1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: and Paikall, the chief captain of his host, spake unto Abraham, 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: saying God is with thee in all that thou doest 4 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: Genesis twenty one, twenty two. Lord, Thank you that through 5 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: your faithfulness you watch over your word to make sure 6 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 1: that no one of your promises fall short. Thank you that, 7 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: even though time passes, your word to me and my 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: family will come to pass. I praise you because even 9 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:41,160 Speaker 1: through family dysfunction, you still preserve your promise for us all. 10 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: Even when I experience moments of abandonment like Hagar and Ishmael, 11 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,680 Speaker 1: I know you will provide divine miracles and refreshing wells 12 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: for me to drink from. Thank you, Lord that you 13 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: hear my prayers. Thank you for the warrior spirit you've 14 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: placed in me. Thank you for showering me with talent 15 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: and grace. I will continue in my attitude of gratitude 16 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: by also thanking you for your many signs of steadfast 17 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: love than for making all things work together for my good. 18 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 1: My future is safe and my promise is secure in 19 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:32,199 Speaker 1: you in Jesus name, Amen, Thank you for making prayer 20 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: a priority in your day. To learn more about the Bible, 21 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 1: stay tuned for today's story, brought to you by Bible 22 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 1: in a Year dot com, A Plan for Ishmael. Before 23 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,760 Speaker 1: this story, we learned about Abraham and how he told 24 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: King Abimelech, Sarah is my sister. To protect himself. He 25 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: took cur but God warned him in a dream and 26 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: restored Abraham and Sarah. Now we will learn about how 27 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: Abraham and Sarah will have a son named Isaac, just 28 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 1: as God promised. Inspired by the Book of Genesis. Hello, 29 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible 30 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: in a Year podcast, A long Awaited Birth. That's where 31 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 1: we begin today. Long awaited seems like an understatement. Abraham 32 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: and Sarah have waited and prayed and strayed so many 33 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:39,639 Speaker 1: times over these decades, and now God is giving them 34 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: a son, Isaac. It's a joyous celebration of a promise fulfilled, 35 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:48,000 Speaker 1: but not everyone is thrilled. And today we're going to 36 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 1: see what happens with Abraham's first son, Ishmael and his 37 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: mother Hagar. As you listen to the story, try to 38 00:02:55,760 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: imagine what each of the characters would have been feeling. Sarah, 39 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: who finally has her son and now sees him being 40 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: mistreated by the offspring of her servant, Hagar, whom she 41 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 1: gave to Abraham to try to speed up and short 42 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,799 Speaker 1: circuit God's plan. Ismael, the eldest son, who knows he's 43 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: not the chosen one, he was not received with this 44 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: kind of fanfare and jubilation. And Hagar, who is sitting 45 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 1: on the sidelines again, knowing that Sarah holds a deep 46 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 1: contempt for her and her son, even though it was 47 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: her idea, Sarah's idea in the very beginning. And think 48 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: of Abraham caught in the crossfire trying to handle such 49 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 1: a very messy family situation with wisdom, caring for his 50 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 1: new son and his oldest son and his wife Sarah. Finally, 51 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: watch how God works in the situation to bring good 52 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: out of such a dysfunctional family dynamic. How once again 53 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: he pours grace out on his children, just as he 54 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: does for you and me. Now, let's listen to the 55 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: passage today and hear Ishmael's story. Abraham was a hundred 56 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: years old and Sarah was ninety years old. At last, 57 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: the promises of God were realized. After months of an 58 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:18,280 Speaker 1: unexpected pregnancy, Sarah gave birth to a son. The promised 59 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: son of God emerged from the once barren womb of Sarah. 