Intro: Hagar and Ishmael
Read the full biblical account of Hagar and Ishmael in the Book of Genesis:
Genesis 16 & Genesis 21 (KJV) and Genesis 21
The story of Hagar and Ishmael is one of the most overlooked yet deeply profound narratives in the book of Genesis. The account of Hagar and Ishmael offers a compelling look into the way God engages with people outside the covenant line, showing that faith, obedience, and divine mercy intersect even in unexpected places. Their journey speaks not just of suffering, exile, and survival—but of God’s compassion for those on the margins. It is a reminder that God’s eye is not only on kings and patriarchs, but also on the seemingly forgotten. The God of Abraham is also the God of Hagar.
Hagar: The Egyptian Servant
Hagar was an Egyptian maidservant of Sarah, the wife of Abraham. When Sarah could not conceive, she gave Hagar to Abraham to bear a child, according to the customs of the time. But once Hagar became pregnant, tension arose between the two women. Sarah mistreated Hagar, and Hagar fled into the wilderness.
The Angel of the LORD Appears
In the wilderness, something incredible happened. The Angel of the LORD appeared to Hagar by a spring of water and called her by name. This is the first time in Scripture that an angelic figure directly addresses a woman by name and offers a divine promise. The angel told her to return, and he prophesied about her son, Ishmael, whose name means “God hears.”
“And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.” — Genesis 16:11 (KJV)
This is also the first time in the Bible someone gives a name to God: Hagar calls Him El Roi, meaning “Thou God seest me” (Genesis 16:13). She, a foreign servant girl, identifies God’s character in a way no one before her had.
Ishmael: Blessed Yet Not the Covenant Child
Later, when Isaac was born to Sarah, Ishmael and Hagar were sent away by Sarah. It seemed like rejection—but once again, God intervened. He heard Ishmael crying in the wilderness and opened Hagar’s eyes to see a well of water. He promised that Ishmael would also become a great nation.
“And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven… Fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.” — Genesis 21:17 (KJV)
Though Ishmael was not the child of the covenant through whom Messiah would come, he was still seen, heard, named, and blessed by God. He is a testimony to God’s mercy and attention to the outcast. God’s blessing on Ishmael was not a lesser blessing—it was a different one, fitting God’s wider plan and faithfulness to Abraham.
A Question Worth Asking
But here’s where things get deeply personal. Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:23, that in the end, He will say to many, “I never knew you.” Entry into the Kingdom isn’t based on our knowledge of Jesus—but on His knowledge of us.
So here’s the question: Did Jesus know Hagar?
She clearly encountered the divine. She was comforted, named, and seen. She named God. She obeyed the voice. Does that count as being known?
Was Hagar—an Egyptian servant girl in the wilderness—among those known by Jesus before His incarnation? And if so, what does that say about our assumptions regarding grace, salvation, and belonging?
Is it really such a simple formula, like many say?
Or does grace abound more than we often let on?
See the following article to get your answer. It is the sum of a deep and honest conversation—one worth your time and reflection.