1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: And the Angel of the Lord said unto her, behold 2 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 1: thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord hath heard 4 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:19,279 Speaker 1: thy affliction. Genesis sixteen eleven. To my Lord and Savior, 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: thank you that you are so many things in my life, 6 00:00:25,000 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: and in this moment I choose to thank you for 7 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:32,199 Speaker 1: being a shield and a covering for my heart. May 8 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: the cry of Hagar also serve as my cry when 9 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: others seem to mistreat me, even when my heart is 10 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: in the right place, when my good deeds go unnoticed, 11 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: Like Hagar in Genesis sixteen, I will run to my 12 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: place of refuge and seek your face with the full 13 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: assurance that you are a good God, than that you 14 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,640 Speaker 1: have a love like no other for me and my heart. 15 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 1: I rest in the finished fact that no matter what 16 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: others do to me, I can walk with my head 17 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: held high because in spite of how I'm treated, you 18 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: will elevate and vindicate my life. Thank you God that 19 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 1: my story doesn't end with hurt, but begins with your goodness. 20 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:29,759 Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, Amen, thank you for praying with me today. 21 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: Continue listening for an incredible Bible story brought to you 22 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: by Bible in a year dot. 23 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 2: Com, Hagar and Ishmael. 24 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 3: Before this story, we learned about the covenant God made 25 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 3: to Abram and a promise that his descendants would be 26 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 3: as many as the stars in the sky. Abram showed 27 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 3: faith and God accounted it to him as righteousness. Now 28 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 3: we will learn about the lack of faith Abram shows 29 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 3: and the birth of Ishmael, inspired by the Book of Genesis. 30 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:15,679 Speaker 4: We're so glad you joined us on the Bible and 31 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,959 Speaker 4: of your podcast today. The Bible into your podcast is 32 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 4: an outreach of PowerPoint Ministries and can only come to 33 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 4: you each week through the support of listeners just like you. 34 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 4: Your support today is so important that we want to 35 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:30,959 Speaker 4: thank you for your gift by giving you a copy 36 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 4: of my book called The Jesus Book. It is a 37 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:36,800 Speaker 4: powerful guide that shows how every book of the Bible 38 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:40,519 Speaker 4: points to Jesus and how his living word, the truth 39 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 4: of God's Word, will transform your life. So to get 40 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 4: a copy of The Jesus Book, simply go to Jack 41 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 4: Graham dot org slash Jesus. That's Jack Graham dot org 42 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 4: slash Jesus and thank you for your support. We've been 43 00:02:56,800 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 4: looking at the life of Abram and God's promise to 44 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 4: bless the world through him. But Abram wasn't the only 45 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 4: one in that plan. His wife Sarah was to be 46 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 4: the one to give him descendants, and today we'll take 47 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:12,639 Speaker 4: a look at her and the discouragement she and Abram 48 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 4: felt as they continue to wait on a promise yet 49 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 4: to be fulfilled. Sometimes the journey of faith feels like 50 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 4: two steps forward, one step back, and today we'll see 51 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 4: how Abram and Sarah took a big step back, a 52 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 4: step born out of impatience and a desire to do 53 00:03:30,840 --> 00:03:33,839 Speaker 4: the work that only God could do. Once more, we'll 54 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 4: see the devastating effects of wanting to be like God 55 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 4: and a failing to take responsibility for sin. Listen to 56 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 4: how God continues to patiently walk with Abram and his household, 57 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 4: even in the midst of unfaithfulness. Abram's sin would not 58 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 4: go without consequence, but God keeps his promise to never 59 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 4: leave or forsake him. And then, finally, pay attention to 60 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 4: how God has compassion for those who, like Sarah's servant Hagar, 61 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 4: are wounded by the sins of others. Now here's today's 62 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 4: story of Abram Sarah and Hagar and Ishmael. 