1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: And the Angel of the Lord said unto her, behold 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and 3 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord hath heard 4 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 1: thy affliction. Genesis sixteen eleven. To my Lord and Savior, 5 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: thank you that you are so many things in my life, 6 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: and in this moment I choose to thank you for 7 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: being a shield and a covering for my heart. May 8 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: the cry of Hagar also serve as my cry when 9 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: others seem to mistreat me, even when my heart is 10 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: in the right place, when my good deeds go unnoticed, 11 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: Like Hagar in Genesis sixteen, I will run to my 12 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 1: place of refuge and seek your face with the full 13 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: assurance that you are a good God and that you 14 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: have a love like no other for me and my heart. 15 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: I rest in the finished fact that no matter what 16 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: others do to me, I can walk with my head 17 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 1: held high because in spite of how I'm treated, you 18 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 1: will elevate and vindicate my life. Thank you God that 19 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: my story doesn't end with hurt, but begins with your goodness. Then, 20 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 1: Jesus name, Amen, thank you for praying with us today. 21 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:32,639 Speaker 1: Continue your time with God by listening to Today's Bible 22 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: story brought to you by Bible in a Year dot 23 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: com Hagar and Ishmael. Before this story, we learned about 24 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: the covenant God made to Abram and a promise that 25 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: his descendants would be as many as the stars in 26 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 1: the sky. Abrams showed faith and God accounted it to 27 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: him as righteousness. Now we will learn about the lack 28 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:08,840 Speaker 1: of faith Abram shows and the birth of Ishmael, inspired 29 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 1: by the Book of Genesis. Hello, I'm Jack Graham with 30 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 1: today's episode of the Bible in a Year podcast. We've 31 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: been looking at the life of Abram and God's promise 32 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: to bless the world through him. But Abram wasn't the 33 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 1: only one in that plan. His wife Sarah was to 34 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: be the one to give him descendants, and today we'll 35 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 1: take a look at her in the discouragement she and 36 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 1: Abram felt as they continued to wait on a promise 37 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 1: yet to be fulfilled. Sometimes the journey of faith feels 38 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 1: like two steps forward, one step back, and today we'll 39 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 1: see how Abram and Sarah took a big step back, 40 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: a step born out of impatience and a desire to 41 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,799 Speaker 1: do the work that only God could do. Once more, 42 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: we'll see the devastating effects of wanting to be like 43 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: God and of failing to take responsibility for sin. Listen 44 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,920 Speaker 1: to how God continues to patiently walk with Abram and 45 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 1: his household, even in the midst of unfaithfulness. Abram's sin 46 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: would not go without consequence, but God keeps his promise 47 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 1: to never leave or forsake him. And then, finally, pay 48 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: attention to how God has compassion for those who, like 49 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 1: Sarah's servant Hagar, are wounded by the sins of others. 50 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:30,799 Speaker 1: Now here's today's story of Abram, Sarah, and Hagar, and Ishmael. 51 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 1: Years had passed since God's promise to give Abram and 52 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 1: Sarai descendants, so many years, in fact, that the possibility 53 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: of child rearing seemed far out of reach after all 54 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: God had promised. Abram and Sarai's hearts became discouraged. Out 55 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 1: of discouragement, impatience, and uncertainty, the two decided to repeat 56 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: the sins of their forefathers. They wanted to become like God. 57 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: Siri's impatience reeled within her as Eve took the forbidden 58 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: fruit so she would become like God. So Sir II 59 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 1: devised her own plan to replace God's plan. Go in 60 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: to my servant Hagar and have a child with her. 61 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:26,599 Speaker 1: I will claim the child as my own, she said Abram, 62 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: just as his ancestor, Adam, did nothing to defend his 63 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 1: wife's honor and integrity. Instead, he took the Egyptian maid 64 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: servant to his bed, and the two embraced often and 65 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: had sex until a child was conceived. Given full permission 66 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: by his wife, yet ignoring the call to be a 67 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: better man, Abram went into her again and again, falling 68 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: further from God's plan for him. When Hegar discovered she 69 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: had conceived, she looked at Sir II with contempt. Her 70 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: body had been used for the twisted desires of her 71 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 1: insecure mistress, and there was anger and hurt because of it. 72 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 1: Sir I, already feeling the shame welling up within her, 73 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: lashed out at Abram. This wrong done to me is 74 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: on your hands. I gave my servant for you to embrace. 75 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 1: The second she conceived, she looked on me with contempt. 76 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: God will judge you for this. The once noble and 77 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:36,040 Speaker 1: heroic Abram, now crestfallen and pitiful, press'd into his sin 78 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: even more. She's your servant, due to her as you please. 