Sarah and Hagar Part 2

Passages: 18: 1-15 and 21:8-21

My last post left Hagar and Sarah back living together. Hagar with Abraham’s son and Sarah still without any children born to her and Abraham from her own body. We have one woman trusting God and his word and another acting out of her own will to make God’s word happen.

In chapter 18 we see that God sends his angels to Abraham and Sarah with a message.

Then the Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.

(Genesis 18:10)

We then see Sarah’s response in a laugh “After I am worn out and my master old, will I now have this pleasure?” (Genesis 18:13). Sarah’s laughter comes across as if she believes God to be joking. Her reaction is one of disbelief. But when faced up to God she lies about her reaction. However, God see’s right through her laughter and doubt.

In chapter 21, Sarah and Hagar re-enter the story. This time, Sarah has had the son that God promised. He is named Isaac which means “he laughs”. It’s interesting that he is named after the exact reaction Sarah had when God told her she would have a son. Her laugh of disbelief has been turned into a laugh of joy.

Hagar on the other hand is later thrown out by the Jealous Sarah. When Sarah see’s the son Hagar bore to Abraham first she rejects this child as his. Even though it was Sarah who wanted the child to be conceived through Hagar, now that she has a child of her own; Hagar is once again pushed out of the picture. Hagar ends up in the desert with her son, they are both struggling to survive and knowing she can’t care for her son, Hagar hides him under a bush and leaves so she doesn’t have to watch him die. However, God sends an angel to Hagar to remind her that God is looking after them, just as he did a few chapters before when she escaped from Sarah into the desert. This time Hagar is not told to go back but instead God provides some water for Hagar and her son and they live and survive in the desert now. Hagar is again reminded by God that her son Ishmael are now included into the promise of being a great nation that come through Abraham. Even though Sarah and Abraham dismiss Hagar and Ishmael from their lives, God still knows that Ishmael is from Abraham and graciously still involves him in the promise. Though God assured Sarah that the blessings will be received through her son Isaac’s line, God still enables Ishmael to take part in the promises.

Here we see two different attitudes to God again.

Sarah – laughing at God but then rejoicing in his works and the keeping of his promises.

Hagar – Listening and trusting God to look after her and Ishmael in the desert.

It’s interesting the way that God responds to the different attitudes of the women. Particularly with Sarah. Sarah, going against God’s wishes enables Ishmael to come into being. Obviously God also allowed this to happen because he is in control. Sarah’s actions were to take Gods promises into her own hands and this greatly affected the life of Hagar and Ishmael. But Hagar, she remained faithful to God. She ran away and returned once God told her to, them when she was cast out from her home she trusted God to look after and provide for her and Ishmael.

God’s response to both women is to keep his promises. Both women are included in the promises made to Abraham, particularly around the great nation. Sarah is still included because she is Abraham’s wife and though she doesn’t respond rightly to God he still acts to give her the child he promised. Hagar is included in the promises now because she had Abraham’s first son Ishmael. God still cares for her and look after her and ensures that Ishmael also gets his share of the promises that he inherits from his father.

God is consistent throughout the whole ordeal. He still acts around his people and in their lives. He ensures his word is kept and cares for Hagar even though she is a slave to Sarah. God treatment of both women is the same even though they have different social positions.

It’s pretty great to know that even though Hagar wasn’t a Jew (she was an Egyptian slave remember), that God is still working in her life. She gets to take part in the blessing to Abraham and becomes mother to a son who will become a great nation. She also, being Egyptian, gets to take part in the blessing to all nations. This just shows us that not only is God consistent, keeps his word and loves us, he also has a mind for all the nations and that is shown here.

So I guess the big question to ask after looking at these two women and how they respond to God is… how then should we respond to God? Is God true to his word? Does he do what he says?

I can conclude that God is true to his word in this passage and he does exactly what he said he plans and promises. God is consistent and we see this consistency filled through the Cross when Jesus Christ was crucified. God kept his promises to Abraham and Sarah by bringing Jesus through their line. He also included all the nations, and one way of seeing that happens with Hagar the Egyptian slave.

So what do you think of God now? Isn’t it great that he used such ordinary and messy people to bring about Jesus? How should we respond knowing these things?

Those are some questions ask yourself during this week.

Keep your noses in your bibles!

Many Blessings!