Lesson 48
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Bible Study 1 - Genesis 21
Series # 4: FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FAITH
Lesson 48: Genesis 21.9-21 THIS BROKEN HEARTED MOTHER
Genesis 21:9-12(KJV) “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.”
INTRODUCTION:
You are probably thinking, “We just studied these verses!” Well, I want to look at them from somewhat a different viewpoint. Some points are similar but I want to extend our view in some areas as we continue our study together and continue GROWING TOGETHER IN CHRIST’S LOVE. I don’t feel too much can be said or investigated when it comes to the devastating events that take place in the life and heart of a mother who feels broken and uncertain about the present and future for herself and her child.
THE BIBLE IS A BOOK OF HOPE. It is a book filled with stories of love, power, faith, and glory. It is a book with a message of grace, peace, salvation, redemption, and miracles. YET, THE BIBLE IS A BOOK FILLED WITH IMPOSSIBLE, HOPELESS SITUATIONS. Stories appear on the pages of God’s Word, and many of them are impossible situations. In many of those stories, there seems to be no solution, no way out. Storms, needs, deaths, sicknesses, and many other problems appear, that to the human mind are impossible and hopeless, yet time after time these impossible, hopeless situations are handled with ease by the sovereign power of God. One of those stories is in the text we have read today. Let’s look again into this passage that details a hopeless situation in the life of a woman named Hagar.
The story opens in the home of a man named Abraham. Abraham may have been the father of the faithful, but His family life was as messed up as any modern day family we could find anywhere. He made mistake after mistake it seems day after day. You would think that a man of his age and wisdom and faith there would have been better judgment on his part than it was, but it just goes to show us that he was human as we all are. None of us, no matter what our position or standing in life make mistakes, but it seems the mistakes that are made concerning the family are the most devastating and lasting mistakes of all.
We will begin with the context of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael. According to Gen. 16, this arrangement did nothing but cause trouble for Abraham, Sarah and Hagar. Sarah was jealous of Hagar and her baby; Hagar was jealous of Sarah and her relationship with Abraham; and Abraham, because of his poor decisions was caught in the middle trying to please two women at the same time, which, (sorry ladies) is an absolute impossibility! That is one thing I cannot, for the life of me, understand those who want to live a life of polygamy. I love my wife with all my heart and have since I married her in 1972, but there is no way I would want to have another wife at the same time along with her. She is pleasant and easy with which to share life, but I cannot imagine having to share life with her and another wife because there is no other lady like the one I love and with which God united us as one.
By the way, our world is still paying the price for their foolish choices! In our text, things have come to head as it always will in such situations. There was an all out civil war in Abraham’s tent. As a result, Hagar finds herself in a desperate situation. In the midst of that terrible time, she has a powerful, personal encounter with Almighty God. However, out of Hagar’s hurt, frustration, and pain comes picture for us of a ray of hope for all who find themselves in the hard, harsh places of life.
Regardless of the arena of life, I want you to see that God can take our hopeless situation and turn it around for His glory. If any of us ever have an ailment, regardless of what it may be, God has a word of hope for us in these verses. There is a remedy for our reversal. There is a plan for our problems. There is a cure for our conditions. Let’s consider the lessons that present themselves in this passage as we examine THIS BROKEN HEARTED MOTHER.
INTERPRETATION:
FOR THIS BROKEN HEARTED MOTHER IT WAS A TIME OF HARSH REJECTION
Things had been tense in Abraham’s tent for many years. Now because Isaac is about three years old and Ishmael is about seventeen they are having a celebration because or Isaac’s maturity from a baby to a little boy.
The Bible says in verse 8, “And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.”
Things had now come to a head during this feast and Hagar is facing a terrible time of rejection.
VERSES 9 AND 10 TELL US THE REASONS FOR THIS REJECTION
“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. ”
Ishmael was mocking and making fun of Isaac and the festivities. The word “mocking” is a strong form of the word “Isaac,” which means “laughter.” Ishmael saw all his hopes of inheritance dashed in Isaac. Ishmael knew that Isaac was the son of promise and that he was just the son of a slave. Ishmael realized that he would never be anything more than he is right then. Ishmael was jealous of Isaac, so he acted out during the feast and in some way just showed disrespect which brought anger in Sarah. When Sarah saw this behavior and blew her stack and demanded that Hagar and Isaac be sent away! The phrase “cast out” means “to drive away.”
