Abram's Bad Decision (Genesis 16)

Though he was righteous by faith, did Abram still make the occasional horrible decision? Is Christian history also filled with both virtuous and shameful choices? When we forget to pray and seek God’s will, inspired by the Holy Spirit, scripture, and Godly counsel, can we cause ourselves and others great suffering? Do we walk and talk with God throughout our day, always seeking His guidance? Let’s discuss the events of Genesis 16.

Did Abram make a huge mistake with a household servant? Did Hagar treat Sarai with contempt?

Abram’s wife Sarai had not borne any children for him, but she owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar. Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said. So Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife for him. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan 10 years. He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she realized that she was pregnant, she treated her mistress with contempt. Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for my suffering! I put my slave in your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the Lord judge between me and you.” (Genesis 16:1-5 HCSB)

Did this cause great problems between the two women? Was God concerned for Hagar?

Abram answered Sarai, “Look, your servant is under your control, so do to her as you wish.” So Sarai dealt so harshly with Hagar that she ran away from Sarai. The angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the desert on the road to Shur. “Hagar, servant of Sarai,” he asked, “Where are you coming from and where are you going?” She answered, “I am running away from my mistress Sarai.” (Genesis 16:6-8 ISV)

What did the angel of the Lord say to Hagar? Did God mercifully promise to bless Hagar?

And the angel of the Lord said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. And the angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 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. 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. (Genesis 16:9-12 KJV)

Did Hagar give birth to a son? Is there still strife between their descendants? Ishmael is sometimes considered to be an ancestor of Arabs living across parts of Saudi Arabia.

Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees me”; for she said, “Have I even seen Him here and lived after He saw me?” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi [well of the Living One who sees me]; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. So Hagar bore a son to Abram; and Abram named his son, to whom Hagar gave birth, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him. (Genesis 16:13-16 NASB)

Are these two women compared to the two covenants, old and new?

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. (Galatians 4:21-26 NKJV)

Though he was righteous by faith, did Abram still make the occasional horrible decision? Is Christian history also filled with both virtuous and shameful choices? When we forget to pray and seek God’s will, inspired by the Holy Spirit, scripture, and Godly counsel, can we cause ourselves and others great suffering? Do we walk and talk with God throughout our day, always seeking His guidance? You decide!