Abraham’s life takes yet another turn. Following hard on the heels of his recent blessing he encounters further testing. He is now subjected to extreme pressure. He and his wife Sarah are becoming impatient as they remain childless.

DOING IT THEIR WAY. (Read Chapter 16:1-4)

Abraham and Sarah look at the situation as it now is. Ten years have passed since they arrived in the land. Abraham is now eighty five years old and Sarah seventy five. Sarah does not believe that she will ever conceive. She did not pray as Hannah did when she longed for a child. “Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the LORD. And she made this vow: ‘O LORD Almighty, if you will look down upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you.’ ” (1 Samuel 1:11). She remained faithful to her husband Elkanah and her prayer was heard. And “When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the LORD remembered her request, and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I asked the LORD for him.’ ” (1 Samuel 1:19b-20).

   Although Sarah says that she accepts her childless years as from the Lord, she is not really looking to him as Hannah did. Instead she suggests another way to her husband. It was to follow the cultural way of the time in such situations. John Thompson[1] writes ...

   There was another possibility that could arise in the case of a man who had no son. It was quite common for the man’s wife to take a slave woman and present her to her husband in order to raise up a child for herself. In this case the son of the slave woman became the heir if there were no other sons. But here too, should there be in due course a son born to the first wife, then the son of the slave woman took second place and had to surrender the inheritance to the true son. It was provided however, that in that case the son of the slave woman should not be cast out but should have some share in the inheritance.

    And so it was that in desperation Sarah says to Abraham, “The LORD has kept me from having any children, go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” (vs. 2). Sarah assumes that her condition is final. She does not believe that God can change things for her. She seems to think that the promise made to Abraham concerning his having a son and heir does not include her. She perhaps feels left out and so she comes up with a scheme of her own to have a son.

   Abraham’s first idea as to how he might provide himself with an heir was to name his servant Eliezer as such. He put this out of his mind however when the Lord promised him that he would have a son of his own and sealed the promise with a covenant. But now he forgets all of that and agrees to his wife’s proposal. It may never have come to this had he not decided in a former lapse of faith to go down to Egypt during the famine, for that is where Sarah took the Egyptian servant Hagar into their household. (vs. 1). But agree he did.

   Abraham and Sarah thought they could help God’s purposes along by ‘doing it their way.’ “So Abraham slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant.” (vs. 4). But there are always hidden costs in doing things our way. For, as Paul reminded the people in Galatia, “Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow!” (Galatians 6:7).

THE IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES. (Read Chapter 16:4-16)

Abraham and Sarah were still learning that “… without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). They were too often putting together solutions of their own for the problems they encountered. The Lord, personified as wisdom, says of those who depend on their own understanding instead of trusting him, “They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. That is why they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way. They must experience the full terror of the path they have chosen.” (Proverbs 1:30-31).

   What Abraham and Sarah saw as the solution to their problem of remaining childless only created more problems for them. The “fruit of living their own way” soon began to appear. The consequences of their doing it their way were ...

Sarah's  Unhappiness. ( vs. 4-5)

   Hagar’s pregnancy caused much anguish for Sarah, as her house help now pregnant, treated her with contempt, gloating no doubt over her failure to bear a child. Although this way for them to have children was originally suggested by Sarai, her name before it was changed to Sarah (Genesis 17:15-16), she now blames Abraham for her unhappiness. “ ‘It’s all your fault!’ she shouts at him.” (vs. 5). And then she tries to drag the Lord into the scene by demanding that he punish Abraham for what she claims he has done to her.

Abraham’s Confusion. (vs. 6)

   His wife is distressed and angry. Hagar is carrying his child. He had taken the course he did at the suggestion of his wife. Griffith Thomas[2] makes the observation “Abraham’s temptation came from the nearest and dearest in his life, the very source whence trouble might have been least expected.” How will he respond to his wife’s feelings now? His initial reaction is to pass the problem back to his wife as he replies, “Since she is your servant you may deal with her as you see fit.” (vs. 6). Perhaps he thought the problem would go away. Sarai’s angry response is to treat her servant badly. But how will all this affect Abraham’s walk with the Lord? Will he be able to find his way back onto the path of faith? He will, but it will take many years as we shall discover later.

