Gênesis 16
Bob Utley · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gênesis 16
Utley - "may the Lord judge between you and me" The VERB is a Qal IMPERFECT used in a JUSSIVE (like a command) sense. Exactly what she wants YHWH to do is ambiguous. Apparently she is seeking divine sanction for her feelings of rejection or approval for her planned actions against Hagar. However, the phrase does show the growing tensions between Abram and Sarai.
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Utley - This seems to be somewhat cruel to us, but we must judge it in light of its own day and not ours. This fits exactly the Nuzi Tablets and the Code of Hammurabi in how to deal with concubines. Again, in some ways this parallels the Gen. 3:11-13 account. Abram passes the responsibility from himself as family leader to Sarai. Humans tend to deflect responsibility and make excuses! So - Term of conclusion. Sarai in essence obeys Abram's words (do what is good in your sight), but instead of doing good, she does bad! Sarai treated her harshly (’anah; Lxx = tapeinoo = make low, humiliate, degrade, abase), and she fled from her presence - Sarai humiliated Hagar, who felt the humiliation and hatred and fled the house. One can hardly blame her! Hagar could flee from the presence of Sarai, but as we soon see, she could not flee from the presence of the Lord. As we have all learned all too often and too painfully, running away from a problem does not cause the problem to "run away"! Recall Abram's running to Egypt when the problem of famine surfaced (Ge 12:10ff+) and look where that led! In fact Hagar (assuming she joined his family in Egypt) is part of the present problem. Problems not confronted head-on and solved or resolved can take on a life of their own and spawn off "baby" problems which usually "grow up" into big problems! THOUGHT - How are you handling your problems (we all have them!)? Are you in effect doing the "Hagar two-step" and trying to run from them? Or are you running toward God Who is the ultimate "Problem Solver?" Pr 18:10+ says "The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous runs into it and is safe (sagab = lifted up above the fray is the idea)." NET NOTE on treated her harshly - In the Piel stem the verb עָנָה (’anah) means “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly, to mistreat.” As alluded to earlier the seed of Ishmael and Isaac are still at war with each other 4,000 years later. Whatever man does without God, he'll fail miserably or succeed more miserably. -- George MacDonald Bob Utley -"she fled from her presence" A slave running away was a serious legal matter which had serious consequences. This is very similar to the event recorded in Gen. 21:8-21. The following verses show YHWH's care and love, even for the concubine Hagar and her child. YHWH's love is not limited to Abram's family (i.e., Melchizedek, Job). Treated...harshly (afflicted) (06031) 'anah means to be afflicted, be bowed down, be humbled, be meek. 'Anah frequently expresses the idea God sends affliction to discipline (Dt 8:2-3+, see context Dt 8:5, 1Ki 11:39; Ps 90:15 Luke 3:5). 'Anah often speaks of harsh and painful treatment (Isa 53:4, Ge 16:6). 'Anah is most frequently translated in LXX by tapeinoo (as Ge 16:6 and Lev 16:29). God commanded them to “afflict themselves” (“deny yourselves” Lev 16:31NIV), which is the same word used to describe the pain that the Egyptians inflicted on the Hebrews (Ex 1:11,12) and the suffering Joseph felt in prison (Ps 105:18)! The verb 'anah is the one used to describe what Egypt does to Israel (Ge 15:13; Ex 1:11-12), and it is a prohibited action toward defenseless people (Ex 22:21-24). This is what a man does to a woman in taking her (Dt 21:14; Dt 22:24). 'Anah - 75 verses - afflict(16), afflict him at all(1), afflicted(22), affliction(1), disturbed(1), do violence(1), force(1), humble(12), humbled(6), humbling(1), mistreat(1), oppressed(1), oppressors(1), ravish(1), ravished(2), silenced(1), submit(1), treated her harshly(1), violate(1), violated(5), weakened(1). Gen. 15:13; Gen. 16:6; Gen. 16:9; Gen. 31:50; Gen. 34:2; Exod. 1:11; Exod. 1:12; Exod. 10:3; Exod. 22:22; Exod. 22:23; Lev. 16:29; Lev. 16:31; Lev. 23:27; Lev. 23:29; Lev. 23:32; Num. 24:24; Num. 29:7; Num. 30:13; Deut. 8:2; Deut. 8:3; Deut. 8:16; Deut. 21:14; Deut. 22:24; Deut. 22:29; Deut. 26:6; Jdg. 16:5; Jdg. 16:6; Jdg. 16:19; Jdg. 19:24; Jdg. 20:5; 2 Sam. 7:10; 2 Sam. 13:12; 2 Sam. 13:14; 2 Sam. 13:22; 2 Sam. 13:32; 1 Ki. 2:26; 1 Ki. 8:35; 1 Ki. 11:39; 2 Ki. 17:20; 2 Chr. 6:26; Ezr. 8:21; Job 30:11; Job 37:23; Ps. 35:13; Ps. 88:7; Ps. 89:22; Ps. 90:15; Ps. 94:5; Ps. 102:23; Ps. 105:18; Ps. 107:17; Ps. 116:10; Ps. 119:67; Ps. 119:71; Ps. 119:75; Ps. 119:107; Ps. 132:1; Ps. 140:12; Isa. 25:5; Isa. 31:4; Isa. 53:4; Isa. 53:7; Isa. 58:3; Isa. 58:5; Isa. 58:10; Isa. 60:14; Isa. 64:12; Lam. 3:33; Lam. 5:11; Ezek. 22:10; Ezek. 22:11; Dan. 10:12; Nah. 1:12; Zeph. 3:19; Zech. 10:2 Steven Cole's Conclusions/Applications from Genesis 16:1-6 1. Shift your focus from seeking personal fulfillment and happiness to seeking to please and glorify God. Christians have gotten caught up in our cultural pursuit of personal fulfillment and happiness. We’ve fallen into the trap of using God and the Bible to make us happy. But if it doesn’t seem to be delivering the goods, then we bail out of our marriages or seek fulfillment in worldly pleasures, rather than submitting ourselves to God’s purpose for our personal and family lives. If you are unhappy in your marriage, the reason you should seek counsel is not so that you can become happy. You need to get help because a marriage marked by conflict does not please and glorify God. That should be your focus. 2. You cannot please and glorify God apart from saturating yourself with His Word. If you do not know God’s Word, you will simply be swept downstream with the powerful currents of our culture. As much as you need to eat to stay healthy, so you need to feed daily on God’s Word. Read it, memorize key verses, meditate on it, and seek to obey it. Psalm 1 promises blessing to the one who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, but who delights in God’s Word. 3. Strive to become a biblical thinker who challenges our culture with God’s Word, especially in family matters. Why should career success be your main goal in life? Why does your family need all the latest junk, instead of giving generously to God’s work? Why should your TV set be on for several hours every evening? Why should you run your schedule at a frenzied level like everybody else? How can your family develop a ministry mind-set? Become a biblical thinker! 