Isaac and Ishmael

The conflict between Yahweh’s kingdom and Satan was seen most clearly in Abraham’s life through the birth and life of Ishmael (see Terah to Isaac family chart).

It was Abraham’s lack of understanding and faith in Yahweh that even led to the birth of Ishmael. Yahweh promised that Abraham and Sarah would have a son, but they decided they could not wait for Yahweh and instead produced a son through Abraham and Sarah’s maidservant, which was legal in the ancient Near East (Gen. 16:1-3).

Once Ishmael was born, he became an instrument of Satan in order to cause conflict in Abraham’s family. First, he became a reason for his mother Hagar to want to replace Sarah, since Hagar could have children (Gen. 16:4-6). Second, Ishmael himself would begin to mock and attack Isaac. Hagar and Ishmael became not only a source of conflict in the family but also a threat to Isaac as the chosen seed of Yahweh (Gen. 21:8-10).

In the ancient Near East, the firstborn typically received the name of the family that brings headship and the greater part of the inheritance of the father. This is why Ishmael as the firstborn was a threat to Isaac as the chosen seed. However, Yahweh went countercultural and gave the firstborn title to Isaac.