When Hagar and Ishmael were sent away from Abraham, the account sounds like Ishmael was a baby ...
Gen.
21 ... And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born
unto Abraham, mocking. 10Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this
bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir
with my son, even with Isaac. 11And the thing was very grievous in
Abraham’s sight because of his son. 12And God said unto Abraham, Let it
not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy
bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her
voice;
for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 13And also of the son of the
bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
14And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. 16And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. 17And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. 19And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. 20And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
14And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. 16And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. 17And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. 19And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. 20And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
I think this account is so interesting for I would have pictured Ishmael as a helpless little baby
...
But Ishmael was approximately 16 years old when this happened.
Ishmael was 13 years old when he was circumcised ... Gen. 17:25
Isaac was born a year later ... so Ishmael was 14 years old when Isaac was born.
After
Isaac was weaned, Abraham made a feast for Isaac and Sarah saw Ishmael
mocking and Sarah demanded that Ishmael and Hagar be cast out away from
Isaac. God told Abraham to do this as Sarah said ...
Don't think Sarah to have been mean ... The casting out of Ishmael is described as follows ...
Gen. 21 ... And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. 10Wherefore
she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son
of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
11And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his
son. 12And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight
because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath
said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be
called. 13And also of the son
of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
14And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child (who is approx 16 years old at this time), and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
14And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child (who is approx 16 years old at this time), and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Isaac was the child of promise. We of the elect are heirs of God. Romans 9
I can see a division between the people of God and the bonded people of the world.
Abraham
cared about Ishmael. I'm sure each of us can relate to this caring
about people of the world. But I know I can't be raised with them ... I
have one worldly "friend" (although I am a friend to her I know she
cannot be trusted as a friend to me for she is of the world) ... I do
not confide in her for she is of
the world and cannot understand what I say. I am "raised" with those who are led by the Holy Spirit but can't be raised with the worldly woman. But I care for
her. So I can relate to Abraham caring. But Sarah was right ... Her
son could not be raised with the son of this bondwoman ... Ishmael was
already mocking Isaac.
Yet
for Abraham's sake, God prospered Ishmael although it was in the world
... notice that Hagar got Ishmael a wife from Egypt ...
Later Abraham was very careful that Isaac have a wife of the people of God.
Gen.
24 ... And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had
blessed Abraham in all things. 2And Abraham said unto his eldest
servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee,
thy hand under my thigh: 3And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the
God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife
unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:
4But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife
unto my son Isaac.
The people of God are separated by an understanding given to the people of God by God.