Hagar is at a well again. She seems to have spent a lot of time at wells!
Genesis 21
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, 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.
Amen! This is a significant moment in Genesis and in salvation history - it is with good reason Sarah rejoices and exults in the Lord!
8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the 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.
What does it mean, Ishmael was mocking? I don’t really know, but Sarah took exception to it. Ishmael is probably 17 years old and Isaac 3.
Cast out this bondwoman and her son- “Both Sarah and Abraham have been accused of cruelty in this transaction, because every word reads harsh to us. Cast out signifies not only to thrust out, drive away, and expel, but also to divorce; (see Lev 21:7); and it is in this latter sense the word should be understood here. The child of Abraham by Hagar might be considered as having a right at least to a part of the inheritance; and as it was sufficiently known to Sarah that God had designed that the succession should be established in the line of Isaac, she wished Abraham to divorce Hagar, or to perform some sort of legal act by which Ishmael might be excluded from all claim on the inheritance.” (Adam Clarke)
See Galatians 4:21-31 for how the Apostle Paul applies this to us
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.
the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight Clearly he cherished Ishamael.
And God said - turns out Sarah was right! Then He gives Abraham two promises: “in Isaac shall thy seed by called” and “I will make Ishmael a nation.”
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.
“By ‘bread’ we are to understand the food or provisions which were necessary for her and Ishmael, till they should come to the place of their destination; which, no doubt, Abraham particularly pointed out. The ‘bottle’ contained water sufficient to last them till they should come to the next well; which, it is likely, Abraham particularly specified also. We may therefore safely presume that she and her son were sufficiently provided for their journey. Travelers in those countries take only provisions sufficient to carry them to the next village or encampment; and water to supply them till they shall meet with the next well.” (Adam Clarke)
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.
Alas, Hagar appears to have gotten lost and is now so desperate she has given up. Ishmael is 17, why is he more worn out than his mama? Teenagers! The people in that country would’ve understood immediately – they are literally thirsting to death
She lift up her voice, and wept – The Septuagint has it, “And she departed and sat down opposite him at a distance, as it were a bow-shot, for she said, Surely I cannot see the death of my child: and she sat opposite him, and the child cried aloud and wept.” This matches the next verse much better. However we read it, there is such sadness in this story. I like to think this includes crying out for help.
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.
the angel of God – the same person as in her last encounter, the Son
What aileth thee, Hagar? Ha, isn’t it obvious? But the angel of God sees beyond what is to what God will do – God hath heard the voice of the lad. God saw his need and had the supply. When you can look past your circumstance, beyond your need, and see God’s supply, that is faith.
In their trouble they cried out to God. My problem is too often I get into a fix and cry, but I don't cry out to the Lord. Or, when I do pray, it is not in faith, I'm just saying the words. I need to pray until I find the promise; then I need to believe the promise, that is, focus on what God is going to do and not what I see.
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.
Again the promise, I will make him a great nation. Why is God taking care of Ishmael? For Abraham’s sake, because He has made promises to him concerning the lad. God made a covenant with Abraham and promised to make Ishmael a great nation. God is answering their cry because of His covenant with Abraham. This is an picture of praying in the name of Jesus. My confidence toward the high, holy, righteous God is based on who Jesus is, what he has done, and God's covenant with him.
she saw a well of water – Praise the Lord! God opened her eyes to see the well. I need to remember the pattern here: trouble, cry out to the Lord, believe the promise, obey, then I will see the well. Reminds me of the ten lepers, as they went, they were cleansed. When they left Jesus they still had leprosy. When Hagar went to Ishmael she still had no water. But when she believed enough to obey, she saw the well. Amen.
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.
Hagar had great trials. Trials I can’t even imagine. And in her trials she cried out to God and he provided for her. This is meant to encourage us: When you are in trouble, when you despair, cry out to the Lord and he will save you!
Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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