Domestic Dissension

If you have your Bible, I would invite you to turn with me to Genesis chapter 21. Genesis chapter 21 as we continue to make our way through the book of beginnings. And today we're going to talk about domestic dissension. And what we're going to learn today is something so extraordinary. We're going to learn that God is going to take whatever problem you have in your home and use it to bring about his ultimate good and ultimate purpose. Because remember everything that happens is about God and not about you.

And so what God is going to do and what he's going to teach us through Genesis 21 is how he orchestrates the events of life to bring about his honor. So that man will see him and not see anything else. And so this lesson in Genesis 21 is for us. Genesis 21 beginning with verse number 8. The child grew and was weaned and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. Now Sarah the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had born to Abraham, mocking. Therefore she said to Abraham, drive out this maid and her son.

For the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac. And the matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son. But God said to Abraham, do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid. Whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her. For through Isaac your descendants shall be named. And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also because he is your descendant. So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder and gave her the boy and sent her away.

And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water in the skin was used up and she left the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him about a bow shot away. For she said, do not let me see the boy die.

And she sat opposite him and lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the lad crying. And the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, what is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad and hold him by the hand for I will make a great nation of him. Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink. And God was with the lad and he grew. And he lived in the wilderness and became an archer.

And he lived in the wilderness of Paran. And his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. The story that we are reading today has great significance to the events of this day. For what happens in the land of Israel today all stems from Genesis chapter 21. There are six things I want you to see. I want you to see number one, Ishmael's mockery.

Number two, Sarah's mandate. Number three, Abraham's malady. Number four, God's mercies. Number five, Hagar's misery. And number six, Paul's message. Because what happens in this chapter is clearly seen in Galatians chapter 4. Without that we have a hard time understanding exactly how God does what he does and why God does what he does. This is a very fascinating story. Let's look first of all at Ishmael's mockery.

And two things I want you to see. Number one, it's severity. And number two, it's scope. The text says, and the child grew and was winged. That would be somewhere between the ages of three and four. That was the average age. If that's the case, that would make Ishmael around 16 or 17 years of age. And this helps me understand the severity of Ishmael's mockery. I mean it's very easy for us to understand on the human perspective the difficulty with a teenager and a toddler. Here is Ishmael. He is the only child.

He is raised in Abraham's family. And he has been the apple of his father's eye for many years. He has been the center of attention. And all of a sudden this new boy is born. That is Isaac. After 25 years of promise, the boy is finally born.

And we saw that last week. And now that he has come on the scene, Ishmael realizes that he no longer is the heir apparent. He no longer is going to receive the inheritance. And now there comes attention. And so from a human perspective, Ishmael might be a little tired of that. But now you realize that dad is throwing a great feast for this boy. Why? Because through this boy, Isaac, there comes the promised seed. The text says that when Abraham made a feast on that day that Isaac was weaned, Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, whom she had born to Abraham, mocking.

Now that word mocking has the same root word as the word Isaac. Except it's negative. So therefore we see that Ishmael is ridiculing, laughing at the boy whose name means laughter. There was true persecution going on here. There was true sibling rivalry unlike any sibling rivalry ever known to man. And that's evident even today. For 4,000 years later, the sibling rivalry continues between the Arab nations and the Jews, the Israelis. Which leads me to the scope of Ishmael's mocking. Ishmael turned on Isaac and began to mock what God had done.

He mocked the fact that the promise would only come through that boy and not through him. The Arabs mock that even today. They refuse to believe that the promise of God would only come through the line of Isaac and not through the line of Ishmael. They refuse to believe it even today. And you know what? Even when we look at Christ, the promised seed that came through Isaac, we see that same kind of mocking, don't we?

But that mocking continues today, doesn't it? It shows us the scope of what has taken place since Genesis chapter 21. Which leads me to point number two, Sarah's mandate.

Sarah now has been living with this boy Ishmael in her home for many years. It says in verse number 10, Therefore she said to Abraham, drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac. Let me understand the reason for her mandate and then the result of her mandate.

First of all, the reason. This boy had persecuted her son. She wasn't going to stand for it any longer. She had one time disbelieved, now she believed in the promise of God. And the promise of God was centered around that boy Isaac. She wanted to protect that boy. And there arose great dissension, great disharmony in the home. Listen very carefully. Just because there's dissension and just because there's disharmony, doesn't mean that God's not at work in that dissension and in that disharmony. Would you please understand that?

