April 11, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Genesis? Here’s today’s reading:
Genesis 16 (NIV)
Hagar and Ishmael
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”
Abram agreed to what Sarai said.……Continue Reading
Genesis 16
Well here is an example of the mess we make when we decide to “help” God. Sarai out of impatience decided to interpret God’s promise to mean Abram would be the father of many but that maybe she would not be the biological mother so she involves herself in the process and decides to use a surrogate, Hagar. Obviously, this is not God’s plan but rather Sarai’s desire and so no surprise it doesn’t turn out well. Abram was not at his best when he agrees to this either. This did not show he was trusting God and leading his wife to do the same.
GENESIS 16
Sarai could not have a child.
When Sarai gave her maid servant,Hagar, to Abram to have a child with and once Hagar was pregnant she no longer like Sarai. I cannot help but think that Hagar may even have fell in love with Abram wanting to stay with him. With Abrams permission Sarai started abusing Hagar. She ran away but an angel of the Lord told Hagar to go back and submit to her. The Angel of our Lord told her she would have a son and his name would be Ishmael. Then the Lord spoke to her. She said you are the God who sees me. . I have now seen you. I feel bad for Hagar as she had not asked to be in this plan but God blessed her in the end.
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Genesis 16
Whew. Tough chapter here.
Kelly, great comments above on what happens when we decide to “help” God. Additionally, we have multiple instances of Abram failing to lead his wife faithfully here. First…Sarai comes up with the plan, and rather than telling her, “I appreciate where your heart is, but I love you, I trust God, and He will fulfill His promise to us…look at all He has already done!” Instead, he says, “Okay, if you want to me sleep with your servant, I’ll do it…sounds good. You’re right…it’s God who has prevented you from having children…He must intend to provide me a son some other way that through the institution of faithful marriage. Great thinking, Sarai!”
Obviously, I’m laying on some sarcasm here. But that is basically what I picture when I read “And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.” Sounds a bit like “and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” (Genesis 3:6) or “The man said, ‘The woman whom YOU have to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree and I ate.” (Genesis 3:12). Adam telling God it’s His fault that he sinned…if God hadn’t given Adam Eve, then he wouldn’t have sinned. Got it. Insert eye roll here.
But Abram isn’t done failing his wife. After Hagar conceives and Sarai perceives that Hagar now looks on her with contempt, Sarai is upset and gets angry with Abram. We should not be surprised by this. What amounts to sexual immorality (the fact that polygamy was commonplace in the OT does not in any way suggest that God has determined it is acceptable…God instituted marriage between one man and one woman and confirms through the NT that monogamy is His design for marriage) has now resulted in hurt feelings, a lack of feeling loved and cherished, potentially some guilt and regret on the part of Sarai, and she understandably lashes out at Abram. So, what does Abram do?
“Hey, she’s your servant Sarai…do whatever you want to her.”
Wow. Basically, Abram tells his wife of probably about 70 years or so at this point, “Not my problem. This was your plan…do whatever makes you feel better.”
God shows Hagar mercy and directs her to go back to Sarai and submit, which she does. Though Hagar’s suffering is just beginning…and the actions of this chapter will result in millennia of conflict, strife, hatred and suffering which continues to this day.
This is a really tough chapter.
What are our take aways? What are we to learn from this chapter? That husbands are to be the spiritual leaders of their families…and when they shirk from, become lazy in, or simply do not believe, follow, or trust God…their whole family can suffer. Sarai does not fulfill her role as wife in this relationship either…in many ways, these two reverse the roles. Abram appears to be detached and unconcerned with Sarai’s plan…he does not even offer any consideration to asking God if this plan even makes sense. Sarai is now leading their family, and Abram is just along for the ride.
That is not God’s design. The husband is to lead the family, but the two should be submitting to each other in love, constantly….giving themselves up for one another. We know that God has given marriage to represent the relationship between Christ and His church. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church, and GAVE HIMSELF FOR HER. In a Godly marriage, the husband and wife are constantly considering the other in their decisions, out of loving concern for the other, because we are to love our wives as we love ourselves. There is no room for spiritual laziness on the part of a husband…and it is this area where God may convict, correct, discipline, and train many a husband. I know He did to me.
I know that Abram did not have the benefit of the NT teaching on marriage…but God has given us the Scriptures and we know that they are all “breathed out by God, profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man (and woman) of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:16) So as we work our way through the Old Testament, I am constantly looking for how God is using the lives of the people of the Old Testament to help us live our lives today. This chapter is very helpful to me in reinforcing God’s design and intention for a husband.
