DIVIDING
HAGAR AND ISHMAEL FROM SARAH AND ISAAC
May 18, 2008
MF Blume
Genesis
16:1-6 KJV Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and
she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. (2)
And Sarai
said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing:
I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children
by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. (3) And
Sarai
Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt
ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to
be his wife. (4) And he went in unto Hagar, and she
conceived: and
when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her
eyes. (5) And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee:
I have
given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived,
I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
(6)
But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her
as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled
from her face.
Genesis 21:1-2 KJV And the LORD visited Sarah as
he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
(2) For
Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time
of which God had spoken to him.
Genesis 21:8-12 KJV And the
child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day
that Isaac was weaned. (9) And Sarah saw the son of Hagar
the
Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. (10)
Wherefore
she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son
of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
(11) And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because
of his
son. (12) And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous
in thy
sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that
Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall
thy seed be called.
In two different instances, a wife
battled with the problems caused by her handmaid.
- The first time, the woman was named SARAI, when her
husband was named ABRAM.
- the second she was changed and named SARAH when her husband was
named ABRAHAM.
- In both states of this couple's existence, before and after a
CHANGE in their lives, the wife battled the same general problem.
- The problem only progressed into an issue with their
respective CHILDREN the second time.
Genesis 17 is the chapter in which
Abram and Sarai are CHANGED to Abraham and Sarah.
- It was when CIRCUMCISION occurred.
- Hagar's son was born and Isaac was not yet born.
- Sarah conceived at this time when CIRCUMCISION occurred.
So when their names were changed,
Sarah conceived and
circumcision occurred for the first time in the family, a demarcation
occurred.
But after the circumcision, it was
not only a problem with the
respective MOTHERS, but the next time a crisis occurred was when Isaac
was circumcised and then weaned that THE CHILDREN entered a battle.
IN BOTH CASES, SARAH and ISAAC did
not start any trouble or problems.
- The mother HAGAR started the trouble with her counterpart
in Genesis 16 and the Mother's child Ishmael started the trouble with
his counterpart, Isaac, in Gen 21.
In both cases the wife of the
Father of the faithful dealt harshly with the woman, and God confirmed
the need afterwards.
Genesis 16:6 KJV But Abram
said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is
in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly
with her, she fled from her face.
Genesis 16:9 KJV And the
angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit
thyself under her hands.
Genesis 21:10-12 KJV
Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out
this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be
heir with my son, even with Isaac. (11) And the thing was
very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. (12)
And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because
of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said
unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be
called.
This story teaches us a spiritual
lesson, as do all Old Testament stories.
1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV
(11) Now all these things happened
unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon
whom the ends of the world are come.
Just as Abraham had a wife and her
handmaid in his life, and household, each of us have two elements.
- One must be over the other and the other has to be subjugated to
the first, and finally cast completely out.
- Hagar was told to return and submit, and then later was told to
leave along with her child.
- Before she had a child she had to submit.
- After the child was born and over 13 years later was mocking the
child of promise, she had to leave with her son.
- And the leaving occurred due to the issue of INHERITANCE.
Each of us are on a journey to
INHERITANCE.
- I know we have an eternal inheritance in the heavens, but I am
speaking today about the inheritance in THIS LIFE.
SARAI who became SARAH represents
the BELIEVER'S SPIRIT.
- Hagar represents the servant of the spirit, which is supposed to
be our HUMAN SOUL.
SPIRIT:
Phil 3:3 For we are the
circumcision, which worship God in the
spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the
flesh.
Mar 2:8 KJV And immediately
when Jesus perceived in his spirit
that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason
ye these things in your hearts?
Act 6:10 KJV And they were
not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Act 18:5 KJV And when Silas
and Timotheus were come from
Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews
that Jesus was Christ.
SOUL:
EMOTION:
...the soul of all the people was grieved,
1 Samuel 30:6
WILL: ...set your heart and your
soul to seek the LORD your God;
1 Chronicles 22:19
INTELLECT: ...that the soul be
without knowledge, it is not good;
Proverbs 19:2
As Hagar was told by the angel to
SUBMIT to Sarah, the SOUL must SUBMIT.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect
peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Isa 26:3
So I am going to compare Sarah with
your SPIRIT and Hagar with your SOUL.
- Gal 4 says there is another analogy you can get where Sarah is
the New Covenant and Hagar is the Old.
Our spiritual inheritance comes
after full spiritual maturity.
Galatians 4:1-2 KJV Now I
say, That the heir, as long as he is a
child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of
all; (2) But is under tutors and governors until the time
appointed of the father.
Galatians 4:4-5 KJV But when
the fulness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
(5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive
the adoption of sons.
An HEIR does not have INHERITANCE
until he is past childhood and has graduated into a higher level.
