The Son of The Flesh

Genesis 16:1-16

God had promised that Abram’s descendants would be given the land of Canaan. Abram was eighty five and Sarai was seventy five and she’d never been able to get pregnant. She suspected she’d never be able to have children. God had stated that Abram’s heir would be as child that he had fathered, so they knew it was God’s will for him to have a child, and they both wanted one desperately. Perhaps a surrogate mother would be the best way to go.

“Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.” (Genesis 16:1-3)

When God had promised Abram a child of his own would be his heir, Genesis 15:6 states, “And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Believing it, they set out to make it happen. Not believing it would happen naturally, they set out to make it happen. It has been a common practice for women who couldn’t have children themselves to use a surrogate and adopt the child throughout history, because they didn’t trust God to give them a child.

Romans 14:23 tells us, “…for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” The sin of not trusting God to produce the child naturally resulted in sexual sin by Abram with Hagar. We tend to focus on the, obvious sin while ignoring the sin that led to it. For Example, in New Mexico, a great deal is made over driving while intoxicated, while abstinence is considered unsophisticated. People don’t set out to drive under the influence, they just drink and don’t consider the effects. The problem isn’t the driving, it is the drinking. The DUI is just a result of drinking. Abram’s sin was just a result of failing to trust God.

“And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.” (Genesis 16:4-5)

Even casual sexual acts produce emotional ties that are never completely severed according to I Corinthians 6:16. Though they had agreed for Abram to have a child with Hagar, it created problems between them. Now Sarai wanted Abram to accept all the blame, and while the primary responsibility was his, all three were at fault. As his wife, Sarai had a right Hagar couldn’t claim.

Trying to accomplish Gods plan in the flesh always results in serious problems, whether from a church or individual struggling to pay off a loan, a couple trying to have a child, or a preacher trying build a great church.

“But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.” (Genesis 16:6)

Because Sarai was legally his wife and he had a clear obligation to her, and Hagar was her servant, in an effort to reduce the pressures, Abram gave Sarai permission to do whatever she found necessary. She took advantage and was so overbearing Hagar fled to escape the emotional stress.

“And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.” (Genesis 16:7-9)

Hagar bore little or none of the responsibility for the problems between her and Sarai, but as is so often the case, she was the one who suffered most. God was not unaware of her suffering, and sent his angel to find her and show his concern. Despite the stress and discomfort, God wanted her to return and submit to Sarai, even though what she was suffering was unfair. God then made some promises to her.

“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 16:10-12)

God promised that the son would produce a huge multitude of descendants, and that he would be in constant conflict, living among his relatives. The present day Bedouins are believed by many to be descendants of her son, and the prophecy fits. They are still scattered among the other Arab groups and in Israel, with few ties to the established governments.

“And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.” (Genesis 16:13-14)

Hagar recognized that God sees us and cares about us, calling God the one who saw(knew) her and naming the well the place where she saw the one who saw her, the place she met God.

“And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.” (Genesis 16:15-16)

Ishmael was born when Abram was eighty six, about fourteen years before Isaac. Under the ancient tradition, as the eldest son, he would have been the heir. His name means “God will hear.”