Genesis 21:1-21
Joy’s Notes:
Notes
Gen 21:1-21
Jer 33:3 “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come.
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Gen. 21:1-2
“The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah EXACTLY what he had promised= (Moses penned this!!)
“She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age.
This happened at just the time God had said it would. “
• “God is NEVER late & is NEVER early— but ALWAYS right on time!”
• 25 years passed from when the PROMISE was given!
⁃ David waited 15+ years to be king
⁃ Moses waited 40 years for the promised land.
⁃ Joseph waited 13+ yrs to be reunited with family
⁃ Rebecca waited 20 years to give birth to Jacob and Esau.
⁃ Man at the pool waited 38 years
⁃ Women who was bleeding waited 12 yrs
⁃ Lazarus waited 4 looong days -dead in grave!
⁃ Sarah- most likely waited months in the chambers of King Abimelek before God rescued her through a dream
• the delay wasn’t a PROBLEM but a PREPARATION!
• This promise was NOT fulfilled because of Sarah/Abraham’s perfect obedience— (ISHMAEL🥲) but because GOD WAS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISE!
⁃ God fulfills promises NOT always because of WHAT we do; but because of WHO He is!
⁃ “Your willingness to wait reveals the value you place on the object you’re waiting for.” Charles Stanley
Is 60:22
“The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the LORD, will make it happen.”
GALATIANS 6:9 “ So let’s not get tired of doing what’s good. At just the right time we’ll reap a harvest a blessing— if we don’t give up!”
Is 40:31 “but Those who WAIT for ON YHWH (“I AM”) shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint!” (HEBREW translation)
• The waiting is the preparation for your destiny!
• WITHOUT it, your natural gifting might get you there, BUT your lack of character (from avoiding the “waiting”) wont keep you there!
CHARACTER is developed in the WAITING
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Gen 21:3
“And Abraham named their son Isaac.”
• Issac name means: “one who laughs.”
⁃ Gen 17:17 (Abraham laughed when told about Sarah’s future pregnancy- 1yr. earlier)
⁃ Gen 18:12 (Sarah laughed)
• Just one year prior: Sarah was in a traumatic season of living in King Abimelek’s palace — feeling unsafe, unprotected & uncared.
• I can imagine she cried herself to sleep most nights
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BUT GOD…..
Psalm 30:11 “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy!”
Is 61:3 “To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a:
⁃ crown of beauty for ashes,
⁃ a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
⁃ festive praise instead of despair…”
Isaac was a living example of Gods UNSPEAKABLE JOY that brings my heart laughter!!!
NEW BIRTH brings laughter.
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Gen 21:4
“Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded.”
⁃ Circumcision command given Gen 17
⁃ Vitamin k (the blood clotting ingredient) prevents baby boy from bleeding to death.
⁃ The highest presence of Vitamin k in baby boy is day 8!
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Gen 21:5-7
“Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.
And Sarah declared, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh WITH me. (Not AT me)
Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!”
⁃ It’s possible Sarah was previously entangled in fear of others laughing AT her! — but we see a different posture here in ch. 21 compared to ch. 18
⁃ Sarah’s just been RESCUED by God😭🙌 She’s in AWE of Gods power, protection, provision & presence!!!
⁃ SHAME is gone!!!
⁃ She’s experienced Gods rescue & His miracle— which makes demonic fear & shame of others opinions dissipate!
⁃ Kids laugh just about 200x day
⁃ Adults under 10-15x day
• laughter Lowers levels of the stress hormone— cortisol.
• Laugher- increases natural cell activity
• Laughter- affects heart function
• Laughter- raises levels of human growth hormone
• Laughter- decreases glucose levels
• Laughter -reduces stress & anxiety
• Laughter- decreases inflammation in people with Rheumatoid arthritis
UNINHIBITED♥️
• Matt 18:3-4 “ Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like a little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
• humility is the CONFIDENCE of walking in your identity while KNOWING youre walking next to your identifier!
• MOSES “was the most humble man who ever walked the face of the earth.” (numbers12:3) —HE WROTE GENESIS
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Gen 21:8
“When Isaac grew up and was about to be weaned, Abraham prepared a HUGE feast to celebrate the occasion.”
-Isaac weened at 3 yrs age in this culture.
⁃ Spiritually = there’s a HUGE celebration in heaven when you’re weened from milk to solid food!!!!
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• 1 Cor 3:2 “ I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready (to be weened) And you’re still not ready. Are you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove that you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?
• Hebrews 5:12 “ You’ve been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You’re like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.‘
my daughter=
⁃ (1) she had to lose her taste for milk &
⁃ (2) learn to hold cup
⁃ (3) use a spoon on her own!!!
⁃ IN Luke 15, something is:
(1.) Lost (2.) Found (3.) Celebration thrown.
(lost sheep, lost coin, running father)
Luke 15:7 “In the same way, I tell you, there will be more REJOICING in heaven over the one sinner who repents than over the 99 righteous one who do not need to repent.”
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Gen 21:9-10
“But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac.
So she turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!”
• Sarah once had no voice (Gen 20) 👇
But now being rescued, protected, provided & loved by God: SHE’S NO LONGER AFRIAD TO SPEAK UP.
PeaceKeeper vs. PeaceMaker
⁃ MAMA BEAR Sarah (compared to last chapt.) we may not defend self- but we WILL defend our cub!
