Gen 21:9-14 | KingComments | STEP | After the circumcision comes the phase that starts with being weaned. This indicates that Isaac is becoming independent. He is no longer dependent on his mother’s food, but is now able to take food himself. Herein he also is a picture of the believer who grows toward spiritual independence in order to grow further as an independent believer. This does not mean that growth takes place separately from others, but from a personal relationship with the Lord. In this growth the help of others will be very much appreciated. Therefore the church is also compared with a body that God has composed in such a way that “the members may have the same care for one another” ( ). For faith, this growth is a reason for a celebration. For the law, of which Ishmael is a picture, this is not so. He makes a mockery of it. That Ishmael is a picture of the law and of people who place themselves under the law and want to live accordingly, we see in Galatians 4, where Paul says: “Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. This is allegorically speaking, for these [women] are two covenants: one [proceeding] from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. For it is written, “Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear; Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; For more numerous are the children of the desolate Than of the one who has a husband.” And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him [who was born] according to the Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.” So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman” ( ). In this section Paul refers to Isaac and Ishmael and their mothers. He does not mention their names. It is not about their names, but about their position, because the mothers transfer this to their children. After exposing the position, he points to the origin of both sons. Ishmael is born by Abraham’s own will, but Isaac he receives by a promise from God. The spiritual lessons to be learned by the Galatians and by us are clearly shown in that section. At the end of that section we see the meaning of casting out Ishmael. That meaning is that who is born according to the flesh always persecutes him who is born according to the Spirit ( ). Whoever is according to the Spirit and wants to live consistently according to it, will experience persecution from the side of people who want to serve God in their own power. Persecution is inevitable, because living by faith is one great indictment of any form of religion that highlights one’s own performance. He who wants to live according to the law, thinks of the things of the flesh and “the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God” ( ). There is no connection between the flesh and the law on the one hand and the Spirit on the other. Nothing comes from the flesh that can be acknowledged and accepted and blessed by God. For Abraham, all blessings are linked to the son of the promise. In him the offspring is promised and only that offspring receives the promised blessing ( ; ). Thus, for man, the blessing of God is linked to faith in Christ, the Son of promise. Unbelief, the flesh, has no part in this. Therefore Paul concludes the explanation of this history as follows: “But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman”” ( ). The blessing of God can never be obtained through a kind of cooperation between law and grace. Everything that has to do with the law must disappear from the Christian’s life and thought. It is a hard lesson to acknowledge that there is no room for the flesh. Abraham thinks so too. He does not want to drive out Hagar and Ishmael. God Himself has to step in to convince him of the correctness of Sarah’s decision. Then there is no more delay and Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away, after having provided them with the needs for the way. Hagar represents the law ( ). Her son Ishmael is a picture of Israel under the law. This people, who have no connection with the Son of promise, and even mocked and rejected Him, wander, as Hagar and Ishmael wander. But God is going His way with those people. God hears the voice of the boy. We do not read that Ishmael has spoken a word to God, but he will have cried with his mother, and God has heard this loud crying. The place where he cries is near a well in the desert “Beersheba”. ‘Beersheba’ means ‘well of the oath’. So will God listen to His people when they mourn for the Firstborn, when they look on the One Whom they have pierced ( ). Hagar is instructed to lift her son up and hold him by the hand. God’s gracious intervention does not mean that man has nothing to do anymore. She is also promised that her son will become a great nation. After these words, God opens sources of provisions she has not seen before.

‏ Genesis 21:9-14

Abraham Drives out Hagar and Ishmael

After the circumcision comes the phase that starts with being weaned. This indicates that Isaac is becoming independent. He is no longer dependent on his mother’s food, but is now able to take food himself. Herein he also is a picture of the believer who grows toward spiritual independence in order to grow further as an independent believer.

This does not mean that growth takes place separately from others, but from a personal relationship with the Lord. In this growth the help of others will be very much appreciated. Therefore the church is also compared with a body that God has composed in such a way that “the members may have the same care for one another” (1Cor 12:25b).

For faith, this growth is a reason for a celebration. For the law, of which Ishmael is a picture, this is not so. He makes a mockery of it. That Ishmael is a picture of the law and of people who place themselves under the law and want to live accordingly, we see in Galatians 4, where Paul says: “Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. This is allegorically speaking, for these [women] are two covenants: one [proceeding] from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. For it is written, “Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear; Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; For more numerous are the children of the desolate Than of the one who has a husband.” And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him [who was born] according to the Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, For the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman.” So then, brethren, we are not children of a bondwoman, but of the free woman” (Gal 4:21-31).

In this section Paul refers to Isaac and Ishmael and their mothers. He does not mention their names. It is not about their names, but about their position, because the mothers transfer this to their children. After exposing the position, he points to the origin of both sons. Ishmael is born by Abraham’s own will, but Isaac he receives by a promise from God. The spiritual lessons to be learned by the Galatians and by us are clearly shown in that section.

At the end of that section we see the meaning of casting out Ishmael. That meaning is that who is born according to the flesh always persecutes him who is born according to the Spirit (Gal 4:29). Whoever is according to the Spirit and wants to live consistently according to it, will experience persecution from the side of people who want to serve God in their own power. Persecution is inevitable, because living by faith is one great indictment of any form of religion that highlights one’s own performance.

He who wants to live according to the law, thinks of the things of the flesh and “the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God” (Rom 8:7). There is no connection between the flesh and the law on the one hand and the Spirit on the other. Nothing comes from the flesh that can be acknowledged and accepted and blessed by God. For Abraham, all blessings are linked to the son of the promise. In him the offspring is promised and only that offspring receives the promised blessing (Rom 9:7; Heb 11:18). Thus, for man, the blessing of God is linked to faith in Christ, the Son of promise. Unbelief, the flesh, has no part in this.

Therefore Paul concludes the explanation of this history as follows: “But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be an heir with the son of the free woman”” (Gal 4:30). The blessing of God can never be obtained through a kind of cooperation between law and grace. Everything that has to do with the law must disappear from the Christian’s life and thought.

It is a hard lesson to acknowledge that there is no room for the flesh. Abraham thinks so too. He does not want to drive out Hagar and Ishmael. God Himself has to step in to convince him of the correctness of Sarah’s decision. Then there is no more delay and Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away, after having provided them with the needs for the way.

Hagar represents the law (Gal 4:24-25). Her son Ishmael is a picture of Israel under the law. This people, who have no connection with the Son of promise, and even mocked and rejected Him, wander, as Hagar and Ishmael wander. But God is going His way with those people.

God hears the voice of the boy. We do not read that Ishmael has spoken a word to God, but he will have cried with his mother, and God has heard this loud crying. The place where he cries is near a well in the desert “Beersheba”. ‘Beersheba’ means ‘well of the oath’. So will God listen to His people when they mourn for the Firstborn, when they look on the One Whom they have pierced (Zec 12:10b).

Hagar is instructed to lift her son up and hold him by the hand. God’s gracious intervention does not mean that man has nothing to do anymore. She is also promised that her son will become a great nation. After these words, God opens sources of provisions she has not seen before.