Time was going on and still no child. Abram and Sarai getting older. Abram has believed God’s promise and experienced God making a covenant with him. Patience was running thin! Sarai came up with an idea, she had a servant which they had obtained when in Egypt, her name was Hagar. She said to Abram (v1,2), “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.””
Sarai knew of God’s promise and, no doubt, she believed it, but it was taking too long, so she encouraged Abram to have children with her maid. They thought God needed a helping hand. I don’t think it was anything else but doubting God’s ability to fulfil what He had promised. They succumbed to custom of the day which said that the child would be considered the child of Abram and Sarai. This was totally against God’s will. It doubted God’s sovereignty, His plan for marriage. It was sin and sin always has consequences and the consequences in this case were huge and long lasting. Sarai should have known better, they had trusted God until now. Many say, ‘God helps those who help themselves’ but that is wrong, totally wrong.
I’m not saying that wives are always wrong, often they are very wise, and we husbands are usually the better for their wise counsel and support. Abram should have known better, but he agreed with Sarai’s proposal. The deed was subsequently done (v3,4). Ten years had passed since coming into the land of Canaan and maybe it seemed that God had either forgotten or was unable to fulfil His promise.
It was a fairly common practice or custom, but it was not how God planned it. Later in this book we have similar practice with Rachel, who was barren, giving her maid, Bilhah to Jacob to have a child (30:3). It didn’t stop there because Leah, who had children, also gave her maid to Jacob, what seems to be ‘anything you can do I can do better.’
Hagar became pregnant and as soon as that was known, the problem escalated. To Sarai, it was evident that the problem lay with her and not Abram. Motherhood was highly valued and especially to a wealthy man like Abram. Sarai obviously felt inadequate and treated Hagar badly, she despised her. A child was to be born but it certainly wasn’t worth what they did to get one. It caused trouble, and that trouble is still with us today in the twenty first century, over four thousand years later.
In verses 5,6 we see that Sarah blamed Abram for this. Abram should have acted differently; he could have gently told Sarai that they must trust in God and not do this sinful act. Sarai had the idea and sold it to Abram, but he could have said ‘No.’
It is easy to see why this situation arose after their sin. If only they and we thought about that beforehand, we all would save a lot of heartache. God’s way is always the best way.
Abram seemed to hand it back to Sarai for her to do as she pleased. Confusion and bitterness always come as a result of sin. Sarai, therefore, treated Hagar badly, so badly that Hagar ran away. She was found by The Angel of The LORD by a spring of water on the way to Shur (v7-9). The Angel asked her where she had come from and where she was going. I’m sure the Angel, who was a physical presence, knew where she had come from. Later she believed that the physical presence was God, probably another pre-incarnation appearance of Jesus.
The Angel of The LORD appeared several times in the Old Testament, but it is interesting that the first appearance of The Angel of The LORD (Melchizedek appeared to Abram previously) and this was to a servant girl bearing a child, having been sent away by her mistress amid the confusion and bitterness of the consequences of sin. God was interested in a nobody, isn’t that comforting? He told her to go back and submit to her mistress. Sarah is still her mistress, and Hagar should submit to her, certainly not as Abram’s wife.
“Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” And the Angel of the LORD said to her: “Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” (v10-12)
Ishmael (means God will hear) became the ancestor of the Arab people, just as Isaac who was later born to Abram by Sarai, would become the ancestor of the Jews. Sadly, there has been conflict ever since. Both, with the same father would be forerunners of numerous people. God said he would be a wild man of violence.
Hagar recognised that she had met with God (v13-16) and called the place “You-are-the God-who-sees.” (El Roi) And the well was called Beer Lahai Roi, it is between Kadesh and Bered. Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore her son and he named him Ishmael. Hagar did return and she obviously told Abram and Sarai what had happened to her because he knew what to name the child. The meeting with The Angel obviously made a big impression upon her.
We, too, have a promise from God to change our lives, to forgive our sins and to be with us forever. He will help us to face the problems that arise in our lives, and we need not fear. God meets with us through His Son Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Redeemer.
