Morning Light: Genesis 21 – At Long Last, a Son

[Today: Genesis 21] At Long Last, a Son. In chapter 21 of Genesis we rejoice with Abraham and Sarah at the birth of the promised son. The boy is named Isaac, which means “laughter.” God’s covenant partners, Sarah and Abraham have witnessed the faithfulness of God in a radical, miraculous birth of a child in advanced old age.
[Gen 21:1-34 KJV] 1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. 6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, [so that] all that hear will laugh with me. 7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born [him] a son in his old age. 8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the [same] day that Isaac was weaned. 9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. 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. 11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. 12 And God said unto Abraham, 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. 13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he [is] thy seed. 14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave [it] unto Hagar, putting [it] on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. 16 And she went, and sat her down over against [him] a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against [him], and lift up her voice, and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he [is]. 18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. 19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. 20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt. 22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God [is] with thee in all that thou doest: 23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: [but] according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned. 24 And Abraham said, I will swear. 25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away. 26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I [of it], but to day. 27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant. 28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What [mean] these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? 30 And he said, For [these] seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well. 31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them. 32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines. 33 And [Abraham] planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God. 34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days.
In consideration of Isaac’s name (v. 1-3) we see that he is the only biblical patriarch whose name was not changed. Abram’s name was changed to Abraham; Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. Isaac in his lifetime was also the only patriarch not to leave Canaan. Abram left Canaan and fled to Egypt; Jacob fled the wrath of Esau to his uncle Laban. Isaac attempted to flee to Egypt as his father before him but was prevented by God in Genesis 26. Isaac was also the longest lived of the three patriarchs dying at the age of 180 years old.
The etymology of Isaac’s name arises from his parent’s response to the promise of God for a son. The anglicized name Isaac is a transliteration of the Hebrew term Yiṣḥāq which literally means “He laughs/will laugh.” Genesis, ascribes the laughter to Isaac’s parents, Abraham and Sarah. According to the biblical narrative, Abraham fell on his face and laughed when Elohim imparted the news of their son’s eventual birth. He laughed because Sarah was past the age of childbearing; both she and Abraham were advanced in age. Later, when Sarah overheard three messengers of the Lord renew the promise, she laughed inwardly for the same reason. Sarah denied laughing when Elohim questioned Abraham about it.
A word again about the name Elohim. Elohim is the plural name of God used in Genesis 1 when He said “let us make man…” It literally means “The creator El and his Pantheon” or “The Father God and His Family…” As such Elohim is the tribal name of God. In the source texts of the Torah there four primary sources. Among these sources there are texts that are ELOHIST in character and those that are JAWHIST in character. This is interesting because there is evidence in the text that at some point a JAWHIST influence apparently REDACTED references to Elohim and replaced it with Jehovhah. Elohim is the primary name of God employed before the fall. Jehovah, the covenant name of God after the fall. There was no covenant necessary before man sinned because there was no separation. Jehovah is the LAW name of God and the LAW is our school master to bring us to Christ. Jesus as our big brother restores us to familial status in the kingdom of God.
[Jhn 10:34 KJV] 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
[Phl 2:5-6 KJV] 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
[Gal 4:6 KJV] 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
In accordance with God’s command (v. 3-8), Abraham circumcised Isaac on the eighth day. Eight is said to be the number of new beginnings. In nuclear physics and particle physics eight shows up in unique properties when scientists seek to classify subatomic particles. In Chemistry eight is the atomic number of oxygen. Oxygen is by extrapolation AIR when in the Greek language of the bible is PNUEMA or SPIRIT. In geology there are unique ten sided crystals with eight faces forming in geometry a DECAGON which is the trapezoidal expression of the name of God. There are seven days in the week making the eighth day the new week or new beginning. In biology eight is a number denoting movement and connection. All mammals including man have eight cervical nerves on each side of the spine. Octopi have eight legs, spiders likewise have eight legs hence eight speaks of connection, movement, transition and new beginning.
Circumcision is the Old Covenant what water baptism is to the New. Circumcision brings you into the covenant of Abraham, baptism brings you into new life in Christ. Judaism requires circumcision but Christianity neither forbids nor encourages it.
As happy and wonderful as these events are, trouble surfaces (v. 9-14). Now Abraham and Sarah again face the consequences of Abraham’s lie to Pharaoh by which Hagar becomes their servant, and Sarah’s unbelief in trying to help God’s plan out by given Hagar to be Abraham’s second of three wives. Abraham listened to SARAI and got into trouble. He listened to SARAH and the Lord told him to “hearken to his wife.” Paul spoke of this as well:
[Eph 5:22 KJV] 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
This is a delicate balance because backslidden and ungodly spouses are aware of these verses and will brow beat a spouse over it. Your first fidelity is UNTO the Lord. A spouse who is counseling you according to the dictates of your flesh is not to be yielded to. Jezebel seducing Ahab to commit murder is an example. We do this in other accountability relationships as well. I’ve heard people reticent to do something God tells them to do and they use the excuse “well my church doesn’t believe in that” or “my pastor is my covering and he doesn’t agree with that”. Your FIRST FIDELITY is to the Christ in you. Jesus didn’t die to put you into an accountability relationship or under the infrastructure of the institutional church. Jesus died to be THE CHRIST WITHIN illuminating your path day by day and Christ in you is your first and primary accountability.
Abraham is concerned for Hagar and for his first son Ishmael. We often find ourselves emotionally compromised regarding mistakes we have made. That doesn’t mean we don’t obey God. There is a point in these ungodly relationships that God says ENOUGH is ENOUGH. You don’t need to concern yourself with the outcome because God makes even your mistakes to prosper. The worse choice for both Abraham and Sarah and Hagar would have been to keep them in the household resulting in their ultimate demise and loss of blessing. Be brave enough to obey God even in the tough decisions.
As we read (v. 15-21) of God’s dealings with Hagar and Ishmael we ask the question, what do Muslims believe about Ishmael? “Ishmael is recognized as an important prophet and patriarch of Islam. Muslims believe that Ishmael was the firstborn of Abraham, born to him from his second wife Hagar. Ishmael is recognized by Muslims as the ancestor of several prominent Arab tribesand being the forefather of Muhammad.[32] Muslims also believe that Muhammad was the descendant of Ishmael that would establish a great nation.” Muslims further believe that when Abraham sacrificed his son it was Ishmael and not Isaac.
You can avoid having an Ishmael in your life by listening to the voice of God when He speaks. God holds you responsible to hear His voice and holds Himself responsible to see that you actually hear Him. God speaks in the silence between your own thoughts. This is your first accountability. He never speaks contrary to His word but He often speaks contrary to your understanding of the word so we must be teachable, willing and obedient.
Verses 22-34: When the favor of God is upon you people around you will see it. Abimelech was not a godly king but he saw on Abraham something that gave him pause. Later on Abimelech’s son has cross dealings with Ishmael and this covenant is reaffirmed. In this passage we can see the customs of covenant among peoples:
1.There was an oath (in which Abimelech foreswears what favorable treatment he accorded Abraham which actually was not true because Abimelech has stolen wells of water that Abraham built. Abimelech feigns ignorance of this.).
2.When they made a covenant there was always bloodshed. Abraham gave Abimelech seven sheep as a remembrance or a reminder of the conditions of the covenant. Likewise God gave us the rite of communion and said “this do in remembrance of Me.” Covenant always involves remembrance. The communion meal has its roots in the covenant that God inaugurated with Abraham and ratified by Jesus’ death on the cross.