I want to mention that “to mock” Isaac was a serious matter to the Lord. Here is the reason that for Ishmael to “mock” Isaac was bad.
1 - FOR ISHMAEL TO MOCK ISAAC WAS TO MOCK GOD’S PEOPLE –
Isaac was the one through whom the nation of Israel would come.
2 - FOR ISHMAEL TO MOCK ISAAC WAS TO MOCK GOD’S PROMISE –
Isaac was the son of promise. He was the miracle baby.
3 - FOR ISHMAEL TO MOCK ISAAC WAS TO MOCK GOD’S POWER –
Isaac came into the world because God’s was greater than old age, dead wombs, and the abilities of men.
4 – FOR ISHMAEL TO MOCK ISAAC WAS TO MOCK GOD PROVISION –
It would be through Isaac that the Messiah would come into the world.
VERSES 11-14 TELL US THE REALITIES OF THIS REJECTION
“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. ”
Abraham was really reluctant to do what Sarah is demanding that he do. After all, it would be against all human sensibilities and against all the norms of decent society. Yet, God tells Abraham that this is part of His plan for both Isaac and for Ishmael. For Abraham this is as real as it gets. Abraham is forced to send away his oldest son Ishmael and that son’s mother Rahab. It broke his heart, he was “grieved” in his heart to have to send them away. The word “Grievous” means “to tremble or quiver.” This event shook Abraham to his very foundations. There is no doubt that he loved Ishmael, and that he certainly had feelings for Hagar.
This was a hard morning for Abraham, but an even harder morning was coming! In the next chapter, chapter 22, God will command Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah. We will learn that Abraham honored the Lord is both cases and did what the Lord told him to do. Sending Ishmael away was merely preparation for greater service. If Abraham had refused to give up Ishmael, he would have never given up Isaac.
We all know that life can be like that at times. There are times in our lives when things seem to be going well one moment and then all of a sudden the next moment, we are on on our backs, looking up, wondering how we got there. We don’t have to live very long before we learn that this life is filled with some hard realities and heartbreaking moments. Satan, like a roaring lion roams around this earth looking for those whom he may disrupt, defile, dishearten, and destroy. The life of Job certainly is a good example of that truth.
1 – The Bible says in Job 1:6, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.”
2 – Then the Bible says in Job 2:1, “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.”
We see the evidence of Satan’s handiwork all around us. “And there was a day!” Unexpected and unexplained sickness comes, people we know and love die, relationships we thought were as solid as a rock fall apart, Churches where God has been blessing and the Holy Spirit has been moving begin to disintegrate, personal, community, and national finances begin to fail, personal depression rears its head, all kinds of foreseen difficulties begin to arise, and in every direction troubles dog our steps! “And there was a day!” That is the reality of life!
1 – The Bible says in Job 14:1, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.”
2 – The Bible says in Job 5:7, “…man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.”
3 – The Bible says Jesus said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Of course, God said it would be this way.
4 – The Bible says in Gen. 3:17-19, “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Some of you have been there. Some of you are there now. Others of you are headed in that direction. That is why Joseph Parker, a London Pastor in the 1800’s said: “Speak to the suffering of people, and you will never lack an audience. There is a broken heart in every crowd.”
EXPLANATION:
FOR THIS BROKEN HEARTED MOTHER IT WAS A TIME OF HOPELESS REALITIES
VERSE 15 TELLS US THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS
“15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. ”
The context of verse 15 is found in verse 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.”
Why did Abraham send them away with just a bottle of water and a little bread when he had the resources to see that all their needs were met? I think it was because he was taking God at His word. He simply released Ishmael and Hagar into the sovereign hand of God, and He trusted God to do right by them. He had no idea what Hagar and Ishmael were going to face. He had no idea how God was going to provide for their needs. He was responding to what God had told him to do by faith and leaving the results up to God. That is how faith works. If there is something we can do to have a hand in the end result of obeying God’s command when we do not know the when, the where, or the how, then it is not faith.
There is no doubt Hagar and Ishmael were in a desperate situation! But, that’s how life can be at times. Consider what the Apostle Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 1:8 for a moment.
1 – The Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 1:8, “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:”
The word “measure” in that verse means “to throw beyond.” God took Paul beyond what Paul was able to handle within himself. Sometimes the burdens of life really are more than we can bear in our own strength. Even when the burdens of life exceed our ability to bear them, they never exceed God’s ability.
