Tag: Ishmael

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Genesis Chapter Seventeen, The Covenant with Abraham is exercised!

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
[2] And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
[3] And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
[4] As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
[5] Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
[6] And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
[7] And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
[8] And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
[9] And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
[10] This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
[11] And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
[12] And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
[13] He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
[14] And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
[15] And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
[16] And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
[17] Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
[18] And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
[19] And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
[20] And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
[21] But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
[22] And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
[23] And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
[24] And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
[25] And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
[26] In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
[27] And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

Commentary on Genesis Chapter Seventeen

As we enter this chapter in the life of God’s servant Abram, we find that he has now reached the advanced age of ninety-nine years. Thirteen years have passed since the birth of Ishmael. We tend to be quick to condense the time involved in the unfolding of God’s involvement with those of whom we read in the Scriptures. It is easy to lose sight of the truth that what we read in a few minutes may contain decades, as it unfolds in real time for those who live the experiences recorded in the Scriptures. Let us not forget that these were real, individual people who experienced the unfolding of God’s purposes in their lives over the many years that transpired.

We are also often quick to assume that the interaction between God and man, which we find recorded in the Scriptures, occurs within a very short span of time. Such is not truly the case in the lives of men like Abram, who now stands before us as an aged man. He had departed Haran when he was seventy-five years old. Therefore, twenty-four years have passed by the time we arrive here. In that span of time, there have occurred only three Divine communications between Abram and God until this moment. These occurred when Abram entered Bethel, when he parted company with Lot, and once again following the battles with the eastern kings. Think on this for a moment. After each such interaction, numerous years passed, requiring Abram to walk by faith in God’s revelation and not by sight! The world that was seen and touched would often seem to be something other than the world that God had promised, and yet Abram had chosen on each occasion to place his trust in God’s revelation rather than his experiences!

Let us learn a lesson concerning the nature of faith itself from the life of this man. True faith, which prevails in the causes of God throughout our lives, cannot be founded upon the experiences we see and touch. True faith, as we are witnessing in the life of this man, depends upon the settled revelation of God that we have received, even though the circumstances around us may often appear to contradict that revelation. God reasserts His covenant relationship with Abram and his posterity to come when He appears at this moment in the life of this man. Note that there are two parts to this covenant. It is written.

” And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
[2] And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
[3] And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
[4] As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
[5] Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
[6] And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
[7] And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
[8] And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

(Genesis 17:1-8)

Here we have God’s portion laid out for this binding covenant. Take note of the use of the name , “ I am the Almighty God; “. The implication revealed here is that God possess the power to bring about all that He has said He would accomplish. The fact that this preceeds the remainder of His revelation unto Abram is highly significant. The name here given in Hebrew is El Shadai. This signifies the omnipotence of God above all else. Here God commits Himself unto the following.

  1. 1. God reaffirms His commitment to multiply Abram and make of him many nations
  2. 2. God promises that kings shall come out of his lineage and that He will keep HIs promises unto Abram as well as His posterity forever.
  3. 3. God changes Abram’s name from that which means “father” unto Abraham,which means father of nations as a means to seal His covenant.
  4. 4. God reaffirms the transfer of ownership of the very land upon which Abraham and his descendants are walking. All the land of Canaan belongs unto the descendants of Abraham through the promised seed.
  5. 5. God promises to be their God forever.

In every covenant arrangement there is required involvement of both parties to form a binding contract. God has comiittted Himself to his part of this covenant as described above. What of Abraham and his descendants? To seal their obligations toward God in this contract it was required of them that they do the following. It is written.

And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
[10] This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
[11] And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
[12] And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
[13] He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
[14] And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

(Genesis 17:9-14)

The identifying outward sign of the commitment to keep their covenant with God was to be the act of circumcision. Most particularly to this covenant was the performance of this act upon the eighth day of a newborn male child’s life. Note that provision , as well as direct requirement, for the bringing in of various classes of peoples into this covenant through the performance of circumcision upon thier becoming a member of the congregation is also given in verses twelve and thirteen. The integrity of this covenant sign was to be kept under all circumstances. Refusal to partake of it either by the stranger coming in or the parents of a newborn as proscribed here resulted in exclusion from participation in the proveleges of covenant llife which God has here established.

Take careful note that in addition to Abraham’s promised covenant blessing found here there is also instruction concerninig Sarah’s portion which she was to receive! The God of The Bible is not such that women are neglected in being allowed access unto His grace . In the scriptures it is written.

[24] Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
[25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
[26] For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
[28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
[29] And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:24-29).

