Angel #2 and #4 Hagar and the angel

Hagar, Sarah's servant was treated harshly by Sarah because Sarah was a frustrated woman who was barren. Sarah allowed her husband to impregnate Hagar because he wanted a child so badly and as a result Hagar, who was extremely fertile, got pregnant. Even though Hagar was lower in society, like Joseph she flaunted her good fortune in the presence of her competition, thus receiving Sarah's wrath (again like Joseph's story with his brothers).

Hagar ran away into the desert where an angel met her and asked what she was doing. After she recounted her story the angel told her:

1. Return and submit to Sarah.
2. Her descendents will become a nation.
3. She was to call the child's name "God will hear" (Ishmael).
4. God had heard her affliction.
5. The child would be a wild one fighting people who were close to him.

Number 5 stands out to me as very interesting. God had heard her affliction; in other words, God acknowledged the suffering she faced at the hands of Sarah. Why this is so interesting is because God was far more tender with Hagar than He was with Sarah who was and is the mother of the nation of Israel. In Sarah's case, angels spoke to Abraham telling him that his wife would conceive, but in Hagar's case the angel spoke to her directly and comforted her by acknowledging the abuse she had under Sarah and promising her great things for her child.

Number 2 says that Ishmael would be the father of a nation. There are many today that believe the Arabs are modern day descendents of Ishmael, but there is debate about this.

Number 1 is important to us today, because sometimes God calls us to go into situations we would rather not go, but there is an ultimate and often unseen reason for His command.

14 years later, Sarah gave birth to a son who was mocked by teenager Ishmael which caused Sarah to demand the removal of Hagar and Ishmael from the home. Hagar again entered the desert and facing certain starvation was comforted again by an angel. The focus of this passage again centered on God hearing. God heard the boy cry and an angel of God spoke from heaven stating that God heard his cry.

One last piece of interest. I have already mentioned the similarity between Joseph and Hagar - both flaunted their status among their competitors. Both suffered for it. With Ishmael, however, there are similatities as well. Both Ishmael and Joseph were thrown out of their houses because of jealousy and anger, both faced uncertain times and both were protected by God.