4. Husbands need to assume loving leadership in the home and wives need to let them to take it. I’m not talking about becoming an Archie Bunker, who barks commands at his cowering wife and kids. That’s not biblical leadership! I am talking about leading by example from the strength of a growing, personal walk with God. The main job description for a husband is to love his wife sacrificially as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her (Eph. 5:25). That means never acting selfishly, but always for the ultimate good of your family. If a husband focuses on his God-ordained responsibility out of a desire to glorify God and the wife on hers, there will not be competition, but complementarity. Husbands should learn to practice the servant leadership exemplified by the Lord Jesus. Husbands should always remember that an exhaustive study of police records has shown that no woman has ever shot her husband while he was doing the dishes (Reader’s Digest [11/79])! If we follow wrong cultural customs rather than God’s plan, we’ll have family problems. But, if we’ll focus on pleasing and glorifying God by obedience to His Word, if we learn to think biblically and lead lovingly by example in our homes, we’ll avoid many family problems and begin to experience a little bit of heaven on earth. (Why We Have Family Problems - Genesis 16:1-6) Genesis 16:7 Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. found: Pr 15:3 a spring of water: Ge 25:18 Ex 15:22 1Sa 15:7 Shur: The desert of Shur being between the south of Canaan, where Hebron was situated, and Egypt, it is likely that Hagar was returning to her own country. Genesis 16 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Source: Abraham: Following God's Promise (See Shur in Bottom Left Corner) THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SHOW UP FOR FIRST TIME Now - Time phrase. Now means at that moment, the moment of Hagar's great distress (and surely also great fear and uncertainty). But God "sure" arrives just in time at Shur! God’s timing is always precise, certain, and punctual, but the Lord doth not compute and reckon his seasons of working by our arithmetic. – John Flavel The Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur - One could subtitle this section "The God Who Shows Amazing Mercy in the Midst of a Miserable Mess!" Notice who finds who! God takes the initiative to find the lost (then and now)! God is a seeking God! We may think that we found Him, but the reality is, He found us. We were lost and confused, wandering away from Him. He came looking and found us! Luke 19:10+ says it best - "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Play Michael Card's great song (he wrote it and sang it) El Shaddai. While we do not encounter that Name in this section, Michael Card does have a line in the beautiful song that speaks of God seeing Hagar in her distress (see lines in bold).... Through Your love and through the ram You saved the son of Abraham Through the power of Your hand Turned the sea into dry land To the outcast on her knees You were the God who really sees And by Your might You set Your children free Who is this mysterious angel? Clearly this one is far more than a created angel, because of His prophetic promise in Ge 16:10. No created angel would or could ever make such a pronouncement. This is divine and I think is an Old Testament manifestation of Jesus Christ, what is known as a Christophany. See my detailed analysis of Angel of the LORD. As an aside Hagar's meeting at spring recalls the meeting of the Samaritan woman with Jesus by the well in John 4+. The "hero" of Genesis 16 arrives on the scene - the Angel of the LORD, mentioned 4 times - Gen. 16:7; Gen. 16:9; Gen. 16:10; Gen. 16:11 OTHER MENTIONS OF "THE ANGEL OF THE LORD" IN THE OT - Gen. 22:11; Gen. 22:15; Exod. 3:2; Num. 22:22; Num. 22:23; Num. 22:24; Num. 22:25; Num. 22:26; Num. 22:27; Num. 22:31; Num. 22:32; Num. 22:34; Num. 22:35; Jdg. 2:1; Jdg. 2:4; Jdg. 5:23; Jdg. 6:11; Jdg. 6:12; Jdg. 6:21; Jdg. 6:22; Jdg. 13:3; Jdg. 13:13; Jdg. 13:15; Jdg. 13:16; Jdg. 13:17; Jdg. 13:18; Jdg. 13:20; Jdg. 13:21; 2 Sam. 24:16; 1 Ki. 19:7; 2 Ki. 1:3; 2 Ki. 1:15; 2 Ki. 19:35; 1 Chr. 21:12; 1 Chr. 21:15; 1 Chr. 21:16; 1 Chr. 21:18; 1 Chr. 21:30; Ps. 34:7; Ps. 35:5; Ps. 35:6; Isa. 37:36; Zech. 1:11; Zech. 1:12; Zech. 3:1; Zech. 3:5; Zech. 3:6; Zech. 12:8 Parunak: Ex 15:22+ ("The wilderness of Shur") -- the region just beyond the border of Egypt into which Moses brought Israel after the Red Sea. The point of this detail is that Hagar is heading back home, toward Egypt. (Notes on Gen 16) John MacArthur on the angel of the Lord - This special individual spoke as though He were distinct from Yahweh, yet also spoke in the first person as though He were indeed to be identified as Yahweh Himself, with Hagar recognizing that in seeing this Angel, she had seen God (v. 13). Others had the same experience and came to the same conclusion (cf. 22:11-18; 31:11-13; Ex 3:2-5; Nu 22:22-35; Jdg 6:11-23; 13:2-5; 1Ki 19:5-7). The Angel of the Lord, who does not appear after the birth of Christ, is often identified as the pre-incarnate Christ. (Borrow The MacArthur Study Bible) Steven
