Q2. Where Is God?

[sjb]

I think the same emotions drove Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion as earlier when she drove Hagar away: jealousy and frustration that her plans had gone awry. She used the excuse that Ishmael was "playing" with her son. There is great debate whether this means Ishmael was "picking on" Isaac or whether Sarah thought Ishmael, as the son of a servant, shouldn't be allowed to treat Isaac as an equal. Having seen older children coming to accept a younger sibling, I can see where there may have been some teasing and tormenting where Isaac was concerned. Considering how Ishmael's personality is described, this is a distinct possibliity. But the last sentence in V. 20 leads me to believe that, even if Ishmael were totally innocent, Sarah would have made the same demands. I come from a dysfunctional family where my mother used me in my childhood as a lever to control others, especially my father. I guess that is why I find Sarah so disturbing. I've been here searching my heart to remember if there were ever a time when I demanded my husband to act against his principles. Earlier in our marriage, my husband's family placed so many demands on his time and energy that our children and I were placed last...or so I felt. I'm not sure I ever tried to force him to act against his principles, but I know that I must have said and done things that compromised his loyalties.

[joanharmelink]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

fear on Sarahs came to be a part of her as sshe saw Abraham enjoyed his sson. There must have been quite a difference in age and possibly she thought her son would aat times be dominant over her son. Possibly she harabored some guilt all along the way. Fear of what could happen abecomes a worry and it can get out of hand aand destruction takes place. I am single and have no problems forcing anyone in my immediaatae family.

[JustJeff]

Sarah seems to have an ought with Hagar stemming from the birth of Ishmael before she conceived Issac. The bitterness comes to a head when Ishmael mocks her son giving her occassion to have both expelled from the camp. I don't believe any attempt to cause pain and suffering to a person is righteous. God uses our unrighteousness for His good. Issac was the heir and Ishmaels presence would have complicated His divine plan as would have Esau's with Jacob. All ended up being blessed as only a loving Father can do to all of His children.

I believe at times everyone is guilty of coercion and, has been the recipient of it. I am no different.

[Patricia A]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

Sarah sees Ishmael playing with her son, as if he's one of the family, and becomes enraged that he is a member of the family or Sarah sees Ishmael mocking or making fun of Isaac -- or maybe even hurting Isaac -- and becomes enraged that this son of a servant girl is bothering her son, Abraham's heir.Sarah is not righteous if she is asking Abraham to act against legal principals. I have not ever tried to force my spouse to act against his principles. I have never been forced to act against principles but it has been suggested to me.

[Patricia A]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

Sarah sees Ishmael playing with her son, as if he's one of the family, and becomes enraged that he is a member of the family or Sarah sees Ishmael mocking or making fun of Isaac -- or maybe even hurting Isaac -- and becomes enraged that this son of a servant girl is bothering her son, Abraham's heir.Sarah is not righteous if she is asking Abraham to act against legal principals. I have not ever tried to force my spouse to act against his principles. I have never been forced to act against principles but it has been suggested to me.

[Patricia A]

Q3. In what ways has God blessed Abraham in this difficult chapter 21? Given what we know about Ishmael's character (16:12; 25:18), how has Abraham been blessed that he sent him away? How has Isaac been blessed? What might have happened if Ishmael hadn't been sent away? Have you ever been rejected or sent away? Where is God in all of this?

Abraham still aches from the pain of loss, but God consoles him with clear direction as well as insight into what God is doing. Abraham is to grant Sarah

[Jewell]

Maybe jealousy. No, she is not righteous in her request. Probably, although I'm sure with just cause :-). And yes, although it was utimately a choice I made.

[Commissioned]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment?

Sarah was probably protecting her son Isaac from Ishmael's poking fun at him and the fact that if he stays around he might inherit part of Abraham's property.

Is she righteous in this?

No, she was not right, but she did it for her son.

Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles?

Can't say that I have.

Have you ever been forced yourself?

