Both Ishmael and Isaac were sons of Abram or Abraham. God had promised Abram that He would bless all of his generations but Abram had not had a child and he feared that Sarai was too old to bear a child; therefore, he decided without God's direction to take Hagar, Sarai's Egyptian maid, and have a child with her. Hagar and Abram's son was named Ishmael.
God was discontented with Abraham for taking Hagar and having Ishmael. Again, he assured Abraham that Sarai would bear him a son. At that, Abram laughed, as did Sarai later for they were both very old. Sarai did have a son, Isaac, then God changed her name from Sarai to Sarah.
God assured Abram that his generations would 'be the father of a multitude of nations' and he then changed his name to ABRAHAM.
When Hagar took her son away from Sarah, the Lord spoke to her and asked that she return to Sarah. He also promised that He would multiply her descendants so that they would be too many to count. God named her son: Ishmael. Then said that he would be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone and their hand would be against him and that he would live to the east of the land where Abraham lived.
Thus, the battle between Jews (and Christians) was expected between descendants of Isaac and Ishmael….and that battle continues today between Jews and Christians against the Arabs, the Moslems. Imagine the Middle East if Abraham had waited upon the Lord, God, for the birth of his child.
God was discontented with Abraham for taking Hagar and having Ishmael. Again, he assured Abraham that Sarai would bear him a son. At that, Abram laughed, as did Sarai later for they were both very old. Sarai did have a son, Isaac, then God changed her name from Sarai to Sarah.
God assured Abram that his generations would 'be the father of a multitude of nations' and he then changed his name to ABRAHAM.
When Hagar took her son away from Sarah, the Lord spoke to her and asked that she return to Sarah. He also promised that He would multiply her descendants so that they would be too many to count. God named her son: Ishmael. Then said that he would be a wild donkey of a man, his hand will be against everyone and their hand would be against him and that he would live to the east of the land where Abraham lived.
Thus, the battle between Jews (and Christians) was expected between descendants of Isaac and Ishmael….and that battle continues today between Jews and Christians against the Arabs, the Moslems. Imagine the Middle East if Abraham had waited upon the Lord, God, for the birth of his child.