63 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 3: Years had passed since God's promise to give Abram and 64 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 3: Sarai descendants, so many years, in fact, that the possibility 65 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 3: of child rearing seemed far out of reach after all 66 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 3: God had promised. Abram and Sarai's hearts became discouraged. Out 67 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 3: of discouragement, impatience, and uncertainty, the two decided to repeat 68 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 3: the sins of their forefathers. They wanted to become like God. 69 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 3: Sara's impatience reeled within her as Eve took the forbidden 70 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 3: fruit so she would become like God. So Sarai devised 71 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 3: her own plan to replace God's plan. Go in to 72 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 3: my servant, Hagar and have a child with her. I 73 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 3: will claim the child as my own, she said Abram, 74 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 3: just as his ancestor, Adam, did nothing to defend his 75 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:15,119 Speaker 3: wife's honor and integrity. Instead, he took the Egyptian made 76 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:18,919 Speaker 3: servant to his bed, and the two embraced often and 77 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 3: had sex until a child was conceived. Given full permission 78 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 3: by his wife, yet ignoring the call to be a 79 00:05:26,839 --> 00:05:31,679 Speaker 3: better man, Abram went into her again and again, falling 80 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 3: further from God's plan for him. When Hagar discovered she 81 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:40,799 Speaker 3: had conceived. She looked at SARRII with contempt. Her body 82 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 3: had been used for the twisted desires of her insecure mistress, 83 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:49,479 Speaker 3: and there was anger and hurt because of it. Sorri, 84 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 3: already feeling the shame welling up within her, lashed out 85 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 3: at Abram. This wrong done to me is on your hands. 86 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 3: I gave my servant for you to embrace. The second 87 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 3: she conceived. She looked on me with contempt. God will 88 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:11,840 Speaker 3: judge you for this. The once noble and heroic Abram, 89 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 3: now crestfallen and pitiful, pressed into his sin even more. 90 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:22,600 Speaker 3: She's your servant. Do to her as you please. As 91 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 3: Adam once did in the garden, Abram refused any responsibility 92 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:31,599 Speaker 3: over his companion and allowed her heart to stray even further. 93 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 3: Sarai abused her servant, Hagar, her words and her fists 94 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 3: oppressed her into a panic. Feeling like she had no 95 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 3: other options, Hagar fled to the wilderness. Hagar ran until 96 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 3: she found refuge by a spring. There, an angel of 97 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 3: the Lord appeared to her, saying, Hagar, servant of Sarai, 98 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 3: where did you come from and where are you planning 99 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 3: on going? Frantic pregnant and alone. She replied, I am 100 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 3: fleeing from the oppression of my mistress, Sir I, for 101 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 3: she has become cruel. The Lord, with compassion and understanding 102 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:16,160 Speaker 3: in his voice, spoke clearly to her. Go back to 103 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 3: your mistress, Sir, I submit to her. I, the creator 104 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 3: of life itself, will multiply your descendants as well. He continued. 105 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 3: You shall bear a son and call his name Ishmael, 106 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 3: because I have seen your affliction and heard your cries. 107 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 3: Your son will grow to be a wild and strong warrior. 108 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 3: He will struggle, fight, and be beaten by many. The 109 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 3: world will be against him, but I will bless him, 110 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 3: and he will gain the respect of his people and 111 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 3: rule over them. Hagar, having just been used by her 112 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 3: master and mistress, finally felt some semblance of worth. She 113 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 3: felt that God had truly seen her. So there at 114 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 3: the spring, she gave a personal name for God, the 115 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 3: god of seeing. She said, I have seen the God 116 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 3: who looks after me. Hagar returned to Saraian Abram and 117 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 3: Bora's son, just as God had said. She named him Ishmael, 118 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 3: which means God hears. Abram was now eighty six years 119 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 3: old and his unfaithfulness to God would not go without 120 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 3: its consequences. Yet God's promise to bless Abram was not void, 121 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:37,959 Speaker 3: for he made a covenant to Abram and. 122 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 2: Would not leave him or forsake him. 123 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 4: Just yesterday, as we examined the story of Abram and Lot, 124 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:51,079 Speaker 4: it seemed God's chosen vessel for his great plan of 125 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 4: redemption had learned his lesson. Abram was trusting God, seeking 126 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 4: him continually and waiting patiently, even when the promise seemed distant, 127 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 4: even and impossibility. But time is passed. As we reach 128 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 4: today's story, Abram and his wife Sarah are growing impatient worse. 