ABRAM'S FIRST BORN SON

PROCLAMATION

“And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bore, Ishmael.  And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.”  Genesis 16:15-16 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Moses under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given him any children.  So Sarai told Abram to sleep with her Egyptian slave Hagar and maybe they could build a family through her. (Genesis 16:1-2)  Abram slept with Hagar and she conceived.  However, when she learned that she was pregnant she began to despise Sarai. (Genesis 16:3-5)  This upset Sarai and she complained to Abram.  He said that Hagar was her slave, and she could do with her as she pleased.  Then Sarai began to mistreat Hagar, so much so until Hagar fled from her. (Genesis 16:5-6)  The angel of The Lord found Hagar in the desert and told her to go back to her mistress.  He said that she would have a son and she was to name him Ishmael. (Genesis 16:7-13)  Hagar returned to Sarai and bore Abram a son and he was called Ishmael. (Genesis 16:15)

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God sees our suffering and He hears our cries.  His response to our afflictions may not be the good news that we desired.  Here the slave Hagar was told to go back to Sarai who had mistreated her.  She was also told that every man would be against her son and that he would live in hostility. (Genesis 16:9-12)  This is not what any mother wants to hear.  We are told that God hears our cries and our prayers. (Psalm 34:17, Proverbs 15:29, John 9:31, and 1 John 5:14)  Our problem is that sometimes the answer to our prayers is “No” or “Not now.”  Some of the time we ask for things which are not consistent with the will of God.  Sometimes we bring our suffering upon ourselves.  After she found out that she was pregnant, Hagar was not very nice to Sarai.  This in turn cause Sarai to mistreat her. (Genesis 16:4-6)  His first born son was the result of Abram trying to help God out instead of being patient and waiting on The Lord.  God always keeps His promises.  He operates on a different timeframe than we do, and He is always on time.  We need to learn to wait on The Lord. ( Psalm 27:14, Psalm 37:34, and Proverbs 20:22)  “… Wait, I say, on The Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)