⁃ Issac= 3 yrs
⁃ Ishmael= 16/17 yrs
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Gen 21:11-13
“This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son. But God told Abraham, “Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you— for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted. 13 But I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar’s son because he is your son, too.”
⁃ in a culture women are just above value of cattle; God has Abraham do somethings extremely COUNTER-CULTURAL by “doing what Sarah says.”
⁃ Abraham chose: obedience over feelings!
⁃ Obedience over culture.
⁃ Obedience over desire .
⁃ Obedience over norm.
⁃ Obedience over popular opinion.
⁃ Obedience over others approval.
⁃ Obedience over peer pressure.
⁃ Obedience over reputation.
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He did obey — because of his PAST failures-to-obey
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he’s now choosing to receive, cleave & believe God!
“Your past doesn’t get to SPEAK to you except to TEACH to you.”
• just one chapter before- Sarah wasn’t given a voice or opinion.
• BUT GOD- He’s now telling Abraham to SHUT HIS MOUTH & listen to Sarah:)
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Gen 21:14
“So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared bread & a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba.”
• It feels like we’re “wandering aimlessly” in the wilderness season. But God’s directing your path.
Is 41:13
“For I hold you by your right hand— I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.”
Psalm 37:23-24: “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.”
Proverbs 16:9: “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”
• SHEEP are prone to wander…
Luke 15:4-5 “ If a man has 100 sheep & one of them gets lost, what will he do? Wont he leave the 99 others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that has lost until He finds it? AND when He’s found it, He JOYFULLY carry’s it home on His shoulders.”
⁃ Abraham was very rich & could of supplied money, resources, caravans, great amounts of food, water, shelter, etc….
⁃ The reason Abraham only gave his son a little bread & water is BECAUSE OF HIS FAITH!! (Skip H.)
⁃ God previously told Abraham He’d make a great nation out of Ishmael— so Abraham knows he can NOT die!! (Abraham is learning to BELIEVE GOD!!)
⁃ Abraham didn’t need to be Ishmael’s “provider’ — he just needed to release him into the the hands of his True Provider!
⁃ Parents: this is a word for us!
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⁃ “helicopter mom” - overprotectiveness that becomes unhealthy for child— and reveals an INNER lack of faith in God.
⁃ “Don’t try to PROTECT what God is trying to DIRECT.” (Skip H.)
⁃ Release our children to the Lord!!!!!
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Gen 21:15-16
“When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush. 16 Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. “I don’t want to watch the boy die,” she said, as she burst into tears.”
• Hagar is experiencing a moment of SPRITUAL AMNESIA because of the fearful external circumstances in her life.
Because….
Hagar is familiar with the wilderness!
• She ran away 16 years before —in Gen 16 for being mis-treated by Sarah while pregnant with Ishmael next to a WELL!
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⁃ BUT: The angel of the lord FOUND her!
⁃ God pursued her!
⁃ Hagar called God: El Roi- “the God who sees me.”
But because she’s allowing FEAR to dictate over Gods promises— She ‘s FORGOTTEN all about Gen 16 🥲
The ministry of remember: (A lifestyle of intentionality to REMEMBER Gods faithfulness, witness, power, protection, provision, presence in my life!!)
• Hagar hid her dreams behind a bush—. We are Hagar sometimes.
—> what DREAM are you hiding behind a bush because it looks it’s dying ??
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Gen 21:17-18
“BUT GOD heard the boy crying (because that’s the meaning of his name) and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 👉Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.”
• Ishmaels name means (gen 16:11) “God Hears.”
-God re-parents Hagar & tells her to COME OUT OF HIDING:
1. Don’t be afraid
2. GO to your son.
3. Comfort you son.
She can ONLY go back to the BUSH & face reality — when She REMEMBERS
1. the El-Roy— the God who sees her &
2. the God who hears her cries!!
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Gen 21:19
“Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink.”
God has habit of opening-the-eyes
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• 2 kings 6:17 “ Then Elisha prayed, “oh Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord open the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.”
• Mary Magdalene— In her DEEP distress & grief she couldn’t SEE the ‘Living Water’ (Jesus) in front of her.
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grief and despair in the tears of Mary Magdalene. The Greek word used to describe her weeping means loud, uncontrollable wailing.
The resurrected Jesus IS our hope— OUR WELL!!!
Rom 4:17 “…Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who creates new things out of nothing!”
• The Little-water jug Abraham supplied— was MULIPLIED BY GOD!!! (Not Abraham!)
⁃ Multiplication is God’s idea!
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⁃ Mark 4:20 “Those who hear & accept Gods word produce a harvest of 30,60,100x as much as they planted!
⁃ Luke 9:16 “ Jesus took the 5 loaves & 2 fish, looked up towards heaven & blessed them. Then breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread & fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. They all ate as much as they want to & after, the disciples picked up 12 baskets of leftovers!”
• Abraham KNEW he wasn’t the multiplier- God alone is.
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Gen 21:20-21
“And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer, 21 and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt.”
⁃ God told her to return to being a slave in Gen.16- only to be set FREE in Gen 21!!!
(Hagar WAITED 16 yrs to be free!!!)
• Pain has potential locked into it— making you who God has purposed you to be
⁃ This was Hagars Red Sea moment to freedom!!!
⁃ & she didn’t didn’t know it!
• what she thought was REJECTION was really Gods hand of PROTECTION 🙌
⁃ What tragedy in your life is actually the pathway into your freedom??!
Your bush-of-LOSS; just May be your door-of-freedom