POLYGAMY CONDEMNED. PART 5.

The next information in line was the conception, and birth of Isaac.

 The record in Genesis 21:1, stated, that: “And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.” The Hebrew word translated visited, is paqad, which first explained a blessing, or a promise, and  secondly bringing a judgment. Firstly, it can be perfectly understood that God brought his blessing, or promises into accomplishment, completion, seen as miracle- grace, giving Sarah a son, at old age. He promised Abraham a son. He gave the son, at the appointed time. Secondly, the coming, or conception of Isaac, was as a result of bringing judgment. It was known that Sarah was barren. Hagar, took the catastrophe, to her advantage, and attempted to snatch away, steal Abraham from Sarah. Hagar attempted to capitalize from Sarah’s barrenness. The Egyptian maid, thought that Ishmael, her son would become automatically the heir of Abraham.

The conception of Isaac, was to bring judgment between monogamy, and polygamy, which happened as a result of childlessness. God, the Owner of Creation, became the Judge. “… Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac”- Genesis 21:2-3. That is to say, Sarah was 90 years old (Genesis 17:17). Solution to barrenness, was found, and provided for, by God. There was no valid reason as to why Abraham could keep Hagar. He was now having a heir. Abraham was 100 years old, when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5), and Ishmael was automatically 14 years old. Compare Genesis 17:24-25, with Genesis 21:5. Abraham- 99 years, when Ishmael was 13 years, at the time of circumcision. Thus at the time of Isaac’s birth, if Abraham was 100 years, then Ishmael was exactly 14 years. “And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me”- Genesis 21:6. For the neighbours of Abraham, it was a surprise, a miracle indeed. It would be the laughter of good-natured surprise coupled with genuine delight and hearty felicitation, for a woman, old as Sarah of 90 years to have her womb rejuvenated, and to appear as damsel, young woman, in order to give birth to Isaac. For Sarah, it was the joyous laughter of wondrous realization. She is the mother of faith, and must keep that faith. She was occupied in mind, on how she could give a son to Abraham, on her own without success. She lived in fear of loosing her husband to Hagar, because of barrenness. God had heeded her prayers. God had been true to his promises. Sarah held in her arms God’s gift to the world, that was the gift, fruit from monogamous marriage, not polygamy, condemned by God. Children of secondary women are fruits of adultery. Isaac was God’s gift to the world, for through him, from his generation, brought Messiah, the Redeemer. Ishmael, was not a gift from God, but a reproach, disgrace, a curse, for through him, came Mohammad/ Mohammed, who cryptically brought worldwide worship of Satan in the name of Allah. Allah in Hebrews meant curse. It was an unfortunate day for the covenant loosers, marriage loosers, whose failures are seen in becoming second people’s wives. It was an unforgettable moment of thanksgiving, joy, and sacred dedication, to the covenant bearers, who maintained sanctity in marriage, and are ready in all cost to eliminate polygamy. The children of the world laughed when they brought troubles. The children of God laughed, get joy, when God provides solutions to their problems. They are not troublemakers. They are peaceful, hence the word of Jesus Christ in Matthew 5:9, which stated: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”

The name Isaac, is pronounced in Hebrews as Yitzhak, that is God hath made me to laugh, the laughter of rejoicing at the blessing of God who had restored happiness to the family of Abraham forever, by not only rejuvenating Sarah’s body so she would bare a son, but equally given her strength to nurse, take care of him. If this happiness was restored, then there was no space for troubles whatsoever. This categorically geared towards the dissolution of polygamy.

The record, continues: “And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned”- Genesis 21:8. The stage of weaning was exactly when the baby or child had reached 3 years. Thus, Isaac was 3 years old, when Ishmael was exactly 17 years old; Abraham was 103 years while Sarah was 93 years old. This is based on the comparison made in respect to the record in 2 Chronicles 31:16. Weaning, nutritionally, is the introduction of foods, other than breast milk. It can be also the period when a baby/ a child is stopped from sucking his/ her mother’s breast. Wean is from the old English word wenan, derived from Anglo-Saxon awendan, German wening, describing transition to foods, departure from breast milk. The Hebrew word is gamal, that is to complete. It was this time that Isaac completed the stages of a baby, categorically beginning the process of being a child or a toddler.

