Chapter 16 picks up on the promise of God in Gen 15:2-6, that God would give Abram a descendent of his own flesh to be his heir. It is also a key chapter in explaining what has always been a source of global conflict: since Ishmael is the father of the Arabs and Isaac (the Son of Promise...to be revealed) is the father of the Jews (Israel). The Arab-Israeli conflict goes back to these early chapters in Genesis and stems from the events in this chapter (Gen 16:3-6).
Remember that in Gen 15:2-6, God promised Abram a son and Abram believed God (Gen 15:6). It had been 10 years of living in Canaan (Gen 16:3), trying to have a son who would fulfill the promise God made. This had taken its toll on the couple...to the point that Sarai offered a surrogate. She would give her maid to her husband so that he might bear children with her. This was a relatively common cultural phenomenon. Cultural or otherwise, it was not God's plan to bring about the promise.
Hagar conceived and Sarai began to hate her. She had done what Sarai could not. Culturally...this was an acceptable act but God did not desire this. Why? Because of the pain it caused in the human heart and because it was an attempt to bring about God's blessing without God. This "type" of conduct plays out nearly everyday in our culture too.
People try to manufacture peace by compromising on things that are not not theirs to compromise. Some try to bring about heaven on earth by returning the world to an "eden-like" state. (This is the theological root of the vegetarianism movement, the feminist movement, and the "save our planet" movement, and even is the background to many social ministries. I mean by this that some want to return us to a Eutopic existence like what is revealed before the Fall (Gen 3) when all creatures lived in harmony. By the way...I am an advocate of conservation and stewardship, equal rights/protections/honor for women, and social ministry as an outworking of discipleship...just not as an attempt to bring about this perfect world without God...as Sarai demonstrated here is her attempt...with Abram's approval I might add.)
Sarai went to Abram and put her foot down (Gen 16:5). It seems that Hagar despised (and maybe even mocked) Sarai a bit and reminded her that she (Hagar) gave Abram something that she (Sarai) could not. Abram affirmed his devotion to his wife Sarai and told her to act toward Hagar as she desired (Gen 16:6). This was culturally acceptable, but was not acceptable in God's sight.
The angel of the Lord found Hagar who fled from Sarai in the wilderness and directed her to return to Sarai and submit herself to her (Gen 16:7-9). He promised Hagar that she would have many descendents (Gen 16:10) and that her descendents would "dwell" to the East of Canaan (desert land) and would be a wild people (which is an unfavorable character description meaning that they would be pugnacious and unrestrainable "independent" peoples (Gen 16:11-12). Hagar calls God "the God who sees" (Elroi) which fits nicely with the name Ishmael (God hears).
I think it is a great statement to read that while Sarai had treated Hagar improperly, and Hagar was certainly not the woman who would bring about God's chosen people, God was concerned with her and her circumstance, and treated her with mercy. This should serve as a reminder that God is concerned with all peoples...He loves all peoples, even those who do not return His affections. If God is concerned with all peoples, then Christ-followers MUST BE as well.
Gen 16:15 serves as a summary verse which ends this section for the writer and indicates a transition to a new thought for him in Abram's life. We will look at it tomorrow.
Proverbs 7:27 is the takeaway today. The whole chapter is a single story but it ends with this verse which clearly serves as a reminder. If we choose sin (rebellion against God), the ways of sin lead only to death. Sin may look enticing, but it leads to death. Sin may seem reasonable, but it leads to death. The only path that leads to abundant life (John 10:10) is the path of submission and obedience to God. All other paths lead to less than God's desire for you and me (Rom 6:23).
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3 comments:
Jumping ahead a bit to Genesis 21 and comparing it here to Genesis 16, I simply consider that Hagar and Ishmael were worshipers of God, although not of the line to receive the blessing of Abram as promised to him by God.
It still makes your point though, even those who participated in sin, were born in sin (sound like anyone trying to "help" God along?) and while not of any special mark in God's sight, yet He still cherishes each of us and wants nobody to go to hell. He is concerned with everyone and we should be too.
On social gospels, I agree with you on the motivation (create peace), but it is with the idea that we must "help" God. As if He cannot handle it Himself! There is a good Scriptural base for social work, but if it is taken to extremes then it leads away from God.
For some reason I have thought on Sarai all day. I read this early this morning and have thought of how she must have felt. To wait for 10 years for a son that was promised. She knew she was going to get but didn't know when. It almost reminds me of when Christ is coming back, we are waiting and waiting and sometimes I get impatient. Sarai got impatient, she wanted what had been promised to her. She felt desperate so she took it into her own hands, just like me sometimes. God has promised to take care of me but so many times I think I can take care of things myself. Sarai then vents to Abram who is tried of hearing her complain and gives in to her frustrations (maybe he was tired of waiting too). So Hagar, gets pregnant with the baby she wanted, God had promised her a baby and she waited 10 years... in a short time Hagar is with child.
Wow, what a mess we can make of things! So I guess tomorrow we will find out what happens, the suspense is killin' me!!! :)
Kamatu,
Thanks for the post. I am not speaking of the "need" to bring about peace as much as I am speaking of people who do social ministry because they think it is what we were created for. It fulfills for them some human need. It makes us feel good. Check out Jonathan's blog www.followjonathan.wordpress.com on a post he made "5 questions about the Kingdom." Good post.
Amanda,
Good post. We do make a mess of things when we work outside of God's expressed will.
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