Abraham Isaac and Ishmael
A friend of my oldest daughter was reading the
book of Genesis last month. When she reached Chapters 21-24, she had questions,
so she texted me what she wanted answers to. Her questions were very
challenging, insightful, and honest. I’ll summarize them here. 1) Why did
Abraham abandon Ishmael? 2) Why did God say to Abraham that Isaac was his only
son when Ishmael was also his son, his firstborn?
The reason Abraham
had to send Ishmael and his mother Hagar away was because Ishmael was mocking
Isaac (the mocking may have been over a period of time), and Sarah became angry
and said, “Cast out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be
an heir with my son Isaac.” Abraham is distressed over this. God speaks to him
and tells him to listen to his wife. Isaac was Abraham’s heir, the son that was
promised to them. Ishmael was not the son of promise, but God would
bless him for Abraham’s sake because he was Abraham’s descendant (Genesis 21:9-14).
In
Genesis 22 God tests Abraham. God commands him to take his only son and
go to Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering. Why would God say that Isaac
was Abraham’s only son when Ishmael was also his son? Isaac was the only heir,
the son of the Abrahamic covenant. It’s not that God dismissed Ishmael. God was
with Ishmael and made him a great nation. Ishmael had 12 sons (Genesis 21:18;
25:12-16), but he was not the chosen son of promise. It is also important to
recognize that when Abraham and Isaac went to Mt. Moriah, it was a three day
journey. Once they arrived there, Abraham prepared the wood and fire, bound
Isaac, placed him on the altar and prepared to kill his son. God called to
Abraham and told him not to harm Isaac. This was all to test Abraham’s faith in
the Lord (Genesis 22:1-18).
Also,
the test was prophetic and symbolic. Abraham was symbolic of God the
Father, and Isaac was representing Christ as the one being offered. The three
day’s journey represents Jesus’ death and resurrection which occurred in three
days. The symbolism is clear. Figuratively, Abraham and Isaac were portraying
the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How do we know this? After Abraham receives
Isaac back figuratively from the dead, he names the place “Jehovah Jireh”, In
the mountain of the Lord it will be seen (Genesis 22:14; Hebrews 11:17-19).
What will be seen? Two thousand years later from that time, on the same
mountain, the Father God will offer up His only Son as a sacrifice for the sins
of the world (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:22).
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