“And he( Ishmael) will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” Genesis 16:12
Ishmael was a wild man who was restless, and always on the run. His disposition was full of anger and his relationship with others was full of strife and division. He fought, and argued his way through life. He saw everyone as his enemy. and as a result every man was against him.
Why was Ishmael like this? Even though he was a child of Abraham, Ishmael experienced rejection in his heart even before he was born. This rejection wounded him, it caused his heart to be broken with wrong beliefs.
When Hagar was pregnant with Ishmael, Sarai, Abrams wife, realized the magnitude of her decision, and out of her hurt and pain, began to persecute and reject Hagar because she was carrying her husbands child.
Hagar was under so much pressure and rejection that she fled into the wilderness. Ishmael felt that rejection while still in his mother’s womb.
But God had compassion. While in the wilderness, an Angel of the Lord came and ministered to Hagar and encouraged her to return home and submit to Sarai.
Hagar returned and gave birth to Ishmael. Ishmael lived in Abrahams house and received Abrahams blessing. Everything was going well, but then the promise of Isaac came forth.
This was a very crucial point in Ishmael's life. With the birth of Isaac, this put pressure on the hidden brokenness in Ishmael's heart. There was still rejection based beliefs here.
Instead of receiving healing, by accepting Gods Word and His promise through Isaac, his heart remained hardened with unbelief. Ishmael rejected this promise, and out of his rejection and brokenness, he began mocking, fighting and persecuting Isaac. (Gen 21:9)
Because this ungodly behavior was so grievous and damaging towards Isaac's future, God instructed Abraham that Ishmael and Hagar needed to leave.
What was God doing? He was protecting Isaac's heart. Look at Proverbs 4:23 " Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life." (Amp)
God was protecting and guarding Isaac's heart from the verbal assaults and attacks of Ishmael, Hagar and all those who would begin to agree with them.
God had to remove them, because it is through the heart of man that His plans come to pass. Isaac's heart had to be protected, because through his heart the promise of Jesus Christ would come.
Sending Ishmael away was not Gods desire. His will was for Ishmael and Hagar to receive their healing and walk in His blessing. But they refused to repent, and as a result the cycle of pain in Ishmael's heart became so entrenched that it infected his children for generations after.
God is after our hearts. We must realize that our hearts have been wounded. We, like Ishmael have experienced brokenness and have believed the wrong things.
Psalm 107:20 tells us “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
Gods Word heals the wounds of our heart and makes whole our brokenness.
If Ishmael would have received Gods Word, his heart would have been healed. He and Hagar could have stayed with Abraham. They could have lived at peace and walked in the mighty blessing of God.
You and I have the same opportunity. We can hear Gods promises, instead of rejecting them, we can allow His Word to heal our hearts. We can begin experiencing the blessing of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Faith, believing Gods Word, heals us and opens a door in our hearts for the life giving Spirit of God to flow, and manifest His blessing in our lives.
Why was Ishmael like this? Even though he was a child of Abraham, Ishmael experienced rejection in his heart even before he was born. This rejection wounded him, it caused his heart to be broken with wrong beliefs.
When Hagar was pregnant with Ishmael, Sarai, Abrams wife, realized the magnitude of her decision, and out of her hurt and pain, began to persecute and reject Hagar because she was carrying her husbands child.
Hagar was under so much pressure and rejection that she fled into the wilderness. Ishmael felt that rejection while still in his mother’s womb.
But God had compassion. While in the wilderness, an Angel of the Lord came and ministered to Hagar and encouraged her to return home and submit to Sarai.
Hagar returned and gave birth to Ishmael. Ishmael lived in Abrahams house and received Abrahams blessing. Everything was going well, but then the promise of Isaac came forth.
This was a very crucial point in Ishmael's life. With the birth of Isaac, this put pressure on the hidden brokenness in Ishmael's heart. There was still rejection based beliefs here.
Instead of receiving healing, by accepting Gods Word and His promise through Isaac, his heart remained hardened with unbelief. Ishmael rejected this promise, and out of his rejection and brokenness, he began mocking, fighting and persecuting Isaac. (Gen 21:9)
Because this ungodly behavior was so grievous and damaging towards Isaac's future, God instructed Abraham that Ishmael and Hagar needed to leave.
What was God doing? He was protecting Isaac's heart. Look at Proverbs 4:23 " Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life." (Amp)
God was protecting and guarding Isaac's heart from the verbal assaults and attacks of Ishmael, Hagar and all those who would begin to agree with them.
God had to remove them, because it is through the heart of man that His plans come to pass. Isaac's heart had to be protected, because through his heart the promise of Jesus Christ would come.
Sending Ishmael away was not Gods desire. His will was for Ishmael and Hagar to receive their healing and walk in His blessing. But they refused to repent, and as a result the cycle of pain in Ishmael's heart became so entrenched that it infected his children for generations after.
God is after our hearts. We must realize that our hearts have been wounded. We, like Ishmael have experienced brokenness and have believed the wrong things.
Psalm 107:20 tells us “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”
Gods Word heals the wounds of our heart and makes whole our brokenness.
If Ishmael would have received Gods Word, his heart would have been healed. He and Hagar could have stayed with Abraham. They could have lived at peace and walked in the mighty blessing of God.
You and I have the same opportunity. We can hear Gods promises, instead of rejecting them, we can allow His Word to heal our hearts. We can begin experiencing the blessing of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Faith, believing Gods Word, heals us and opens a door in our hearts for the life giving Spirit of God to flow, and manifest His blessing in our lives.