2 – The Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 1:9-10, “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;”
Praise the Lord, even when the load gets heavy, remember, Jesus is always in the yoke with you if you come unto him in faith.
3 – The Bible says Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
VERSE 16 TELLS US THERE WAS PAIN
“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.”
Hagar’s heart was broken because she was sure Ishmael was going to die. So she left him under a bush and she went about 1000 feet away, or a “bowshot” away because she does not want to witness the death of her son. Hagar left Ishmael there and she went off to weep because she found herself in a situation she could not fix and from which she could not escape. Have you ever been there? I think most of us have! David found himself in a hopeless place and he wanted to fly away.
The Bible says in Psalm 55:1-8, “1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. 2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. 4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. 6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest. 7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. 8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.”
Most of us like to be in control of our lives, when we can’t control it or fix it, we get desperate!
Of course, Hagar shouldn’t have worried because she had the promise of God that He was going to make Ishmael the father of a great nation.
The Bible says in Gen. 16:10-11, “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.”
Ishmael wasn’t going to die out there in that wilderness. However, in that moment of desperation, Hagar’s pain blinded her to God’s promise. Have you ever been there? Has that ever happened to you?
Sometimes life hurts, and sometimes it hurts real bad and when it does, we want to run away from our problems and pain. What we fail to see is that our hurts, pain, and problems is the path God is traveling in order to fulfill the promises He has made to us. If we can learn to trust Him more during those times, even when we can’t trace Him, He will grant us His peace in our times of pain.
The Bible says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
VERSES 16-17 TELL US THERE WAS PRAYER
“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.”
We don’t know for certain whether Hagar prayed or not, but we know that Ishmael certainly did and God heard him and moved to help him. By the way, the name “Ishmael” means “God Hears”.
We must remember that prayer is a resource for the believer that is always that is ever-present. As God’s children, we can run to our Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere, for any purpose and He has promised to hear us and help us! Prayer should always be our first priority, not the final straw!
1 – The Bible says Jesus said in Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. ”
2 – The Bible says in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
3 – The Bible says in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”
The hare facts of life are that problems are going to come in our lives, and when they do, they will come unwanted and unannounced, and they will hurt us deeply at times. When they come, we must not delay, but we must run to our Heavenly Father who loves us because He will hear us and He will help us. The fact of the matter is that before it is all over He may change the situation, but more often, He will change us in the situation.
The Bible says Paul said in 2nd Corinthians 12:7-11, “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. ”
The difference between Paul’s attitude in trouble and ours is that we have not yet reached the place where we have openly welcomed trouble, and maybe we should!
Many years ago, A. W. Tozer said, “The devil, things, and people being what they are, it is necessary for God to use the hammer, the files, and the furnace in His holy work of preparing a saint for true sainthood. It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.”
If the Lord is going to develop us into the image of Christ, which is why He saved us in the first place, He is going to do so through the events of our life. He will send us exactly what it is going to take to transform us into the person that He saved you to be.
1 – The Bible says in Romans 8:28-29, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
2 – The Bible says in Ephesians 4:13-14, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”
APPLICATION:
FOR THIS BROKEN HEARTED MOTHER IT WAS A TIME OF HIDDEN RESOURCES
When Hagar went through this time of terrible tragedy, she was totally shrouded by some very precious hidden resources. She didn’t realize it, but God was there and He had just what she needed to see her through. However, at the time she was so overcome by her grief, pain, uncertainty, doubt, sorrow and self-pity that she could not see the resources that were right there before her eyes. Have you ever been a situation like that?
VERSES 12-13 TELLS US HAGAR AND ISHMAEL WERE SHROUDED BY GOD’S PROVIDENCE
Genesis 21:12-13(KJV) “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.”
God had a plan in everything that had happened in all of this. Paul speaks of this episode as an illustration of salvation.
The Bible says in in Gelatins 4:21-31, “21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.”
Sarah is a picture of the grace of God. • Hagar is a picture of the law of works. Isaac is a picture of faith. Ishmael is a picture of the flesh. The lesson in Gal. 4:21-31 is clear: • Grace and Law are incompatible, and so are the flesh and faith. Ishmael represented the efforts of the flesh, and he had to go so that the son of faith, Isaac might obtain his rightful place.
The pain and the suffering were both a part of God’s eternal providential plan. Both in the short term, and in the long term, God was using these events in the life of Abraham and Isaac, and in the life of Hagar and Ishmael and He is still using them to teach us about His plan to save sinners today. The same is true for us. God has a plan and sometimes it involves us walking through some hard places. God knows what He is doing. Until we walk through the valley, we cannot appreciate the mountain top. Until our heads are bowed in prayer we can never look up.
