishmael’s actions as persecution. This wasn’t a light teasing; it was active opposition.
PROMPT OBEDIENCE
This leads to Sarah saying to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.”
This language here is harsh and stern. Notice she doesn’t use either Hagar’s or Ishmael’s name. She speaks in general term with severe implications— “Get them out of here!”
And her words were displeasing to Abraham— “The thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son.”
Of course it was! That’s his boy! His son! His first born! No father in his right mind should be ok with that type of request! No matter what Ishmael did, Abraham still loved him as his son! In fact, if we go back to Genesis 17, we seen Abraham’s continual display of love towards his son, Ishmael!
Therefore, this request by Sarah was evil and grievous is his eyes. It was emotionally painful to swallow the idea of having to send out his boy.
But, God says to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”
So, God tells Abraham to do what Sarah told him to do. Let them go. And as God is telling him to do this, he does two things: He reaffirms his promise through Isaac and he reassures Abraham about Ishmael’s future. Isaac is going to be the one in which my promise through you will be carried out. But, do not worry about Ishmael! I will take care of him. And I will make him into a great nation! Although Ishmael will not be the one the covenant is carried out through, he will not be abandoned.
So, the next verse (v.14) says that “Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.”
Early that next morning, Abraham obeyed. When obedience was hard, he didn’t tarry. When obedience was costly, he responded immediately.
Friends, I believe with my whole heart that God is a personal God. He’s not distant, but close. And one of the most beautiful aspects of the Christian faith is that God cares about how we live. He’s not indifferent toward our lives. So, the deeper you grow in your walk with him, he will begin to lead you in your day to day life. Just like he did with Abimelech, God will confront what’s wrong in our lives and convict us of sin. Just like he did with Abraham, he will lead us in our day to day lives, calling us to obedience. And, just like with Abimelech and Abraham, we are to walk in prompt obedience to him. A life with God is not passive; it’s responsive. We wan to study God’s word closely, meditate on it daily, pray it regularly, and obey it continually.
May we learn to listen when he speaks, turn when he convicts, and follow where he leads.
GOD’S WORKING IN THE WILDERNESS
So, that morning, Abraham sent the son that he loved dearly away with bread and water. Notice what was not provided. There was no livestock. No servants. No long term supplies. No wealth. There is minimal provision or protection offered by Abraham here.
I think that detail is worth taking note of.
Hagar and Ishmael don’t have much to survive off of in the wilderness. They have just enough for the moment. If they were going to make it, they needed God to act on their behalf.
And that’s exactly what God does.
Look at verses 15-18,
“15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.”
There are a few things worth highlighting here.
First, notice whose voice the LORD heard. Not Hagar’s, but Ishmael’s. As Hagar lifted her voice and wept, God heard the voice of the boy. I found that interesting. It implies that beneath the sound of Hagar’s weeping was the cry of Ishmael. God heard the quiet and desperate voice of the boy.
Some say this could have been the conversion moment for Ishmael where he goes from mocking the LORD’s chosen one to crying out to the LORD. The one who once mocked is now pleading. The one who once laughed in pride is now crying out in need.
I think this moment reminds us of the truth that God will always oppose the proud but give grace to the humble. He hears the quiet cry of the brokenhearted, and he draws near to them.
You are never too far gone to cry out to the LORD with a broken heart!
And friends, sometimes, in his infinite mercy, God might send us into the wilderness for this very purpose! Not to destroy us, but to strip us. Not to abandon us, but to awaken us. In the dry and desperate place of the wilderness, we learn to lift our eyes and cry out to the LORD.
Better is the man who finds God in the wilderness than the man who enjoys comfort, ease, and prosperity apart from him.
Second, notice that God promised Hagar, once again, that he would make him into a great nation. This is similar language to what God had already told Hagar in Genesis 16:10, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.”
Four times in Genesis do we see God’s promise to make Ishmael into a great nation, twice with Hagar and twice with Abraham. This promise wasn’t repeated because God needed to be reminder; it was repeated because Abraham and Hagar needed to be reminded. We are forgetful people. Thus, we need to be reminded of God’s promises time and time and time again.
Third, notice what Hagar finds when God appears to her— “Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water.”
The verse doesn’t say that God made a well; it says God opened her eyes to see what was there all along. God had gone before here and prepared a well for her. But, in her despair, in her exhaustion, in her wandering, she couldn’t see it! It was as if Hagar was blind to what was in front of her the whole time. But, God has always been in the business of giving sight to the blind. He’s always been in the business of making visible what was once invisible.
