Based on the treatment that Abraham gave to Ishmael (his son) and Hagar (Ishmael's mother) - I always thought that Abraham was mostly ambivalent to them - that while he did not despise them as Sarah did - that he also did not love them very much. Throughout most of the passages dealing with Ishmael, Abraham seems to treat him more as a servant, than as a son.
But I when I read Genesis 17:20 - I began to revise my thinking somewhat - and saw that Abraham did (at least at some points) take his fatherhood serious. In the middle of God promising to send a child to Sarah and Abraham laughing it off, Abraham makes a comment: "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"
I'm not entirely sure what Abraham was thinking with that statement - whether it was just part of him not believing it possible for Sarah to give birth at her old age - or whether it was him telling God how much he loved Ishmael - that he desired to have the blessings of becoming a mighty nation, etc. - brought forth by this son, and not another. Or maybe it some combination of both...
But even though God brought forth Isaac to fulfill his covenant promises - God did not neglect Ishmael, either. There are two prophecies about him - the first that he will constantly be at war with his brothers (16:11-12) and the second that he will be blessed and become a large and mighty nation (17:20). And if we are to believe Mohammad that the Arabs are descendants of Ishmael, both of these have certainly born true.
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God, and the Bible, used Hagar and Ishmael is an interesting manner. Paul, in Galatians 4:24 plainly states that the Bible's use of them "are an allegory." But, first, my understanding is that the name Ishmael means "God hears." Hears who? It was Hagar (Gen. 16:11); "because the Lord hath heard they affliction." In Gen. 16:6 we are told that she fled from Sarai (Sarah). There's a lesson for Christians in the story of Abram, Sarai, and Hagar about taking things into our own hands but, that's another story entirely. Back to Hagar. It is interesting to me that the Lord took such an interest in a pregnant, runaway slave girl that He personally appeared to her; telling her to return and submit, and then giving her information about her unborn child. Obviously, God had a purpose for both Hagar and Ishmael. One of the things God told Abraham about Ishmael was that "twelve princes shall he beget" (Gen. 17:20). Is there a correlation between these twelve princes and the twelve sons of Jacob that fathered the twelve tribes of Israel? In Galatians 4:22-31 Paul may give us some understanding of this correlation. However, since we are reading in Genesis and not Galatians, suffice it to say that it relates to the difference between the law and grace: the son who was born "after the flesh," and the son who was born "after the Spirit." I know we will get to all of this in our reading eventually but, this knowledge speaks to the most basic and fundamental difference between Christianity and all other religions.
By the time we get to Genesis 21:17 we know that Ishmael's name (meaning "God hears") is most fitting. Three times God has heard, and responded regarding Ishmael: (1) From Hagar in 16:11, "because the Lord hath heard they affliction." (2) From Abraham in 17:20, "And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee." and, (3) From Ishmael himself in Genesis 21:17, "For God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is."
We will hear Ishmael's name mentioned again in Gen. 36:3 when we are told that Esau, the brother of Jacob, married "Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth." And we will learn much more about their descendents, the Edomites, as we continue reading.
Just in case you're interested, my message on Sunday, September 21st will deal with the story in Genesis 21 - where Hagar and Ishmael are cast out of Abraham's house - and God hears the boy's cries. I'll be comparing it to the teaching from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:7-11.
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