When Isaac, was weaned, his father made a great feast. That is, he offered sacrifice or made a feast to God, for God’s providence demanded Isaac’s life, just like Samuel (1 Samuel 1:23-27). God had many things in store for the life of Isaac. The feast brought Isaac to his complete dedication to God. Isaac by miraculous conception was from God and for that reason belonged to him. The feast was not introduction, neither induction to the world of foods. The great feast, made by Abraham, was not a birthday party and should not be confused as such. Birthday parties, are satanic, and had led to deaths, in the scriptures- Genesis 40:20-23; Matthew 14:6-12.

The great feast done as Isaac was weaned made green-eyed jealousy to creep back. Green is the colour of mind control system, of poison, idolatry, and worship of plants/ vegetation, currently the worship of mother earth, and not the colour of JEHOVAH, God of Israel. Hagar, and his son- Ishmael, were jealous, evil, in their hearts, because of the feast Abraham, had made for Isaac. Hagar knew or thought that Ishmael, was the first-born son to Abraham, and if possible be the one who was supposed to enjoy the best, not Isaac. It was true that Ishmael was the first son, but from a concubine, not Abraham’s wife. At the same time, the feast made, shown her (Hagar), that the table had been turned. Abraham restored his love to Sarah, Hagar was no longer loved, and the danger of marriage breakup brought by childlessness, was, to be a thing of the past.

“And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking”- Genesis 21:9. The son of Hagar, called Ishmael grew up, joining his mother into fighting Sarah, in the struggle for husband monopoly. They wanted to monopolize, take control of Abraham. Hagar wanted Abraham, to be solely her husband, while Ishmael, wanted Abraham, to be his only father. They tried all the mechanisms to control Abraham.

The phrase mocking is rendered in Hebrew mesaheq, the intensive (piel) form of the verb on which Isaac is built in a negative sense. When Isaac, was born, his name meant joy, laughter for happiness. At his weaning, his name turned into laughter of insult, of trouble, by the son of Hagar.

The Hebrew word mesaheq extends to describe playing, making sport/ sporting. The perfect understanding is very, very simple. It is this: in the procession of weaning and the feast made, Ishmael took Isaac, and went to play. Ishmael was 17 years, the age of adolescent, while Isaac was 3 years old, the age of a toddler, lad. As they played, Ishmael, decided to insult Isaac (mocking), in the manner his mother dishonoured Sarah. The whole scenario infuriated Sarah, who could not bear more of it. She could not bear to see Isaac playing with Ishmael who had taken sides with his mother, had been taught by his mother, to disrespect her (Sarah), and Isaac. Hagar came as a maid. She tried to displace Sarah, in order to become the master of the house. Hagar’s efforts to steal Abraham hit a snag, was thwarted, and remained unsuccessful. She changed tactics, by using Ishmael to accomplish her goal. As Hagar, was not the legitimate wife of Abraham, likewise so Ishmael was an illegal son. He was not truly, not authorized, not accepted brother of Isaac. Action was taken, to end this tussle once, and for all. In first place, Hagar fled herself. This time, she was chased away. Her presence was not needed.

“Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac”- Genesis 21:10. “Wherefore she said,” specifically Sarah spoke with complete authority, with powers, as the legal, and only wife of Abraham. Remember Paul, the apostle wrote in 1 Corinthians 7:4, that: “The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.” She did not have admixture of sinful feeling, but Hagar indeed had. “Cast out this bondwoman,” exactly annul, the relationship you (Abraham) had with this woman (Hagar), a sense of directing Abraham, to stop any further adultery with Hagar, for his body belonged to Sarah. It was not divorce, but rather putting reality to its place. Hagar was not married to Abraham. Abraham was not her husband. “Bondwoman,” actually slave. A second wife will forever remained a slave, even if she had been given husband, as Sarah did. The class cannot and forever will not  change, even if she had given birth to bright/ rich children. “For the son of this bondwoman,” the son of this adulterous relationship (adulterous slave) shall not be heir, that is, broadly speaking, he would not enjoy the fruit of the earth and would not be a true worshipper of God. Isaac’s presence shattered down all the hopes of Ishmael for inheritance. The second wife’s son must be prevented at all cost, from inheritance. It is great surprise, shock to see polygamists who pretend as Christians distributing their properties to the children of the numerous wives they had, even including them in their wills, doing exactly what God had condemned. As their mother was a thief trying to steal one’s husband, sons of second wives, must be stopped from stealing inheritance which do not belong to them. Sarah demanded Abraham, to stop from seeing Hagar as his wife, and Ishmael, as his son, chase them away fast hand, and with immediate effect start focusing on his family effectively. The Hebrew word “cast out” is garash, which signifies to thrust out, drive away and expel, but not divorce whatsoever. Sarah never expected Abraham to live further into pretensions, neither to continue with illegal relationship, but to end it, once, and for all, with Hagar- thrust her out, drive her away, expel her, so that Hagar, could get her married mate, from the unmarried single men. Does it sound sweet, or offensive? Open your eyes!