Let me give you an illustration. Acts 15, Paul and Silas and Barnabas and Mark. But you know what? As a result of that division, as a result of that dissension, God brought about a greater purpose, didn't he? Mark would one day be useful for Paul when he was in prison in 2 Timothy chapter 4. He would see the usefulness of Mark because Barnabas would pour into that man and carry on the work of the ministry, while Paul would go on with Silas and carry on the work of the ministry in another area. But God used that dissension to bring about his greater purposes.

God works that way, doesn't he? Christ's community church was born out of dissension of another church. Was born out of a division from another church. Was born because there were 17 people who believed in doctrinal purity. Who believed in moral purity. Who believed in biblical integrity and would stand on that. And so they separated themselves from a church that did not believe that. In order to maintain a standard that was a biblical mandate. And thus Christ's community church was born. And six years later we can see the blessing of God.

We can see the promise of God being used in the lives of his people. And so Sarah had a reason. Her son was being persecuted. Her God and his provision, power and plan was being ridiculed. She had a reason. And the result, what's the result? Well, they were booted out. Both the boy and his mother left the house. Because Abraham did what Sarah had said. God would tell him, you listen to your wife. You do what she says because this is part of my plan. So Abraham obeyed and did that. And the result was Ishmael, his mother Hagar, out in the wilderness by themselves.

It seems a little harsh, doesn't it? It seems a little negative. Why would God, who is graceful, merciful, loving and kind, take these two people and put them in the wilderness? Why would God agree with Sarah? Those are some great questions. It'll all be answered at the end of our sermon this morning in Galatians chapter 4. Which leads me to point number 3 and that is Abraham's malady. Look what it says in verse number 11. And the matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son. Abraham's malady.

Number one, it hurts. Number two, it haunts. First of all, it hurts. He was grieved. He was distressed. He was having a hard time sleeping. He was having a hard time dealing with this. And as husbands we know what that's like. When there's dissension in the family and we're trying to figure out how to handle it and what to do. And mom's not happy. We know that when mom ain't happy nobody's happy in the home. We understand that. And we're trying to soothe things over. We're trying to make things go the right way and it ain't happening.

And the wife's coming and saying that's it. It's over. Get him out of here. Ishmael's his blood. Maybe you've gone through a divorce. And you have your spouse's children in your home. And he is related to them by blood. And there is dissension in your home because of that divorce situation. And the other family. The other wife who is no longer there. And he is drawn to that son or daughter because of the bloodline. Because that is their child. You know the tension that's there. It's hard to deal with isn't it?

It's hard to handle. They're not your kid. Somebody else's kid. But yet you're there to help raise the kid. You've got to somehow work through those emotions. Work through those difficulties. And Abraham, he had great affection for Ishmael. Remember in Genesis 17? Oh that Ishmael may live before you God. Couldn't he be the promised seed? And God said no. That's not my plan. But it haunts doesn't it? What haunts? The effects of sin. Do they not? The effects of sin haunt us. Until the day we die. So remember.

You can never sin and get away with it. And that's where Abraham was. He was distressed greatly. So I want to show you God's mercies. This is so good. Look what it says in verse 12. But God. There's that little phrase again. But God. You need to circle that. You know and amidst your dissension in your home. Just remember.

But God. But God said to Abraham. Do not be distressed. Because of the lad and your maid. Now you got to love the counsel of God. Don't do that Abraham. That's the last thing you want your counselor to tell you. When you're distressed. Don't be distressed. When you're angry. Don't be angry. When you're anxious. Don't be anxious. He says. Whatever Sarah tells you. Listen to her. That's the favorite verse of all the women in the audience. Whatever your wife says. You do. That's the last thing Abraham wanted to hear right.

And as much as I as a man. Don't want to admit that. And say you know. You know I'm smarter than my wife. I got more education than my wife. I'm older than my wife. I'm even better looking than my wife. I don't even listen to my wife. God says no.

You need to listen to your wife. Listen the Bible says if you trust your wife. You have no lack of gain. None. So that's why God says you treat her as the most honorable possession that you have.