The Bible gives us several illustration of this in the life of Elijah, Widow of Zarephath; Three Hebrews boys; Daniel in the lion’s den; the disciples of Jesus out on boat in the midst of the storm; the 5,000 plus hungry folks on a mountain side one day; Mary and Martha as they were filled with grief at the death of their bother; etc., etc.. God was working in every one of those situations to bring glory to His name and to accomplish He eternal purpose.
1 – The Bible says in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
2 – The Bible says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
3 – The Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 4:17, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; ”
Thank God He Is Behind The Scenes Pulling All The Strings Of Life.
1 - The Bible says in Psa. 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”
2 - The Bible says Psa. 115:3, “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.”
3 - The Bible says in Eph. 1:11 there are no accidents, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:”
VERSE 17 a TELLS US HAGAR AND ISHMAEL WERE SHROUDED BY GOD’S PRESENCE
“And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven” She didn’t know it, but God had been there the whole time. By the way, He won’t leave us either.
1 – The Bible says in Hebrews, 13:5, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. ”
We will never live one second, or take one step in this world as a child of God without God’s Presence!
2 – The Bible says in Deut. 31:8, “And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.”
3 – The Bible says in 1st Samuel. 12:22 “And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.”
4 – The Bible says in Isaiah 41:10, “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.”
5 – The Bible says in Isaiah 43:2, “He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street”
VERSE 17 B TELLS US HAGAR AND ISHMAEL WERE SHROUDED BY GOD’S PEACE.
“…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.”
God called her by her name. Notice the contrast between verse 10 and verse 17. In verse 10 it looks like her world is coming to an end, “Wherefore she (Sarah) 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”. In verse 17 God intervenes and brings her peace like she has never experienced before, “…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.” God was concerned about her problem. God spoke peace to her heart.
This Tells Me Three Very Important Things We Must All Remember, No Matter What We Face In Life.
1 – GOD KNOWS
The Bible says in Job 23:10, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
2 - GOD CARES
The Bible says in Hebrews 4:15-16, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
3 – GOD CAN SPEAK PEACE TO OUR HEART
The Bible says in John 14:27, “And upon this came his disciples, and leekest that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What leekest thou? Or, Why talkest thou with her? ”
The Bible says in Philippians 4:7, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
VERSE 18 TELLS US HAGAR AND ISHMAEL WERE SHROUDED BY GOD’S PROMISE.
“Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.”
God may never make you and I a great nation, but He will always take care of us.
1 – The Bible says Jesus said in Matthew 6:25-34, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32(For after all these things do the Gentiles seekJ for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
2 – The Bible says in Philippians. 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
3 – The Bible says in Psalm 37:25, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”
VERSE 19 TELLS US HAGAR AND ISHMAEL WERE SHROUDED BY GOD’S PROVISION
God opened her eyes and showed her what had been right in front of her all along! The Bible says, “And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water...”
There are two words in the Old Testament referring to “well”. One word speaks of an “artesian well, or a spring of water.” This kind of “well” occurs naturally. The word used here refers to a “dug well.” Think about that! At some point in the past, God had moved on the heart of some traveler to dig a “well” right here. God did that because He knew that Hagar and Ishmael would be in that spot on that very day, and that they would need the water that “well” had to offer them. Hallelujah!
I just want to remind you that we have a God Who works on both ends of time to accomplish His purposes. God was in your yesterday, He is in your today and He is already in your tomorrow. He was in your yesterdays before you ever got there. He was here in your today before you arrived. He will have been in your tomorrows long before you ever even to think about them and when you get there you will find Him and the provisions He has left there for you.
1 – He is “Elohim,” the “Eternal God.” The Hebrew word “El,” is from a word meaning “to be strong” indicating the Supreme Being,
The Bible says in Deut. 33:27, “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.”
2 - He is “Yahweh,” the “I Am,” God gave himself the name Yahweh. No man gave him this name. It is God’s chosen personal name. He loves to be known by this name. It is used over 5,000 times in the Old Testament. It is almost always translated by “LORD” (but with small caps). However this is not a title but a personal name, like James or Elizabeth. We know the name “Yahweh” best from its shortened form “Yah” at the end of “Hallelu-jah,” which means “praise Yahweh.”