   The decision to do it their way has brought Sarai much unhappiness and confusion for Abraham. But what about Sarai’s servant woman Hagar? How is she affected?

Hagar Falls Into Depression. (vs. 6-14)

   Feeling rejected and lonely, “Hagar ran away.” (vs. 6). She is fleeing to her home country Egypt. But after several days on the run she is found by the angel of the Lord as she stops for a drink at a spring somewhere in the vicinity of Kadesh. The angel knows all about her. He knows her name and that she is a servant woman of Sarai, but gently enquires, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from and where are you going?” (vs. 8). This angel of the Lord can be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ in one of his pre-incarnation appearances. Hagar refers to him as God. “Thereafter Hagar referred to the LORD, who had spoken to her, as ‘the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have seen the One who sees me!’ ”(vs. 13. cf. Exodus 3:2-4, Numbers 20:16, 22:22, Joshua 5:13-15, Judges 6:11-12, 13:3, Psalm 34:7, Zechariah 1:9-12, 3:5-6, 12:8).

   Hagar’s life turns around when she meets the Lord beside that well in the desert. In addition to the physical refreshment the water from the well gave to her, Hagar now finds spiritual refreshment in her meeting with the Lord. Just like a lonely woman of Samaria did when she met Jesus at the well in her village of Sychar. She was surprised when he offered her “living water”, and asked, “... are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and cattle enjoyed?” Speaking of this ‘water’ that comes from the earth, Jesus explained, “People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. But the water that I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:10, 12-14). This life giving water is something the Lord has ready for all runaway servants who turn back to him.

   There by the side of the well, Hagar’s life is redirected, as “the angel of the LORD said to her, ‘Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.’ ” (vs. 9). The promises that follow give renewed hope and purpose for her life. She will safely give birth to a son. Descendants too many to be counted will follow. He too will be the father of a nation. “And the angel also said, ‘You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael for the LORD has heard about your misery.’ ” (vs. 11).

   Hagar’s depression lifted as she found grace and mercy with the Lord in her time of need. Her sense of worth returned as she experienced the Lord’s concern for her in a difficult situation. But bringing up her son will not be easy. The Lord prepares her for the problems ahead. “This son of yours will be a wild one—free and untamed as a wild donkey! He will be against everyone and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live at odds with the rest of his brothers.” (vs. 12).

   Back once more in the household of Abraham and Sarai, “Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael. Abram was eighty six years old at that time.” (vs.15-16). Abraham and Sarai have done it their way. Paul notes that “The son of the slave-wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfilment of God’s promise.” (Galatians 4:22). But their failure to wait for the Lord to do it his way also has … 

THE LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES. (Read Ahead ~ Chapter 21:1-10)

Fourteen years later a son Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarai. He is immediately rejected by Ishmael and his mother who were soon “making fun of Isaac.” (Genesis 21:9). As a result they are asked to leave the home.

   But the Lord continued to show grace and mercy to Hagar as she became disoriented along the way. Wandering aimlessly in the wilderness she felt that she and her son would soon die of thirst. “ ‘I don’t want to watch the boy die,’ she said, as she burst into tears. Then God heard the boy’s cries and the angel of God called to Hagar from the sky, ‘Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy’s cries from the place where you laid him. Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.’ Then God opened Hagar’s eyes and she saw a well. She immediately filled her water container and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness of Paran. He became an expert archer and his mother arranged a marriage for him with a young woman from Egypt.” (Genesis 21:16b-21).

   The hostility that began then between Ishmael and Isaac continues to this day. For the nation of Israel arose from the descendants of Isaac and the Arab nations from those of Ishmael. Judaism and its fulfilment, the Christian faith, have come to the world through the nation of Israel, and Islam from the Arab world. Christianity and Islam represent two contrasting worldviews. The Arab nations remain opposed to the people of Israel and to Christians.

   It must be remembered however, that the outcome of this hostility remains in the hands of the Lord. “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25 NIV). He will deal justly with both the people of Israel and the followers of Islam. His grace and mercy remain on offer to both the people of Israel and the followers of Islam, just as it was to Hagar and Ishmael. And to all people. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy and we will find grace to help us when we need it.” (Hebrews 4:16)

Before exploring any further in the life of Abraham and his wife Sarah, we might pause for a moment to think about ...