So God says. Here's the command. Don't be distressed. You listen Abraham. To Sarah. Listen to what she has to say. And then he says. For through Isaac. Your descendants. Shall be named. This is the consolation. God gives command. Why? Because you see God always gives the consolation with the command. Always. This is why you don't do that. This is why you don't have to be worried. This is why you don't have to grieve. What's he saying? He says. For through Isaac. Your descendants shall be named. And of the son of the maid.

I will make a nation. Also. Because he is. Your. Descendants. And God told Abraham. I've got a plan. I got a plan for Isaac. I got a plan for Ishmael. Remember last week. I told you. You got to do more than just know about the providence of God. You got to do more than just study the providence of God. You got to be in love. With the providence of God. And we're not. You got to love it. You got to love the fact that God controls everything. That God. Who is our. Father above. Orchestrates the events of life to accomplish his great purposes.

Which leads me to point number five. Hagar's misery. We must hurry. So Abraham rose early in the morning. And took bread. And a skin of water. And gave them to Hagar. Putting them on her shoulder. Gave her the boy. And sent her away. And she departed. And wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water and the skin was used up. And she left the boy under one of the bushes. And she went and sat down opposite him. About a bow shot away. And she said. Do not let me see the boy die.

And she sat opposite him. And lifted up her voice. And wept. Two things I want you to see. Number one.

Her plight. Number two. Her provision. God says to Abraham. Listen to your wife. Send them out. So Abraham does. Know what he does? It says. That he gave them. A bottle of water. And a loaf of bread. Now Abraham was a rich man. He had lots of livestock. Couldn't he have given her. A couple of horses. And mules. That carry water. And carry food. For days on end. They are going into the desert. They are going out to be by themselves. Couldn't Abraham be a little bit more kind? Maybe he was. Maybe he realized.

That if the Canaanites saw them. Out there. And all these goods that they had. They would be ravished. By the Canaanite people. But Abraham was a rich man. So maybe Abraham was being good to them. Maybe Abraham was helping Ishmael. See that he needs to grow up faster. Than he ever realized. And would now have to take care of his mother. And provide for his mother. I don't know. The text. Doesn't say. But it does tell us. That they ran out of the water. And she began to weep. It's over. We're dead.

It's all over. My son's going to die. I'm going to die. And then comes. Her provision. Look what it says. And God. Heard. What's Ishmael's name mean? Anybody? God hears. Right? God heard. God is so true to his word. It's. It's. It's unbelievable. He is so true to his word. And God. Heard. The lad crying. And the angel of God. Called to Hagar. From heaven. And said to her. What is the matter with you? Hagar. Do not fear. For God. What? Has heard. When you're amidst. Your domestic dissension. And you're weeping.

In the hollows. Of your hallway. And you're. And you don't know. What else to do. God hears. God hears. Because God knows. And God has heard. The voice of the lad. Where he is. Arise. Lift up the lad. And hold him by the hand. For I will make. A great nation of him. That's the promise. He gave to Hagar. When. Sarah kicked her out. The first time.

Way back in. Genesis 16. God gave. Hagar. A promise. I am going to. Multiply your descendants. Through Ishmael. 21. Today. 21 of them. Have come. Through the line. Of Hagar. And Ishmael. Amazing. God kept his word. God. And his wonderful. Provision. Then God. Opened her eyes. And she saw. A well of water. And she went. And filled the skin of water. And God. Gave the lad a drink. And God. Was with the lad. God heard. And God was with him. And he grew. They lived in the wilderness. And became an archer.

They lived in the wilderness. Of Peron. His mother took a wife. For him. From the land of Egypt. An incredible story. Which causes us. To ask. You know God. Why are you doing all this? The answer is found. In Galatians 4. Paul's message. Our last point. Turn there with me. If you would please. Verse number 21. Galatians 4. Tell me. You who want to. Be under the law. Do you not listen.

To the law? Now. Understand this. That. In Paul's day. To be a racial. Descent. From Abraham. Is what. The Jews. Believed. Was the requirement. For salvation. You had to be a. Descendant of Abraham. A physical. Descendant of Abraham. In order to be saved. And so.

Paul says listen. You say that you're. Under the law. You say that you know. The law. Well let me take you back.

