FATHER ABRAHAM HAD TWO SONS

Genesis 16; 21:1-22; Galatians 4:21-5:1

I. FATHER ABRAHAM (cf. Isaiah 41:8; 51:2)

A. Several of the world’s largest religions claim Abraham as their “father”: Judaism, Islam, Roman Catholicism, Liberal Protestantism and Christianity.

1. Jews claim to be the physical descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Sarah.

2. Muslims claim to be the physical descendants of Abraham through Ishmael and Hagar.

3. The Judaizers who were preaching a different Gospel in the churches of Galatia claimed to be the descendants of Abraham.

B. Paul’s argument in Galatians 4:21-5:1 is that physical descendants of Abraham are not necessarily heirs of Abraham (see Matthew 3:9; Luke 16:24; John 8:33-40,44; Romans 2:28-29; 9:7-8; Galatians 6:16).

C. An heir of Abraham is one who believes in God’s promise to Abraham concerning Jesus Christ. Jesus is the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16).

II. FATHER ABRAHAM HAD TWO SONS (Galatians 4:22-25)

A. Abraham had a son (Ishmael) through a “bondwoman” named Hagar. Abraham also had a son (Isaac) through a “free woman,” Sarah.

1. Ishmael was Abraham’s firstborn son but Ishmael received no inheritance from father Abraham! (Genesis 21:9-14; cf. Deuteronomy 21:15-17)

2. Isaac was Abraham’s second son and he was the only son of Abraham to receive Abraham’s blessing and inheritance (Genesis 24:35-36; 25:5).

He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” (Genesis 22:2)

B. Ishmael is Paul’s proof that physical descent from Abraham does not make you an heir of Abraham (Genesis 21:9-14).

1. Muslims today claim to be the spiritual heirs of Abraham through Ishmael.

“Say: ‘Allah speaketh the Truth: follow the religion of Abraham, the sane in faith; he was not of the Pagans.’” (Qur’an 3:95)

a. Muslims believe that Ishmael settled in Mecca and that both Ishmael and Abraham built the foundations of the Kaaba.

b. The Kaaba is the holiest place in Islam and the alleged “House of Allah.”

2. Muhammad is considered to be one of the descendants of Ishmael.

a. Muslims believe that because Ishmael was Abraham’s firstborn and according to the inheritance laws of the OT, the firstborn son received a larger portion of the inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:15-17).

b. Even though Hagar became Abraham’s wife (Gen.16:3) and even though Ishmael was Abraham’s firstborn son, Ishmael did not receive any inheritance from Abraham.

i. Abraham divorced (“drive out”; see Leviticus 21:7,14; 22:13) Hagar in Genesis 21:10, and this was approved by God in Genesis 21:12.

“Each year during the Hajj (the ritual pilgrimage) in Mecca, pilgrims reenact Hagar’s desperate search for water for her infant son, running seven times between two hills and drawing water from the well of Zam Zam, said to have sprung miraculously from the dry earth at the baby Ishmael’s feet.”

ii. The only thing Ishmael and Hagar got from Abraham was bread and water, and even then it was not enough to survive in the wilderness (Genesis 21:15-21).

C. Inheritance of God’s righteousness is always the supernatural work of God. The true heirs of Abraham are born of promise (Galatians 4:28).

D. Sarah was barren and could not by natural means bear children. Her womb was dead (Romans 4:19). Hagar was not barren and she was naturally able to conceive and give birth to Isaac.

Romans 9:6b-8
For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;
7 nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “through Isaac your descendants will be named.”
8 That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.

E. All was not lost for Ishmael. The Scriptures speak of Ishmael’s descendants as coming to faith in the seed of Abraham, the Messiah (see Genesis 25:13 with Isaiah 42:10-12 and 60:1-7; cf. Psalm 72:9)!

Isaiah 60:7
“All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth will minister to you; They will go up with acceptance on My altar, And I shall glorify My glorious house.

F. If you want to listen/obey God’s law/command then cast out the bondwoman and her son (Galatians 4:21,30 with Genesis 21:9-12).

“The narratives in Genesis 15:4–5, 17:15–21 and 18:9–15 describe Sarah and Abraham receiving the specific announcement that within the year they will have their own child. That the connection with Luke 1 is more than just incidental is shown by Gabriel, as he tells Mary of the pregnancy of the older Elizabeth, picking up as a statement the question that faced Sarah and Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Where God is involved, the concept of impossibility has to be completely reconsidered” (Ryken, L., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, 33.

QUESTIONS FOR SABBATH DISCUSSION & MEDITATION

Take what you have learned this morning and turn it into a prayer. Are you trusting in Jesus alone for your acceptance before God or are you trying to inherit God’s promises through your works?

What world religions claim Abraham as their “father?”

Does physical descent from Abraham a guarantee that one is an heir of Abraham? Explain.

What makes a person an heir of Abraham?

Who were Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael and Isaac?

Why is Muhammad the final prophet according to Muslims? How could they claim someone other than Jesus to be the Prophet? (NOTE: The Qur’an does not contain Muhammad’s genealogy)?

What did Ishmael, Abraham’s firstborn son, inherit from Abraham? Why?

How does Sarah’s barrenness and Hagar’s natural fertility illustrate that inheritance of God’s righteousness is a supernatural work of God?

Could Ishmael become a Spiritual heir of salvation even though he was not a physical heir of Abraham? Explain.

BONUS: How does the Muslim account of Hagar’s search for water for her “infant” son differ from the biblical account? Was Ishmael an infant when Abraham sent them away? How old was he?