After God inaugurates the election of Israel with Abram’s call (Gen 12:1-3), the Lord continues the chosen line through Isaac (Gen 21:1-3), saying, “Through Isaac your offspring shall be named” (21:12). After Sarah gives birth to her son, God tests Abraham by asking him to sacrifice Isaac—an event known in Jewish tradition as the Aqedah, or “binding” of Isaac (Gen 22:1-19). Ultimately, God saves Isaac from Abraham’s knife in order to carry on the chosen lineage of Israel. Yet, such divine salvation is not limited to the elect Isaac; just one chapter before the Aqedah, Genesis anticipates the protection of Isaac when God saves Ishmael in much the same way.
Genesis 22 describes the elect Isaac’s salvation thusly: “The angel of the Lord (מלאך יהוה; malakh Hashem) called (קרא; qara) to [Abraham] from the heavens (מן השׁמים; min ha’shamayim) and said… ‘Do not lay your hand (יד; yad) on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing that your have not withheld your son, your favored one, from me.’ And Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw (עניו וירא; enav va’yar’), and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.” (22:11-14)
Genesis 21 uses the same language to describe the non-elect Ishmael’s salvation. As Hagar weeps beside her child because she has run out of water in the wilderness, “God heard the boy’s voice, and the angel of God (מלאך אלהים; malakh elohim) called (קרא; qara) to Hagar from the heavens (מן השׁמים; min ha’shamayim) and said to her, ‘What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not… lift up the boy and hold on to him with your hand (יד; yad), for I will make him into a great nation.’ Then God opened her eyes and she saw (עיניה ותרא; eneha va’tere’) a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink” (21:17-19).
Just as God sends an “angel from heaven” who causes Abraham to “lift up his eyes” and see a ram that he can use to save his son, the Lord also sends an “angel from heaven” who causes Hagar to “open her eyes” and see a well that saves her son. This shows us that, while Ishmael is not “chosen” in the same way as Isaac, both the “elect” (Isaac) and the “non-elect” (Ishmael) receive the same salvific grace from the God of Israel.
Love this beautiful portion so much, as Hashem is gathering a "horn - Shoffar " that will be sounded as spoken in Revelation.
AMAZING FAITH STRENGHTENING ARTICLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS DIVINE LOVE. Shalom. We have a merciful and saving God who works in many wonderful ways. I love this scripture It is a beautiful foreshadowing of Jesus offering all, gentile and Jews alike, the water of everlasting life to the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. Beautiful. This is pure Gospel. Thanks for pointing out the parallel passage of Grace! I love this is so deep wish to know more When Ishmael is delivered it's through the call of the Lord in his Creator Title: Elohim. But when Issac is delivered, it's through the call of the Lord through his Covenant Title: Yahweh. It's best not to bifurcate these titles for God, since both are used to describe God as "creator" and "covenanter." As examples, note the use of "Elohim" when God makes covenants with Noah (Gen 9:12-17) and Abraham (Gen 17:7-9), and the use of God's personal name (i.e., "the Lord") in Isaiah's descriptions of divine creation (e.g., Isa 42:5). More, the angel of the Lord says to Abraham after the binding of Isaac, "Now I know that you fear God (אלהים; Elohim)" (Gen 22:12).
Genesis 11-25 tells how ABRAM and Sarai allowed Hagar to become the mother of Ishmael. At the birth of Isaac, God changed Abram's name to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah. It was ABRAHAM, NOT ABRAM, that set out to sacrifice Isaac. God changed his name for a reason. It's not the first time God changed someone's name. Jacob became Israel, and Saul became Paul. Thanks for your comment. It's a common misconception that "Saul became Paul." There's no name-change according to Acts, in which 15 of the 20 instances of "Saul" come after the Damascus Road event. That is, Saul continues to be called "Saul" after meeting Jesus. It was common for Jews in the ancient world to have two names: a Hebrew name (i.e., Saul or Shaul), and a Roman name (i.e., Paul or Paulus). Saul uses the name "Paul" in his letters because he's writing to Gentiles (non-Jews) who would have been more familiar with his Roman name than with his Hebrew name.
I had not compared the two occasions before, thanks I had always thought that Abraham loved both sons but it is so sorrowful that nation's that arose from these two boys do not realize the love Yahweh has for all. All are equal in the grace of Yeshua. All are his children.
Load more commentsEmunah