Abraham and Sarah were long past child-bearing years, and since there was no apparent hope of any pregnancy any time soon, Sarah thought she would help God along with his promise to make Abraham the father of a multitude. She convinced Abraham to take her maid and produce a son for them. The plan was successful, producing an offspring who would become father of the Arab peoples and would have consequences for generations to come - for all the children of Abraham.
Ishmael, too, had a God-given name. Here is the way the Bible tells how it was given:
Ishmael, (Yishmael) means "God will hear" - a foreshadowing of God's saving care for him and his mother, Hagar, when they were banished from the camp due to Sarah's jealousy.
"You shall call his name Ishmael." That has a familiar ring, doesn't it? It sounds like Matthew 1:21. Name IS important to God, even for a child that was not to be part of his covenant with Abraham. Why?
10 Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.”
11 And the Angel of the LORD said to her: “Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
Genesis 16:10-12 (New King James Version)
Ishmael, (Yishmael) means "God will hear" - a foreshadowing of God's saving care for him and his mother, Hagar, when they were banished from the camp due to Sarah's jealousy.
"You shall call his name Ishmael." That has a familiar ring, doesn't it? It sounds like Matthew 1:21. Name IS important to God, even for a child that was not to be part of his covenant with Abraham. Why?
