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Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) Form One

Impatience to God’s promise: The birth of Ishmael
Sarai, Abraham’s wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian slave girl whose
name was Hagar. Sarai said to Abraham, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me
from bearing children, go into my maid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her”
(Genesis 16:2). Then, Abraham did so, and Hagar conceived. Hagar began looking
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with contempt on her mistress. Sarai, complained to Abraham and he told her to deal
with the matter. Therefore, Sarai dealt harshly with Hagar, forcing her to run away
from Sarai. Figure 4.3 gives a portrayal of Haggai and her son in the wilderness
speaking with the angel.

Figure 4.3: Hagar and her child Ishmael in the wilderness

The Bible denotes that an Angel of God came to Hagar by the spring of water in the
wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur, and gave her assurance that her son will
be a great nation. She got a child and named him Ishmael. However, God assured
Abraham to be a great nation through Sarai. Abraham was 86 years old when Hagar
bore Ishmael. Ishmael means, “God hears” because the Lord had given heed to Hagar’s
affliction. God blessed Ishmael and promised to make him the father of great people.

He would be a wild horse of a man. His hand shall be against every man and every
man’s hand against him, and he would live apart from all his relatives.

The birth of Ishmael was not God’s plan, it was due to human impatience to God’s
promise.

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