Isn’t this our story, too? Doesn’t sin blind us? Doesn’t it cloud our vision and keep us from seeing what is true and life-giving? But, when God calls us, scales fall off our eyes and we’re able to see in ways we could never see before! Scales fall off and light breaks in!
As we often sing with loud voices, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I’m found. Was blind, but now I see.”
And what do we see? We see Jesus standing in the wilderness inviting us to come and drink! We see his words spoken to the Samaritan woman at the well, “Whoever drinks of the water that I give, will never be thirsty again.” We see his words spoken to the crowd, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me… ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
Do you find your soul dry today? Do you find yourself longing and yearning today?
Come to Jesus, and you will never be thirsty again! Come to Jesus, the true well of eternal life in the wilderness!
CONTENTION AND PROVISION
As we continue to read, we’re introduced to another well. And this well becomes the source of contention between Abraham and Abimelech.
“22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. 23 Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.” 24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”
25 When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized, 26 Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. 28 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. 29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 30 He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.” 31 Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath. 32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.”
Feel the weight of what’s going on here.
Here is Abimelech, a man who has seen Abraham and all his flaws up close. A man who has been on the receiving end of Abraham’s deception. If anyone had reason to discredit or doubt Abraham, it would have been Abimelech. And, yet, he looked at Abraham and said, “God is with you! And I want to be on the same team as you!”
What a moment.
This is one of the greatest honors and compliments anyone could ever receive, being seen as one who walks with God. I think, deep down, that’s something many of us long for! But, if some of us are honest, maybe we keep our distance from God because of our failures? Maybe we think, “I’m not worthy to be someone who walks with God?”
But, let Abraham’s life be of encouragement to you. Abraham’s life teaches us that God’s presence doesn’t rest on our performances. Like with Abraham, there is grace for us!
Abraham was a liar who had a dysfunctional marriage at times. Yet, God remained faithful to him! Abraham, despite his messy flaws, was blessed by God so much that kings wanted to be aligned with him… not because Abraham was impressive, but because God was with him. The nearness of God is not reserved for the flawless. It is given to those who belong to him on the merits of grace. So don’t let your awareness of your weakness drive you away. Let it draw you closer to the God who remains faithful, even when we are not.
Then, we see Abraham address Abimelech is a bold manner regarding a well that was taken by Abimelech’s servants. The man who once walked in fear in Gerar is walking in boldness with a heart willing to address conflict.
A well provides life and security. Therefore, this is no small matter, which is why Abraham addresses Abimelech. The well that rightfully belonged to Abraham was taken by Abimelech’s servants. And when he addresses Abimelech, Abimelech assures him he didn’t know about his servant’s actions. So, once again, Abimelech seems to be walking in an integrity of heart. But, even if the king was unaware, the injustice was real. And what was wrong still needed to be made right.
But notice how Abraham handles it. He doesn’t retaliate, nor does he take it back by force. Instead, he humbly pursues peace. He selflessly gives Abimelech seven lambs in order to create a mutual agreement showing he did in fact dig the well. These lambs served as a public treaty between the two where the foreign king recognized Abraham’s claim. They were a witness, a tangible testimony that the well was his.
Now, as we close, let me direct our attention to the difference between Hagar and Abraham’s securing of a well. Both received a well. Both are sustained through divine provision. But, not in the same way.
Hagar, wandering in the wilderness, received water through divine provision alone. With no strength left, God opened her eyes, and there is a well in the desert! Abraham, on the other hand, secures a well through recognized standing in the land. But, not because of his greatness, but because it was evident that God was with him!
Two different situations; two different paths. But, the same source: God!
This reminds us that God will always take care of his people. Sometimes he provides through miraculous means, other times he provides through relationships, wisdom, effort, and opportunity. But, at the end of the day, it is always God who provides.
So whether you find yourself in the wilderness like Hagar, or established like Abraham, you can rest in this: God sees us. He’s with us. And he will take care of us.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
We see Isaac’s birth addressed in a brief manner, which reminds us of the truth that he’s not the climax of the story. How does seeing your life as part of God’s bigger redemptive story change the way you view your current circumstances (both joys and struggles)?
Abraham obeys God quickly, even when it’s emotionally painful. What tends to slow down or hinder your obedience to God, and what would “prompt obedience” look like in a real situation you’re facing right now?
Hagar experiences God through desperate provision, while Abraham experiences Him through established blessing, yet both are sustained by God. Do you currently relate more to Hagar (in the wilderness) or Abraham (in stability), and how does this passage shape your understanding of God’s presence in that season?