What is the meaning of Genesis 21:18? Get up “Get up…” (Genesis 21:18). • A divine command breaks through Hagar’s despair in the wilderness (Genesis 21:14–16). • God often begins rescue with a call to rise—Moses at the Red Sea (“Do not be afraid. Stand firm,” Exodus 14:13–16), Joshua after Israel’s defeat at Ai (“Stand up!” Joshua 7:10), Elijah under the broom tree (“Get up and eat,” 1 Kings 19:5). • Each incident underscores that faith responds by moving when God speaks, trusting His word as sure and literal. Lift up the boy “…lift up the boy…” • Hagar is told to engage Ishmael, not mourn over him. The physical act signifies renewed hope. • Parents are charged to strengthen their children amid hardship (Deuteronomy 6:6–7; Ephesians 6:4). • God respects the bond of mother and son, emphasizing personal responsibility even while He provides supernaturally (compare John 11:39 where people roll the stone though Jesus raises Lazarus). Take him by the hand “…and take him by the hand…” • Guidance and protection: holding a child’s hand pictures steady leadership (Psalm 73:23, “You hold my right hand”). • It also prefigures God’s own promise to uphold His people (Isaiah 41:13). Just as Hagar grasps Ishmael, the Lord grasps His servants. • Direction is practical—Hagar must physically lead Ishmael toward the water God will reveal (Genesis 21:19). Faith acts in concert with God’s provision. For I will make him into a great nation “…for I will make him into a great nation.” • The promise given earlier to Abraham (Genesis 17:20) is reaffirmed directly to Hagar. God’s word has not changed despite their wilderness circumstance. • “I will make” highlights God’s sole authorship; Hagar’s obedience aligns her with His sovereign plan (Romans 4:21). • The prophecy is fulfilled as Ishmael fathers twelve princes (Genesis 25:12–16) and becomes “the father of the Arab peoples,” demonstrating God’s faithfulness even outside the covenant line of Isaac. • This assurance turns immediate crisis into long-range vision, echoing Jeremiah 29:11 and Hebrews 11:1—faith rests in what God has declared certain. summary Genesis 21:18 moves Hagar from hopelessness to purposeful action. God commands her to rise, rescue, guide, and trust because He has already decreed Ishmael’s future greatness. The verse teaches that when God speaks, we respond—lifting up those in our care, taking decisive steps, and leaning on His unfailing promises. |
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