Smith's Bible Dictionary provides a summary of events through our text today that serves well as an introduction to this message. “Hagar (whose name means) 'flight', an Egyptian woman, the handmaid or slave of Sarah, whom the latter gave as a concubine to Abraham. (Gen 16) When Hagar saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes” & Sarah, with the anger, we may suppose of a free woman rather than of a wife, reproached Abraham for the results of her own act. Hagar fled, turning her steps toward her native land through the great wilderness traversed by the Egyptian road. By the fountain in the way to Shur the Angel of the Lord found her, charged her to return and submit herself under the hand of her mistress and delivered the remarkable prophecy respecting her unborn child (16: 10-12). On her return she gave birth to Ishmael when Abraham was 86 years old. When Ishmael was about 16 years old, he was caught by Sarah making sport of her young son Isaac at the festival of his weaning, and Sarah demanded the expulsion of Hagar and her son. She again fled toward Egypt and when in despair at the want of water, an angel again appeared to her, pointed out a fountain close by, and renewed the former promises to her.” ____Thus Genesis 21 documents the conflict attending the birth of the significant son in the messianic lineage illustrating Gospel realities along the way...