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Utley - Verses like this (i.e., Gen. 3:9,11; 4:9,10), which record God or His representative asking questions, have become part of a theological movement called "Open Theism," which takes these questions literally and make the theological assumption that God does not know the future or historical actions of persons. I do not support Greek philosophy (i.e., the philosophically developed attributes of God), nor do I deny the historicity of the Genesis accounts, but I do assert that they are literary documents which use metaphorical language (as all human communication does; see G. B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of the Bible). The issue is the purpose of the questions in the Bible. Do they reflect a lack of knowledge on God's part or God working to develop understanding in human beings? There are too many other texts that assert God's knowledge of persons and future events for me to feel comfortable with Open Theism as anything but a reworked A. N. North's theology (i.e., Process Thought). QUESTION - What is open theism? ANSWER - “Open theism,” also known as “openness theology,” the “openness of God,” and “free will theism,” is an attempt to explain the foreknowledge of God in relationship to the free will of man. The argument of open theism is essentially this: human beings are truly free; if God absolutely knew the future, human beings could not truly be free. Therefore, God does not know absolutely everything about the future. Open theism holds that the future is not knowable. Therefore, God knows everything that can be known, but He does not know the future. Open theism bases these beliefs on Scripture passages which describe God “changing His mind” or “being surprised” or “seeming to gain knowledge” (Genesis 6:6; 22:12; Exodus 32:14; Jonah 3:10). In light of the many other Scriptures that declare God’s knowledge of the future, these Scriptures should be understood as God describing Himself in ways that we can understand. God knows what our actions and decisions will be, but He “changes His mind” in regard to His actions based on our actions. God’s disappointment at the wickedness of humanity does not mean He was not aware it would occur. In contradiction to open theism, Psalm 139:4, 16 state, “Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD...All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” How could God predict intricate details in the Old Testament about Jesus Christ if He does not know the future? How could God in any manner guarantee our eternal salvation if He does not know what the future holds? Ultimately, open theism fails in that it attempts to explain the unexplainable—the relationship between God’s foreknowledge and mankind’s free will. Just as extreme forms of Calvinism fail in that they make human beings nothing more than pre-programmed robots, so open theism fails in that it rejects God’s true omniscience and sovereignty. God must be understood through faith, for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6a). Open theism is, therefore, not scriptural. It is simply another way for finite man to try to understand an infinite God. Open theism should be rejected by followers of Christ. While open theism is an explanation for the relationship between God’s foreknowledge and human free will, it is not the biblical explanation. GotQuestions.org God Calls Your Name He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” Genesis 16:8 Today's Scripture & Insight : Genesis 16:1–9, 16 Natalia went to a different nation with the promise of receiving an education. But soon the father in her new home began physically and sexually abusing her. He forced her to care for his home and children without pay. He refused to let her go outside or use the phone. She had become his slave. Hagar was Abram and Sarai’s Egyptian slave. Neither one used her name. They called her “my slave” or “your slave” (Genesis 16:2, 5–6). They merely wanted to use her so they could have an heir. How different is God! The angel of the Lord makes His first appearance in Scripture when He speaks to a pregnant Hagar in the desert. The angel is either God’s messenger or God Himself. Hagar believes He’s God, for she says, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (v. 13). If the angel is God, He could possibly be the Son—the One who reveals God to us—making an early, preincarnate appearance. He says her name, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” (v. 8). What does it mean to you that Jesus knows your name? How might you similarly encourage others? Thank You, Jesus, for knowing my name. I rest in Your love for me. For further study, read Reclaiming Hope: Why We All Need Mercy, Justice, and Hope. Genesis 16:9 Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.” AMP The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Go back to your mistress, and submit humbly to her authority.” AMPC The Angel of the Lord said to her, Go back to your mistress and [humbly] submit to her control. submit: Ec 10:4 Eph 5:21 6:5,6 Tit 2:9 1Pe 2:18-25 5:5,6 Genesis 16 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries RETURN AND SUBMIT Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit (’anah; Lxx = tapeinoo = make low, humiliate, degrade, abase)yourself to her authority.” - The two commands are interesting, the call to return being easy to understand but the call to submit (’anah; Lxx = tapeinoo = make low, humiliate, degrade, abase) is the same word used in Ge 16:6 of Sarai's harsh treatment of Hagar. CEB says "Put up with her harsh treatment of you.” YLT has "humble thyself under her hands." The Angel is telling Hagar to submit of the authority of Sarai and to whatever mistreatment would be inflicted. He does not promise to change the situation with Sarai, but does promise to bless the male child (i.e., Ishmael) as who would become the founder of the Arab peoples. Genesis 21:18 (SPEAKING TO HAGAR CONCERNING ISHMAEL) “Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” Bob Utley points out that "This message implies that it is YHWH's will that Hagar's child grow up under Abram's influence (i.e., knowledge of YHWH)." THOUGHT - Harsh treatment (not speaking of life threatening treatment) is not necessarily a justification to remove oneself from the realm of legitimate authority. Enabled by God's Spirit, we need to learn to submit in difficult circumstances and trust in the God Who sees all and can deliver and vindicate us. Your number one need in a time of trial is to submit to God-- humble yourself under His mighty hand Steven Cole has some thoughts on a word many of us bristle at -- "SUBMIT" - The book of First Peter is about submission to authority in a time of trial. The Christians to whom Peter wrote were suffering, some as slaves under harsh masters, some as wives under disobedient husbands, all as citizens under an unjust government. Peter’s word to each group of victims was, “Submit” (1Pe 2:13, 18+; 1Pe 3:1+). He sums it up, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you” (1Pe 5:6–7+). Your number one need in a time of trial is to submit to God--humble yourself under His mighty hand. He is in control of the circumstances. He cares for you; don’t doubt His love. There are lessons which our rebellious nature cannot