Daily Devotions
Genesis
"The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant." Psalm 25:14
Text: Genesis 16:1-16
A CLOSER EXAMINATION OF THE PROMISE TO HAGAR
Let us examine the word of promise that The Angel of the Lord made to Hagar.
“I will multiply your descendants exceedingly,
So that they shall not be counted for multitude….
Behold, you are with child. And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
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
1. Similarity to the Promise given to Abram
Some similarity may be found between what God promised Abram, and what was promised to Hagar. Their descendants will be so numerous that “they shall not be counted for multitude”. How may we understand this similarity? The answer likely likes in the fact that Abram is the father of the child that Hagar was carrying! Even though that child was not the promised heir, nevertheless, he was Abram’s offspring and would thus be blessed as well.
2. Another Major Line through Ishmael
The little baby boy to be born was to be named “Ishmael”. That name has great symbolic significance. The root idea may be traced to the word “to hear”. The context bears this out. Because Hagar cried out to God, she was heard. Her son, Ishmael would remind her that the Lord is a God who hears prayers! The Ishmaelites became the ancestors of the Arabic people of today.
3. A Peculiar prophetic statement
The Angel of the Lord foretold what Ishmael would be like. “He shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him.” Interestingly, this trait would also characterize all his descendants.
FULL RECOGNITION OF THE ANGEL OF THE LORD
Hagar finally recognized the identity of the Angel of the Lord. She gave Him a remarkable name.
“Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her,
You-Are-The-God-Who-Sees; for she said, ‘Have I also here
seen Him who sees me?'”GENESIS 16:13
The identity of the Pre-Incarnate Son is well established, even if Hagar did not posses complete theological comprehension of the significance of this Visitation!