Genesis 20-21

This is a retelling in a way of what happened in Egypt. Abraham is in fear of his life because his thinks the people of the land have no fear of God. he lies again, but then says that it is not a lie because Sarah is his half sister.

When people are young—and I think this is particularly true in the modern world—they seem to often regard the possibility of having a child as an impediment to their lifestyle. Of course, in some ways, I suppose that’s true. Although, you have to have quite a lifestyle before a child actually constitutes an impediment, because having a child in your life is actually something that’s remarkable almost beyond belief. You can have a relationship with a child that is better than any relationship that you’ve ever had with anyone in your life, if you’re careful, and if you’re fortunate.

It’s no simple decision to have a child. Of course, now we can make the decision to have a child—which, of course, people couldn’t in the past ages, really. But, sometimes, you see people delay, and they delay too long, and then they don’t get to have a child, and then they’re desperate. They spend a decade doing fertility treatments, or that sort of thing, and immersing themselves in one disappointment after another. It’s just at that point that you see exactly how catastrophic it can be for people not to be able to undergo one of the great adventures of life, let’s say.

Abraham is told to send Hagar away. It’s the first devorce in the bible and God signs off on it. Abraham’s family is breaking up. Some of you know how hard it is when a family breaks up. But Issac is God’s chosen heir. So, Abraham listens to his wife and to God and sends Hagar and her son away. God has blessed Ishmael because of Abraham. A great nation is born of him. God blessed Ishmael; that doesn’t mean that God blessed Ishmael’s desendants.

God’s blessings are contiued through Issac’s line.

Abraham could not have had a peaceful household if Hagar and Ishmael had stayed. Sending them away was the only way Issac could be raise in a unided family. And while Abraham must have been sad to send them away God promised he would be blessed.

Jesus says

Jesus says in

Matthew 5:31–32 ESV

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

This was not the case with Abraham. We don’t know what happens to Hagar mush past this point. If she never marries again then she would not be commiting adultery. At this time though, Abraham is married to his sister. When sexual immorallity is defined in Laviticus, this is no longer accepptable.

Why is it okay for Abraham to get a divorce here?

It is a very sepcial case. God tells him to send Hargar away.

There are aways consequenses to divorce. Even this one. Ishmael’s hand will always be against his brother’s. War rages even to this day over this.

Treaty with Abimelech

This part of the story is a part of the history of the city of Beersheba (“Well of the oath”). This city still exists today.