learn except by submitting to God in trials, even when we’re being treated wrongly or unfairly. Some people never grow in the Lord because they have a habit of running from difficult situations where He has put them for their training.....Some of you may be in trying situations right now, but you haven’t submitted to God. Maybe your pattern has been to run from one difficult situation to the next, always blaming others or complaining about bad luck, but never humbling yourself under God’s mighty hand. You won’t know His blessing until submit to Him in whatever circumstances He has placed you. It’s hard news, but it’s not really bad. The good news: When we submit to God in our affliction, He will bless us and our descendants. (The God Who Sees - Genesis 16:7-16) Genesis 16:10 Moreover, the Angel of the LORD said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” the Angel: Ge 22:15-18 31:11-13 32:24-30 48:15,16 Ex 3:2-6 Judges 2:1-3 6:11 Judges 6:16,21-24 13:16-22 Isa 63:9 Ho 12:3-5 Zec 2:8,9 Mal 3:1 Joh 1:18 Ac 7:30-38 1Ti 6:16 I will: Ge 17:20 21:13,16 25:12-18 Ps 83:6,7 Genesis 16 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passage: Genesis 17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. Genesis 25:12–18 (GOD'S PROMISE FULFILLED) Now these are the records of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham; 13 and these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael, and Kedar and Adbeel and Mibsam 14 and Mishma and Dumah and Massa, 15 Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages, and by their camps; twelve princes according to their tribes. 17 These are the years of the life of Ishmael, one hundred and thirty-seven years; and he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people. 18 They settled from Havilah to Shur which is east of Egypt as one goes toward Assyria; he settled in defiance of all his relatives. NOW THE ENCOURAGEMENT Moreover, the Angel of the LORD said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count - Note that this promise "I will greatly multiply..." is the same wording God used in His promise to Abram in Ge 22:17. Only God can multiply descendants. This Angel is the omnipotent God (Christ) speaking! Knowing that Hagar would need some encouraging motivation, the Angel gives us an incredible prophetic promise of countless descendants. This promise is repeated to Abram about Ishmael in Gen. 17:20. The upshot is that Abram would become the father of two groups of innumerable offspring fulfilling Ge 13:16 and Ge 15:5. Steven
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Utley - Please go in to my maid" The VERB is a Qal IMPERATIVE used in the sense of a request (cf. Gen. 30:3). The verb is often used as a euphemism of sexual intimacy (cf. Gen. 6:4; 16:2; 19:34; 30:3; 38:8,9; 39:14; Deut. 22:13; 25:5; 2 Sam. 11:4; 12:24; 16:21-22; 20:3; Pro. 6:29). Perhaps I will obtain children through her - The Hebrew expression is somewhat strange as literally it read “perhaps I will be built from her.” In context the idea is that a child through Hagar would form the foundation for their family. Bob Utley adds ""I shall obtain children through her" This is very much in line with the Nuzi Tablets which describe the Hurrian culture of the second millennium B.C. Hagar's child would legally become Sarai's child and Abram's heir. The VERB (BDB 124, KB 139, Niphal IMPERFECT) is literally "build up," but is used metaphorically for building a family (cf. Gen. 30:2; Deut. 25:9; 1 Sam. 2:35; 2 Sam. 7:27; 1 Kgs. 11:38; 1 Chr. 17:10,25). Believer's Study Bible - The word "obtain" is more literally rendered "I shall be built," showing the selfishness of Sarai's yearning. Abram clearly shared the blame by abandoning his responsibility of leadership and adopting her plan (cf. Ge 16:6; 3:17). Abram in his relationship with Hagar violated God's basic ordinance for marriage, which dates back to creation itself (cf. Ge 2:24, see note below). Sarai's plan amounted to polygamy, and the presence of two wives under the same roof inevitably brings trouble (cf. Ge 3:4). Hagar despised her mistress. Though she felt inferior in essence, she claimed to be superior in function. Believer's Study Bible note on Ge 2:24 - This verse is the commentary of the narration and not the speech of Adam (cf. v. 23; Matt. 19:4, 5). God's principle of marriage includes three aspects: (1) the "leaving," i.e., the legal act in which husband and wife make a public commitment of ultimate loyalty and lifelong devotion one to the other, above all others, even parents; (2) (CLEAVING) the "joining," i.e., the personal aspect of tender love and faithful responsibility which is permanent and binding (cf. Eph. 5:21-33); and (3) the becoming "one flesh," i.e., the physical or sexual union which symbolizes the beginning of a union of souls, a spiritual and psychological intertwining of persons (cf. Song 3:4, - "Sex as God designed in proper place and time is good, powerful, living, unifying. Outside of God's design it becomes evil, cruel, perverted, divisive."). "Leave" (azav, Heb.) and "join" (davaq, Heb.) are terms associated with covenant treaties (ED: SEE Covenant: As It Relates to Marriage). Here, marriage is interpreted as a new relationship bound by mutual oath. Sexual intimacy is an expression of the union of the two people; however, sexual union by itself is not sufficient to define the biblical concept of marriage. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai - Listened is a word which conveys more than just Abram hearing her voice, but often indicates obedience to what is heard, which is what happened in this case. As substantiation of that point, note that the Septuagint translates listened (shama) with the Greek verb hupakouo which means to follow instruction, obey, submit to, in this case submitting to Sarai's wishes. Oh my, Abram what are you doing? Our wives are one flesh with us (Ge 2:24+) and are generally excellent counselors. I know my wife has saved me from many a catastrophic decision (at least when I would listen). But God had already spoken and promised Abram a son, so surely it would have been advisable to find a little "altar time" with Him to see if Sarai's advice was sound and in His will. THOUGHT - Oh, to learn this difficult lesson. Before we make a major move (and even a minor move!) we should seek His face and connect with God, to hear