79 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: As Adam once did in the garden, Abram refused any 80 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:50,799 Speaker 1: responsibility over his companion and allowed her heart to stray 81 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 1: even further. Sir I abus'd her servant Hagar, her words 82 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: and her fists oppress'd her into a panic. Feel like 83 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: she had no other options, Hagar fled to the wilderness 84 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: tegar Ran until she found refuge by a spring. There, 85 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: an angel of the Lord appeared to her, saying, Hagar, 86 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: servant of Sir II, where did you come from and 87 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 1: where are you planning on going? Frantic, pregnant and alone, 88 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: she replied, I am fleeing from the oppression of my mistress, 89 00:06:25,760 --> 00:06:30,719 Speaker 1: Sir I, for she has become cruel. The Lord, with 90 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 1: compassion and understanding in his voice, spoke clearly to her. 91 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: Go back to your mistress, Sir I, submit to her. I, 92 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:44,839 Speaker 1: the creator of life itself, will multiply your descendants as well, 93 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 1: he continued. You shall bear a son and call his 94 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:53,559 Speaker 1: name Ishmael, because I have seen your affliction and heard 95 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: your cries. Your son will grow to be a wild 96 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: and strong warrior. He will struggle, fight, and be beaten 97 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:06,360 Speaker 1: by many. The world will be against him. But I 98 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: will bless him, and he will gain the respect of 99 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: his people and rule over them. Hagar, having just been 100 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 1: used by her master and mistress, finally felt some semblance 101 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: of worth. She felt that God had truly seen her. 102 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: So there at the spring she gave a personal name 103 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: for God, the God of Sea. She said, I have 104 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: seen the God who looks after me. Hagar returned to 105 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 1: Saraian Abram and bore a son, just as God had said. 106 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 1: She named him Ishmael, which means God hears. Abram was 107 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:48,239 Speaker 1: now eighty six years old, and his unfaithfulness to God 108 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 1: would not go without its consequences. Yet God's promise to 109 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: bless Abram was not void, for he made a covenant 110 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: to Abram and would not leave him or foreseek him. 111 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 1: Just yesterday, as we examined the story of Abraham and Lot, 112 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: it seemed God's chosen vessel for his great plan of 113 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: redemption had learned his lesson. Abram was trusting God, seeking 114 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:19,400 Speaker 1: him continually and waiting patiently even when the promise seemed distant, 115 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: even and impossibility. But time is passed. As we reached 116 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: today's story, Abram and his wife Sarah are growing impatient, 117 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,559 Speaker 1: worse they once again decide to take matters into their 118 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: own hands and made a plan of their own. Here's 119 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 1: a powerful truth you need to hear. God invites us 120 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 1: to be a part of his plan, but he doesn't 121 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: need us to help him when something isn't happening yet, 122 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 1: It isn't because God can't do it or because he 123 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: has forgotten his promise. God is simply working in his 124 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: own perfect timing. Abraham and Sarah have forgotten that forgotten 125 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: the covenant that God had made, and they decided to 126 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: act like God. Enter Hagar, Sarah's younger fertile servant. If 127 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: she can't have a baby, Sarah thinks her maid servant 128 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 1: will do the job for her, But that wasn't God's plan. 129 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 1: And when Hagar conceives, another character that we've seen before 130 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:24,960 Speaker 1: emerges jealousy. Sarah now looks with jealousy on Hagar. Hagar, 131 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 1: for her part, gets prideful and looks with contempt on Sarah, 132 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 1: her mistress. But Abram is the wise hero of the story. 133 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 1: Right he'll step in and acknowledge the era and seek 134 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: reconciliation and forgiveness. Right, Well know not this time, Abram, 135 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: just as Adam did, shifts the responsibility off his own shoulders. 136 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: He refuses the mantle of leadership in his family and 137 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:54,240 Speaker 1: tells Sarah to deal with her servant as she pleases. This, 138 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 1: of course, doesn't go well. There's a relational stress and 139 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 1: strife and separation all over the place. Hagar flees feeling worthless, 140 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 1: but the ever caring and loving God seeks her out 141 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 1: and comforts her. He promises that even though the son 142 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:13,840 Speaker 1: she is bearing is not the one chosen for God's 143 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: ultimate plan of redemption and blessing, he will be a 144 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:22,440 Speaker 1: great man. Listen to these beautiful, comforting words God spoke 145 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:27,439 Speaker 1: to her through his angel Genesis sixteen eleven. The Angel 146 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: of the Lord said to her, further, behold, you are pregnant, 147 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: and you will give birth to a son, and you 148 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 1: shall name him Ishmael, which means God hears, because the 149 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: Lord has heard your affliction. When you are going through trials, 150 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: through suffering, through disappointment, you can know too that God 151 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: hears you. Your cries are not falling on deaf ears. 152 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: God hears the cries of his children and cares deeply 153 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: for you. Abraham's lack of faith will leave long lasting 154 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: tragic consequences, Yet still God renews his covenant and promises 155 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,520 Speaker 1: the blessing will come just as God had promised. He 156 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: will not leave Abraham. When your faith walk stumbles, God 157 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,320 Speaker 1: promises the same to you. He will not cast you 158 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: out for your failures in Jesus Christ. He will restore 159 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 1: you and work his plan in your life for your 160 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: good and for his glory. Heavenly Father, thank you for 161 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 1: this story that shows your compassion for those who are hurting, 162 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,119 Speaker 1: for those who are confused, for those who are struggling. 163 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:34,920 Speaker 1: Thank you that we can know that you do, in 164 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: fact hear us and care for us as you did Hagar. 165 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: And thank you that when we stumble and fail and fall, 166 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 1: you remain with us. You have promised to never leave 167 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:49,680 Speaker 1: or forsake us. Your presence is always with us. Amen. 168 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:53,719 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. 169 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 1: I'm Pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Prey 170 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:00,439 Speaker 1: dot Com app and make prayer A prayer are itty 171 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:03,679 Speaker 1: in your life. If you enjoyed this podcast, share it 172 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:06,559 Speaker 1: with someone you love. By sharing this podcast, you can 173 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: make a difference in someone's life. And if you want 174 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: more resources on how to tap into God's power, for 175 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 1: successful Christian living, be sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. 176 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: God bless This episode is sponsored by medashare, an innovative 177 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:31,560 Speaker 1: healthcare solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality