Genesis Bible Study
Lesson 18: The Birth of Isaac
(The Birth of Isaac – Genesis 21:1-7) We first met Sarah (then Sarai) back in Genesis 11:29-30 and we learned two important fact at that time. First she was Abraham’s wife and second she was barren. These two facts have driven much of the action since that time. In Genesis 12 God promised to make Abraham into a great nation and in Genesis 17:16 and 18:10 God promised that the nation would come through the child born to both Abraham and Sarah. Finally, in Genesis 21 a child is born to Abraham and Sarah and is given the name God gave him, Isaac.
Genesis 21:1 seems repetitious: “The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised.” Why do you think this is repeated? In Genesis 21:2 we are further told that Sarah bore her child “at the time of which God had spoken to (Abraham),’ which is a reference to Genesis 18:14. This means that not only did the Lord provide a child for Sarah, but the child was born at the time God said. What does this say about God and his power? What does this say about Abraham and Sarah and their faith in God?
In Genesis 21:3, the child was named Isaac which is related to the Hebrew word for laughter (Genesis 17:17 and Genesis 18:15). Isaac’s name would have been a constant reminder to both Abraham and Sarah of the joy and laughter that came with his birth. One way a family can pass on family stories is by relating how children came by their name. For example, the story of an ancestor is often told to a child who has the same name; in this way, the family history is passed down to new generations. What stories do you think Abraham and Sarah told Isaac when he asked where his name came from?
Eight days after his birth Isaac was circumcised “as God had commanded” (Genesis 17:10). Both Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised when they were older, but Isaac is the first person to be circumcised as an infant on the eighth day. This means that Isaac was part of God’s covenant from his earliest days. What does this say about Isaac and his relationship to God?
Finally, in Genesis 21:6-7 we have Sarah’s reaction to Isaac’s birth. Notice that she credited God with giving her a reason laugh. We do not often associate God with laughter; what are some ways that God has brought laughter into your life? Sarah also said that “everyone who hears will laugh with me.” How do you respond to Sarah’s story? Do you laugh as well?
One way of looking at the story of the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah is to see it as the story of God’s impossible promise. Based on everything we know about having children, God’s promise to Sarah was clearly impossible; or, to use Sarah’s words “who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children?” Yet, the “impossible promise” was fulfilled in Isaac. What other “impossible promises” has God made (and fulfilled) in the Bible? What about in your own life?
(The Fate of Hagar and Ishmael – Genesis 21:8-21) Unexpectedly the story now turns from Isaac to Abraham’s other son, Ishmael (who is never named in these verses). The story begins on the day that Isaac is weaned and Abraham “made a great feast” to celebrate. In those days a child was weaned much later that today so Isaac was a toddler at the time of this story and Ishmael was probably no older than twenty years old.
In Genesis 20:8 we see the celebration through Sarah’s eyes; she sees “the son of Hagar the Egyptian” playing with Isaac. What do these words convey to you? What do you think was going on between Isaac and Ishmael? What do you think Sarah saw in their interaction? Do you sense that Ishmael had any intention to harm Isaac?
In verse 10 Sarah demanded that Abraham “cast out” both Hagar and Ishmael. What did Ishmael and Hagar represent to Sarah? Why was it important to remove them from the community? Sarah insisted that Ishmael not “inherit along with … Isaac.” Notice that Sarah, rather than Abraham, is the one most concerned about inheritance. Why do you think Abraham was not also concerned about what his sons would inherit from him? What do you think Sarah wanted to keep for Isaac and keep away from Ishmael? Do you think she was thinking about purely material things or do you think she was also thinking about the Lord’s Covenant?
In Genesis 16:6, when Sarah demanded that Abraham “deal with” Hagar Abraham allowed Sarah to do as she pleased. Now, “the matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son.” (Note that the word “son” is singular.) Why do you think Abraham’s reaction is different this time? In Genesis 16 Abraham did not consult with God but allowed Sarah to deal with Hagar. In this case Abraham is reluctant to take any action until he received instructions from God. Why do you think Abraham acted differently in these two cases.
In verses 12 and 13 God responds to Abraham concern. God had two important messages for Abraham. First, Isaac is the son that will provide offspring for Abraham. And, second, God promised to “make a nation” of Ishmael. How do you think Abraham responded to God’s words. Do you think they helped Abraham deal with the situation?
Unlike the previous time when Hagar was sent away (Genesis 16), Abraham made provision for Hagar and Ishmael’s survival – he provided bread and water. Why do you think that Abraham took the time to give them provisions rather than simply sending them away? After Hagar and Ishmael life, they “wandered about in the wilderness.” The Bible relates other stories about people spending time in the wilderness including the time the Israelites wandered after their deliverance from Egypt and also Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness after his baptism. What do you think Hagar and Ishmael gained from their time in the wilderness?
In verse 15 we reach the crisis in this story; the water is gone and Hagar and Ishmael are at the point of death from lack of water. Hagar leaves Ishmael under a bush and goes off a way so she would not have to watch him die. She then “lifted up her voice and wept.” At this point Ishmael had been abandoned by both his father and his mother. What do you think Ishmael was thinking at this moment? Notice that God does not respond to Hagar’s cries; God says that he “has heard the voice of the boy where he is.” Why do you think God responded to Ishmael and not Hagar? God then gave Hagar (and Ishmael) the promise that he too would become a great nation. God also provided for their immediate need; he revealed a “well of water” to Hagar. Notice that God provided for Ishmael’s long term fortunes and his immediate needs. Can you think of other place where God provides for us in this way?
Verses 20 and 21 are a postscript to the story of Ishmael. He vanishes from the story and only reappears when he returns to help Isaac bury their father, Abraham (Genesis 25:9). What is your overall impression of Ishmael, Hagar and how they were treated by Abraham? by Sarah? and by God?
(Abraham and Abimelech – Genesis 21:22-34) In the final verses of this chapter the scene shifts away from Isaac and Ishmael and to Abraham’s dealing with his neighbor, Abimelech. Obviously, Abraham was a great man and had many servants and flocks (remember Genesis 14) so the rulers of the surrounding city states were careful in their dealings with him. In this case, Amimelech came with the “commander of his army” when he asked for a peace treaty with Abraham. What do you think of Amimelech’s tactics? What do you think of Abraham’s response? As part of their negotiations, Abraham brought up a dispute over a well (water disputes were common between competing shepherds). As part of the resolution, Abraham and Abimelech made a covenant whereby both men agreed that Abraham had dug the well and was entitled to the water from it. The point of this story is probably to show that Abraham was a respected man in the region and that he dealt fairly with his neighbors. What else do you see in this passage?
In verse 33 Abraham “called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.” This is the only time that this particular title – Everlasting God – is used in the Bible. What does this title say about God?
Next Class
Lesson 19: God Tests Abraham
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