Yes, and I regretted it, but now thank God that He brought me out of darkness into this marvelous light.

[emmaus]

Her motherly instincts to protect her son is what motivates Sarah. No, Sarah wasn't righteous in demanding this. But there would never have been peace in the camp with them living there. Ishmael wasn't a child anymore, so in one sense I can understand Sarah wanting them to leave. Either way, God was going to protect Ishmael and Hagar because of Abraham's plea to God earlier.

There has never been a time force has been used in my personal life, but I think sin is more subtle and we may tempt or be tempted to do something against our principles.

[RAJU]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

It is simple human nature to respond the way sarah responded - mix of jealousy, insecurity and hatred which overcame her and put abrham is a very delicate position . The question is not whether she was righteous in doing this since this behavoiur is not acceptable to God .

I or my spouse have , fortunately , never forced or be forced to act in this manner , so extreme

[Craig]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

Sarah demanded Ishmael's expulsion because she saw Ishmael was a potential threat to Isaac's inheritance. In my opinion she is not righteous in this. She is selfish and looking only for the welfare of her own child without any regard for Hagar and Ishmael.

Yes I have tried to force my spouse to act against her principles and I was wrong. In an earlier life, I have been forced to go against my principles. I understand Sarah, but her actions, as well of some mine, were wrong. Love you neighbor as yourself.

[servant for Christ]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

I think Sarah is motivated by jealousy. No, she is not righteous in doing this. I am a single person, but no, I would not force my spouse to do anything against his principles. No, I have not been forced to do anything against my principles.

[masika]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

It is because now she had a son who will inherent her husband, she sees no need to have a son born by her maid servant.

It might be right, since God has His plan in doing things, there is nothing that happens by chance in Gid's side.

There are a number of times when my wife, force me to do things which I did not like, to save my marriage I have been given in to some of her demands.

[Paul H]

What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Jealousy and resentment that Ishmael is Abraham's first born son

Is she righteous in this? No

Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself? Fortunately no to both.

[Peggy Crans]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

She is angry and jealous because things are not going as she expected they would. I don't think she was even thinking about being righteous, she was angry and wanted Hagar and her son to be gone.

No I have never tried to force anyone to act against their principles and to my knowdedge I have not been forced to act against my own pronciples. That's where free will comes in. If I have done anything against my own principles, I was not forced to do so.

God told Abraham to do as Sarah said because He would make a nation of Ishmael. Abraham knew God would keep His promise.

[Lionbait]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

Sarah displayed weaknesses that we all process and that is of jealousy and fear, she played out these emotions to there full extent and at no time turned to God for help.

My walk with the Lord has allowed me to identify these emotions within my self and to address them through Jesus love.

[Seeking His Face]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

protection of her son ,protection of his inheritance as Abraham's son. Not sure if she was righteous, but God used it to further His plan, He told Abraham to do as Sarah said. So it was in accordance with God's plan. No, I haven't ask that of anyone. But I have been ask to.

[hanks]

Q2. (21:8-10)

What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment?

Is she righteous in this?

Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles?

Have you ever been forced yourself?

Sarah was correct in the expulsion of Ishmael. I think she was getting rid of any possible threat to Isaac

[Foofee's Nana]

What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment?

Honestly, i think that it began as jealously....she had stepped in fornt of God's will before and given Hagar to Abram to sleep with and Ishmael was the result of this union. But it did not make Sarai feel any better. Now she had her precious son, Isaac, the fulfillment to promise and she wanted the interloper out. Perhaps this was also God's was using what we do and turning it around for glory.

Is she righteous in this?

I think her motives are mixed, but she knew she did not want Ishmael to share in the inheritance. To her...I do not know if this was the money, land, etc, or the promise of God that she did not want Ishmael to have.

Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles?

No....I have stayed in deep prayer about my spouse, he is of a different faith.

Have you ever been forced yourself?

