Abraham's family and Mother[Christ Ahsahnghong](2)

Isaac, the Heir of Abraham

Then, let us find out who was appointed as Abraham’s heir. There were three candidates who could have been chosen as the heir of Abraham: Eliezer, Ishmael, and Isaac. Among them, who became Abraham’s heir? It was Isaac who was appointed. We need to understand the reason why Isaac was chosen to be Abraham’s heir.

   Gen. 15:1-4 『...But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me
   since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of
   Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant 
   in my household will be my heir." Then the word of the LORD came to him:
   "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be
   your heir."』

When Abraham was an old man and had not yet borne a son, he asked God to allow his servant Eliezer to be his heir. However, God did not allow Eliezer to become Abraham’s heir, revealing that a son would be born from Abraham’s own body and that he would become his heir. Some time later, Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant, bore Abraham a son: Ishmael.

   Gen. 16:1-15 『Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she
   had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; so she said to Abram, "The
   LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant;
   perhaps I can build a family through her." Abram agreed to what Sarai
   said...So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the
   son she had borne.』

Ishmael was born to Abraham through a maidservant named Hagar, and Abraham asked God to allow Ishmael to become his heir.

   Gen. 17:18-19 『And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live
   under your blessing!" Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you
   a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as
   an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.』

When Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing," God did not allow Ishmael to become his heir. Instead, God promised Abraham that he would have a son through his wife, Sarah. Isaac was born as God had promised, and of the three?Eliezer, Ishmael, and Isaac?Isaac was chosen to be Abraham’s heir.

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