Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Jeremiah 33:3

Through the Bible for Children

Download: Lesson #19, ISAAC IS BORN-ISHMAEL LEAVES, Genesis 21:1-21

The Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. For the Lord gave Sarah and Abraham a baby boy at the exact time that the Lord said that the child would be born.

Abraham named his son that Sarah bore Isaac, which means laughter. For the son that was born to them in their old age, filled their hearts with joy and gladness.

Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all that hear will laugh with me. Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah would nurse a child? For I have born him a son in his old age.”

But Sarah’s happiness was marred, for she saw the son of Hagar, Ishmael, making fun of her and Isaac. She said to Abraham, “Get rid of that woman and her son, for the son of a slave woman will not be heir with my son Isaac.”

This whole situation caused Abraham great grief, because he loved his son Ishmael, and he did not want disharmony in his family. But God spoke to Abraham, and said, “Do not be sad because of Ishmael, and because of your maid Hagar. Listen to Sarah and do what she asks concerning the boy. For your heir will be Isaac, not Ishmael.”

Abraham got up early the next morning. He took bread and water, which he gave to Hagar to carry. Then he sent Hagar and Ishmael away.

So Hagar and Ismael left the camp of Abraham, and wandered around in the wilderness. When the water in the bottle was gone, Hagar put Ishmael under a shrub. She went and sat down a little way off, saying herself, “Let me not see my child die.” Then she began to cry.

The Lord heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar out heaven, and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Get up. Lift up the boy, and hold him in your hand; for I will make a great nation of him.

Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the bottle with water and gave her son a drink.

God was with boy; and he grew, and lived in the wilderness. He grew up and became an archer, living in the the wilderness of Paran. When he was old enough, his mother got him wife from the land of Egypt.

It may seem mean for Abraham to send Ishmael and Hagar, but because God promised the blessing to Isaac, it had to be so. Ishmael and his mother both hoped that Ishmael, being Abraham’s first son, would inherit all of the promises of God and the wealth of Abraham. But God had chosen Isaac the son of Sarah, long before either boy was born, to be son of promise. Ishmael’s presence in the camp would have caused the inheritance of Isaac to be in doubt. So it was necessary that Ishmael be sent off of the scene. But the Lord is ever good and merciful, he would  be true to his promise to Abraham concerning Ismael as well. Abraham knew when he sent Ismael away, that the Lord would care for him and make a great nation of him as he had said. For Abraham believed that every promise of God is sure. Even though both Hagar and Ismael were wicked in their behavior towards Sarah and Isaac, the Lord had a plan for them. When God had them sent into the desert by Abraham, he was watching over them all along. But, it wasn’t until Hagar cried out to God that he showed himself to her. It was after her call for help that God showed his love and protection for her and son.

PRINCIPLE:

We MUST believe that every promise of God is sure just as Abraham did.

We also must call out to God for help, for though he is always there, he wants us to ask him for what we need.

LEARN: Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3