“And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son”- Genesis 21:11. The directive of Sarah was considered to be evil exceedingly, to be womanly jealousy (very grievous) by Abraham. Abraham was bound, imprisoned into relationship with Hagar, and could not let her, with Ishmael, to go.

Nevertheless, God said unto Abraham, “Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad (Ishmael), and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called”- Genesis 21:12. God made the record crystal clear. He told Abraham that he should not be saddened, shocked concerning Ishmael and Hagar. He must listened to what Sarah, his original wife, had told him. God called Hagar as bondwoman, not as Abraham’s wife, for Abraham’s wife was Sarah. Hagar was called bondwoman, to mean, that: 1. She came from Egypt, as a slave, maid, household servant in the life of Abraham and Sarah; 2. She was enslaved in adultery, in a move that was not marriage at all, simply to give Abraham a son and nothing else. God called her thy bondwoman, that is, your sex prisoner; a slave cohabited, accommodated for sexual satisfaction. God also told Abraham that for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is the posterity, generation of Abraham will be legally known from Isaac. It was from Isaac’s loin that the Messiah would come. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 5:15-19, that: “Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.” Stolen water is sweet in evil perspective, but it turned immediately bitter, at the time, it brings death. When Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham, her husband (Abraham) paid attention, hearken unto her. They agreed, collaborated. Now, that Hagar had to go, Abraham, was saddened, and was not ready to listen to Sarah. God spoke to Abraham, possibly in a trance (dream), to listen, and act to demands of Sarah. Men, who feared God, must listen, pay attention, to their wives, immediately they had messed up, bringing other women into their marriage. Polygamy affects mostly women, or both, and the solution must be provided from both men and women. God told Abraham, to cast out Hagar and Ishmael, exactly as Sarah directed.

God, also, spoke further, to Abraham: “And also the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed”- Genesis 21:13. In other words, God placed price, blessing, or exactly condition, for the departure of Hagar, and her son, Ishmael. If Abraham, accept to cast them out, then Ishmael was to be blessed, to become a nation; but if Hagar, and her son decided to stay (kept adamantly by Abraham), then they would be cursed. Today, we have so many cursed children in the polygamous world, because they had rejected to give space, for the children of the first wives. Hagar, and her son Ishmael, were thrust out, expelled early in the morning, in the wake of sunshine, given only bread, and a bottle of water by Abraham (Genesis 21:14). Remember, Christ, said, as recorded in Matthew 10:26-27, that: “Fear them (religious leaders) not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I (Christ) tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops.” What Abraham did with Hagar, was not something to be hidden. It had revealed itself. Abraham was engaged to Hagar in darkness. Hagar was sent away, expelled in daylight, not in darkness anymore. Polygamists must also dissolve their illicit relationships (polygamies) in daylight, not at night. They must expel their secondary wives openly, not secretly. After expulsion, Ishmael dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother gave him an Egyptian girl, as his wife- Genesis 21:21, after which they parted ways.

If God commanded Abraham, to chase away, thrust, expel Hagar, and her son, Ishmael then, why do the present people glued to, kept their polygamies? Any person, who has the same faith, as Abraham, must expel their secondary wives, even if they had given birth to professors, reputable men. God commanded Abraham, to expel Hagar, in order to make monogamy workable. Typically, Hagar and Ishmael represent the life of man apart from the covenant of God, outside the circle of a special privilege accorded to marriage. The eyes which are darkened with ignorance and self-will may yet be mercifully opened to see later. God is ever there. At the time person is doing righteousness, he is there, being pleased. At the time, the person had backslidded, slipped out, he is there, to correct, restore him. Polygamy portrays the eyes of darkness, away of suffering, hard way, and absolutely the way of danger. To have faith in God, obedience is compulsory. Let the will of God be above the will of man. Marriage given by God must be obeyed above polygamy given by man. Polygamy is exactly blindness. Monogamy is reality.