His voice (especially through His Word and prayer), so that we might know His will, which is good and acceptable and perfect (Ro 12:2b+). We often pray the following prayer but do we really practice it? -- "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven" (Mt 6:10+). It is a great prayer, especially if we put it into practice! This is not the first time in Genesis that a man got into trouble by listening to the voice of his wife. In the Garden of Eden when Eve was tempted and fell into sin because of Satan's seductive lies, God addressed her husband Adam with these words "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life." (Ge 3:17+) Both cases highlight the faltering faith of two men which would lead to catastrophic consequences. Comparison of Adam and Abram is interesting as the first brought sin and death into the world and the second jeopardized God's plan to address that sin and death! Paul Apple- What was Sarah’s view of God? Do we view God as some type of Scrooge that plots to prevent our dreams from becoming reality? Do we view God as someone who forgets about His promises or is unable to overcome obstacles? What is our view of God? James 1 – loving heavenly Father who longs to give good gifts to His children. The God who is faithful to keep all His promises and all powerful to control all things. The God who sees my situation and cares deeply about me Bob Utley - SPECIAL TOPIC: SATANIC ATTEMPTS TO THWART THE MESSIANIC LINE A. Cain's rebellion, Genesis 4 B. Mixing of human and angelic lines, Genesis 6 C. Tower of Babel rebellion, Genesis 11 D. Abram giving Sarai to Pharaoh, Genesis 12 E. Birth of Ishmael to Hagar (Sarah's servant), Genesis 16 F. Abram giving Sarah to Abimelech, Genesis 20 G. Sacrifice of Isaac, Genesis 22 H. Rivalry between Esau and Jacob, Genesis 25, 32 I. Isaac giving his wife to Abimelech, Genesis 26 J. Trickery and rivalry of Laban, Genesis 29-31 K. Jacob merging with Shechem, Genesis 34 L. Rivalry between Jacob's children, Genesis 37 M. Judah's faithlessness and promiscuity related to Tamar, Genesis 38 Helping God Is anything too hard for the Lord? — Genesis 18:14 Today's Scripture : Genesis 16:1-16 People have always had a tendency to want to “help” God when He seems slow to fulfill His promises. The Lord had promised Abraham that his descendants would be as countless as the stars and that an heir would come from his own aging body (Gen. 15:1-5). Abraham believed the Lord, but Sarah ran out of patience. She talked Abraham into fathering children through her maidservant Hagar. Ishmael was born, but he wasn’t the son of promise (17:18-21). Fourteen years later, when Abraham and Sarah were very old, God did the impossible—Sarah conceived and the son of promise, Isaac, was born. A godly woman shared this story: “Once during my husband’s absence, a crisis arose. I needed to act quickly, but I was utterly helpless. Finally I prayed, ‘Lord, this is impossible for me. You’ll have to take over completely. I can’t even help You!'” She testified that God then accomplished the impossible when she admitted her helplessness. When sorrows assail us or terrors draw nigh, His love will not fail us, He'll guide with His eye; And when we are fainting and ready to fail, He'll give what is lacking and make us prevail. —Anon. Facing an impossibility gives us the opportunity to trust God. P G Matthew - Devotional She said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said.—Genesis 16:2 Genesis 15 records one of the high points in the life of Abraham. There we read one of the most important verses in all of Scripture: “Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.” But Genesis 16 speaks of one of Abraham’s lowest points. This warns us that right after a mountaintop experience, we can make the most terrible mistakes. A tremendous spiritual victory does not guarantee our avoiding a grievous error the next day. How careful we must be as we make decisions, and how important it is to learn from this chapter in Abram’s life. The Christian life entails a series of tests that help us to grow in our faith in God. Abram passed several such tests of faith in Genesis 12 through 15. He earned an “A.” But now he faced a trial of patience: Could he be patient and wait on God’s perfect timing for a son, or would he try to solve the problem in his own way by leaning on his own understanding? Here Abram failed terribly. At his wife’s leading, he who had risen to the zenith of faith now descended to the Dead Sea of self-reliance. Abram meekly obeyed Sarai’s carnal instructions, and Hagar, her Egyptian maidservant, conceived a son, Ishmael. God allowed Abram and Sarai to carry out their plan in opposition to his will, but he would never add his blessing. The consequences proved to be devastating, both at that time and for generations to come. As soon as Hagar knew she was pregnant, there was bitter strife in the household. Fourteen years later, when God appeared to Abraham to renew his promise of a son to be conceived through Sarai, Abraham pleaded with God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!” (Gen. 17:18). But it would never be. We can never manipulate God’s will to make it conform to our own. God will never bless our Ishmaels. Eventually, Abraham and Sarah would have to send him away, which “distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son” (Gen. 21:11). Not only so, but the descendants of Ishmael also became archenemies of the future nation of Israel. How bitter is the fruit of self-will! ILLUSTRATION - BEWARE OF DETOURS! Back in the ’60s, my wife and I enjoyed a brief vacation in the beautiful foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. As we began to drive home, she said, “Let’s take this side road. It looks interesting.’’ Interesting! It turned out to be one of the worst rural roads we have ever encountered, including some we’ve seen on mission fields overseas. There were no potholes; they were all craters. And while my car was raising dust, my impatience was raising my temper. As we carefully rounded a curve, we concluded that few people ever took this route; for there in front of us were two turtles, leisurely taking a walk in one of the two ruts that kept you on the road. When we finally reached civilization and a paved road, I thought of the statement Vance Havner often made: “The detour is always worse than the main road.’’ Genesis 16 records a painful detour that Abraham and Sarah made in their pilgrim walk, a detour that brought conflict not only into their home but also into the world. What today’s journalists call “the ArabIsraeli conflict’’ began right here. (Warren Wiersbe) Parunak (Notes on Gen 16): 3 Principles: 1.The wife is more likely to be deceived than the husband. 1 Tim 2:14, drawing on the woman’s own confession in Gen 3:13. Recall that the NT associates the fall always with Adam, never with Eve. 2. She inherits from Eve a tendency to rebel against her husband and seek to control him: Cf. Ge 3:16b+, interpreted in the light of Ge 4:7+. Here we see Sarai exhibiting the tendency of Ge 3:16b+. 3.The man must obey the injunction of Ge 3:16b+ and lead the wife, obeying the Lord above all. Luke 14:26, we are to hate our wife in comparison with the Lord. This is not just a NT principle; Deut 13:6-11+ requires the Israelite to give up a wife who has fallen into idolatry. Genesis 16:3 After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife. had: Ge 12:4,5 gave: Ge 16:5 30:4,9 his: Ge 25:6 28:9 32:22 35:22 Judges 19:1-4 2Sa 5:13 1Ki 11:3 Ga 4:25 Genesis 16 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries ABRAM WAS PATIENT FOR TEN YEARS After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan - In Ge 12:4 we learn that "Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran." So he would be about 85 years old now. God’s delays are not God’s denials. As alluded to earlier, ten years explains Sarai’s concern to do something about their childlessness. Ten years is a long time to wait for a promise from God and most of us don’t like to wait. But it is through “faith and patience [that we] inherit the promises” (Heb 6:12+). God has a perfect timetable for all that He wants to accomplish in our lives. After all, this event was not the birth of just any baby but he was to play a pivotal part in God’s great plan of redemption which would impact the entire world. Sarah's waiting soon led to impatience. Isn't that the effect that waiting can have on all of us? (That's a rhetorical question!) Why did God wait so long? The writer of Hebrews gives us some insight explaining that He wanted Abraham and Sarah to be physically “as good as dead” (Hebrews 11:12+) so that God Alone would receive the glory. At age 85, although his biological clock was ticking, Abraham was still virile enough to father a child (as Ishmael would soon prove), so the time for the miracle baby had not yet arrived according to God's perfect timetable. A willingness to wait on the Lord is evidence that you are walking by faith. “He that believes shall not make haste (Heb - chush = to hurry or do something quickly)” (Isa. 28:16). Paul quoted Isaiah in Romans 10:11 and amplified its meaning writing that “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED (or ashamed).” Whenever we stop trusting God, we start to get in a hurry and usually run in the wrong direction with the result that we end up being ashamed and/or disappointed (BEEN THERE, DONE THAT!)! While Abraham and Sarah were waiting, God was growing their faith and patience (Heb 6:12) and building their character during those 10 years. Unfortunately, Sarai could not persevere in this trial. James writes Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (Jas 1:2-4+). Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife "took" implies to grasp or take hold of (like Noah taking hold of the dove Ge 8:9). The Lxx uses "lambano" which can mean to grasp one, eg with the hand (Acts 27:35). Normally the girl’s father gives her to be married, but in the case of a “maid” her mistress gives her away (compare Ge 29:28 with Ge 30:4). Abraham’s taking Hagar as a second wife was legal according to the marriage code of that day. In later years, Jacob would marry his wives’ maids, Bilhah and Zilpah; and each would give him two sons. Moreover, the plan seemed to be successful, for Hagar conceived a child. What is legal in man's eyes is not necessarily best in God's eyes and this was certainly an illustration of that timeless principle. The golden plumb line should always be "what is the will of the LORD?" ("What saith the LORD?") Clearly Sarai's relationship with Abram was not in His will, for God never accepted Hagar as Abraham’s legitimate wife. As discussed in Ge 16:8, the Angel of the Lord (A CHRISTOPHANY) referred to Hagar as "Sarah’s maid” not as Abram's wife (or even as his concubine). Later Sarai referred to Hagar as "this maid and her son" (Ge 21:10), not as “Abraham’s wife and son.” However, note that Ge 16:3 says Hagar gave her to her husband Abram as his wife. In any case, Hagar was a manifestation of sin (of Sarai as well as Abram) because as Paul explains “whatever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). Deffinbaugh: It is ironic how the tables have been turned. In chapter 12, Abram’s unbelief caused him to agonize while Sarai was in Pharaoh’s palace. Now, Sarai, due to her proposal, is left to ponder what is going on in Hagar’s bedroom. Bob Utley - "After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan" It is significant that at least ten years have elapsed since God spoke to Abraham in chapter 15. Abraham was continuing to trust, but was trying to think of ways that he could help God. This again is God showing Abraham specifically that it was His resources, not Abraham's, that would ultimately bring forth the promise. This section is used as an allegory by Paul in Gal. 4:21-31. Warren
Gênesis 16
