Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Genesis 21

Gen 21:1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

as he had said

Faith. vs. 1-6; Gen 22:1-14. (Gen 3:20; Heb 11:39.)

Gen 21:2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age

Miracles (O.T.). Exo 4:3, 4, 6, 7. (Gen 5:24; Jon 2:1-10.)

Gen 21:3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

Sarah

Sarah, type of grace, "the freewoman," and of the "Jerusalem which is above." See Genesis 17:15-19; Galatians 4:22-31.

Isaac

Isaac is typical in fourfold way:

1. of the Church as composed of the spiritual children of Abraham (Galatians 4:28);
2. of Christ as the Son "obedient unto death" (Genesis 22:1-10; Philippians 2:5-8);
3. of Christ as the Bridegroom of a called-out bride (see Scofield Gen 24; also, "Church," Matthew 16:18 and refs.);.
4. of the new nature of the believer as "born after the Spirit" (Galatians 4:29).

Gen 21:10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

Cast out this bondwoman and her son

Gal 3:18; 4:30; 1 Tim 1:7-10.

Gen 21:17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

angel of God

Scofield Hebrews 1:4, note.

Gen 21:33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

everlasting God

Deity (names of). Gen 35:11. (Genesis 1:1; Malachi 3:18).

"Everlasting God" (Hebrew El Olam).

1. The Hebrew Olam is used in Scripture:
   1. of secret or hidden things (e.g. Leviticus 5:2 "hidden"; 2 Kings 4:27, "hid"; Psalms 10:1, "hidest");
   2. an indefinite time or age (Leviticus 25:32, "at any time"; Joshua 24:2 "in old time"). Hence the word is used to express the eternal duration of the being of God (Psalms 90:2. "From everlasting to everlasting"), and is the Hebrew synonym of the Greek aion, age or dispensation. See Scofield Genesis 1:26, note 4.
2. The ideas therefore of things kept secret and of indefinite duration combine in this word. Both ideas inhere in the doctrine of the dispensations or ages. They are among the "mysteries" of God (Ephesians 1:9, 10; 3:2-6; Matthew 13:11). The "everlasting" God (El Olam) is therefore that name of Deity in virtue of which He is the God whose wisdom has divided all time and eternity into the mystery of successive ages or dispensations. It is not merely that He is everlasting, but that He is God over everlasting things.

See other names of Deity, see Scofield Genesis 1:1, note; 2:4, note; 14:18, note; 15:2, note; 17:1, note; 21:33, note; 1 Samuel 1:3, note.