To the law. Specifically the Pentateuch. To help you understand. What your law says. Because your law. Is my law. And the law of God. Never brought. Salvation. To man. What the law. Of God did. Was teach man. His need. For salvation. His need. To depend upon something. Greater than himself. He was unable. To keep any part. Of the law. Because his efforts. Would not suffice. So Paul says. Let me take you back.

To the law. He says for it is written. This is what the law. Says. That Abraham. Had two sons. We read about them. In Genesis 21. Right. One by the bondwoman. And one. By the free woman. But the son of the bondwoman. That's Ishmael. Was born. According to the flesh. And the son. By the free woman. Through the promise. Now listen.

Flesh. Is not physical. Flesh. Flesh. Is contrasted. With the promise. The flesh. Is representative. Of what we try to do. When we don't. Trust God. And try to accomplish. His purposes. Our way. As Abraham. And Sarah. Tried to do in Genesis 16. The flesh. Deals with. Works. The promise. Deals with. Faith. And that's what's contrasted. In Galatians 4. Verses 21. And following. Then he says. In verse number 24. This is allegorically speaking. For these women are. Two covenants. What are the two covenants?

One. Is law. And works. The other covenant. Is grace. And faith. It says. One. Proceeding from Mount Sinai. Bearing children. Who are to be slaves. She is. Hagar. And then he says. Now this Hagar. Is Mount Sinai. In Arabia. And corresponds. Listen very carefully. To the present. Jerusalem. Paul is telling these Judaizers. What happens. Now.

Is that. What's going on right now. In Jerusalem. In 50 AD. Or thereabouts. When Galatians. Was written. What's happening right now.

In Jerusalem. Is what. You are portraying. Through what took place. On Mount Sinai. Through the law given. Through Moses. A flesh. System. That produces nothing. And then he says this. This was. This was enough. To give the Judaizers. A heart attack. Because they were trying. To get the. The Jewish believers. To go back. Into bondage. To go back. To keeping rituals. To go back. To keeping ceremonies. To go back. Keeping a list of things. To do and not to do. That if you do those things. You're righteous.

If you don't do those things. You're unrighteous. And God says. That's not the way it works. Not in my kingdom. That is. This. For she. This present Jerusalem. Is in slavery. With her children. But the Jerusalem. Above. What's that? That's the heavenly city. He says. Of the Jerusalem. Above is free. For she. Is our mother. She gave birth. To us. Because it was. The barrenness of Sarah. That seemed. To be impenetrable. It was the. Desolation of her womb. That seemed. To be the barrier. To God's promise.

But through the. In the vine. Enablement. Of God's power. There came. Freedom. There came. Fulfillment. There came. Satisfaction. There came. Fullness. He says. In verse. Number 28. And you brethren. Like Isaac. Are children of promise. Remember.

What Christ told. Nicodemus. A man. Must be born. Again. Or literally. He must be born. From above. From the mother. Who was above. From the city. Of Jerusalem. Who was above. And therefore.

There is. That new birth. That comes. Supernaturally. Not naturally. Let me give you. The application. He says. But as. At that time. He who was born. According to the flesh. Persecuted him. Who was born. According to the spirit. So it is now.

Also. Just like it was. Then. 4000. Years ago. At that time. 2000 years ago. As it was. Then. Back in. Genesis 21. So it is now.

Today. As he. Who was born. Of natural means. Persecuted him. Born of supernatural. Means. So it is. True. That the true believer. Is always. Persecuted. By those people. Who believe. In a work system. Is it not true. And then he says this. So then brethren. We are not children. Of the bond woman. But of the free woman. First number one.

Chapter five. Because there is no. Chapter break. In the Greek. New Testament. It was for the freedom. That Christ set us free. Therefore.

Keep standing firm. And do not. Be subject again. To a yoke. Of slavery. Ah. Persevere. So God gave us an illustration. In Ishmael. And Isaac. To show you. Exactly what it means. To come to saving faith. How about you. Are you born again. Because of what God did. Or are you trying to gain. Some kind of righteous. Standing with God. Because of what you do. The Bible says.

It's all about God. It's not about you. I would trust that you know. Jesus Christ. Is Lord and Savior. And you've come to him. On his terms. And not your terms. Let's pray.