Abraham’s Son Ishmael

Abram has a son, Ishmael (Genesis 16)

God had told Abram that “he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir” (Genesis 15:4). Abram believed this implicitly as we have seen, and this faith was counted to him for righteousness (Genesis 15:6). However Sarai was barren and she realised that, humanly speaking, it was now impossible for her to bear a son to Abram. Yet God had promised the land to the seed of Abram.

The sorrow and disappointment of being barren finally caused her to seek a solution to this problem. She decided to give her Egyptian handmaid Hagar to Abram that she might bear a child for her. This, she felt, would console her whilst also providing a seed to Abram “of his own bowels”. However, rather than bringing joy to Sarai, this scheme brought her bitterness and sorrow, for when Hagar saw that she had conceived she despised Sarai (Genesis 16:5–6). Sarai dealt severely with Hagar and this caused her to flee into the wilderness (Genesis 16:6).

In her distressed state the angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar telling her to return to her mistress and submit to her (Genesis 16:9). The angel comforted her by revealing that God would multiply her seed greatly (Genesis 16:10). She would have a son called Ishmael, meaning “God shall hear” “because,” the angel said, “the Lord hath heard thy affliction” (Genesis 16:11). In obedience to the angel, Hagar returned to Abram and Sarai and in due time a son was born to her, whom Abram called Ishmael (Genesis 16:15).

God promised Abram that He would bless Ishmael and make him become a great nation (Genesis 17:20), but that the seed spoken of in the promises would be the child of both Abram and Sarai (Genesis 17:21). Ishmael became the father of the Arabs. His twelve sons, who became the heads of the Arab tribes (Isaiah 60:6–7), are mentioned in Genesis 25:12–16. Ultimately the Arab peoples will be blessed too, under the rule of Christ in the Kingdom of God.

Abram’s Name Changed to Abraham

“Thy name shall be Abraham” (Genesis 17:1–8)

Another 13 years passed and Abram was now 99 years of age when the Lord appeared to him again. This time God spoke further about the covenant that He had made with him (Genesis 15:18). Speaking of the far reaching aspects of this covenant God said, “I will multiply thee exceedingly” (Genesis 17:2), and so, “thou shalt be a father of many nations” (v4). Because the fulfilment of this covenant would incorporate a multitude God said: “Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham, for a father of many nations have I made thee” (Genesis 17:5). The name Abram means “lofty, or high father” whereas Abraham means “father of a multitude” of nations.

The significance of the change of his name has a direct relationship to the promise and covenant that God made with Abraham. We see this explained in the following places in the New Testament.

Galatians 3:7–8

“Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham”

Anyone (Jew or Gentile) who shows a faith like Abraham’s is considered by God to belong to Abraham’s family. The family of Abraham is based upon faith and not fleshly descent, because it is a spiritual family.

“The scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen [the Gentiles] through faith”

The blessing of being “justified” or “counted righteous” as Abraham was (Genesis 15:6), is available to all who show the same faith in God as Abraham did. Gentiles (“the heathen”) and Jews can share in this blessing on the same basis (Galatians 3:27–29).

“preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed” This sentence includes a quotation from Genesis 12:3. The word “gospel” means “good news”. It is good news for all mankind, both Jew and Gentile. Jesus Christ has made the blessing available to all men. Thus “all nations” can share this hope of righteousness through faith and be reconciled to God through baptism into the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that this makes us heirs also of the promises made to Abraham and to his seed (Galatians 3:16, 27–29).

Romans 4:16–17

In this chapter, which we considered when looking at Genesis 15:6, we find Genesis 17:5 quoted by Paul.

“Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law [Jews], but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham [Jew and Gentile]; who is the father of us all [Jew and Gentile]”.

The promise to Abraham was not exclusive to the Jews, but inclusive of all people upon the principle of faith. God’s promise to Abraham was made 430 years before the Law was given to Israel through Moses (Galatians 3:17–18). The Law, which only applied to Jews, did not cancel out the promise, for the Law came to an end at the death of Christ, but the promise of God must still be fulfilled.

“(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations)”

By quoting Genesis 17:5 Paul is emphasising the universal nature of the promise. By this change of name from Abram to Abraham, no Jew can boast of his genealogy from Abraham. The change of name shows clearly that people of all races can share in the blessing of the promise in the Gospel.

Romans 9:6–9

Here again, Paul shows that being of the lineage of Abraham does not of itself commend a person before God.

“For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel”

Simply having one’s name on Abraham’s family tree is not sufficient to be a seed of Abraham. A person must have a different relationship than that of mere fleshly descent.

“In Isaac shall thy seed by called”

Abraham had a number of sons, including Ishmael and those listed later in Genesis 25:1–6. However, when God made His promise to Abraham He said specifically, “In Isaac shall thy seed by called” (Genesis 21:12). God was making a selection.

“These are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed”

To be considered “children of God” we must become related to the promise of God. We identify ourselves as such through faith, demonstrated by baptism into Christ (Galatians 3:26–29).

Once we appreciate the reason for the change in Abram’s name to Abraham we can see how the promises can be shared by “many nations”. Turning back to Genesis 17:7–8, we find that God reaffirms that His covenant is an “everlasting covenant”. When the eternal God declares His covenant an “everlasting covenant”, then we can be sure that it will be fulfilled.

The Sign of Circumcision

Circumcision—the token of the covenant (Genesis 17:9–14)

God, wishing to make a perpetual reminder to the seed of Abraham that this covenant had been made with Abraham, introduced a “token” or “sign” to remind them of this glorious covenant of hope. Circumcision was to be “a token of the covenant betwixt me and you” (v11). “Every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger” was to be circumcised (v12). Circumcision was a token of the covenant to Abraham’s literal descendants, as well as to those strangers who were joined to his family. It was a vivid reminder that God’s promise was not to be fulfilled by man’s “fleshly” power, but through faith and the grace of God.

Circumcision—a sign pointing forward to baptism

We recall that through baptism into Christ a person, whether male or female, becomes an heir of the promises made to Abraham (Galatians 3:27–29). Paul shows that circumcision pointed forward to baptism into Jesus Christ. He wrote: “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses” (Colossians 2:11–13). Baptism now replaces the symbolic rite of circumcision. In baptism we demonstrate that we now wish to turn from the sinful desires of our nature and commence a new way of life in Christ (Galatians 5:16–25).

Sarai’s Name Changed to Sarah

Sarai’s name is changed to Sarah (Genesis 17:15–16)

Not only was Abram’s name changed to Abraham, to incorporate the idea of the great promises that God had made to him, but Sarai’s name was also changed to Sarah, meaning “princess”, thus elevating her role, for she was to be the mother of the nations of which Abraham was to be the father.

Adapted from “The Exploring the Bible Course” by David Evans