THE FOURTEEN YEARS OF WAITING

The Lord will fulfil the promise he made to Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son of their own, but they will have to wait another fourteen years. Ishmael was thirteen years old when Abraham received the assurance that a son would be born to him and Sarah about a year later. The absence of any record of those fourteen years makes us wonder what may have been happening in their lives during that time. One thing comes to mind. They would have had to rise to the challenge of ...

Coping  With A Difficult Child (Read Again Chapter 16:12)

It was not long before Abraham and Sarai were confronted with the problem of how to cope with an uncooperative son. From an early age it became apparent that Ishmael was “a wild one—free and untamed as a wild donkey! …against everyone …” (16:12). How did they and how do parents of any generation handle such a child? Several suggestions may be helpful … 

-    Acknowledge the child’s right to make his own decisions. Allow him to learn from his mistakes. But make him aware that he is responsible for the consequences of his decisions. Remind him lovingly of what Paul once said, “Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” (Galatians 6:7-8).

-    Let love be unconditional so that the child never feels rejected even when rejecting the advice being offered. Continue to show acceptance when requests are ignored. Be patient when he adopts a different world view and value system from yours. Remain sensitive to the peer pressure your child is under, the intense pressure to conform to what is ‘cool’ at the time. Never lose hope  that Paul’s advice will one day become meaningful for him. “Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.” (Romans 12:2).

-    Be willing to discipline. “Don’t fail to correct your children. They won’t die if you spank them. Physical discipline may well save them from death.” (Proverbs 23:13-15). Don’t be afraid to warn of the consequences of choosing the wrong path. While exercising discipline, remind the ‘wild one’ that “There is a path before each person that seems right but it ends in death.” (Proverbs 16:25).

-    Keep right on teaching in the assurance that the seed sown will someday germinate. “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I will send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” (Isaiah 55:11). “Teach your children to choose the right path and when they are older they will remain on it.” (Proverbs 22:6).

-    Be patient when your teaching is ignored. Don’t let discussion of Christian values degenerate into argument. Be guided by Paul’s advice to Timothy. “Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. The Lord’s servants must not quarrel but be kind to everyone. They must be able to teach effectively and be patient with difficult people. They should gently teach those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts and they will believe the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the Devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.” (2 Timothy 2:23-26).

-    Remind often of God’s continuing offer of forgiveness. “I am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every sin and rebellion … if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” (Exodus 34:6-7b, 1 John 1:7-9).

-    And perhaps the most important of all, present the ‘wild one’ with a model to follow. Paul’s counsel to a young pastor regarding the model he should provide for his church is relevant also for parents. “Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live, in hour love, your faith, and your purity.” (1 Timothy 4: 12b). And Peter’s advice to God’s people, “Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your good example.” (1 Peter 1:3).

During those fourteen years Abraham and Sarai would also have been finding it difficult to cope with …

The Apparent Slowness In The Fulfilment of God Of God’s Promises.

It is now twenty four years since Abraham and Sarah left Haran. There are no signs to indicate the emergence of a great nation. As the years roll on hope of any fulfilment of the promises is almost extinguished. The lamp of faith burns low. The vision fades. All they have to show for the years of hard work are a wealth of possessions, servants, and a wayward son.

   Abraham would have been helped at this time had he had access to the completed Scriptures as we have today. The encouragement left us by David for example. “Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14). “Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act.” (Psalm 37:7). Or the counsel Habakkuk received from the Lord as he grew tired of waiting for him to move more quickly. “But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” (Habakkuk 2:3).

Painful Memories From The Past.

Sometimes as he was attending to his business interests the memory of some distressing incident would leap out of the past to trouble him. Or it may have been late in the day when he was tired, or perhaps when he woke up during the night that the painful memories would come flooding in. The wandering off to Egypt, the break up of the family as Lot departed for what appeared to be greener pastures, the involvement in a war, the several lapses in faith and the doing of it their way, all came back at various times to make him doubt his standing with God. Ishmael may also have added to these memories by tossing in his recollection of incidents that had affected him at various times.

