Grasping God's Promises Over the Law (Child of Promise part 2)

Abraham sends Ishmael away in favour of keeping Isaac. It isn't that Ishmael is being totally shunned for he will appear later on, but that Abraham's household must focus on the promises of God in Isaac. Ishmael represents the natural world and the need to satisfy God through perfection under the Law. This no one has done. Isaac represents God's gift of eternal life in the resurrection; something received freely by grace which we want with us always.