DEVOTIONAL: GENESIS 21
<This is an excerpt from our devotional book for our current series through Genesis. Each book contains daily devotions and questions for reflection. For a free copy of our devotional books please visit our connect desk on Sundays, and to watch the accompanying sermon, click here>
Genesis 21:10-13
“So she said 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.” And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said 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.””
Nearly everyone reading Genesis 21:10-13 should be shocked and abhorred. Abraham was “very displeased” by Sarah’s suggestion, but God said go ahead and do what Sarah says. We see later that, as a result, Ishmael was on the verge of dying from thirst and his death seemed so imminent that Hagar left him because she couldn’t bear to watch her son’s last moments. The question then must be asked: Why did God permit Abraham to turn out Hagar and Isaac?
Scripture says: “The Son of the bondwoman will not inherit with the son of the free” (Gal 4:30), but what can God’s treatment of Hagar and Ishmael teach us about how God relates to us today? First, that God will ultimately fulfill his plan despite our own unfaithful meddling. Despite Abraham and Sarah “helping” God in a moment of doubt, God’s purposes for a son of the promise to come, receive an inheritance, and establish a multitude of descendants would be fulfilled, initially through Isaac and ultimately through Jesus.
Second, if God is this considerate of non-heirs, how much more will he show kindness to the true heirs? While Scripture does proclaim, “the Son of the bondwoman will not inherit with the son of the free,” God still chooses to show tremendous kindness to Hagar and Ishmael. Not only does he miraculously provide for them by making a well appear, a foreshadowing of how he would provide water for Moses as the Israelites also wandered in the wilderness, but he also promises a separate legacy for Ishmael, not as a joint heir with what had been promised to come through Isaac, but still that Ishmael would be made “into a great nation” (Gen 21:18).
Consider that God is giving these words to Moses while Israel is wandering in the desert. Would this not be reassuring? God seems to have done this so that 400 years later, the account could strengthen Israel as they also wandered in the desert as if he is saying, “You can trust me...If I, God, will provide in this miraculous way for a non-heir 400 years ago how much more will I provide for you, my chosen people?” Because we are God’s chosen people today, this should strengthen and encourage us as well. If God is this gracious towards those who are not heirs, how much more will he provide, care, and tend for his chosen people who are partakers of the promise?
REFLECTION & NOTES
Consider God’s distinction between Isaac and Ishmael, Jews and Gentiles, and Christians and the World. Does God treat these people groups differently? Does this seem unequal or unfair to you?
Where do you derive your conception of equality, justice, and fairness? What standard do you measure against God?
Does it encourage you that if God is this gracious to non-heirs, how much more will he be for one who is a partaker of the promise? How can you encourage others with this truth?