Utley - The name Hagar means "to flee" (BDB 212). This is characteristic of her (cf. Gen. 16:6, 8). She was an Egyptian who was probably purchased for Sarai while they were in Egypt (cf. Gen. 12:10-20). Matthew Henry (concise) - Verses 1-3. Sarai, no longer expecting to have children herself, proposed to Abram to take another wife, whose children she might; her slave, whose children would be her property. This was done without asking counsel of the Lord. Unbelief worked, God's almighty power was forgotten. It was a bad example, and a source of manifold uneasiness. In every relation and situation in life there is some cross for us to bear: much of the exercise of faith consists in patiently submitting, in waiting the Lord's time, and using only those means which he appoints for the removal of the cross. Foul temptations may have very fair pretenses, and be colored with that which is very plausible (WOE!). Fleshly wisdom puts us out of God's way. This would not be the case, if we would ask counsel of God by his word and by prayer, before we attempt that which is doubtful. Bob Utley - "the Lord has prevented me from bearing children" It is obvious that the couple had discussed YHWH's revelations and also the delay in their fulfillment. Apparently they began planning how to "help" Him fulfill His promise! The form of the VERB "prevented" (Qal PERFECT) denotes completed action. Sarai must have thought she was permanently barren. In a sense Sarai is blaming YHWH for her continued barrenness (cf. Gen. 20:18). The delay was part of the plan of God to mature their trust in Him and to clearly reveal Himself to later generations. All believers struggle with the timing of divinely promised events. SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD TESTS HIS PEOPLE THOUGHT - Sometimes I hear someone say, “I’m going to go ahead with this action and if God wants to stop me, He can.” Or I’ve heard, “I’m going to marry this non-Christian because I’ve prayed about it and feel a peace about it.” You don’t need to pray about it! God has clearly forbidden it in His Word. If you pray about it, you’re sinning, because you’re asking God to change His holy standards. God isn’t impressed with your prayers unless your heart is ready to obey, and then He will reveal what we should do. But He won’t necessarily stop us if we don’t seek Him with an obedient heart. (Steven Cole Why We Have Family Problems - Genesis 16:1-6) Matthew Henry Notes - Matthew Henry Notes: Chapter: 16 Hagar is the person mostly concerned in the story of this chapter, an obscure Egyptian woman, whose name and story we never should have heard of if Providence had not brought her into the family of Abram. Probably she was one of those maid-servants whom the king of Egypt, among other gifts, bestowed upon Abram (ch. 14:16). Concerning her, we have four things in this chapter:- I. Her marriage to Abram her master (Ge 16:1-3). II. Her misbehaviour towards Sarai her mistress (Ge 16:4-6). III. Her discourse with an angel that met her in her flight (Ge 16:7-14). IV. Her delivery of a son (Ge 16:15, 16). Ge 16:1-3 We have here the marriage of Abram to Hagar, who was his secondary wife. Herein, though some excuse may be made for him, he cannot be justified, for from the beginning it was not so; and, when it was so, it seems to have proceeded from an irregular desire to build up families for the speedier peopling of the world and the church. Certainly it must not be so now. Christ has reduced this matter to the first institution, and makes the marriage union to be between one man and one woman only. Now, I. The maker of this match (would one think it?) was Sarai herself: she said to Abram, I pray thee, go in unto my maid, Ge 16:2. Note, 1. It is the policy of Satan to tempt us by our nearest and dearest relations, or those friends that we have an opinion of and an affection for. The temptation is most dangerous when it is sent by a hand that is least suspected: it is our wisdom therefore to consider, not so much who speaks as what is spoken. 2. God's commands consult our comfort and honour much better than our own contrivances do. It would have been much more for Sarai's interest if Abram had kept to the rule of God's law instead of being guided by her foolish projects; but we often do ill for ourselves. II. The inducement to it was Sarai's barrenness. 1. Sarai bare Abram no children. She was very fair (Ge 12:14), was a very agreeable, dutiful wife, and a sharer with him in his large possessions; and yet written childless. Note, (1.) God dispenses his gifts variously, loading us with benefits, but not overloading us: some cross or other is appointed to be an alloy to great enjoyments. (2.) The mercy of children is often given to the poor and denied to the rich, given to the wicked and denied to good people, though the rich have most to leave them and good people would take most care of their education. God does herein as it has pleased him. 2. She owned God's providence in this affliction: The Lord hath restrained me from bearing. Note, (1.) As, where children are, it is God that gives them (Ge 33:5), so where they are wanted it is he that withholds them, Ge 30:2. This evil is of the Lord. (2.) It becomes us to acknowledge this, that we may bear it, and improve it, as an affliction of his ordering for wise and holy ends. 3. She used this as an argument with Abram to marry his maid; and he was prevailed upon by this argument to do it. Note, (1.) When our hearts are too much set upon any creature-comfort, we are easily put upon the use of indirect methods for the obtaining of it. Inordinate desires commonly produce irregular endeavours. If our wishes be not kept in a submission to God's providence, our pursuits will scarcely be kept under the restraints of his precepts. (2.) It is for want of a firm dependence upon God's promise, and a patient waiting for God's time, that we go out of the way of our duty to catch at expected mercy. He that believes does not make haste. 4. Abram's compliance with Sarai's proposal, we have reason to think, was from an earnest desire of the promised seed, on whom the covenant should be entailed. God had told him that his heir should be a son of his body, but had not yet told him that it should be a son by Sarai; therefore he thought, "Why not by Hagar, since Sarai herself proposed it?'' Note, (1.) Foul temptations may have very fair pretenses, and be coloured with that which is very plausible. (2.) Fleshly wisdom, as it anticipates God's time of mercy, so it puts us out of God's way. (3.) This would be happily prevented if we would ask counsel of God by the word and by prayer, before we attempt that which is important and suspicious. Herein Abram was wanting; he married without God's consent. This persuasion came not of him that called him. Genesis 16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. the Lord: Ge 17:16 18:10 20:18 25:21 30:2,3,9,22 Ps 127:3 obtain children: Heb be builded, Ge 30:3,6 Ex 21:4 Ru 4:11 listened: Ge 3:1-6,12,17 SARAI'S SAD SOLUTION So - Term of conclusion. Childless Sarah looks around and considers her options and arrived at a bad solution to use her servant. In Genesis 15 Abram considered a solution that also involved his servant Eliezer, but the difference in Abram's case was that he consulted the Lord. See the principle? It's simple! Got a problem? Consult God! Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children - So far her theology is very accurate. She understood that ultimately Jehovah had the "final say" on whether (and when) she and Abram would have children. Abram was 85 by now so his biological clock was ticking and her days of fecundity under the best of circumstances were likewise fading fast. And yet undoubtedly she knew the promises Yahweh had made to Abram concerning his descendants. However, waiting was (is) difficult when you have a promise but no tangible results or evidence. That's why it's called faith for as the NET renders it "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for (CLEARLY THEY HOPE FOR AN HEIR), being convinced of what we do not see." (Heb 11:1) Her faith wavered and the ripples that would result from her wavering faith would have negative impact throughout the ages! Today we call it the Middle East conflict, Jews (Isaac) versus Arabs (Ishmael)! Be very careful of the hazards in the road ahead when you willfully choose to take a detour from the clear will of God! Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” - Go in to my maid is a euphemism for sexual relations. Sarai has a faith failure and illustrates what it looks like to walk by sight and not by faith, seeking a human solution to accomplish a heavenly purpose. Sarai acts as if she believes the saying of Ben Franklin that "God helps those who help themselves." That is absolutely NOT Biblical and Genesis 16 strongly refutes that false "humanistic philosophy"! Promises of God do not need our help to be fulfilled. They just call for our obedience to His revealed will. He will take care of the details! Hope deferred makes the heart sick. -- Proverbs 13:12 In Proverbs 13:12 the Hebrew word for hope (tokhelet) has the implication of a tense if not anxious wait. Deferred (mashak) means dragged or drawn out or extended and Sarai had been waiting at least almost 11 years. Her heart was Sick (chalah) which means weak, faint, figuratively feeling anxious or grieved. Failure in realizing one's hopes can be depressing or discouraging to all of us. People can bear frustration only so long. THOUGHT - Recall that hope is connected with faith for "faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Heb 11:1+) Sarai's faith was faltering! What had begun in the Spirit Sarai (and Abram) now tried to complete in the flesh, which is a problem in many lives and which Paul addressed in Gal 3:3+ writing "Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" THOUGHT - How are you walking beloved? By the Spirit or by the flesh? Ryrie says that Sarai's humanistic solution was not so bad in the eyes of the world for it "was in accord with the practice of the day, as attested in legal codes and marriage contracts of that time." NET NOTE agrees writing "Sarai simply sees this as the social custom of having a child through a surrogate." The problem is always when we seek worldly ways to fulfill heavenly promises. Ligon Duncan: God is sovereign and we have a hard time accepting that. . . The problem is when God's sovereignty conflicts with our desires....the idea of God ‘seeing’ in the Old Testament is identical with the idea of God ‘caring.’ If He sees, then He cares. Parunak: From the perspective of the book, it stands as a roadblock to the promises that God has made. In 15:2, Abram raises this issue with the Lord. Here, the narrator observes it. This shift has the effect of making the problem much more prominent. First Abram raises it: “Lord, how am I going to have a seed?” Now the narrator picks it up, as though in a background voice: “That’s right, folks. How is he going to have a seed?” It is now not just Abram’s problem, but a major problem with the plot, which centers around the divine promises. (Notes on Gen 16) Alan Carr rightly observes that Abram "is still reaping the harvest he sowed in Egypt! Note: You never go into sin and come out clean! There is always some reminder, some evidence that you were there! That is the Law of Sowing and Reaping (WOE! Gal. 6:7-8+) (ED: WHAT'S THE TAKE-AWAY? IT IS BETTER NOT TO SOW!)
Gênesis 16
Utley - "I even remained alive here after seeing Him" It was understood in the Ancient Near East that to see God was to die (cf. Gen. 32:30 and Exod. 33:20). Hagar is shocked that God (i.e., Angel of the Lord) would come to her and that she would see Him and still live. It is difficult in the context to know if (1) she was amazed to see a physical manifestation of Deity (i.e., I saw Deity) (2) she was amazed God saw her and came to her with such encouragement and care (Deity saw me) I think #2 fits the context best and the later name of the well in Gen. 16:14. Anchor Bible Commentary on Genesis says the name is pointed in the MT in an unusual manner to allow both possibilities (p. 110). This is the only place in the OT where someone gives Deity a name. Usually Deity reveals Himself by giving a combination name (i.e., El plus, YHWH plus, Elohim plus). Also note that this unique naming was done by a persecuted Egyptian slave girl. YHWH seeks her out and confronts her. His love is amazing! See CAN HUMANS SEE GOD AND LIVE? God Sees You She called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees. —Genesis 16:13 Today's Scripture : Genesis 16:1-13 Hagar, Sarah’s handmaid, was being treated unkindly by Sarah, so she fled into the wilderness. As Hagar stood beside a spring in that desolate and lonely place, the Angel of the Lord visited her. He assured her that God Himself was aware of her situation. Hagar responded, “You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees” (Genesis 16:13). She found great comfort in knowing that the Lord God saw her and knew about her distress. You and I can have that same confidence in God’s watchcare. We can be sure that the Lord God is with us wherever we go, and He knows everything that happens to us. As the all-powerful One, He is able to solve every problem, no matter how overwhelming or perplexing it may be. We are never alone, never forgotten, and never beyond hope. Beneath His watchful eye His saints securely dwell; That hand which bears all nature up Shall guard His children well. —Doddridge We need not fear the perils around us because the eye of the Lord is always upon us.