Genesis 16 - Did God Ask For Your Help?

 As stated in Genesis 15, Abram and Sarai did not have any children. If you recall, in Genesis 13, God told Abram that if the dust of the earth could be numbered, then his descendants can be numbered. In Genesis 15, God told Abram that if he could number the stars, so shall his descendants be. So, God is promising that Abram will have numerous descendants. Remember in Genesis 12, he is already 75 years old. Presuming that Abram and Sarai were a couple with great communication skills, I am guessing that he told her about God’s promise of numerous descendants.  

Sarai had an Egyptian maidservant by the name of Hagar. Sarai said to Abram that the Lord kept her from bearing children so she told Abram to go be intimate with her maid, Hagar and perhaps she would obtain children by Hagar. Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.  At this point, did God ask Sarai for her help to manifest His promise? Was Abram a little “henpecked” since he heeded the voice of his wife? Or, was this just a “man thing” to do? Afterall, his wife suggested it. Of course, as we continue our journey, God will use Sarai and Abram in the most natural way to manifest His promise. Have you ever done something to “help God out” in your life? Did God ask for your help? Was the outcome favorable or did it just cause nothing but trouble and heartache? We all have to learn how to wait on the Lord. Anyway, Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for 10 years when Sarai gave Hagar to Abram to be his wife. 

Abram was intimate with Hagar and she conceived.  When Abram was with Hagar, he had to know that this was not going to be a trouble free situation and of course, it wasn’t. When Hagar knew that she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. Could it have been that even though Hagar was still Sarai’s maidservant that she felt superior to Sarai because she was giving Abram a baby? So, Sarai pretty much blamed Abram for the way she was being treated by Hagar. Abram told her to deal with Hagar in any way that she chose. Sarai treated Hagar so badly that she ran away. An Angel of the Lord found Hagar by a spring of water in the wilderness on the way to Shur. He asked her where was she going and she told him that she was fleeing from Sarai. The Angel told her to go back and submit herself to Sarai. He told her that her descendants would be multiplied greatly so that they could not be counted for the multitude. This stands to reason because of God’s promise to Abram about his numerous descendants. The Angel told her that she was going to have a son and that she should name him Ishmael, because the Lord heard her affliction. Ishmael would be a wild man (unsettled), a fighter (at war), but he will live in the presence of all his brethren (he will endure). These descriptions regarding Ishmael will be for his descendants also. Hagar referred to the Lord as “You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees”. She asked, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” This question reflects Hagar’s amazement at God’s grace and humility in His presence. The well (spring) was called Beer Lahai Roi and is located between Kadesh and Bered.

Abram was 86 years old when Ishmael was born.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!