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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 3
be the mother of his child through whom he thinks the promise is to
be fulfilled. He informs Sarah that he should not have taken Hagar
for his wife if it had not been her special request. Abraham was
also compelled to listen to Hagar’s complaints of abuse from Sarah.
Abraham is in perplexity. If he seeks to redress the wrongs of Hagar,
he increases the jealousy and unhappiness of Sarah, his first, and much
loved wife. Hagar fled from the face of Sarah. An angel of God meets
her, and comforts her, and also reproves her for her haughty conduct in
bidding her return to her mistress, and submit herself under her hands.
After the birth of Ishmael, the Lord manifested himself again to
Abraham, and said unto him, “I will establish my covenant between me
and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting
covenant.” Again the Lord repeated by his angel his promise to give
Sarah a son, and that she should be a mother of many nations. Abraham
did not yet understand the promise of God. His mind immediately
rests upon Ishmael, as though through him would come the many
nations promised, and he exclaims, in his affection for his son, “Oh,
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that Ishmael might live before thee.”
Again the promise is more definitely repeated to Abraham. “Sarah
thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name
Isaac, and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting
covenant, and with his seed after him.” Angels are sent the second
time to Abraham on their way to destroy Sodom, and they repeat the
promise more distinctly that Sarah shall have a son.
After the birth of Isaac, the great joy manifested by Abraham and
Sarah, caused Hagar to be very jealous. Ishmael had been instructed
by his mother that he was to be especially blessed of God, as the son of
Abraham, and to be heir to that which was promised to him. Ishmael
partook of his mother’s feelings, and was angry because of the joy
manifested at the birth of Isaac. He despised Isaac because he thought
that he was preferred before him. Sarah saw the disposition manifested
by Ishmael against her son Isaac, and she was greatly moved. She
related to Abraham the disrespectful conduct of Ishmael to her, and
to her son Isaac, and said to him, “Cast out this bondwoman, and her
son, for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even
with Isaac.”
Abraham was greatly distressed. Ishmael was his son, beloved by
him. How can he send him away. He prays to God in his perplexity,
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