No, my spouse has respected my beliefs and even honored them for me.

[Pearl]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

Sarah feels as if Ishmael is making fun (maybe), or mocking Issac.

I think that Sarah is righteous in that Issac is the spiritual heir.

No, my spouse always had a mind of his own.

No.

[Alan8]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

Jealousy had a lot to do with it. Maybe protection because if Ishmael was bullying Isaac she may have been trying to protect him. The sad part of this situation was that Hagar and Ishmael were good enough until Isaac was born. Of course there were jealousies on sarah's and Hagar's part all through the time but now that Isaac is born cast the bondslave away. Sarah more than Abraham forgets that if she did not tell Abraham to go into Hagar this whole situation would not have happened.

Of course they now want to obey God and Isaac is to be the son of promise and not Ishmael so according to the Code of Hammurabi Ishmael would have to be sent away but it should have been in the back of their minds Ishmael happened because of them and as a result when they sent him and Hagar away it definitely should have been on better terms and not so cold and heartless about it.

[Spen]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

Anger and frustration as she see's her son being made fun of. No! She is not righteous in this, as she wants to now divest her family of the arrangement she helped to create. In doing this she is compromising her husbands ethics. Probably pressed really close to the line but never went over the line. Beem forced myself

yes and refused to buckle as the issue was about personal responsibility for anothers security. This was a time when we both had to learn to yield since it was a second marriage for both of us and prior responsibility for children trumps an indifferent wife or husbands priviledges. A difficult time to be sure.

[pastor neal]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself?

According to Sarah she sees Ishmael "mocking" Isaac at a feast that Abraham had thrown. However, her motive may had been more on the selfish side since she did not want Ishmael to collect any part of Abraham's' estate.

Is she righteous? NO! She is working against the will of God. However, I believe that this becomes more of a Moral dilemma. She should allow Ishmael to inherit at least a small portion of Abraham's' wealth since he had been their son before she was able to conceive one of their own. Of course no one could force her to comply but had she any scruples she would had made the gesture of her own will.

No, I have never tried to force my wife to do anything that is against her principles.

I have had someone who attempted to push me this far but I refused to buckle under the pressure.

[wifee]

2a)Sarah is reacting out of jealousy asking Abraham to disinherit Ishmael, casting out him & Hagar because he was playing with Isaac as if he was one of the family &making fun of Isaac(mocking him)persecuting him either verbally or physically.

b)Ishmael had a legal right in civil matters to become heir on father’s property. Therefore she wasn’t righteousness but asks Abraham to go against legal principles of the time out of her sinful contempt for Hagar. God used even this situation caused from S’s anger, for his purposes that A’s line of promise would be thro Isaac.

c)No

d)I have been asked to put my principles in a situation to one side, to support spouse’s ministry. I have learned now to act accordinging to Spirit, and not react.

[royk]

Q2. (21:8-10) What motivates Sarah to demand Ishmael's expulsion from Abraham's family encampment? Is she righteous in this? Have you ever tried to force your spouse to act against his or her principles? Have you ever been forced yourself

My wife is a Hispanic minister from El Salvador where they might pray for hours to our Savior as a normal daily event. At least once a month they pray all Saturday night into the early morning of Sunday. My wife told me that it was very bad to celebrate Halloween and her pastor brother has been warning all the congregation not to do this 'devil worship."

Frankly, at first I though this was crazy and said it was cultural. She argued it was written in the Bible and such activities should not be done. So after the argument when I prayed about it, in a moment God told me that she was right. She is very very biblical in her way of living, very narrow and strict, e.g. no dancing was allowed by her or her sisters when they were young. They constantly remind me that Americans in general are not Christians or not good worshipers. I come to appreciate how they are, very old fashioned, loving God and the Bible. It is all good and part of His plan for me. Praise the Lord for my deep transformation, and for showing me that I'm a sinner like all the rest and no better than anyone else; saved by grace and not by any works. Amen.