Your SOUL starts having problems as
soon as it CONCEIVES.
Genesis 16:4 KJV And he went
in unto Hagar, and she conceived:
and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in
her eyes.
CONCEPTION means THE SOUL IS READY
TO PRODUCE.
- And the things that the SOUL produces are WORKS OF THE FLESH.
Notice that SARAI was BARREN before
during and after Hagar CONCEIVED.
- This represents the human spirit which is DEAD and must
experience NEW BIRTH so that it can BEAR AND PRODUCE CHILDREN.
John 3:5-6 KJV Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is
flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
THE human spirit is what is BORN OF
God's Spirit.
It is otherwise DEAD.
Romans 4:19 KJV And being not
weak in faith, he considered not
his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither
yet the deadness of Sara's womb:
When we are BORN AGAIN -- Abram
becomes ABRAHAM -- Sarai becomes SARAH and NOW BEARS CHILDREN.
In the same year that Abraham's
name was changed, circumcision occurred
for the first time, and Sarai's name was changed too and she conceived.
Genesis 17:5 KJV 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 17:10 KJV This is my
covenant, which ye shall keep,
between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you
shall be circumcised.
Genesis 17:15 KJV And God
said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy
wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
Genesis 17:21 KJV But my
covenant will I establish with Isaac,
which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
To bear a son the next year means
she conceived THAT YEAR.
His name changed.
- Circumcision
- Her name changed
- She conceives.
He is 99 in verse 1.
Genesis 17:1 KJV And when
Abram was ninety years old and nine,
the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God;
walk before me, and be thou perfect.
Isaac is born and Abraham is 100.
Genesis 21:5 KJV And Abraham
was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
100 FOLD!
BLESSINGS COMING NOW.
It is NOT a blessing when ISHMAEL
IS BORN.
- Not when he is conceived nor born.
- JUST A PROBLEM.
- But Abraham grieves over getting rid of him because IT IS
ABRAHAM'S SON!
- He loves Abraham.
Not only do Sarah and Hagar
represent your SPIRIT and SOUL, but ...
- Ishmael and Isaac represent WORKS OF THE FLESH and FRUIT OF THE
SPIRIT.
Until your SPIRIT is BORN AGAIN,
you cannot produce FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
- But you can produce works of the flesh before you are saved and
after you are saved!
First YOUR SOUL is going to COMBAT
your spirit...
- And then the works of the flesh are going to combat your fruit of
the Spirit.
- And when works of the flesh live in the same house as fruit of
the Spirit...
Galatians 5:16-17 KJV This I
say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye
shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (17) For the flesh
lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these
are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that
ye would.
Galatians 5:18 KJV But if ye
be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Leading of the Spirit not only
stops lusts of the flesh from being fulfilled, but it also
INDICATES YOU ARE NOT UNDER LAW.
People under LAW ARE FULL OF WORKS
OF THE FLESH!
Romans 7:8 KJV But sin,
taking occasion by the commandment,
wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was
dead.
SIN TAKES OPPORTUNITY BY THE LAW.
- But SIN HAS NO CHANCE WHEN WE FOLLOW SPIRIT.
THEY ARE CONTRARY.
In this very chapter is where FRUIT
OF THE SPIRIT and WORKS OF THE FLESH are contrasted.
AND LAW is associated with WORKS OF
THE FLESH, so when Gal 4 says the
children of the bondwoman are children of the law, no wonder we can
take the same story and say the children of the bondwoman are WORKS OF
THE FLESH.
- Gal 5 says fruit of the Spirit cannot come from LAW.
Gal 4 compares children of Hagar
with children of Sarah, and Gal 5 compares works of flesh with fruit of
Spirit.
LEGALISM PROVIDED YOU WITH A LOT OF
WORKS OF THE FLESH YOU NOW HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
Cast out the BONDWOMAN, BUT NOW GET
THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN OUT AS WELL -- the OFFSPRING -- the WORKS OF
THE FLESH.
Galatians 5:19-23 KJV Now the
works of the flesh are manifest,
which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, (20) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
(21) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:
of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past,
that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of
God. (22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law.
OF ALL TIMES, when you SPIRITUALLY
PROGRESS, FLESH KICKS UP.
Genesis 21:8-10 KJV And the
child grew, and was weaned: and
Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
(9) And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had
born unto Abraham, mocking. (10) Wherefore she said unto
Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this
bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
Now the word MOCK is the Hebrew
word tsaw - khak'
- Not just to laugh, but MAKE SPORT.
- the same word is used here:
2 Samuel 2:14 KJV And Abner
said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab
said, Let them arise.
And when they PLAYED< look what
was said:
2 Samuel 2:16 KJV And they
caught every one his fellow by the
head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down
together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in
Gibeon.