60 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 1: Abraham named him Isaac, which means laughter, a suitable name, 61 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,720 Speaker 1: since Sarah's old age had made it impossible for her 62 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: to have children. Yet nothing was impossible for God. Sarah rejoiced, saying, 63 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: God has made laughter for me, and everyone who hears 64 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: of this will laugh over me, for I have had 65 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: a child in my old age. Isaac grew older, and 66 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: when he was weaned, Abraham held a great feast in 67 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 1: his honor. During the feast, Sarah noticed that Ishmael, the 68 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: son of her servant Hagar, was laughing at Isaac. Ishmael, 69 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 1: no doubt, feeling jealous and unloved, looked upon Isaac with contempt. 70 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: Sarah erupted with anger and once again lashed out at 71 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:16,679 Speaker 1: Abraham and Hagar. Banish this slave woman and her son, 72 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: for the son of this slave woman shall not be 73 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: heir with my son Isaac. Abraham grieved over this. Though 74 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: Ishmael was a son born from disobedience, he was his 75 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: son none the less. Distressed and frustrated, Abraham looked to 76 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: God once again be not disheartened because of the boy 77 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: and his mother. God said, whatever Sarah says to you, 78 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 1: do as she tells you, for I have chosen Isaac 79 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: to be your heir. Yet I will not forget Ishmael, 80 00:05:51,200 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: and I will make a great nation out of him 81 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: as well. So Abraham did as the Lord and Sarah 82 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: had asked. He packed water and food and send Hagar 83 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:06,919 Speaker 1: and Ishmael into the wilderness alone. Abraham, who had spent 84 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:11,160 Speaker 1: years raising Ishmael, said his final good bye. The two 85 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba, slowly losing water, food, 86 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 1: and hope. The days grew longer and the knights colder. Thirsty, 87 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 1: starving and alone, Hagar had lost all hope. She let 88 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: Ishmael sleep under a bush and walked several yards away. 89 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: She could not bear to watch him die, so she 90 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 1: would abandon him altogether. Hagar, as she did before, when 91 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 1: in despair, lifted her voice to heaven, and God, as 92 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:47,279 Speaker 1: he did before, heard her fear not, for I have 93 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,480 Speaker 1: heard the voice of the boy where he is up. 94 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,440 Speaker 1: Lift up your child and hold him fast with your hand, 95 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: for I will make him into a great nation, just 96 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:02,279 Speaker 1: as I promised. Soon after Hagar discovered a well filled 97 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: with water. The two drank, regained their strength, and found 98 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: a life for themselves. God continued with Ishmael as he promised. 99 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: He showered Ishmael with grace, giving him talent and a 100 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 1: warrior's spirit. Hagar would do right by her son, finding 101 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: him an Egyptian wife and helping him start a family. 102 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: This would be another sign of the steadfast love of 103 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: God working in family brokenness, restoring all things to make 104 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 1: them better. The birth of a child is an occasion 105 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: that calls for great celebration, as a new life enters 106 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: the world. This is true of any birth, So how 107 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: much more was this true for the birth of Isaac. 108 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,360 Speaker 1: For years and years God had promised the day would come, 109 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 1: and finally it was here. I love how Sarah again 110 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 1: turns to laughter, this time a laughter of joy and 111 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 1: astonishment at what has happened, what God has done. We've 112 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: seen her laugh in disbelief before. Now is the laugh 113 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: of faith. Now she is experiencing pure joy. And not 114 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: only that, she knows that she will no longer be 115 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: laughed at by others, but laughed with. Look at what 116 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:25,119 Speaker 1: it says in Genesis twenty one six and seven, Sarah said, 117 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: God has made laughter for me. Everyone who hears will 118 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: laugh with me. And she said, who would have said 119 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have 120 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: borne him a son in his old age. Once Isaac 121 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,719 Speaker 1: was weaned, around the age of two or three, there 122 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: was a great feast in his honor. This was, after all, 123 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: caused for extravagant celebration. I can just imagine the party 124 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: that Abraham and Sarah threw for their son, their pride 125 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: and joy, the fulfillment of God's promise. But not everyone 126 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: was excited. Someone who was bound to feel left out, 127 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: rejected and replaced. His name is Ishmael. Ishmael. No doubt, 128 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: he wasn't anyone's first choice other than Hagar, his mother. 