God announced his name to Moses in Exodus 3:14-15. “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” The Hebrew name Yahweh is connected to the Hebrew verb “I am.” My “am-ness” comes from My “am-ness.” My being from my being. My existence from my existence. There was - No beginning - No ending - No dependence. He simply is - He always was - He always will be. He communicates all of this with a personal name. To be sure, he has titles, and he has attributes. However, this is a personal name God gave Himself. He packs the weightiest truth about Himself into a personal name. Infinite greatness and personal knowability are in the name “Yahweh.”
Our God is the God Who is “able,” The evidence can be found throughout the Bible! The evidence can be found in Daniel; in the 3 Hebrews boys; in the widow of Zarephath; in the disciples that were in the storm tossed ship when Jesus came to them walking on the water; in the life of Job when he said “Though He slay me, yet will I serve Him”; and in ME! I would love to tell you about it sometime.
CONCLUSION:
Most of us know all of this about our wonderful God and Heavenly Father but sometimes we allow our problems to blind us to His bountiful provisions. However, during these times He can open our eyes and our hearts and show us that He has everything we could ever need in our times of desperation. He has what any of us need need. If anyone will come to Him, anyone by faith can have that provision, especially THE BROKEN HEARTED MOTHER.
Listen again to the words of the Savior in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” In Genesis 21:19 the Bible says that God gave Hagar a “well” and she is still trying to live off the “bottle.”
Isn’t that what we do sometimes when our eyes are fixed on the problems rather than the solution? God has given us unlimited spiritual resources in Himself, and too often we settle for so much less. Don’t you think it is time to throw away the bottle and jump into the well? God has everything we need. We just need to go to Him and trust Him to provide it.
“There is a well!”
1 – The Bible says THERE IS A WELL OF SALVATION FOR THE LOST Rom. 10:13. – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,”
2 – The Bible says THERE IS A WELL OF HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS Pro. 3:5–6 – “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths,”
3 – The Bible says THERE IS A WELL OF POWER FOR THE WEAK Phil. 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me,” 2nd Tim. 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,”
4 – The Bible says THERE IS A WELL OF JOY FOR THE BROKENHEARTED 1st Peter 4:13 – “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy,”
5 – The Bible says THERE IS A WELL OF PEACE FOR THE TROUBLED Philippians 4:6–7 – “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,”
6 – The Bible says THERE IS A WELL OF PROVISION FOR THE NEEDY Phil. 4:19 – “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus,”
7 – The Bible says THERE IS A WELL OF FORGIVENESS FOR THE FALLEN 1st John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,”
8 – The Bible says THERE IS A WELL OF RESTORATION FOR THE BROKEN Luke 4:18 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,”
Whatever your find that your need may be at any time just take it to Him and let Him show you that He can and wants to help.
1 – The Bible says He knows who you are, John 10:14, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
2 – The Bible says He knows the path you are walking, Job 23:10, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
3 – The Bible says He knows what’s happening in your life, Matt. 10:30, “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
4 – The Bible says He knows what you need, Matt. 6:25-34, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?(For after all these things do the Gentiles seekJ for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
5 – The Bible loves us, in Jeremiah 31:3, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
6 – The Bible says He cares for us, 1st Pet. 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you.”
7 – The Bible says He has a plan to help us, Jer. 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
DO YOU NEED SOME HELP?
To find more help in receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Savior please go to the Bible Study Title Page “ETERNAL LIFE.” Please send me an email and let me know about any decision for Christ you make so that I may pray for you. Feel free to send me any questions, comments, or responses you may have as well. For those who are already Christians I invite you to also please let me know of any decisions you make in your Christian life for Jesus. Please send me your questions, comments, or responses and let me know if the Bible Studies are helping you.
ALWAYS REMEMBER!
The support of your local Church ministry and the ministry of your Pastor should be the first priority of your Christian life and your service to the Lord. Be faithful to prayerfully prepare and attend Sunday School and Worship Service this Sunday and participate in worship as your Pastor preaches the Word. Do not forget to give the Lord at least your TITHE through your local church from your gross income – that is your first fruits. Any other other giving is an offering to a ministry unto the Lord. Honor the Lord in all you do and with all that you have. Always remember that everything you have and all you are belongs to the Lord. It is on loan to you – so manage it well! There will be an audit one day! Make sure the Books Balance!
All Bible Studies Are Prepared by Pastor Frank Denning And May Be Be Used By Permission.