It is often used to speak of
FIGHTING and coming to BLOWS.
So Ishmael was fighting Isaac, and
perhaps pushing him around physically.
- Why?
- WEANING was time when child no longer drank from the mother's
breast.
- In old times, infants who had disorders or something wrong
would not be able to be weaned, and generally died before weaning was
possible.
- Clinging to the mother's milk meant a time of risk and chance,
and one was not sure if the child would survive!
- So when weaned to eat solid food, the child was usually
well on the way to GROWING UP and healthy enough to probably become a
man.
- This was cause for great celebration!
But the idea of this child coming
to adulthood threatened the other child who was past 13 years of age by
now.
- When your fruit of the Spirit really starts to show
progress in your life and you are on your way to spiritual maturity,
the IMMATURITY of the works of the flesh rise up and wreak havoc in
your life, that you got from all that legalism.
SARAH SAYS HAGAR MUST BE SEPARATED
COMPLETELY from the home now.
- As long as she is not separated from the house, her SON is not
separated from Isaac.
- And the flesh lusts against the spirit and the spirit against the
flesh SO YOU CANNOT DO WHAT YOU WOULD.
- You cannot enter inheritance.
- Your WHOLE GOAL, what you want to do more than anything, is to
come INTO your inheritance.
And when Sarah saw Ishmael push
around Isaac, she heard Ishmael say something that caused her to speak
of INHERITANCE.
Genesis 21:9-10 KJV And Sarah
saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian,
which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. (10) Wherefore
she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son
of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
She heard ISHMAEL talk of
INHERITANCE.
- Probably saying things like, "I am firstborn and I am going
to get the inheritance. And I will punch your lights out if you
ever try to consider it will be different."
SARAH HEARD about INHERITANCE and
spoke of it to Abraham.
- "He is NOT going to be heir with my son!"
God told him to LISTEN TO HER.
- LISTEN TO OUR SPIRIT!
- Your spirit cries out that it wants to produce strong and
healthy fruit of the Spirit and enter this promised land inheritance of
SHINE FORTH TO THE WORLD THE NATURE OF GOD TO EVERYONE!
- But it says the WORKS OF THE FLESH are destroying that chance,
and the SOUL is OVERPOWERING the her too much.
The soul is emotional.
- It is affected by what it get from the world, and the spirit is
affected by what it gets from God.
- And when our world around us becomes troublesome, the soul
that relates to that is CLINGING to the spirit and hauls the spirit
down.
- The spirit cries out to get her away because the spirit
cannot work with God every time the soul kicks against it when
something goes wrong.
- The spirit hears from God but is BURIED by the soul as the
SOUL takes it down to the depths of worries and despairs every time the
outside world goes bad.
- If the SPIRIT could only GET AWAY from the PULLING DOWN of
the SOUL when the SOUL is affected by the world, the spirit could
CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM GOD and NURTURE MORE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
- Keep the FRUIT growing more and more.
- Until the FRUIT LEAVES THE HOUSE OF OUR LIVES AND SHINES in this
world to all the people who ever see us.
But since the SOUL is affected by
the world and the SPIRIT is affected
by God, and the two are not separated, the SOUL takes the spirit down
with it every time.
Sarah never gave Hagar problems.
- Hagar have Sarah problems.
- The SPIRIT is not the troublemaker and does not haul down the
soul.
- the SOUL is what hauls down SPIRIT.
HEARKEN TO YOUR WIFE, ABRAHAM.
See how your spirit is suffering
because of YOUR SOUL!
IT IS THEN that submission of the
soul must progress further to this:
Hebrews 4:12 KJV For the word
of God is quick, and powerful, and
sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Soul and SPIRIT must be DIVIDED
apart from one another!
- Your SOUL is emotional, and reasoning and stubborn.
- You submit these things first and THEN you see them DIVIDED.
How are they divided?
BY THE WORD OF GOD, THE SWORD OF
THE SPIRIT.
It is over the issue of INHERITANCE!
It is the cost of getting you into
YOUR PROMISED LAND!
Genesis 15:7 KJV And he said
unto him, I am the LORD that brought
thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
LAND is associated with INHERITANCE.
So we now see how that before Heb
4:12 speaks of DIVIDING your spirit from your soul, we read about this:
Hebrews 3:17-4:3 KJV But with
whom was he grieved forty years?
was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the
wilderness? (18) And to whom sware he that they should not
enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? (19) So
we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
(4:1) Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of
entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of
it. (2) For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as
unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed
with faith in them that heard it. (3) For we which have
believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath,
if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from
the foundation of the world.