129 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 1: He probably knew this day would come, but now that 130 00:09:16,559 --> 00:09:18,959 Speaker 1: it was here, the sting of rejection would have been 131 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: almost too much to bear. This child, of course, had 132 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 1: done nothing to him, but his existence alone was a 133 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: threat and an insult. So what did he do? Ishmael 134 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: mocked Isaac. Sarah witnessed this and understandably burned with anger. 135 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 1: She would protect this child, her child, at all costs, 136 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 1: especially from the son of her servant. Hagar, whom she 137 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 1: had resented for years. So she tells Abraham to drive 138 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: them off, send them away into the wilderness. Abraham is torn. 139 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 1: He doesn't know what to do. He cares deeply for 140 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:59,880 Speaker 1: both his sons and for his wife, and for Hagar's 141 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:03,200 Speaker 1: seems to be no good answer, so what does he do? 142 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:08,960 Speaker 1: You and I often face tough issues, possibly even family 143 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: strife and separation, situations that seemingly have no solutions. We 144 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 1: can try to figure it out ourselves and risk making 145 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 1: things even worse, or we can do what Abraham did. 146 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 1: He turned to God, and God told him to remember 147 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: his first loyalty, his first commitment, the one to his 148 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: wife Sarah. Isaac is, after all, the one through whom 149 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: God's promise of a chosen people, a great nation to 150 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: rescue all other nations would be fulfilled. This does not 151 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: mean that God neglected Ishmael and Hagar, or that he 152 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: would abandon them. He reassures Abraham of this very thing, 153 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: saying that he will also make Ishmael into a great 154 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:57,840 Speaker 1: nation because he is Abraham's descendant. Wandering in the wilderness 155 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: nearly out of water, it probably see to Hagar and 156 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 1: Ishmael that God had forgotten them, but at the right moment, 157 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: God comes in and rescues them, promising Hagar that he 158 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 1: would prosper Ishmael and multiply his descendants as well. One 159 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: thing this passage shows us is that God's blessings and 160 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:21,440 Speaker 1: promises for one person in the case of Isaac, do 161 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: not preclude him from also blessing others, people like you 162 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: and me. And rather than envying and mocking Isaac Ishmael 163 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 1: could rest in what God has also promised him, knowing 164 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:36,959 Speaker 1: God will deliver, just as he is doing to Isaac, 165 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:41,559 Speaker 1: that he would deliver Ishmael. This is still a very 166 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: tragic and sad story. A family has forever been divided, 167 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 1: but God's grace abounds, and even in the messiness of 168 00:11:49,840 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: his family, he blesses and provides according to his purpose 169 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: and fulfillment of his promises. God, thank you for the 170 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: story of Isaac and Mail. Thank you for the hope 171 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 1: it gives us, for your ability to intervene in family 172 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:08,920 Speaker 1: conflicts and strife and bring about blessing for all who 173 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:12,960 Speaker 1: are involved. May we trust in you and the promises 174 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:18,000 Speaker 1: that you have given us in Jesus name. Amen, Thank 175 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 1: you for listening to Today's Bible in a Year podcast. 176 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 1: I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Prey 177 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:28,559 Speaker 1: dot com app and make prayer a priority in your life. 178 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed this podcast, share it with someone you know, 179 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 1: someone you love, because by sharing this podcast, you can 180 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,840 Speaker 1: make a difference in their lives. And if you want 181 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 1: more resources as to how you can know and trust 182 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: God more and more in your life, be sure and 183 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:54,959 Speaker 1: visit Jack Graham dot org. God Bless you. This episode 184 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:59,319 Speaker 1: is sponsored by Metashare, an innovative healthcare solution for Christians 185 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: to save money without sacrificing quality.