AGE: 10 - 11 YEARS
STANDARD/GRADE: V & VI
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HAGAR AND ISHMAEL
Hagar was the maid servant of Sarai (later called Sarah), wife of Abraham. God had promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky, but as yet he and Sarah did not have a child. Sarah thought to have a child through Hagar, their servant maid and suggested it to Abraham. Abraham accepted and soon Hagar was going to have a child. However, this joyous event turned into a hostile event, as jealousy arose between the two women. Hagar began to look down upon Sarah and Sarah started to ill-treat Hagar.
Hagar ran away from home and fled to a nearby desert. The Angel of the Lord was watching over her and he found her by a spring of water that was beside the way that led to a place called Shur. The Angel asked her why she was there. Hagar said that she was running away from her mistress. The Angel of the Lord told her to return to Sarai and be obedient to her. He told her to name her son Ishmael. He also said that Ishmael would grow up to be a wild man; he would dwell in the midst of all his brethren and there would be constant conflict between him and the people around him.
The water well where the Angel found her would be called “Beer Lahai Roi” which meant “Well of the One Who Lives and Sees Me”. Hagar called the name of the Lord "You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees" because Hagar had seen the Lord, who saw her distress and comforted her in the wilderness. Hagar did as the Lord commanded her and returned home. In due time, she gave birth to her son Ishmael. Abraham was 86 years old at that time.
Ishmael grew up and Abraham thought Ishmael was going to be his heir. But God appeared to Abraham and told him that he and Sarah (previously called Sarai) would have a son, Isaac. Isaac would be their heir and the son of promise, through whom all the nations would receive Abraham's blessings. God had a special role for Isaac in the salvation plan of God. The Messiah, Jesus Christ would be born in his lineage.
Abraham prayed for Ishmael too. God told him that Ishmael also would be a great man, but not the son of promise. Ishmael's family would become a great nation. His twelve sons would become twelve princes. One day Sarah saw Ishmael making fun of Isaac and she got angry.
Sarah told Abraham to send Ishmael and Hagar away. This made Abraham very sad because Ishmael was his son too. God told him to listen to his wife Sarah and do as was told to him. Abraham gave Hagar some bread and water and sent them away.
Hagar and Ishmael wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water was used up, Hagar kept Ishmael under a shrub and sat down a short distance from him. Hagar started to cry because she didn't want to see Ishmael dying of thirst. God heard the voice of the child. Hagar heard a voice speaking to her from heaven. God told her not to be afraid. God promised her that Ishmael would not die and he would become a great man.
God opened Hagar's eyes and she saw a well of water. She got water for them and they survived. Ishmael did grow up and his descendants became a great nation of people. Ishmael became an archer, a marksman with a bow and arrow. Hagar and Ishmael’s story teaches us that, God keeps a watch over us, cares for us and will provide for our needs whatever situation we may go through.
Bible
Reference: Genesis 16, 21
Memory verse: Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him, for he cares for you. (I Peter 5: 6, 7 NKJV).
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ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
Fill
in the blanks:
1. ...................... was Sarai’s maid servant.
2. The water well where the Angel found Hagar would be called
the
...........................
3. God told
Abraham that .......................... would be the son of
promise.
4. Ishmael grew up and became an .........................
Give short answers:
1. Why did Hagar run away
from home?
2. What did Hagar name God
as?
3. What did God tell
Abraham when he prayed for Ishmael?
4. Why did Sarah send Ishmael away after Isaac was born?
Answer in
brief:
1. What
happened to Hagar and Ishmael after they were sent away from home for the
second time?
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