亞伯蘭在迦南地已住了十年，但仍未得到上帝應許要賜給他的兒子。他和他的妻子一天天老去，心情也愈來愈沮喪，他們不等上帝最完美的時刻來到，反而自告奮勇的跪在上帝前面，結果造成了許多麻煩和紛爭。亞伯蘭孤注一擲聽從他妻子撒萊的話，仿效當時異教的習俗，與他的婢女同床，寄望婢女為他生一個孩子。誰知他採納了錯誤的建議，因為上帝並沒有要他這麼做，更不是上帝的計畫。所應許的後裔要出自亞伯蘭的妻子撒萊。隨著夏甲的肚皮一天天隆起，亞伯蘭家中的紛爭也不斷升高，因為夏甲忘了自己的地位，而瞧不起她的主母撒萊。亞伯蘭也陷於困境，因為撒萊受了委屈向他抱怨，並且怪罪於他。為了維持和平，唯一的解決辦法只有讓撒萊隨她所欲對待夏甲。

        按照當時、當地的法律，僕人沒有權利。夏甲在主母嚴厲的對待下被迫出逃（「夏甲」的意思是「逃亡」或「離開」），但上帝並沒有遺棄她。主的使者在聖經裡第一次出現，向夏甲說話，就好像主親自安慰夏甲一樣。主的使者要夏甲回到撒萊身邊，順服她的主母，然後預言夏甲會有許多後裔，也預言她腹中孩子的事，說他要取名為以實瑪利，意思是「耶和華聽見了」。夏甲大得鼓勵，稱耶和華為活著看顧人的上帝。

        以實瑪利出生十三年以後，耶和華再次向亞伯蘭顯現，給他有關上帝的新啟示──「我是全能的神」（El Shadi），表達上帝的偉大和全能。亞伯蘭需要再次知道，在上帝沒有不可能的事，上帝也要求他在上帝面前作完全人。在上帝設立割禮──以色列人被分別歸上帝的表記──之前，祂先將亞伯蘭（意為「崇高的父」）的名字改為「亞伯拉罕」，意思是「多國的父」，因為地上萬國都要因他那應許的後裔得著屬靈的祝福。撒萊的名字也被改為「撒拉」（意思是「皇后」）。上帝告訴亞伯拉罕，所應許的孩子要從撒拉而出，亞伯拉罕脫口為以實瑪利求福，上帝聽了他的祈求，答應賜福以實瑪利，使他的後裔繁多。不過，上帝的約是要與亞伯拉罕和撒拉一年之後將有的兒子──以撒──立的。在以實瑪利十三歲，亞伯拉罕九十九歲那年，他們和家中所有的男子都受了割禮，重新與上帝立約。

        上帝對亞伯拉罕的勸誡，也是我們應該聽從的。讓我們在上帝面前作完全人。

        上帝啊，我們為您的應許和您在最完美的時刻使應許實現來讚美您。向我們施恩，使我們能在您面前及世界面前作完全人。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

         Abram had been living in the land for ten years already and still did not have the son God had promised him. He and his wife were getting older and becoming discouraged. Rather than waiting for the perfect timing of the Lord, they took the matter upon themselves and jumped ahead, leading to many troubles and strife. Out of desperation, Abram heeded the voice of his wife Sari to follow the common heathen custom and lie with her maidservant so that she might bear a child for her. He took heed to the wrong voice, for this was not what God told him to do, nor was it His plan. The promised seed was to come from Abram’s wife Sarai. Abram was in a tight situation, for Sarai complained and put the blame on him. In order to keep the peace, the only solution was to let Sarai have her way and do with Hagar what she wanted.

         In those days, in the laws of the land, a servant had no rights. Hagar was forced to flee (‘Hagar’ means ‘to escape’ or ‘leave’) from the harshness of her mistress, but God did not abandon her. For the fist time in the Bible we see the appearance of the Angel of the Lord who speaks and comforts Hagar as though he were the Lord Himself. She is told to return and submit to her mistress, then he prophesied that she would have many descendants and prophesied concerning the child within her womb whom he says is to be called Ishmael meaning “God has heard”. Hagar was encouraged and proclaimed that God lives and sees.

         Thirteen years after Ishmael was born, the Lord once again appeared to Abram in a new revelation of Himself – “I am Almighty God”, “El Shadai”, expressing God’s greatness and omnipotence (all-powerful). Abram needed to be reassured that nothing was impossible for God and to be exhorted to walk blameless before Him. Before God instituted the rite of circumcision, which was to be a covenant sign that they were set apart for Him, God changed Abram’ name, meaning “exalted father” to “Abraham” meaning “father of a multitude”, for through his promised seed all nations of the earth would be spiritually blessed. Sarai’s name was also changed to Sarah (meaning “princess”) and Abraham was told that from her would come the child of promise. Abraham cried out, concerning Ishmael, requesting that he would be blessed. God heard his cry and promised to bless Ishmael and make his descendants many. The Lord’s covenant would be established with Isaac, the son Abraham and Sarah were to have one year later. In renewal of the covenant, Ishmael at the age of 13, and Abraham at the age of 99, along with all the other males of his household were circumcised as God commanded.

         The exhortation that God gave to Abraham is one we should take for ourselves. Let us walk blamelessly before the world.

         O God we praise You for Your promises and for Your perfect timing in their fulfillment. Grant us Your grace that we may walk blameless before You and before the world.