Ishmael

Ishmael

You will remember, perhaps, that in previous talks I have spoken about Abraham - the friend of God, and about Sarah, Abraham’s wife and Hagar, her maidservant.

Abraham had a son by Hagar, Ishmael, born in the natural way when Abraham was 86 years old. But it was the son of Sarah, Isaac, born when Abraham was 100 and Sarah 90 - past childbearing age, who was the miracle child and who was to be the son who would continue God’s covenant blessing to us and to all people.

You will remember clearly the time on Mount Moriah where God had tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice Isaac, and how Abraham’s faith showed that he trusted God completely.

Heb 11:17  By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 

Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death. 

The account in Hebrews goes on to say:

Heb 11:20  By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. 

In this account no mention at all is made of Ishmael and indeed Isaac is referred to as Abraham’s one and only son.

It would be all too easy to pass quickly on to the stories of Jacob and of Joseph. However, I think we need to pause and look a little more closely at Ishmael and Isaac. The story is recorded in Genesis and through it we can learn much about God’s dealings with mankind.

Just as we saw in Cain and Abel and will see in Jacob and Esau - we see a pattern of damaged relationships and sibling rivalry in a dysfunctional family.

Some would argue that what took place in Abraham’s family all those years ago still has its effect today.

In a spiritual sense that is true as God’s covenant of grace has come to us through Abraham’s descendant, and by faith we are heirs of that promise when we confess Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

But in another sense, the alienation between Christians and Muslims and Jews and Muslims finds its root here also. Muslims also claim to be heirs of Abraham, but through Ishmael. Indeed some claim that it was Ishmael, not Isaac, whom Abraham took to sacrifice on Mount Moriah.

The story that we find in Genesis 16 makes for some painful reading. We find a householdwhere there is discontent and discord.

Gen 16:4  He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 

Gen 16:6  “Your servant is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. 

Here was a pregnant woman in such distress that she was forced to flee.

But God...

So often in scripture we discover this truth: that God is watching over us and where we are in situations and circumstances that are overwhelming us, God in his mercy provides what we need.

We see in verse 10 that Hagar receives a divine promise:

Gen 16:10  The angel added, “I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count.”

This is the only case in Genesis where such a promise is given to a woman, rather than to a Patriarch.

And this encounter with God is significant for another reason:

Gen 16:13  She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

Hagar’s response was to name God: “You are El-roi”, an astonishing act undertaken by no other person in the Bible. 

With the knowledge that God would be with her, Hagar was able to return to the household and submit to Sarah, and in due course Ishmael is born.

There is no doubt that Ishmael was loved by Abraham as he grew up. When Ishmael was about 13 God repeated his promise to Abraham concerning Isaac. Abraham was fearful that God might forsake Ishmael.

Gen 17:18  And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”

God’s answer is one of reassurance and peace.

Gen 17:20  And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.

So how did it turn out?

Ishmael had grown to be a teenager in the belief that he was his father’s heir, but all that changed when Isaac, to the delight of Sarah was born. Now that she had produced a son, all the resentment and hostility toward Hagar and Ishmael came bursting out, probably triggered by something that Ishmael said about Isaac.

Gen 21:9  But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” 

Abraham is distressed but this time Hagar and her son are expelled and this time God allows it. And what’s more, he refers to Ishmael only as “the boy” and to Hagar as “Your maidservant”.

Gen 21:12  But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring.” 

God has now established a clear distinction between Isaac and Ishmael. It’s as if God is saying to Abraham: I have chosen you and set you on a course which will be a blessing to all mankind. There must be nothing in your life, however precious it is, that will detract you from that purpose. It reminds us of what Jesus said in Luke 14 to those who would follow him.

Luk 14:26  “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

Another version puts it like this:

Luk 14:26  “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters--yes, even one’s own self!--can’t be my disciple.

 Or Matthew 10;37:Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

and the reward is

Mat 19:29  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.

Once again we find Hagar and Ishmael in the desert. The food is gone; the water has run out and both are near death. As a mother she cannot bear to watch her son die and probably to spare her son the trauma of seeing her in such distress, she goes a short distance away and begins to sob. Hagar weeps, but it is Ishmael’s cry that God hears and responds

Gen 21:17  God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 

Once again God provides and protects.

In verse 20 we read that

Gen 21:20  God was with the boy as he grew up. 

It is easy to imagine that every circumstance of his life was against Ishmael. he was born into a household full of tension. He had his hopes built up as he approached adulthood that he would be heir to all that Abraham had, only to find those hopes dashed and he and his mother cast out.

It is not surprising that we read of his character that:

Gen 16:12  He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.” 

and yet

Gen 21:20  God was with the boy as he grew up. 

Ishmael had a choice and he could have put off his bitterness and resentment. God was there all along if only he would turn to him.

He had the opportunity of reconciliation at the time of Abraham’s death when he and Isaac came together to bury their father.

But no reconciliation took place. In fact the bitterness and enmity lived on in his family even after his death many years later. The seeds of bitterness in his heart lived on through his children and his children’s children.

Through it all, God was faithful to his word

Gen 16:10  The angel added, “I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count.”

Gen 21:18  Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

Ismael’s descendants are listed in Genesis and also in 1 Chronicles ch 1. They are listed, but that’s all

Gen 25:12  This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Sarah’s maidservant, Hagar the Egyptian, bore to Abraham. These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. 

These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps. Altogether, Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people. 

His descendants settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the border of Egypt, as you go toward Asshur. And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers. 

1Ch 1:29  These were their descendants: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,  Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael. 

How many Ishmaels are in this world today!  How many carry in their hearts that life has been unfair to them  and they show that same bitterness and enmity towards God, who despite it all, continues to love them and provide for them. They know of God but they don’t know God’s love. How can they know God’s love?

And how many Fathers in this world are crying out like Abraham to God on behalf of their sons who have left the family household and security; “If only they might live under your blessing!” We all long to see our children secure in God’s love and blessed by him and it is heart-breaking when they stray into the hostile world; and even more heart-breaking if, like Ishmael, they live in hostility toward their brothers.

We need to cry out to God on their behalf for their protection and we need to trust God’s word that he will be with them as they grow up, just as he was with Ishmael. But we need to pray that our children will themselves choose to cry out to God that they, too, will become children of God. Ishmael means “God hears” and when he hears he responds. 

The Ishmaels of this world need to discover God’s love and the only way they can do that is when God’s people - you and me - show that love.

Nigel reminded us powerfully this morning that showing love has a cost; it makes you vulnerable;  love is sacrificial.

This communion feast is a reminder to us of how far God was prepared to go to show his love to us, But it is a challenge also. How far are we prepared to go to show God’s love?

In the sermon on the mount Jesus said:

Mat 5:43  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

We have received God’s Love, but we must show God’s love to those who don’t yet know him so that they too can enjoy the rich blessings that God has in store for them.