Grace and peace be with us all!
Good comments, Sean. I have thought the same about this exchange. Years ago I did a “wives study” at LHCC. I basically went through every verse in the Bible about wives and women. One major take away was that when a wife takes over leadership or a man shirks it, things don’t go well. Consider Moses not circumcising his son because of Zipporahs distaste for it, almost cost his life! Deborah shaming Barak because of his timidity…”the battle will be won by a woman.” Abram here and other places. I could go on.
Absolutely, Amy! God’s design is His design, and it is absolutely best for both men and women…but our sinful brokenness and willfulness and desire to make our own rules always corrupts God’s design!
But it is in obedience and trust in God where, peace, love, and intimacy is ultimately found!
Great points Linda & Kelly!
Note well Genesis 16:12. That prophesy is true this very moment.
The cost of failure to believe God will do the impossible, and working out your own plans can be murderous. -reb
Genesis 16. Thank you Kelly and Linda, because after reading your comments I got a good reign on this as some scripture is tough for me to comprehend! It seems to bring home the “my will vs Gods will” ordeal.
Mark 4 Parable of the Sower. I always loved how Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a small seed, and how it shapes our faith. In confidence I can say I always believed but didn’t realize until pretty recently where I was standing with God. I was a seed that got choked up in the weeds. But now I’m learning to be a seed that’s planted in good soil. Yes even as a believer.
Genesis 16
Well said Kelly and Linda. This is what happens when we get impatient and try to help God. God does bless Hagar and tells her that her son is to be called Ishmael. God would latter bless Ishmael with 12 sons. Gen. 25:12-18. As we all know they became the Arabs of today. Still at war against Israel. It makes you wonder what would have happened if Abram and Sarai didn`t try to help God. But then again God is sovereign in everything. He still blessed Abram and Sarai with a son in their old age when it was impossible. Just as God blessed Hanah and had a son called Samuel when her womb was previously closed. 1 Samuel 1; or Elisabeth who was barren before she had John the Baptist. Luke 1: 5-25. Or even the virgin Mary when she had Jesus. These are all miracles by God showing His greatness. May God bless us even when we stumble and fail to keep our eyes upon Him. Sometimes He uses our better half to remind us to walk humbly before our God and not have a grumbling attitude. God forgive me of that. How dare I not be grateful for all He as done for us. We should never have that attitude even when things are hard. I thank Melodye for reminding me and praying with me. We should be counting our blessings each day. As the hymn goes: Count Your Blessings. [ count your blessings name them one by one count your blessings see what God has done, count your blessings name them one by one; count your many blessings see what God has done.] I guess I should be looking at my hymn books. I love the old hymns and use to know many by heart. But every day is a new day and our Savour does want us to come before Him with music. Singing in Psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. Col. 3:16c. It doesn`t always have to be when we are gathered together but whenever we come before Him. Whether at home or at work. God bless you all.
Genesis 16
Genesis 16
God’s promise remains in play despite Sarai and Abrams intervention. I see this as yet again a place where God’s sovereignty and man’s agency work in tandem. God’s plan for Israel and all men is not interrupted by Sarai and Abram’s sin and lack of faith. But God does have a plan even for the handmaiden and her son. She is blessed with a son, but at the same time, the result of Sarah and Abrams actions is generations of strife between sons.
Genesis 16
It is very easy for us to get impatient with God and come up with our own solutions to address our needs. What a striking example here of the danger of doing that, and how wise we are to be patient with God and trust His direction and provision for our lives. And how quick we are like Sarai to suffer the consequences of our decisions/mismanagement and then start blaming other people. We are wise to embrace responsibility and look at the logs in our eyes. But the hero of this account is our great God, Who, in spite of the missteps of his fallen chosen, shows mercy to Hagar and blesses here with the same blessing that He gave to Abraham. Ishmael will be a difficult person, but still with the hand of God on him because he is Abraham’s offspring. And there is always a place for comfort in knowing the God who sees us…right were we are and stands ready to console, confront, direct and provide. How privileged we are to be aligned with such a God as He and how foolish we are to defy Him in any way…even if it is under the guise of self preservation…
Sarai was impatient with the promise so she tried to move things along more quickly. Then she realized that things were not right with her way and she suffered pain, abandonment and anger because of it. I know just what this feels like; I’ve been there. BUT If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Praise God for John 1:9!
Genesis 16