Emphasis Preaching Journal
Facing trouble in God's care
Commentary
Genesis 21:8-21
This portion of scripture for today is primarily about the promises of God to Hagar and Ishmael, and the end of their biblical story. There are several things we may say about it:
* It is an explanatory tale, the point of which is "This is why we (meaning the descendants of Abraham) and the Arabs are constantly at war";
* It is a story that reflects -- backward, as in a mirror -- the relationship between Egypt and Israel over the centuries;
This portion of scripture for today is primarily about the promises of God to Hagar and Ishmael, and the end of their biblical story. There are several things we may say about it:
* It is an explanatory tale, the point of which is "This is why we (meaning the descendants of Abraham) and the Arabs are constantly at war";
* It is a story that reflects -- backward, as in a mirror -- the relationship between Egypt and Israel over the centuries;
