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The Story of Redemption - Contents
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    THE PROMISED SON

    After the promised son, Isaac, was born, Abraham's and Sarah's great joy made Hagar jealous. Hagar had taught Ishmael he would have the special blessing of God as Abraham's son and would be the heir to everything God had promised Abraham. Ishmael shared his mother's jealous feelings. He became angry when he saw how happy everyone was that Isaac had been born. Ishmael hated Isaac because he thought Isaac would take his place.SRme 1.271

    Seeing how Ishmael acted toward Isaac, Sarah was very upset. She told Abraham that Ishmael was rude to her and to Isaac. "'Send this slave girl and her son away,'" Sarah urged. "'The son of this woman must not get any part of your wealth, which my son Isaac should inherit'" (Gen. 21:10, TEV).SRme 1.272

    Abraham was very disturbed by what Sarah asked him to do. Ishmael was his son and Abraham loved Ishmael very much. How could Abraham send Ishmael away? Not knowing what to do, Abraham prayed to God for help.SRme 1.273

    Through His angels the Lord told Abraham he must do what Sarah asked. He should not let his love for Ishmael or Hagar keep him from doing what Sarah wanted. Ishmael and Hagar must leave if Abraham wanted to have peace and happiness in his family again. The angel comforted Abraham with the promise that God would continue to be with Ishmael. God would not forsake him or let him die. God promised to take care of Ishmael because he was the son of Abraham. God also promised to make a great nation of Ishmael's descendants.SRme 1.274

    Abraham's kind, noble character can be seen in the way he pleaded earnestly for God to save the people of Sodom. Because he was so kind, Abraham's fatherly heart was saddened as he sent Hagar and Ishmael to wander as strangers in a foreign land.SRme 1.275

    If God had approved the practice of having more than one wife, He would not have asked Abraham to send away Hagar and Ishmael. But God wanted everyone to learn a lesson from Abraham's experience. The happiness and privileges of marriage are to be respected and protected, no matter what the cost. Sarah was the first and only true wife of Abraham. She had rights as wife and mother that no one else in the family could have. Sarah respected her husband and called him lord. But Sarah was not willing to share Abraham's love with Hagar.SRme 1.276

    God did not reprove Sarah for what she had done. But Abraham was reproved by the angels for not trusting God's power. Abraham's lack of trust led him to marry Hagar and to believe that through her the promise of a son would be fulfilled.SRme 1.277

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