Several things occur in the story of Ishmael and Hagar journey out of the home of Abraham. She is cast out because her son is mocking Sarah over having a son. Now Abraham had no choice but to get rid of Hagar and her son, but he would send her with provisions. The question how old was Ishmael when this occurred. His age is given in chapter 17 of Genesis of him being 13 when he is circumcised. Abraham was to circumcise all babies eight days old as a sign of covenant between God and himself. He is consider righteous and so he is given a covenant of circumicision and even is to circumcises all slaves and servants he owns that are male and even himself. Now this was a sign of covenant that no one would be cast of God's family, they were to be a holy people unto God. Anyone not circumcised or not willing to be circumcised was cast out. Yet the bondswoman Hagar's Son would have no part in Abraham inheritance but would Inherit the promise of God promised her.

Now why would God allow the casting out of the bondswomans Hagar and her son, because he mocked or making sport of Isaac because he was the original chosen heir, though he was younger the Ishmael, Making fun of Sarah showing disrespect. Yet provisions are made for her, she was not sent out without hope or even God's divine protection, because after all her son was seal by the sign of circumcision. Ishmael was still a boy. When it got hot and Hagar and her son began to thirst and their was no water she cast her son down under a shrub. She moved aways off so she would not see her son die and she lifted up her voice and ask God not to let her see her son die. God heard Ishmael cries and called to Hagar out of heaven and asked her what was wrong? The promise is given once again to Hagar of her son being a great nation, and she opened her eyes to see a well in front of her. God was with the boy and he grew and became and archer and they lived in the wilderness, and he mother got him a wife from Egypt.

God did not abandon Hagar though he sent her away from the people of promise. Did she have promise, did she have hope? She could not in her journey see her hope or promise of protection before her. Had she forgotten the promise God had made to her. The promise her son would be a great nation also. There would be Twelve princes to be exact to come out of the line of Ishmael, just like twelve tribes out of Israel. Why this separation from Isaac who had not the inheritance of Abraham? Just because you deserve not the blessing of your father, does not mean you are cursed by God. Just because Hagar was enslaved by the law of God and Abraham to be cast out does not mean she was not a member of the family of God, but she was enslaved to law of both God and Abraham by being cast out and for this reason Arab world was subject to Jerusalem. When we study Galatians(continual scripture study) Paul uses the Arab world and Israel as allegory to explain how today Jews are in bondage because of the law and not set free by faith in Christ. In other words both Israel and Arab world are in bondage to the law of God and Abraham, but not set free by faith alone in Christ Jesus.

Two things we often are in bondage to the yoke of our parents no matter how far we live from them to be obedience to all the things they teach us, and when those chains are broken we are free from their law, but are we free from God if free from our parents law. No because the law of God says to obey our parents. If we are in disobedience then we are as if the bondswoman and are cast out. If we have faith we are not cast out of God's kingdom because of the law of circumcision of faith. Circumcision of faith and taking God at his word. Cain was cast out with no hope. God did not leave Hagar to perish but held the promise he spoke to her. That same promise of Christ was to unite both tribes of people to one faith in God. The promise and hope coming from the line of King David who was a grandson of Ruth and Boaz. A woman of bondage/gentile and a true Israelite. The hope coming to all people of faith in Christ.

We are set free if we have faith in God, Christ in the flesh/Word and His Spirit. That freedom given upon faith. Faith is a valuable to God. It taking God at his word, even when there is no hope in our own mind. Our own understanding has no hope within it, and yet by faith we look to God and say you said your would do this. The promises of God to for people of faith never changes. He promised flood waters would never cover the whole earth again. God promised that through faith in Christ we would be saved. We were given the hope and promise the Holy Spirit to give us comfort and teach us the commands of God and to write them on our hearts.

Hagar and the people of Hagar had hope through faith, but Israel blindness is because they were outcasted by God and Abraham from the promise land on earth, not heaven. We need to see the difference in division for good and disrespect and unity of faith through belief. As a Christian I believe Christ is the only way for salvation. Yet at the same time, I believe God the Father sent Jesus to be the Savior to the world. To teach prehaps the difference in obedience to God despite the cost. Hagar definitely had a price in her punishment, but not her ability to be redeemed. God's promise was spoken to Hagar and she beleived and a well was only so many feet in front of her. Her need for water provided. Her salvation was the word of promise of God. When Christ came he took away the law, so the promise of God could be seen. That faith was more then laws, laws were only a part of faith as things we do to please God to honor, and to learn to obey God. They have no value in salvation beyond that. Faith is a law that is first before any other law.

Next time you fail God in your actions, remember do you still have faith? If the answer is yes, then just ask for forgiveness, knowing God has set you free through faith in Christ. You are no longer bound by the law to receive everlasting life. You only bound by the law as far as government, family and even friends, to remain in their good graces. Sometimes you find yourself outside their grace because you failed and they not at a point to forgive. Remember God's forgiven is promise upon repentance, because of Christ sacrifice, through his atonement, through his cry forgive them Father they know not what they do on the cross. The cross being the price paid for forgiveness. Our hope, not through our works should any man or woman boast, but through faith we are redeemed through the blood of the Lamb which is Christ Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father, grant us your grace through faith in Christ Jesus our hope and security of promise, the circumcision of the heart that determines us as believers of faith with no end. Help us to learn to follow you in obedience, knowing we set free from laws that enslave people of faith, beyond that they are good for believers to obey. Lord let us receive this hope today and forever as we ask you to forgive us our sins. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Galatians 4:21-31; 5:1 KJV
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.