129 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 4: They once again decide to take matters into their own 130 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 4: hands and made a plan of their own. Here's a 131 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 4: powerful truth you need to hear. God invites us to 132 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:23,199 Speaker 4: be a part of his plan, but he doesn't need 133 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 4: us to help him when something isn't happening. Yet, it 134 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 4: isn't because God can't do it or because he has 135 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 4: forgotten his promise. God is simply working in his own 136 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:39,680 Speaker 4: perfect timing. Abraham and Sarah have forgotten that, forgotten the 137 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 4: covenant that God had made, and they decided to act 138 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 4: like God. Enter Hagar Sarah's younger, fertile servant. If she 139 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 4: can't have a baby. Sarah thinks her maid servant will 140 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 4: do the job for her, but that wasn't God's plan. 141 00:09:55,040 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 4: And when Hagar conceives another character that we've seen before emergesjealousy. 142 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 4: Sarah now looks with jealousy on Hagar. Hagar, for her part, 143 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 4: gets prideful and looks with contempt on Sarah, her mistress. 144 00:10:09,679 --> 00:10:12,440 Speaker 4: But Abram is the wise hero of the story. Right 145 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:16,560 Speaker 4: he'll step in and acknowledge the error and seek reconciliation 146 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 4: and forgiveness. Right, well know not this time, Abram, just 147 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 4: as Adam did, shifts the responsibility off his own shoulders. 148 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 4: He refuses the mantle of leadership in his family and 149 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 4: tells Sarah to deal with her servant as she pleases. This, 150 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:37,839 Speaker 4: of course, doesn't go well. There's a relational stress and 151 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:43,439 Speaker 4: strife and separation all over the place. Hagar flees feeling worthless, 152 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 4: but the ever caring and loving God seeks her out 153 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 4: and comforts her. He promises that even though the son 154 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 4: she is bearing is not the one chosen for God's 155 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 4: ultimate plan of redemption and blessing, he will be a 156 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 4: great man listen to the beautiful, comforting words God spoke 157 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:07,200 Speaker 4: to her through his angel Genesis sixteen eleven. The Angel 158 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 4: of the Lord said to her further, behold, you are pregnant, 159 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 4: and you will give birth to a son, and you 160 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 4: shall name him Ishmael, which means God hears, because the 161 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 4: Lord has heard your affliction. When you are going through trials, 162 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:27,120 Speaker 4: through suffering, through disappointment, you can know too that God 163 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,559 Speaker 4: hears you. Your cries are not falling on deaf ears. 164 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 4: God hears the cries of his children and cares deeply 165 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 4: for you. Abram's lack of faith will leave long lasting 166 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 4: tragic consequences. Yet still God renews his covenant and promises 167 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 4: the blessing will come just as God had promised. He 168 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 4: will not leave Abram when your faith walk stumbles. God 169 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 4: promises the same to you. He will not cast you 170 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 4: out for your failures in Jesus Christ. He will restore 171 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:00,240 Speaker 4: you and work his plan in your life for you're 172 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 4: good and for his glory. Heavenly Father, thank you for 173 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 4: this story that shows your compassion for those who are hurting, 174 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 4: for those who are confused, for those who are struggling. 175 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 4: Thank you that we can know that you do in fact, 176 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 4: hear us and care for us as you did Hagar. 177 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,319 Speaker 4: And thank you that when we stumble and fail and fall, 178 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 4: you remain with us. You have promised to never leave 179 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:29,439 Speaker 4: or forsake us. Your presence is always with us. Amen. 180 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:33,559 Speaker 4: Thank you for listening to today's Bible into your podcast, 181 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,319 Speaker 4: And before we go, I wanted to let you know 182 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 4: that the Bible into Your Podcast is an outreach of 183 00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 4: PowerPoint Ministries and can only come to you each week 184 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 4: through the support of listeners like you. Your support today 185 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 4: is so important that we want to thank you for 186 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 4: your gift by giving you a copy of my book 187 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 4: called The Jesus Book. This book is a powerful guide 188 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 4: that shows how every book in the Bible points to 189 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 4: Christ and how you can better read and understand the 190 00:13:01,800 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 4: Bible and how God's word transforms our lives. So to 191 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 4: get your copy of The Jesus Book, simply go to 192 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 4: Jaggraham dot org slash Jesus. That's Jaggraham dot org slash 193 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 4: Jesus and thank you for your support.