   We too can be troubled by memories of past failures. As the painful memories roll by, the doubts begin. Does God really love me? He couldn’t possibly use a person like me in his service. Am I still saved? What do others think of me? Do they accept me as I am? And so the question may be asked. How does a person cope with these memories and the feelings they produce? We may discover the answer to our question in a visit to the art gallery of faith[4]. It was by faith! The word picture drawn there of Abraham and Sarah is inspiring.

   “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in a tent. And so did Isaac and Jacob, to whom God gave the same promise. Abraham did this because he was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.
   It was by faith that Sarah together with Abraham was able to have a child, even though they were too old and Sarah was barren. Abraham believed that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came from this one man, Abraham, who was too old to have any children—a nation with so many people that, like the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.” (Hebrews 11:8-12).

   The scenes missing from this picture are significant. There are no references to Abraham and Sarah’s failures—only to their faith. Why? Because, as we have already discovered, “Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD declared him righteous because of his faith.” (Genesis 15:6). And also Sarah because of her faith. The same is true for all who accept by faith the sacrificial offering for sins that God has provided. For Abraham and Sarah, the sacrificial lamb from the flock—for us, Jesus, the sacrificial “…Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29). As Paul explains, “Now this wonderful truth—that God declared him to be righteous—wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was for us too, assuring us that God will also declare us to be righteous if we believe in God, who brought Jesus our Lord back from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised from the dead to make us right with God.” (Romans 4:23-25).

   Being made right with God means that our sins are forgiven. Paul writes, “He is so rich in kindness that he purchased our freedom through the blood of his Son, and our sins are forgiven.” (Ephesians 1:7). And not only are our sins forgiven but they are completely forgotten by the Lord. What God has promised to the people of Israel is true for all who turn to the him in repentance and faith. “And I will forgive their wickedness and will never again remember their sins.” (Jeremiah 31:34).

   We may remember past sins but God has forgotten them following our repentance and forgiveness. The reason we cannot forget is that our forgetting faculty is imperfect, like all our other faculties. God can choose to forget our sins because, like all his other attributes and faculties, his forgetting faculty is perfect. This then is why only the faith of those whose sketch appears in the art gallery of faith is drawn attention to. Because of faith they have been declared right with God. God has forgiven their sins and deleted them from his memory.

   Abraham is able to cope with painful memories as they surface from time to time with the assurance that his sins are forgiven and forgotten. He is justified by faith and is at peace. But as the years roll on there is yet another aspect to their lives that Abraham and Sarah would have had to deal with …

The Dangers Associated With Success.

Life is unfolding very nicely for Abraham and Sarah. There is little need for them to actively trust Lord. Their lifestyle is being maintained by their own diligence and hard work. They have the best tent in the area. Food source is assured. The cattle and sheep reproduce of their own accord. Their land holdings even now are extensive.

   It is at times like this that it is so easy to drift away from the Lord, to no longer feel the need to trust him, to forget that we are dependent on him for everything, to become caught up in the affairs of this life. At such times it is good to keep in mind the warning of the Lord.

   “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the LORD your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and laws. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, that is the time to be careful. Do not become proud and at that time forget the LORD your God, who rescued you from slavery ion the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 8:11-14).

And with their success Abraham and Sarah during those years must have often felt  …

The Emptiness Of It All

Life was rolling along pleasantly for Abraham and Sarah but every day was much the same. What happens each day is predictable. Working around the farm, supervising the workers, gathering food, cooking the meals, cleaning the tent, keeping it in good repair, then every few years sewing together a new one, burying the rubbish, attending to the oil lamps.

   Their wealth is increasing but with it they must have sometimes sensed a great emptiness deep within. Something like Solomon described. “People who live only for wealth come to the end of their lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day they were born.” (Ecclesiastes 5:15). It would have been a tragedy if Abraham and Sarah came to the end of their lives feeling like Solomon did that “All is meaningless … utterly meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 12:8). But, as we shall discover in the next lesson, life is about to take on new meaning and purpose for this elderly couple as the Lord steps into these fourteen long years of waiting with the fulfilment of his promise of a son for them.