GENESIS

Notes on Genesis 16

• Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bore him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

When Abraham and Sarah went to Egypt in previous chapters, we can notice here that they brought back with them Hagar to be a maid to Sarah. Now we will see the results of going down to Egypt in the first place. Whether it was right or wrong, I don't know, but all of us make choices that influence us one way or another. We could look at it from different directions. What we must remember most is the scripture that says, "Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Romans 4:3 also Galatians 3:6 and also James 2:23.

So even though in the flesh he may have made mistakes that we may think are mistakes, God doesn't hold it against him but looks at his faith. These just may have been bad decisions on Abraham's part that did cause him trouble and heartache later but it didn't change the mind of God as far as Abraham being chosen to bring forth the future Messiah in whom all nations shall be blessed. Notice that after Christ came and died for sins, their sins are never mentioned. That is the great part about grace.

Abraham believed God but just like us today sometimes we think we have to help God fulfill His word. There is a difference in walking in the spirit and doing works by the leading of the Holy Spirit and walking in the flesh and doing works in the flesh. Here we see an example of walking in the flesh to try to accomplish the work of God in the spirit. It didn't work then and it doesn't work now. Flesh and spirit are total opposites. So they still believed God's original promise to them but felt they had to work it out themselves.

They knew God had promised a child to them, they knew they were getting old so they most probably began to reason that they must do something to help. Remember also that this was the custom in ancient times. It wasn't considered adultery like we would consider it today. After the influence of Christianity and the rule of one wife instead of more than one, it would be considered adultery to do this, but in those days it was a custom of people of that day. God never ordained it in the beginning. He planned to stop it in the future after the coming of Christ when the power was given to resist the lust of the flesh and be more in tune with the ways of God.

• Genesis 16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

This is the danger of not waiting on God. I say this with the spirit of meekness though because we are have a tendency to miss God on occasion. Sarah grew impatient and decided that perhaps God meant for them to have a child by using Hagar. This was not fair to Hagar to use her in this manner. It was also a weakness in the faith of Sarah but it may also show that Sarah believed and was willing to let her husband go to another to fulfill God's promise to them.

Now we see the results of this error in the our world today with Arab and Israel conflicting with each other constantly.

• Genesis 16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
• 4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

I never could understand why Hagar began to despise Sarah. Perhaps it was because the child would be considered Sarah's child and she was just a person who bore the child. Maybe she woke up to the fact she was just being used and Abraham was not really wanting her as a wife. All this is speculation on my part.

I do not think God ever intended men to have more than one wife. He allowed it and He didn't remove His promises and covenants when they did, but there are plenty of signs in scripture to show us that it was never the plan of God for men to have multiple wives. It causes jealousy. It would be hard for a man to love all of them the same so he would probably favor one above the others. Someone always gets hurt. Children are hurt too when we live like this.

Had God wanted men to have more than one wife, He would have created more wives for Adam. The scripture says that man should leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife (not wives) and they shall become one flesh. This would be impossible with two wives. Man's lust and weakness causes him to desire more than one wife. In this particular case, Sarah's impatience caused this to occur. I doubt that Abraham desired this.

• Genesis 16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

Sarah admits she made a mistake. This is the first step toward making things right but the weakness of our flesh constantly hinders us from doing the right thing. So we see the bible shows us that this was clearly a mistake caused by Sarah's desire to help God.

• Genesis 16:6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

Abraham allowed Sarah to rule here and didn't take the side of the maid. One has to feel a little sorry for Hagar here but even though God chose Sarah to bear the child of promise, He still cared for Hagar and her seed.

• Genesis 16:7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
• 8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
• 9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

Hagar was to trust God to make things come out right in the end.

• Genesis 16:10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

This prophecy has been fulfilled. It is believed that the Arabs are decedents from Ishmael.

• Genesis 16:11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
• 12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

This is also true. The descendants of Ishmael have always been wild and dwelt in the wilderness. They do not get along well with outsiders. The only thing that will unite the children of Ishmael with the children of Isaac is faith in Jesus Christ as Messiah and being "born again" by the spirit of God. Since the nation of Israel and the Islamic nations both do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah, Son of God and God that came in the flesh to bring salvation to the world, this peace has not yet occurred and it will not occur until both nations accept Jesus as their Lord.

It is impossible to achieve this by giving up land or any other method world leaders try to dream up. It will not work. The Prince of Peace is Jesus and until He returns to set up His literal kingdom, peace will never be upon the earth.

• Genesis 16:13 And she called the name of the LORD that spoke unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?

Even though we fail at times, God cares about the individuals that are hurt by our failures.

• Genesis 16:14 Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
• 15 And Hagar bore Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bore, Ishmael.
• 16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

This whole episode was heartbreaking for Abraham and he loved Ishmael. At first he probably thought this was the child promised of God. However this lapse of their understanding of God's word brings sorrow later on.

Abraham had misunderstood the word of God and made mistakes; we do too. That is why we need to study the word and diligently seek God daily being careful to stay humble and realize that we truly need God every step that we take. We must see that we can't do the works of God by the flesh. It must be by the spirit in total dependence upon Him for direction. DC

Genesis 17