In the history of the world it will be found that everywhere people acknowledged the God of The Scriptures to be the supreme being who is to be followed and worshipped above all others, women have been elevated in status so that they are truly equal before that God. The Bible teaches that there is a position of honor which women are entitled to hold that is unique to womankind. In the world of our day there is a vile, and concerted, effort to eradicate the distinctions between the positions of honor which God has bestowed upon men and women. While the truth is that women are designed by God to fulfill that position of honor which is theirs, the world would have you believe the lie that men and women are the same in nearly all respects. God says otherwise my friend. Concerning Sarai’s portion of the covenant which is being entered into with God it is written.

“[19] And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
[20] And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
[21] But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.”

(Genesis 17:19-20)

She was no longer to be called Sarai, but rather now she would be Sarah. The change is that she was no longer to be known as “the contentious one” but rather now she would be recognized as “a Princess with God”. She was promised that she would indeed conceive a male child and that this would be the heir of the covenant which God promised to keep with her descendants forever. God’s covenant promises are indeed far reaching across all history and even into eternity.

As for Ishmael it is to be noted that there is a connection between his portion of God’s covenants and the prayers of his father! Look at how God acknowledged this in verse twenty of the chapter before us! Ishmael was not left unblessed. However the terms of covenant blessing for him were not the same as for Isaac. Note that, because much of the turmoil and hatred in the Middel East today can be traced back to the desire to have the possessions which were granted unto his half brother by God rather than receive his own blessing with gratitude and graciousness. It is written.

“And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.” (Verse 20)

The reference which God employs here is a link to the actual meaning of the name of Abraham’s son, Ishmael, for that name has been translated by some conservative scholars to be ,“God hears”, in the English language. You will find the names of Ishmael’s progeny to be recorded in Genesis chapter 25. God did indeed fulfill His covenant promise unto Ishmael.

As we reach the closing of this chapter it is noteworthy that when God ceased speaking unto Abraham, he immediatly undertook the task of completing his end of the covenant he had entered into with God. There was no delay in the exercise of his obedience. The age of each man did not matter. All were to be circumcised who dwelt within his household. This he did! It is written.

“But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
[22] And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
[23] And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
[24] And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
[25] And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
[26] In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
[27] And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.“

(Genesis 17:21-27)

It must be noted that the act of circumcision of the flesh did not have any meaning were it done without the commitment of the heart. Circumcision, like modern day baptism, without the circumcision of the heart, does nothing but symbolize outwardly that which has been done within the heart and soul of a man. If there is no inner commitment there is no merit in the outward sign.

As we close this chapter let us be aware that it is written.

“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

(I Samuel 16:7)

May God teach us to see as He sees when we look upon those around us in our daily lives!

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Genesis Chapter Sixteen, The Birth of Ishmael!

[1] Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
[2] And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
[3] And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
[4] And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
[5] And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
[6] But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
[7] And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
[8] And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
[9] And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
[10] And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
[11] And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
[12] And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
[13] And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
[14] Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
[15] And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
[16] And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

Commentary on Genesis Sixteen

After having received the promise of an heir, it was not long before Sarai, Abram’s wife, became anxious about the advancing age coming upon both herself and her husband. The promise had been given, but from a human point of view, there did not appear to be any action forthcoming! Let us learn a lesson of great value from this study in that God does not always act when we deem it prudent for Him to do so.

The Scriptures are filled abundantly with accounts of God waiting until the moment when it seems that what is in play can’t be brought to fruition by any force other than the hand of God. Many factors enter into this type of situation. Consider the next items that often play a part in such situations.

  • God desires to demonstrate His power to the world at large through what transpires.
  • There are often many diverse individuals and groups of people who are to be impacted.
  • The faith of those involved is tested through the passing of time before the action of God.
  • The circumstances through which God will demonstrate His power and wisdom must be prepared.
  • There is a direct link between prophecies given and prophesies fulfilled that must be established.

These are but a few considerations involved in a thing which God desires to bring to pass. In the case before us, the delay in fulfilling His promise of a male heir born from Abram’s loins results in Sarai’s faltering in her faith. She sets out to “help” God along in this venture by formulating a plan based upon what she can observe and what she is experiencing. It is written.

“Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
[2] And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
[3] And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.”

(Genesis 16:1-3)

The reference to an Egyptian handmaid being among those in the camp raises the question.”When was this one acquired?” Should you look back in the study of Genesis, you would find that there is one time that lends itself to such an acquisition. That is found in chapter 12, where we are told the following.

“And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.”

Genesis 12:16)

As we ponder this account once again it becomes clear that the presence of Hagar in the camp was a result of Abram being in the wrong place at the wrong time. God had not told him to go to Egypt. He was in fact directed unto Canaan. Even though there was famine in the land God, having so directed Him, had committed Himself to his preservation. The journey into Egypt had resulted in nothing but trouble from the outset. Sarai, through whom the line of the promised seed of the woman was to come, had been placed in imminent danger due to the falsehood which Abram concocted going into the situation. It took a direct intervention by God to protect the holy line which would ultimately result in the coming of The Messiah.

