B'resheet 21:12-13 But G-d said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Yitz'chak your descendants shall be named. And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant."
The descendants of Ishmael also became a great nation because of Abraham, not because of anything that Ishmael had done.
B'resheet 21:14-19 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water in the skin was used up, and she left the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, "Do not let me see the boy die." And she sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice and wept. And G-d heard the lad crying; and the angel of G-d called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for G-d has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand; for I will make a great nation of him." Then G-d opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink.
Beware when you scoff at the plan of the Almighty. His ways are above our ways. If you laugh He may turn your laughter into crying for thirst.
At a higher level we may cry because of a thirst that is never quenched like the rich man.
Luke 16:19-31 "Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day. "And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. "Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. "And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.' "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' "And he said, 'Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father's house-- for I have five brothers-- that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' "But he said, 'No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!' "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.'"
Hagar humbled herself to G-d and His ways and she was rewarded, forgiven and protected.
The Twenty-first letter corresponding to this chapter is Shin-Divine power; provision; protection.
B'resheet 21:20 And G-d was with the lad, and he grew; and he lived in the wilderness, and became an archer.
It is interesting that the seed that was not given the major promises was an archer. Why? The future anti-messiah will also scoff at G-d and His plans.
He will also carry a bow.
Revelation 6:2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering, and to conquer.
B'resheet 21:21 And he lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
Paran - This was the area of northeast Sinai Peninsula.
B'resheet 21:22-24 Now it came about at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, "G-d is with you in all that you do; now therefore, swear to me here by G-d that you will not deal falsely with me, or with my offspring, or with my posterity; but according to the kindness that I have shown to you, you shall show to me, and to the land in which you have sojourned. " And Abraham said, "I swear it."
Note what Abraham just said.
B'resheet 21:25-30 But Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the well of water which the servants of Abimelech had seized. And Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this thing; neither did you tell me, nor did I hear of it until today." And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech; and the two of them made a covenant. Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. And Abimelech said to Abraham, "What do these seven ewe lambs mean, which you have set by themselves?" And he said, "You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand in order that it may be a witness to me, that I dug this well."
This is symbolic of the seven churches (lamp stands) and seven types of body of believers set apart. (Rev. 1:8-20) They are a witness of Yeshua HaMashiach.
Yeshua states:
Rev.1:8 "I AM the Alpha and the Omega, " say the L-rd G-d, "who is and who was and who is to come , THE ALMIGHTY."
Again He says,
Rev 1:17-20 "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. "Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall take place after these things. "As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. NAS
John 10:26-30 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. "I and the Father are one." NAS
His Divine power continues to provide and to protect us. He has everlasting life through HIM. Who ever drinks of the water at Beersheba will thirst again but whoever drinks of the water Yeshua will give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.
Back to Beersheba:
B'resheet 21:31-34 Therefore he called that place Beersheba; because there the two of them took an oath. So they made a covenant at Beersheba; and Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, arose and returned to the land of the Philistines. And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the L-RD, the Everlasting G-d. And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines for many days. NAS
Beersheba - (seven; complete)