Into the wilderness of Beersheba

Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away into the wilderness of Beersheba with a skin bag of water, Ishmael was about 20 years of age, he was grown up and he and his mother could have been days in the wilderness before the bag was empty.

God cared for Ishmael

They were exhausted and they both wept. Hagar wept, however, God heard the voice of Ishmael. Hagar was not of Abraham, and should never have been his wife, but Ishmael was a descendant of Abraham, he was of Abraham and because of Abraham God cared for Ishmael.

A wife from Egypt

An angel called Hagar from heaven and told her not to be afraid and to take Ishmael by his hand and help him up, Hagar did exactly what the angel told her, and then she saw a well with fresh running water, God saved them because of the boy, not her. God blessed them, and Ishmael became an archer. Hagar coming from Egypt went there and fetched a wife for his son.

Questions

1. Was Ishmael a child when this happened?
2. Does God treat His people differently from the rest of the world?