Before us now is the fruition of that first Egyptian encounter. Take note that sin does not usually cease corrupting after one isolated incident. The effects are frequently displayed and experienced for years or even lifetimes after the first incident. Now I realize that some will object to what I have said and point out that God’s grace and The Blood of Christ cleanses us from all Sin. I do believe that to be true. However, if a man gets involved in a street fight before he comes to Christ and loses an arm, when that man is born again, he does not grow a new arm in its place. Sin leaves scars, my friend, and that is what I am addressing here.

In the chapter before us, we are witnessing the origins of the continued conflict between the descendants of the sons of Hagar and the coming sons of Sarai, which we are watching on the world stage of the Middle East now in the headlines of our news media. I would point out that there is a major consideration in this, which is first encountered in the interaction between Adam and Eve in The garden of God, Eden.

God has clearly established the proper places of authority and responsibility in the formation of a home. It is the man of that home who must protect all the others who dwell therein, and it is the man of the home who bears responsibility for the decisions which he allows to be made within the established family and home. Adam listened to Eve and disobeyed God. Abram here repeats this reversal of roles by harkening unto Sarai and taking Hagar, the Egyptian. God had never instructed them to do so in this matter.

Take careful note that there is a failure on the part of both Sarai and Abram in that neither of them consulted God before undertaking this deed. No one bothered to pray about the action being considered! We read the following.

And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
[4] And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
[5] And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

(Genesis 16:3-5)

Note carefully the reaction of Sarai unto the consequences of the situation which she was,in large part, guilty of orchestrating!She blamed her husband! She even went so far as to invoke God as arbitor in this matter. So often in matters where a woman involves herself in things in which she ought not be involved is this same propensity seen. The idea seems to be,“I am guiltless because you knew better but did not stop me!” To be fair it must be stated that Abram did hold the responsibility to reign in Sarai as she attempted to set this plot in motion. All parties involved suffered unintended consequences of their sin which were hidden from thier view until they could not be avoided! Yet even in the midst of this God was there causing the evil which had been intended to be worked for good. It is written.

“[6] But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
[7] And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
[8] And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
[9] And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
[10] And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.”

(Genesis 16:6-10)

In this portion of the passage before us we find Christ is present and actively interacting with Hagaar! Jesus Christ did not come into existence when the babe of Bethlehem was born. There are several passages which speak to the eternal presence of Him. Consider the following.

  • 1. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” ( John 1:1-3)
  • 2.”And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
    John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
  • 3..”Jesus said unto them, Verily,verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
  • ( John 8:58)
  • 4. “And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.”
  • (Luke10:18)

These are but four such verses. Time would not allow a complete listing of the passages which speak to the eternal existence of Jesus, The Christ of The Living God. I will point out that whenever the phrase, The Angel of The Lord, occurs in The Old Testament it is speaking of Christ, The messenger of God. Note carefully the promise given unto Hagaar. Who other than God could fulfill such a promise concerning multiple generations of children yet to be born?

Let us note that the promise given here declares unto Hagaar that she is with child and then goes on to describe the character of her unborn son! It is written.

“11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
[12] And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
[13] And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
[14] Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
[15] And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
[16] And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.”

(Genesisd 16:11-16)

The name “Ishmael” literally means ,“God hears”. Let us take refuge in the truth that even when we seem to be forgotten or driven away from those whom we have been involved with, God still hears us when we call! It is also true that God sees and understands our current prediciment when we think we are alone. The name given to the place where Hagaar encountered God means,”The Well Of The Living One Who Sees.

As we conclude our look at this chapter in Genesis let us take away the truth that God does not need our intervention in a thing in order to fulfill His covenant unto us. Let us also seek to understand that prayerlessness is instrumental in our falling into sin. When we fail to pray before making major decisions or taking major actions we set ourselves up to act using human logic and wisdom. It is often the case that these are in contridiction to the plans of God. Brethren, let us resolve to be people of prayer and people of faith even when it seems that to do so is in contradiction with the ways and methods of the world around us.

God’s ways are higher than man’s ways, and we often cannot understand them until they are revealed to us in response to a season of prayer. Let us also resolve to not be impatient as God works, for often the timing involved in a thing is important for God to receive all of the glory involved in a matter. Note that Abram was 86 years of age when Ishmael was born. However the plan of God was not yet completed. The seed of promise was still to come. The need to exercise faith in the power, promise, and willingness of God to bring this all about was still required of Abram and Sarai. Concerninig the exercise of faith by this couple we find the following written.

“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.”

(Hebrews 11:11-12)

May God grant unto us the grace and faith to live as people of faith and prayer so that we, in our lives might receive the full measure of abundant living which He wishes us to possess.

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