Note: Part I of this series assumes that God’s promise to Abraham of a son to carry on God’s kingdom emphasized God’s miraculous intervention to fulfill the promise.
Therefore, Sarah wrongly took Kingdom matters into her own hands by giving a maidservant to Abraham to “build a family through her,” Genesis 16:1-2. Therefore, Abraham neglected God’s word that his personal steward wouldn’t be heir of his possessions Genesis 15:1, 4. And if not a trusted servant, certainly not a boy born by natural means of a foreign woman! The fracture between Sarah and Hagar foretold the ongoing hostility between Esau and Isaac through Moslems and Israelis. Sarah built enmity, not a family. Which, by the way, she understood at the celebration of Isaac’s weaning ceremony Genesis 21:8-14. It’s doubtful that Sarah had any spiritual foresight when she demanded removal of Hagar and Ishmael from the settlement. She revealed mostly a mother’s rage. She did understand that Ishmael’s mockery of Isaac meant that the Egyptian and her son must be banished Genesis 21:9. The apostle Paul affirmed the rectitude of Sarah’s demand Galatians 4:21-31. Indeed, had Hagar and Ishmael remained in Abraham’s encampment, Moslems today could claim parity with Christianity. God dismissed any possibility of that by ordering Abraham to evict the offending pair. Which is also why Moslems hate Christians. They know we are spiritual heirs of Isaac and they only fleshly heirs of Ishmael. No parity exists between Christianity and Islam. The former is Superior, the latter inferior! We criticize both Abraham and Sarah for intruding their will into God’s will by what they thought best at the time, when God seemed SLOW or UNABLE to fulfill his promise. We also acknowledge that Sarah acted wisely when the threat to Isaac’s future became clear: get rid of the slave woman and her son Genesis 21:10. And Abraham, despite his love for Ishmael—notice that nothing is said of his affection for Hagar—reacted swiftly—the next morning in fact—when he sent both away Genesis 21:14. End Part I
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
May 2024
Categories
All
|