Sarah lived for 127 years, and she died at Kirjatharba; “the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her”- Genesis 23:2. Sarah, the mother of believers, of faith- Isaiah 5:2; 1 Peter 3:6, is the only woman, whose age is mentioned in the Bible. Kirjatharba was literally the city of Arba- Joshua 15:13 (Hebrew word kirjath- city of). In the land of Canaan, specifically the land, that God promised to Abraham and his descendants, from Isaac, not Ishmael. Sarah died right, inside Israel. Abraham buried, kept her body in the cave of Machpelah, which he purchased from Ephron, the Hittite- Genesis 23:17. The scripture is silent at the death and subsequently the burial of Sarah. Abraham was obviously with Isaac, at that occasion, but Hagar, and her son, Ishmael had not been mentioned. However, from the look of things, it appeared, that Hagar, and her son emerged later, upon realizing the death of Sarah, with the possibility of occupying the vacuum created. This is revealed later, in the scriptures.

The record in Genesis 25:1, states: “Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.” Took, does mean, portray that Keturah, was new, at the time Abraham made her his wife. The word took, rendered in the original Hebrews as vaiyoseph, from yasaph, where the name Joseph is built, explained to add, for instance taking, something, which originally existed. In that case, Abraham took a pilgash, a concubine, shadow/ secondary wife, plan B, and elevated, promoted her to the position of Sarah. The name Keturah meant increase, and the children mentioned in Genesis 25:2, could have been given birth to, for Abraham, before the birth of Isaac. The scriptures, word of God, prohibits divorce. Fresh marriage, after the death of one of the partners, is considered legitimate, proper before God, but promoting a prostitute, bringing back the second wife, who was once chased away, to occupy the space left by the first, original wife, is condemned. Fresh marriage, as a result of death, cannot be annulled. It is divorce. Promoting second/ secondary wife, prostitute must be annulled, for it is adultery.

The scripture continues: “And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac. But unto the sons of concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country”- Genesis  25:5-6. That is, to say, that Abraham settled everything before his death. He did not write a “will”, as the present do. He did not want to hid himself under the cover of something, for instance love for Hagar, and Keturah, which he understood as adultery. He gave everything to Isaac, the reasons being: (i) He was the legitimate son, from Abraham’s marriage to Sarah; (ii) He was the son of the promise. Canaan, the Promised Land, now, called Israel, was given to Isaac; (iii) He was the continuation of Abraham’s posterity, the ultimate way, paving for the coming of Messiah, the great descendant of Isaac. But unto the sons of the concubines, that is, the sons of Keturah, and the son of Hagar, called Ishmael. The Hebrew expression, rendered gave them gifts conveys, or describes established them as youthful nomads. Abraham made these sons, trained them, to be youthful nomads, gave them few, ill looking, rejected livestock, and sent them, chased, expelled them away. The ill looking livestock, plus water and breads, is presented here as gifts. These sons, with their mothers respectively, were to make their lives (survive), out of the animal rejects offered. In the first place, when Ishmael, and Hagar, were dismissed, expelled, they were given only bread, and a bottle of water. Now, when they were back, they were lucky, to be given livestock at least. Abraham, made sure, the sons of these women, plus the women themselves were sent eastward, unto the east country, that is, Arabia, including Desert, in the widest sense, which is to the east and south east of Israel (Canaan). Abraham expelled these people to avoid the dispute they could have further or later with Isaac as pertaining inheritance, including the Promised Land.

Later, it is learnt, that Abraham died at the age of 175 years- Genesis 25-7-8. He gave up the ghost, that is, he cheerfully resigned his spirit, committed his spirit to the Father of spirits, expired, gave his last breath, and was gathered to his people, which explained that: (a) His body joined the league of his ancestors, in the grave, while his soul, spirit joined the congregation of the blessed in heaven (immortality). Jesus Christ revealed Abraham’s presence in heaven in Matthew 8:11. In Hebrews 11:8, onwards, Abraham is listed first among those in the “hall of faith.” (b) A reference to multiple burial. That is, he was buried in the family tomb, the place he buried Sarah. Later Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob were buried- Genesis 49:30-31. At his burial, Isaac and Ishmael met together. In other words, both Isaac and Ishmael, planned, executed the whole process together. But the sons of Keturah never attended the burial. Abraham was buried, in the same place as Sarah, his wife- Genesis 25:9. The Hebrew patriarch died a monogamous man.