In the book of Genesis, we find the story of Abraham and Sarah. Sarah not being able to conceive a child had Abraham conceive one with her handmaid Hagar. Once Sarah saw that Hagar conceived, Sarah started to despise Hagar and she fled.
(Genesis 16:6-14) “But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. {7} ¶ And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. {8} And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. {9} And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. {10} And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. {11} And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. {12} And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. {13} And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? {14} Wherefore the well was called Beer–lahai–roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.”
God also told Abraham in Genesis Ch. 17, verse 20, that He would bless Ishmael – “And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.”
Sarah and Abraham conceived Isaac.
(Genesis 21:9-11) And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. {10} Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. {11} And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
(Genesis 21:14-21) And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer–sheba. {15} And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. {16} And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
In the wilderness, Hagar forgot what the angel of the LORD told her previously about multiplying her seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. There she was in the wilderness weeping in fear of her son dying. As Christians, we look at our circumstance and let it override what God has spoken to us. When we are in the wilderness we have to hold on to the promises of God no matter what we don’t see.
{17} And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. {18} Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. {19} And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. {20} And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. {21} And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
God’s promises always come to pass.
(Genesis 25:12-16) ” Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham: {13} And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, {14} And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, {15} Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: {16} These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.”
All Scriptures are KJV only.
Related Scripture:
Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.