You WILL NOT REST, but be troubled
and your soul will throw your spirit
down with it everytime something goes wrong in the world around you,
UNTIL YOU SEPARATE YOUR SPIRIT FROM YOUR SOUL.
- ENTERING INHERITANCE and MATURITY is the same thing.
- Gal 4 said that when the HEIR grows up and graduates, he gets the
INHERITANCE.
- So entering Canaan is represented by MATURING.
A spiritually mature person IS NOT
UP AND DOWN WITH THE TROUBLES OF LIFE.
- If you do not separate your spirit from soul you will
remain immature, and problems in the world around will MESS your spirit
up.
- But when you DIVIDE THEM, the soul still is affected by the world
around, BUT IT DOES NOT AFFECT YOUR SPIRIT.
- Your spirit stays focused and working with God.
- It still produces fruit of the Spirit, and not works of the flesh.
- You give YOUR SPIRIT attention and that attention is not stifled
by the soul.
Problems go up and down, and your
spirit goes up and down with them because your soul is clinging to the
spirit.
- But when we MATURE, the spirit stays on a steady level, while the
soul goes up and down with the problems of life.
- FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT come forth while the problems go bad
everywhere.
YOU REST in the midst of a storm,
because YOUR SPIRIT IS DIVIDED FROM YOUR SOUL.
Joshua 3:15 KJV And as they
that bare the ark were come unto
Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in
the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the
time of harvest,)
40 years earlier, the SOUL won out
over the SPIRIT, so to speak, when
the PROBLEMS of the promised land -- its giants and walled cities --
made the people heed what the SOUL SAW more than what THE SPIRIT HEARD
GOD SAY.
- But Israel matured, DIVIDED that Jordan which was SWELLING more
than normal due to the season, and they walked in ANYWAY.
What changes and does the DIVISION?
Hebrews 4:12 KJV For the word
of God is quick, and powerful, and
sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Take that word and mix it with
FAITH and believe it!
Hebrews 4:2 KJV For unto us
was the gospel preached, as well as
unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed
with faith in them that heard it.
And that word REMOVES the SOUL like
a VEIL is cut away from the SPIRIT.
2 Corinthians 3:2-3 KJV
(2) Ye are our epistle written in
our hearts, known and read of all men: (3) Forasmuch as ye
are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us,
written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in
tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
Paul was PEN, Spirit was INK and
parchment was HEARTS.
- So how do you get the ink on the parchment if the parchment is
covered with a veil?
2 Corinthians 3:14-16 KJV
(14) But their minds were
blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the
reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
(15) But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon
their heart. (16) Nevertheless when it shall turn to the
Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
When you TURN YOUR HEART TO JESUS...
Notice what Paul said about Jesus...
2 Corinthians 4:5 KJV For we
preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your
servants for Jesus' sake.
Paul's PREACHING, or the INK coming
out of himself as a pen, was JESUS.
- So if you turn your heart to JESUS, and JESUS is what Paul
preached, then YOU turn your HEART to the PREACHING and THE VEIL OF THE
SOUL IS REMOVED.
- DIVIDED.
- JORDAN IS DIVIDED.
And when the PREACHING OF JESUS
shines on your HEARTS,...
2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV But we
all, with open face beholding as in
a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Paul PREACHED JESUS and PAUL
PREACHED SPIRIT.
2 Corinthians 3:8 KJV How
shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
And the SPIRIT -- the preaching of
Jesus in anointing and truth -- CHANGES US INTO HIS IMAGE!
- Not just any preaching, but ANOINTED TRUTH.
- And not just preaching anointed truth, BUT THE HEART MUST BE INTO
IT AND BELIEVE IT WHEN IT GOES OUT.
2 Corinthians 4:6 KJV For
God, who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
MATURITY IS ACTING LIKE JESUS ACTED.
You can even perform miracles like
Jesus, and NOT BE MATURE.
Matthew 7:22-23 KJV Many will
say to me in that day, Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And
then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye
that work iniquity.
Jesus did all the things these
people whom he did not know did.
He ONLY KNOWS those who ARE LIKE
HIM.
You look in a MIRROR when you
see Jesus' glory, and that has
something to do with JESUS recognizing YOU when he says I KNOW YOU,
since you are IN HIS IMAGE.
THE WORD DIVIDES SOUL AND SPIRIT.
- Turn your heart to Paul's' preaching and THE VEIL IS DIVIDED.
- JORDAN IS DIVIDED.
Joshua 5:1-2 KJV And it came
to pass, when all the kings of the
Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings
of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried
up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we
were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in
them any more, because of the children of Israel. (2) At
that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and
circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
CIRCUMCISION OCCURRED.
SECOND TIME...
- First cut away sins of the flesh.
- Second cut away SOUL FROM SPIRIT.
ANOTHER VEIL.