Gen 16:1-4 | KingComments | STEP | Abram’s stay in Egypt ( ) brought him quite a lot: a lot of shame, a lot of goods, and also Hagar. Here it appears that his stay in Egypt will have a terrible and long aftermath. A believer can be restored from a stay in the world, but his stay can have long-term consequences. Ishmael was born of Hagar and his descendants will be Israel’s most bitter enemies – and they are to this day. There are more lessons in this history. God had promised Abram numerous offspring. That seems to fail, because Sarai can’t have children. Sarai acknowledges that her barrenness is from the LORD, because He prevented her from bearing children. However, she can no longer bear this test and comes up with an idea to have children by another way, by her own way. She proposes that Abram goes in to Hagar. Maybe there will come from Hagar an heir from whom her offspring will be built. Abram listens. He is as guilty here as Sarai is, or in fact even more guilty. He too succumbed to the temptation to do something himself, because it takes so long for God to fulfill His promise. And the intention succeeds. But this is not the way God fulfills His promise. Lack of patience and confidence that God will truly fulfill His promises has led many to premature, self-perpetuating action, the consequences of which sometimes have to be borne throughout the rest of life. In Genesis it becomes increasingly clear that every human being and every people who owes their existence to the election of God must live in faith. Human efforts will not help. In the letter to the Galatians, Paul extensively teaches that Hagar and Sarai represent two principles ( ). Hagar represents law and Sarai represents grace. God wants to give Abram and Sarai the heir by grace. But man by nature is not inclined to live by grace. Making a personal contribution, an effort to earn what God promises, is much more according to his nature. That is why Hagar represents the law. The law is given to tell man what he must do to get life: “Do this and you shall live” ( ). However, every human being fails in keeping the law and thus comes under the curse of the law. By keeping the law, by one’s own power, the promise of God is not obtainable. God’s promises are only for those who live by grace. That is the lesson Abram is taught and we have to learn it also. At first it seems that their method is successful. People can achieve a lot. Just look at Paul, who can say that he is blameless as to the righteousness which is in the law ( ). But he is a persecutor of the church. Law appeals to the flesh, but nothing that is pleasing to God can come forth from it. Abram has to learn that and we have to learn this. If someone succeeds in building up his own righteousness, he always will look down on others who have no high opinion of themselves and only want to live by grace. Thus Hagar becomes arrogant and looks despicable down on Sarai (cf. ). When Sarai presents things again as they are to God – Hagar is a bondwoman after all

‏ Genesis 16:1-4

Abram, Sarai and Hagar

Abram’s stay in Egypt (Gen 12:10-20) brought him quite a lot: a lot of shame, a lot of goods, and also Hagar. Here it appears that his stay in Egypt will have a terrible and long aftermath. A believer can be restored from a stay in the world, but his stay can have long-term consequences. Ishmael was born of Hagar and his descendants will be Israel’s most bitter enemies – and they are to this day.

There are more lessons in this history. God had promised Abram numerous offspring. That seems to fail, because Sarai can’t have children. Sarai acknowledges that her barrenness is from the LORD, because He prevented her from bearing children. However, she can no longer bear this test and comes up with an idea to have children by another way, by her own way. She proposes that Abram goes in to Hagar. Maybe there will come from Hagar an heir from whom her offspring will be built.

Abram listens. He is as guilty here as Sarai is, or in fact even more guilty. He too succumbed to the temptation to do something himself, because it takes so long for God to fulfill His promise. And the intention succeeds. But this is not the way God fulfills His promise.

Lack of patience and confidence that God will truly fulfill His promises has led many to premature, self-perpetuating action, the consequences of which sometimes have to be borne throughout the rest of life. In Genesis it becomes increasingly clear that every human being and every people who owes their existence to the election of God must live in faith. Human efforts will not help.

In the letter to the Galatians, Paul extensively teaches that Hagar and Sarai represent two principles (Gal 4:21-31). Hagar represents law and Sarai represents grace. God wants to give Abram and Sarai the heir by grace. But man by nature is not inclined to live by grace. Making a personal contribution, an effort to earn what God promises, is much more according to his nature. That is why Hagar represents the law.

The law is given to tell man what he must do to get life: “Do this and you shall live” (Lev 18:5). However, every human being fails in keeping the law and thus comes under the curse of the law. By keeping the law, by one’s own power, the promise of God is not obtainable. God’s promises are only for those who live by grace. That is the lesson Abram is taught and we have to learn it also.

At first it seems that their method is successful. People can achieve a lot. Just look at Paul, who can say that he is blameless as to the righteousness which is in the law (Phil 3:6). But he is a persecutor of the church. Law appeals to the flesh, but nothing that is pleasing to God can come forth from it. Abram has to learn that and we have to learn this.

If someone succeeds in building up his own righteousness, he always will look down on others who have no high opinion of themselves and only want to live by grace. Thus Hagar becomes arrogant and looks despicable down on Sarai (cf. Lk 18:11).

When Sarai presents things again as they are to God – Hagar is a bondwoman after all – Hagar flees.