As I read this chapter again last night before going to bed, the one word that kept coming to mind was sadness.  Sadness over sins we commit in lieu of waiting on God’s perfect plan for our lives and the results born from those sins. 

Remember that at the conclusion of Chapter 15 God confirmed His covenant with Abram and sealed it with passing between the pieces of sacrificial animals…God Himself had passed through the sacrificial pieces.  Never before had God moved in this way.  God then laid out the boundaries of the Promised Land that Abram’s descendents would inhabit.

Now, let’s review some of the conversations from Chapter 16.  Abram shares with Sarai the latest conversation with God as the waiting continues for the promised heir/seed.  After a while the human element begins to churn and the human decision to aid God’s timetable ensues with the word in verse 1….”but.”  And the tidal wave begins to roll.

“But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar…”  What was Sarai thinking, you might ask?  Well, it’s already been mentioned in the comments of our study partners that Sarai thought she would give God a push.  After all, a seed is a seed, right?  And we are talking about Abram’s seed.  So what if it was planted within a servant?  And here comes the next punch, “The Lord has kept me from having children.  Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.”  Wow, it’s almost like Sarai has decided that God isn’t going to keep His word through her, so here, take the nearest female and build “me” (Sarai) a family through her (the maidservant, Hagar).  Oh, Sarai, be careful what you wish for.

I’d like to make a note at this point.  Hagar was a servant evidently obtained while Abram and Sarai “went down to Egypt”…remember that fiasco when Abram tried to pass Sarai off as his sister?  Remember what happened to the King and others as a result?  During that passage of time is probably when Hagar came on board with the Abram/Sarai family.  Amazing, isn’t it?  Abram and Sarai are carrying a remnant of a place where things didn’t work out quite as planned and now the “remnant” is going to be used to push through the promise of God.

Now, back to the story.  After Sarai explains her thought processes to Abram, he agrees to go along with the plan.  Maybe he’s tired of Sarai mentioning every day where is the promised child?  I’m getting older every day, Abram!  Pretty soon I won’t be able to rock or raise our children, so let’s get the ball rolling!  Who knows?  But, Abram succumbs to Sarai’s request.  Hagar becomes pregnant with Abram’s child.

Surprisingly, the verse that follows has Hagar despising Sarai.  Maybe Hagar feels used?  Maybe a place in Abram’s tent hasn’t been fully given to her as an equal to Sarai although she is carrying the heir?  I can’t really answer that question.  But Sarai isn’t happy about Hagar’s attitude.  Sarai’s resulting action?  Go tell Abram Hagar isn’t being nice.  Abram’s answer?  Hagar is your problem, deal with her. 

Sarai, scripture unfolds, mistreats Hagar to the point that Hagar runs away.  Hagar’s had enough.  Pregnant and alone, she leaves the camp.  Do you see the consequences of a sinful nature and taking situations into our own hands?  How do two women cohabit in the same camp when one can have children and the other can’t?  Fast forward in scripture to sisters Rachel and Leah when one can bear children and the other is barren.  But we will address them later as we study through the Bible.

At this point in the chapter the “angel of the Lord” enters the picture.  Even when we run ahead of the Lord, He is ready to help these human, sinful decisions we make outside His perfect plan for our lives.  Hagar, on her way back to Egypt, is confronted by the angel and given direction.

NOTE:  *“The Angel of the Lord (Jehovah) is the Lord Jesus Christ in a preincarnate appearance.  A study of the passages in which He is mentioned makes it clear that He is God, and that He is the Second Person of the Trinity.  When He appeared to Hager she recognized that she was in the presence of God; she referred to Him as “the-God-Who-Sees” *Believer’s Bible Commentary, William MacDonald, page 270.

The angel asks the question, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”  Don’t you just love it? Our Lord knows our name, He knows where we are and He knows our intended destination!  But the beauty of it all?  He desires to hear it from us.  No truer words were ever spoken when Hagar admits, “I’m running away...”  How many times have we found ourselves disregarding what we should do and just head for the door?

But the running solution isn’t the way of the Cross, is it?  Hagar is told to return to Sarai.  Yep, the person who has mistreated and abused you, emotionally and verbally, is the direction in which you should go.  Not only go back there, but in verse 9 Hagar is instructed to “submit to” her mistress!  Now, my heart is crying out for this woman.  She is human (and all that entails), she’s pregnant, she basically feels forsaken and the instructions from our loving Lord are to return??  To submit and return to the source of the difficulty?  It’s a lot to process, isn’t it?

NOTE:  I am in no means an advocate of returning to a situation in which a woman finds herself in danger.  Verbal and emotional abuse is very serious and individuals are encountering this injustice every day.  However, God is instructing Hagar to return to the camp in order to work out this difficult situation with Sarai.  God further gives a promise to Hagar concerning her child, Ishmael.  God provided for Hagar and Ishmael even though Ishmael was not the promised heir through which the nation of Israel was born.

But the angel does give Hagar words of comfort.  After the directive to return to the camp of Abram and Sarai, the angel adds, “I will so increase your descendents that they will be too numerous to count.”  Sounds like part of the covenant promise made to Abram, doesn’t it?  But this child is a seed of Abram.  However, let’s continue reading the scripture. 

“You are now with child and you will have a son.  You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.   He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”

Hagar follows the commands of the angel of the Lord; however, before leaving this place she names the well that is found there, Beer Lahai Roi, which literally means “well of the One who lives and sees me.”  And Hagar refers to the angel as “The God who sees me.”  Truly, Hagar knows she has seen and heard from the One, true God.

The encounter has been shared with Abram because when the child is born Abram names the boy, Ishmael.  Scripture notes at the end of chapter 16 that Abram is 86 years old when Ishmael is born.

NOTE:  Ishmael does become the head of a great nation, the Arab nation. 

Father, thank you for coming to us in the midst of our troubles.  When we feel the world has emotionally and verbally abused us and we are weary and tired of the struggle, help us to hear Your voice.  When the directive to “return and submit” is given, even though we might not understand the reasons, give us the courage to follow Your Will.  May our trials be used to demonstrate to others that God is greater than anything we face this side of heaven.  Glory to You, Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

For Next Week:  Chapter 17, The Covenant of Circumcision

1.      How old was Abram when God appeared and renewed the covenant promise?

2.     What is the significance of circumcision?

3.    Can you find the meanings of the names Abram and Sarai and then the meanings of the names Abraham and Sarah?  Significance?

4.    What happens to Ishmael in this chapter?

5.    The verse and name to be given to the heir of Abraham and Sarah?