I think every pregnant woman wonders, “What will my child be like?” God revealed what Hagar’s child would be like to encourage her in a difficult time. Genesis 16: 10 Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.”
11 And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. 12 This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.” [1]
Hagar now knew she was carrying a son even though she did not have the benefit of modern ultrasound. His name would reflect God’s intervention and grace in her frustrations. Hagar would be the matriarch of a great tribe of people.
Questionable Giftings?
God’s description of Hagar’s son doesn’t sound flattering. All gifts have both positive and negative aspects, depending on their use. Ishmael was not a son of the covenant. God doesn’t call Hagar Abram’s wife but Sarai’s servant. Ishmael would have known about God from Abram, but he doesn’t seem to follow Him in the future. Thus, he will never use the giftings to honor God.
Wild donkeys roam over desert lands and act independently. Ishmael would do this. Genesis 21: 20 And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer, 21 and he settled in the wilderness of Paran.[2] Ishmael would become a powerful man who held his own against anyone who opposed him. He could have used these traits for good, but instead, he used them against God’s covenant people.
Ishmael is the founder of Arab peoples. The Arab nations are still independent peoples who live in desert land and resist the intrusions of other countries, especially Israel and her allies. While we can’t apply these qualities to every descendant of Ishmael, the centuries-long hostility between Jews and Arabs is too well-known to be ignored.
God Has a Plan for Each of Us
God has designed each of us individually. Psalm 139: 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. [3] We each have giftings to use to glorify God, but sin taints them. Fortunately, Jesus came to restore what sin corrupted and enables us to live for Him.
Ephesians 2: 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. [4] We don’t have to stay where sin puts us, but we can use God’s unique giftings to bring Him glory. We can raise our children so they know Jesus as we wonder, what will my child be like?
To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/when-we-take-matters-into-our-own-hands
[1-4 Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.