HAGAR - meaning “Flight or Foresaken” Hagar was an Egyptian slave girl who worked for Sarah, the wife of Abraham. God made a covenant with Abraham that he would have many descendants and inherit the Promised Land, but after ten years, Sarah was still not pregnant. She was getting very impatient as she was no longer a young woman and decided to take matters into her own hands. Sarah instructed Hagar to sleep with Abraham as she thought she could build a family through her. When Hagar fell pregnant, Sarah became jealous and treated Hagar very harshly. Hagar got scared and fled into the desert. While in the desert, the Angel of the Lord appeared to her and told her to go back to Sarah. He also told her that she must name her son Ishmael and that her son would one day become a great nation. Although this was Hagar’s first encounter with the God of Abraham, she obeyed and followed his instructions. She said “You-Are- the-God-Who-Sees”, (Gen 16:13). She returned and gave birth to Ishmael. Abraham was then 86 years old. When Abraham was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and told him that he and Sarah would have a son the following year. They must call him Isaac and the Lord said that His covenant will be with Isaac. Abraham was concerned about Ishmael and the Lord promised him that Ishmael would also become a great nation, but that the covenant will stand with Isaac. On that day Abraham and all the men with him, were circumcised and going forward all boys born would be circumcised when they were eight days old. Ishmael was fourteen years old when Isaac was born. Once Isaac was weaned, Sarah told Abraham to cast out Hagar and Ishmael as she would never allow Ishmael to share in Isaac’s inheritance. This saddened Abraham, as Ishmael was also his son. The Lord however spoke to Abraham and told him to do as Sarah instructed and promised Abraham that Ishmael would be taken care of and that he will also grow into a great nation as he was a descendant from Abraham. Abraham gave Hagar and Ishmael some provisions and sent them away. Hagar wondered with her son in the Wilderness of Beersheba. Once her provisions ran out, she placed her son under a tree in the shade and walked a bit away from him. She was crying and did not want to watch her son die. God called out from Heaven to Hagar and told her take her son by the hand as He will make him a great nation. When Hagar took Ishmael, she saw a well and gave Ishmael some water to drink. Ismael grew up and got married and formed a great nation. Due Abraham’s sin, the world has seen centuries worth of bloodshed between the descendants of Isaac (the Jews) and Ishmael (the Arabs). Although the Promised Land was given to Isaac and his descendants, the Arab nations feel that they also have a claim on it as Ishmael was Abraham’s first son. Later on, in Galations 4, Paul describes two covenants through the two sons of Abraham. The son of Sarah was born as a promise and the son of Hagar was born according to the flesh. He likened Christians as born free through promise from the line of Sarah and Hagar gave birth to those in bondage. It is interesting to note that Hagar’s name means ‘flight’ or ‘forsaken’. Twice she had to flee into the wilderness and was forsaken by the father of child. Yet, through all her hardships, she still listened to voice of God. Although she was a slave, God still provided for her when she was in distress and because she listened to the voice of God, He blessed her son. When we listen to God’s word and obey, He cares about us and will look after and provide for us. God never breaks His promises.